• Loved by their father.

Gen 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, . . .

Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

• Hated by their brothers ( Both of their brothers were the children of Israel).

Gen 37:4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

John 15:25 But this comes to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

• Sent to their brothers.

Gen 37:14 And he said to him, Go, I pray you, see whether it be well with your brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

John 5:37 And the Father himself, which has sent me, has borne witness of me.

• Joseph’s dreams of the future and Messiah’s prophecies of the future provoked their brothers to hate them.

Gen 37:5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

Mat 21:33-46 . . . And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

• Their jealous brothers conspired to kill them.

Gen 37:18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

Luke 22:2 And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; . . .

• Sold for silver.

Gen 37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Mat 26:15 And said unto them, What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

• Both were rejected, stripped and put into the heart of the earth (pit).

Gen 37:23-24 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colors that was on him; And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

Mat 27:28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

John 19:41-42 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new tomb, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Yeshua therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the tomb was close at hand.

• Their brothers lied about them concerning their fate.

Gen 37:31-32 And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; And they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be your son’s coat or no.

Mat 28:11-13 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say you, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.

• Raised up out of the earth.

Gen 37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, . . .

Mat 12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Act 5:30 The Elohim of our fathers raised up Yeshua, whom you slew and hanged on a tree.

• Overcame the temptation to sin.

Gen 39:12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

• Both put in prison (Joseph in the king’s prison and Messiah in death’s prison, the grave).

Gen 39:20 And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

Mat 27:59-60 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock:…

• Suffered greatly for the sake of saving many.

Gen 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here: for Elohim did send me before you to preserve life.

1 Peter 3:18 For Messiah also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to Elohim, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

• Exalted to the position of second most powerful ruler.

Gen 41:39-40 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as Elohim has showed you all this, there is none so discreet and wise as you are: You shall be over my house, and according unto your word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than you.

1 Co 15:27 For he [Yahweh] has put all things under his [Messiah’s] feet. But when he says all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

• Everyone had to come to them for food (to Joseph for physical food and to Messiah for spiritual food).

Gen 41:57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

• The nations would come to them to be saved.

Gen 47:25 And they said, You have saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my master, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.

John 3:17 For Elohim sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

• Both were estranged from their families while saving the nations.

Gen 37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Micah 5:3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travails has brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

• Their brothers would bow down to them.

Gen 37:10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to you to the earth?

Gen 43:26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.

Php 2:9-10 Wherefore Elohim also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

• Their brothers could not recognize them due to their “Gentile” disguise (Joseph as an Egyptian and Messiah as the Lord of Christians) while, at the same time, they recognized their brothers.

Gen 42:8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

John 8:19 Then said they unto him, Where is your Father? Yeshua answered, You neither know me, nor my Father: if you had known me, you should have known my Father also.

Consider also the Jewish rejection of the “Christian Jesus”

• Both purposely kept their identities hidden.

Gen 42:7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, . . .

Mica 5:3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travails has brought forth: . . .

• Their brothers would have their eyes opened to behold their true identity.

Gen 45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.

2 Co 3:14-17 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Messiah. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Master, the veil shall be taken away. Now the Master is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Master is, there is liberty.

• They would forgive their brothers and be reconciled to them.

Gen 50:17, 19-21 So shall you say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray you now, the trespass of your brethren, and their sin; for they did unto you evil: and now, we pray you, forgive the trespass of the servants of the Elohim of your father. And Joseph wept when they spoke unto him. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of Elohim? But as for you, you thought evil against me; but Elohim meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear you not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spoke kindly unto them.

Luke 23:34 Then said Yeshua, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do . . .

• Both would continue to rule over their brothers.

Gen 50:18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we are your servants.

Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; . . .

The mind boggling amount of survival supplies and techniques available today coupled with the seemingly unlimited amount of choices we must make for our own and our family’s survival can be overwhelming. It takes a lot of time, effort and money to fully equip one’s self with the necessary (and sometimes unnecessary) supplies and skills for physical survival, especially when you don’t know exactly what you are preparing to survive! Do we prepare for a coming flood from a tsunamis or swollen river, famine from a collapse of the economy, self defense for times of mass civil unrest, polar shifts, meteor showers, radiation, chemical warfare, fleeing into the wilderness … and the list goes on.

We can become so busy preparing to physically survive in an uncertain future that we forget to prepare for our spiritual survival. The Savior of the world, Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) said;

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Mark 8:35-38

Are you busy preparing to save your physical life at the risk of losing your own soul? It is certainly not wrong to physically prepare for life’s storms as long as you have first prepared for your eternal future. What good will it do you to survive an economic collapse and thereby prolong your life by a few more years and yet, be rejected by the Savior when he returns because you put your trust in yourself to save your life rather putting your trust in him?

What will it profit you if you prepared so well that you are the last survivor of mankind on earth and yet, spend eternity separated from your Creator, Almighty Yahweh (God), because you did not receive His Son as your Savior? 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.

He who believes on Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18 MKJV

Unlike the plethora of physical survival choices we are confronted with, the choices for spiritual survival unto eternal life are few in number. Here are the main three:

1) Self preservation

2) Faith in material goods

3) Faith in Yahweh through Messiah Yeshua

Choice #1 seems like a good choice to many. After all, shouldn’t we be looking out for #1, ourselves? This choice elevates you to the position of Savior of your life and demotes Yeshua from being your Savior to having no place in your life. The very reason Yeshua died on the tree was to save you from your sins. He took upon himself the sins of the whole world so that the whole world through him might be saved. If you do not need him to save you, then he died for you in vain and you will die in your sins.

You may be able to save your life from famine for a while longer, or survive out in the wilderness a while longer, but how will you survive the coming judgment of mankind.

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15

You are powerless to save your soul, because you are powerless to forgive your own sins. However, Yeshua was sent for that very reason.

We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 1 John 4:14

“You know of [Yeshua] of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

“We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.

“God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible,

not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

“And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

“Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” Acts 10:38-43 NASB

Choice #2 was addressed by the Savior in the following parable:

And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive.

And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’

Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”‘

But [Yahweh] said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’

So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Luke 12:16-21

Is your storehouse well stocked with all sorts of survival goods that will last you for years to come? Do you feel content and secure in the knowledge that you have provided well for yourself? Are you rich toward Yahweh? I hope so friend. Because, if you’re not, you may lose your life tonight in a car accident or any of the thousands of other ways one can lose their life. Then what? Your survival storehouse will be passed down to perhaps your son. Is he rich toward Yahweh? The cycle will continue until one of your descendants entrusts his life to Yahweh and His Son Yeshua.

Choice #3 is your only viable option. It is the “How to” of spiritual survival. Only your Creator can forgive your sins through the shed blood of His Son Yeshua. Putting your faith in him is the only way you will survive “the end of the world as we know it” (TEOTWAWKI) and enter into the world to come. Your physical survival is only temporary; a mere prolonging of the inevitable death that befalls all mankind. Your spiritual survival, however, is far more important and has eternal benefits.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Yeshua Messiah our Master. Romans 6:23

And this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:40

He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him. John 3:36

All who believe on the Son will be resurrected from the dead and given the gift of eternal life. They will enter into life on a new earth under the benevolent rule of King Yeshua. There will be no more death, pain or sorrow in the Kingdom of Yahweh for those who believe. There will be no need for physical or spiritual survival skills or supplies in the world to come. Their will be no need for firearms, food storage, gas masks, iodine, or any of the other items you may be stockpiling now for you will no longer be a mortal being, but immortal, never to lose your life again.

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. Revelation 21:3-5

If you haven’t already realized it, I have been quoting from Yahweh’s ultimate survival guide, the Bible. In its pages are found not only key spiritual survival skills, but prophecies telling us exactly what calamities will befall our planet before the end comes. The discerning reader will not be fearful or worried about the future. He will be prepared to face those calamities by not only knowing the future as revealed by Yahweh through prophecy, but by knowing Yahweh Himself. When one has the Creator of the heavens and the earth as one’s protector and provider, facing the future becomes much easier.

May the Almighty grant you wisdom in your physical and spiritual preparation for TEOTWAWKI!

What a glorious promise Yahweh, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, has made to sinners. Would you like to be the recipient of such a promise? Who wouldn’t?

Some may say, “I am not a sinner and do not need forgiveness of sin.” Such a statement reveals the power of sin to deceive people. The Almighty Creator, Yahweh, says otherwise. Yahweh inspired King David to write:

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no Elohim (God/Yahweh). They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that does good. Yahweh looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek Elohim. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that does good, no, not one.” Psalm 14:1-3

Yahweh inspired the Apostle Paul to write:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Elohim.” Romans 3:23

Yahweh also inspired the Apostle John to write:

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8

Yes friend, we are all sinners, but what is sin? The Bible gives us two definitions by which we can know what sin is.

“Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1John 3:4

“All unrighteousness is sin: . . .” 1John 5:17a

Our Creator has given us good laws by which we can live peaceful lives with Him and with our fellow man. When we break those laws, we sin against our Creator. That sin does not come without a heavy price.

“The soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” Ezekiel 18:20

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of Elohim is eternal life through Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) our Master.” Romans 6:23

The Bible teaches us that death befalls all the living because all have sinned.

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Romans 5:12

However, as we read in Romans 6:23, there is a remedy for sin, Yeshua Messiah.

“For [Yahweh] so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Dear friend, you are part of the world and your Creator (Yahweh) loves you so much that He has given you His only begotten Son (Yeshua) to save you from your sins and give you the gift of eternal life in His kingdom.

The angel of Yahweh, speaking the words of Yahweh, said:

“And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Yeshua: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

Almighty Yahweh brought His Son Yeshua into the world so that all mankind would be saved from their sins. How did Yeshua save his people from their sins? He saved them through his death that was prophesied of by the prophet Isaiah.

“He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him; He has put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Yahweh shall prosper in his hand.” Isaiah 53:8-10

These words of Isaiah were written hundreds of years before Messiah Yeshua was born. They speak of his death as a sin offering. Throughout the Old Testament we read about animal sacrifices/offerings that the Israelites were to offer when they sinned. Leviticus 17:11 tells us why those sacrifices were necessary.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.”

The New Testament explains it similarly.

“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” Hebrews 9:22

In other words, if a person wants remission (forgiveness of sins), he must have blood shed on his behalf.

However, Hebrews 10:1-4 states:

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”

Animal sacrifices were a temporary covering for sin until Yahweh sent His only begotten Son to be the promised sin offering of Isaiah 53:10. He has given us a better, more effective and permanent way to remove sin; that is, through the shed blood of Messiah Yeshua.

“Giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us able to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” Colossians 1:12-14

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Yeshua Messiah his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1John 1:7-9

This forgiveness of sins is not only for Israel, but for the entire world including Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, etc. It is a one-time, universal sacrifice for all mankind. If one sins again after being cleansed by the blood of Messiah Yeshua, he/she needs only to confess the sin to be cleansed again.

When Messiah Yeshua called and commissioned Saul of Tarsus to be an Apostle, he said to him:

“But rise, and stand upon your feet: for I have appeared unto you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of these things which you have seen, and of those things in which I will appear unto you; delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send you, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto Elohim, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:16-18.

The Apostle Peter taught us that remission (forgiveness) of sins comes through repentance and baptism and that it is for all of the world.

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yeshua Messiah for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as [Yahweh] our Elohim shall call.” Acts 2:38-39

If you desire to have your sins forgiven and washed clean by the blood of Messiah Yeshua; if you desire to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide you through life; if you desire to receive the gift of eternal life in the Kingdom of Yahweh, then I invite you to receive Yeshua the Messiah as your Master and Savior.

There is no other way to live forever with your Creator than through His Son. As His Son has said,

“Yeshua said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

Yeshua’s “Father” is Almighty Yahweh, your Creator. Seek the forgiveness of your sins Yahweh’s way, not man’s way, not your own way.

“There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25

This world is full of various religions that offer assorted ways to have the crimson stain of sin removed, but only the shed blood of a sinless man would suffice in Yahweh’s eyes. That sinless man was Yeshua the Messiah.

“So Messiah was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:28

It is only by the cleansing of sin that one receives through embracing Yeshua as Savior that true peace comes to the soul of man. His blood not only washes the sins away, but it cleanses the conscience, thus allowing the one forgiven to be at total peace within himself and with his Creator.

“For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh:

How much more shall the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to Elohim, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living Elohim?” Hebrews 9:13-14

Such a clear conscience resulting in peace with our Creator is priceless.

Consider the writings of the great Hindu leader Mahatma Gandhi, who for all his devotion to his religion, stated in his autobiography, “It is a constant torture to me that I am still so far from Him whom I know to be my very life and being. I know it is my own wretchedness and wickedness that keeps me from Him.”

Sadly, Gandhi never became one with his Creator and therefore had no peace with Him. That does not need to be your fate as well.

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with Elohim through our Master Yeshua Messiah:” Romans 5:1

“Whosoever transgresses, and abides not in the doctrine of Messiah, hath not Elohim. He that abides in the doctrine of Messiah, he has both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 9

To abide in the doctrine (teaching) of Messiah requires one to become his disciple through receiving him as Master and Savior. Once we are united with Messiah Yeshua, we also become united with his Father Yahweh (God).

It is sin that separates one from Yahweh:

“Behold, Yahweh’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

But your iniquities have separated between you and your Elohim, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.

For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

None calls for justice, nor any pleads for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eats of their eggs dies, and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper.

Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.

Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.

The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goes therein shall not know peace.

Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.

For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;

In transgressing and lying against Yahweh, and departing away from our Elohim, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.

And judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

Yes, truth fails; and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey: and Yahweh saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no judgment.

And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His arm brought salvation unto Him; and His righteousness, it sustained him.

For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.

According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, fury to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; to the islands He will repay recompense.

So shall they fear the name of Yahweh from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of Yahweh shall lift up a standard against him.

And the Redeemer shall come to Zion . . .” Isaiah 59:1-20a

The “Redeemer” is Yeshua the Messiah who Yahweh has sent to save the world from their sins.

Dear friend, think long and hard about the condition of your soul. Have you had a total cleansing of your sin? Is your conscience clear of offense toward Yahweh? Do you have peace with your Creator or is your soul tortured as Gandhi’s was? If not, I invite you to receive these precious promises of forgiveness that can only come through the cleansing blood of Yeshua.

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.” 1Peter 2:24

Invite Messiah Yeshua into your heart. Ask him to heal you of your sins through his shed blood. Receive the peace that transcends all understanding and begin to live your life united with the one who gave you life.

Blessed be the name of Yahweh!

These words were spoken by the Apostle Paul to the idolatrous inhabitants of Athens, Greece who had many gods, many altars, many religious festivals, but who did not know the one true Elohim of heaven and earth, Almighty Yahweh, our Creator. They had been worshipping images chiseled out of stone, carved out of wood, or engraved from precious metals. For centuries, perhaps even millennia, the Creator overlooked (winked at) such ignorance, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.

Perhaps you are saying to yourself, “How can people be so foolish as to worship inanimate objects?” That’s a good question. Such people have a desire to worship a being they believe exists, but they are ignorant about how to do it. What is worse, however, is when people idolize objects even though they know those things are not gods. I am referring to making money, cars, people, television, sports teams, etc, your own personal idol.

Idolatry is the “excessive admiration or love shown for somebody or something” (Encarta Dictionary).

Does this definition apply to you in any way? If so, your Creator commands you to repent of your idolatry and worship Him alone. Verse 31 above tells us our Creator has appointed a day in which He will judge mankind. That day is coming sooner than you think. The judge that He has appointed is His only begotten Son, Messiah Yeshua. Not only will the Messiah be your judge and impose an eternal death sentence upon you if you choose to not repent, but he is also appointed to be your Savior if you choose to repent.

And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. (1 John 4:14)

Hopefully you are thinking, “What must I do to be saved?” That same question was asked by a prison guard in Acts 16:30:

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto Elohim: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Master Yeshua Messiah, and you shall be saved, and your house. And they spoke unto him the word of the Master, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately. (Acts 16:25-33)

Here are a few more verses found in the Bible that may help you to make the right decision to repent of your sins (turn from them) and believe on the Master Yeshua the Messiah.

And [Yeshua] unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it was needful for Messiah to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:46-47)

For [Yahweh] so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For [Yahweh] sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of [Yahweh]. (John 3:16-18)

Yeshua said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25-26)

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yeshua Messiah for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as Yahweh our Elohim shall call. (Acts 2:38-39)

That if you shall confess with your mouth the Master Yeshua, and shall believe in your heart that Elohim has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)

Those that do not repent of their sins and turn to Messiah Yeshua for forgiveness and salvation will face the judge of all the earth bearing their own sins. Their final destination is sealed, that is, the Lake of Fire.

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before Elohim; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and the grave delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and the grave were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)

There is only one way to be found in the book of life:

And this is the record, that Elohim has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of Elohim has not life. (1 John 5:11-12)

If you are hesitant about repenting of your sins or receiving the Master Yeshua as your Savior, let’s talk about it. Reply to this blog below and I’ll do my best to answer your objections, dispel your fears and help you to become one with your Creator and His Son.

These words were written by David as the Spirit of Almighty Yahweh inspired him. Yahweh is a discerner of the heart. He not only knows what’s in each of our hearts, but He knows the ramifications of what we think in our hearts. 

Are you an atheist that does not believe there is a “God” or a “Mighty One” that created and rules this universe? That same “God” who you do not believe exists classifies you as a “fool”, that is, one who lacks wisdom. I encourage you to reconsider the facts concerning His existence.

The fool has said in his heart, There is no [Mighty One]. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that does good. Yahweh looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek [the Mighty One]. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that does good, no, not one. (Psalm 14:1-3)

The above passage holds true for all mankind, not just atheists. The Apostle Paul quoted from this passage and concluded:

Now we know that whatsoever things the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before [the Mighty One]. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of [the Mighty One]; (Romans 3:19, 23) 

All mankind has sinned, including you dear reader. The payment must therefore be given to you at the appointed time.

For the wages of sin is death; (Romans 6:23a)

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)

At this point in your life, if you choose to do nothing, your fate is sealed. The righteous judgment of your Creator has decreed that you must forfeit your life at an appointed time. However, your fate can be altered through the most magnificent plan ever conceived.

Your Creator has provided a means through which you can have the death penalty removed.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of the Mighty One is eternal life through Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) our Master. (Romans 6:23)

But we see Yeshua, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of the Mighty One should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)

For Messiah also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to the Mighty One, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18).

Your Creator allowed His only begotten Son to die in your place. He paid the price for your sins so that you may live eternally with your Creator; His life for yours, his suffering for yours. Greater love has no man than that he would lay down his life for another. Such has Messiah done for you. All you need to do is accept the gift of life being offered to you by repenting of your sins (being sorry for them and turning away from them unto obedience to your Creator) and receiving The Master Yeshua as your Savior (believing in him for your salvation).

For the Mighty One so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

But as many as received him (Yeshua), to them gave he power to become the sons of the Mighty One, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)

Your choices are simple:

A)    Reject this message of salvation through belief in Messiah Yeshua and die an eternal death and separation from your Creator

B)    Accept this message of salvation through the sacrificial death of Yeshua on your behalf and live eternally with him and your Creator.

This is a no brainer dear reader. Exercise wisdom and live!

The Problem

The verses that lead to the erroneous conclusion above and which appear to contradict and lack harmony are as follows;

Deuteronomy 6:25 – And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before Yahweh our Elohim, as He has commanded us.

James 2:24 – You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

As opposed to:

Romans 3:20 – Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Galatians 2:16  – Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Yeshua Messiah, even we have believed in Yeshua Messiah, that we might be justified by the faith of Messiah, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Gal 2:21 – I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Galatians 3:11 – But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of Elohim, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

In the last four verses above, Paul seems to be saying that righteousness/justification can come by no other means than by faith. Therefore, the first question we need to answer is, “Is the Apostle Paul teaching that justification or righteousness can only come through faith?” I believe the answer is, “No!” Looking at the whole of his teaching we find this:

Romans 2:13  – For not the hearers of the law are just before Elohim, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Romans 6:16  Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

These two verses seem to teach that there is a righteousness that comes through works, that is, works of obedience to the law. Indeed, that is what the next two verses teach.

Romans 10:5 -  For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which does those things shall live by them.                                                                                                                                                                       

Philippians 3:9 – And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Messiah, the righteousness which is of Elohim by faith:

The Solution

Philippians 3:9 above gives the essence of Paul’s teaching on this subject. The righteousness that comes through obedience to the law is NOT the same righteousness that is imputed to believers through the faith of Messiah.  The former righteousness comes from the work of man and the latter righteousness comes from Yahweh.

How, then, can we explain Paul’s meaning in Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16, 21; and 3:11?”  The righteousness Paul addresses in these verses is a righteousness that can only come from Yahweh. It is Messiah Yeshua’s imputed righteousness through his faith and the believer’s faith in him. Of course, having faith in Yeshua comes through having faith in Yahweh. This kind of imputed righteousness by faith ALWAYS precedes the righteousness that comes through works whether they be works of obedience to the law or works such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, or hiding spies as Rahab did.

In the examples the Apostle James used to show justification/righteousness by works, all the works mentioned were the fruit of people that had faith.

Example #1 – What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled; notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit? (James 2:14-16) 

James is addressing believers who have already received Yeshua and his imputed righteousness. They already have a living faith. If, however, they did not have a living faith, they would not provide the necessary food or clothing. Doing such good works as feeding the hungry and clothing the naked are the fruit of having a living faith.

Example #2  – Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Do you see how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?  (James 2:21-22)

Abraham was already declared righteous before Isaac was even born (Genesis 15:6) based on his faith in Yahweh. Offering Isaac was the fruit of that faith.

Example #3 – Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? (James 2:25)

The following are the words of Rahab to the spies.

And she said unto the men, I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your Elohim, he is Elohim in heaven above, and in earth beneath.  (Joshua 2:9-11)

Those are the words of a woman who had faith in Yahweh. She heard about Yahweh’s great deliverance of and care for Israel and believed that Yahweh not only existed, but was the true Elohim in heaven as opposed to all the false Elohim she was surrounded by. Her hiding the spies was a fruit of that faith.

Man’s Righteousness

Israel received the law from Yahweh. Moses said of that law;

And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before Yahweh our Elohim, as He has commanded us. (Deuteronomy 6:25) 

This kind of righteousness is the fruit of faith. Yahweh showed His mighty works on Israel’s behalf by delivering them from Egyptian bondage. His miracles and care for Israel should have produced a faith in Yahweh by the people of Israel leading to the fruit of obedience unto righteousness. However, within a short time, Israel had committed idolatry while Moses was receiving the law from Yahweh. The majority of Israel would go on to live a life of faithlessness. So much so that Isaiah was led to write:

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)

The Apostle Paul expounded upon the reason for this as it pertained to Israel in his day.

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 9:30-33)

Israel sought righteousness through their own works of obedience to the law and not through faith in Yahweh or in the means of justification that He provided for them, namely Yeshua, the stumblingstone. Paul puts it another way in Romans 10:3.

For they being ignorant of Elohim’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of Elohim.

Yeshua himself said the same of the Pharisees.

And he said unto them, You are they which justify yourselves before men; but Elohim knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of Elohim. (Luke 16:15)

And he spoke this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, Elohim, I thank you, that I am not as other men; extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, Elohim be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:9-14)

Ezekiel says of those who trust in their own righteousness:

When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he has committed, he shall die for it. (Ezekiel 33:13)

Yahweh’s Imputed Righteousness

All men are sinners (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). We have all walked in unrighteousness at times in our lives. Therefore, our works of righteousness through the law are, at best, inadequate. Yahweh is looking for our faith in Him and Yeshua so that He can impute righteousness to us. Those that receive His Son Yeshua as their Savior receive Yeshua’s righteousness imputed to them which is a righteousness given as a gift from Yahweh and not a righteousness earned by works.

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Yeshua Messiah. (Romans 5:17)

This kind of righteousness (imputed righteousness) has always existed throughout history. We first read about it concerning Abraham in Genesis 15:6.

And he believed in Yahweh; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Other references to imputed righteousness are as follows:

Psalm 132:9 – Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.

Isaiah 1:27 – Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

Isaiah 54:17 – No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh, and their righteousness is of me, says Yahweh.

Isaiah 61:10-11 – I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh, my soul shall be joyful in my Elohim; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.  For as the earth brings forth her bud, and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so Yahweh ELOHIM will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Jeremiah 23:5-6 – Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.  In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, YAHWEH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Jeremiah 51:10 – Yahweh hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of Yahweh our Elohim.

Daniel 9:24 – Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Hosea 10:12 – Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek Yahweh, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

The writer of Hebrews acknowledged this kind of righteousness when he wrote:

By faith Noah, being warned of Elohim of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

It was Noah’s faith that produced his work of preparing an ark. Every man that the Bible speaks of as being “righteous” was righteous because they had faith in Yahweh. That faith led to acts of righteousness and to a righteousness that would be seen of men.

Yeshua said of the scribes and Pharisees:

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

If Yeshua’s hearers must have a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees in order to enter the Kingdom, then the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was so defective that it will keep them out of the Kingdom. Their righteousness was based on an external observance of the law and not on a heart full of faith. A righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees can only be based on faith; not only one’s own faith in Yahweh and Yeshua, but Yeshua’s own faith imputed to the believer. Even the believer’s works of righteousness will be far more preferable because they are born out of faith. It is a living faith that produces good works. Such works will be done by those who are justified by faith.

That if you shall confess with your mouth the Master Yeshua, and shall believe in your heart that Elohim has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)

This is the righteousness that leads to the “justification of life”. (Romans 5:18) It is the kind of righteousness/justification that Isaiah prophesied about.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11)

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Apostle Paul taught justification/righteousness must initially be imputed to a person from Yahweh through/by faith. That faith should then produce the fruit of good works which is a righteousness in the sight of man spoken of by the Apostle James. The righteousness imputed by Yahweh as a gift is the only righteousness unto eternal life.

 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to Elohim must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) 

“…, but the just shall live by his faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4)

Eternal life can only come through faith. It is believed that the word “faith” here should be translated “faithfulness”. Even so, faithfulness must begin with faith. Without faith there can be no faithfulness. The “just” or the “righteous” will be granted not just a corporeal life, but a spiritual life of oneness with Yahweh and eventually eternal life. This will be granted through faith and not through works of law.

“For therein is the righteousness of Elohim revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)

And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: . . . And you shall overlay it with pure gold, within and without shall you overlay it, and shall make upon it a crown of gold round about. Exodus 25:10-11

The gold overlay not only represents the holiness and value of the box itself, but the contents of the box as well. The ark is like a treasure chest and its contents are the treasure.

And you shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you. Exodus 25:16

The “testimony” is the treasure housed in the Ark of the Covenant, but what is the “testimony”?

And He gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of Elohim. Exodus 31:18

The testimony, now known as the “ten commandments”, were placed inside the ark for protection, preservation and as a witness to the will of Yahweh for His people.

Yahweh commanded Israel to make poles to carry the ark so that it would not be touched by human hands (Exodus 25:12-15). This, too, was a sign of the incredible value and holiness of the ark and its contents.

Once the tablets of stone were placed inside the ark, a cover called the “mercy seat” was placed over it to seal it. Two images of cherubim were fashioned upon the mercy seat so that they faced each other with their faces looking down at the mercy seat.

And you shall make a mercy seat of pure gold: . . .

And you shall make two cherubim of gold, of beaten work shall you make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on the two ends thereof.

And the cherubim shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be.

And you shall put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. Exodus 25:17-21

After the cover was placed on the ark, the ark was placed in the inner room or Most Holy Place of the tabernacle. No man was permitted to enter that room except the high priest once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur – The Day of Covering).

Once the ark was positioned and the tabernacle was void of people, the glory of Yahweh came down and rested upon the mercy seat upon the ark.

And there I will meet with you, and I will commune with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. Exodus 25:22

Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34-35

Now we can understand why the cherubim were looking down at the mercy seat. Yahweh’s glory rested upon the ark between the cherubim. They were bowing down to Him in reverence and worship as they guarded the ark.

Not only was the ark and its contents of great value and holiness by virtue of 1) the gold surrounding it 2) the fact that it could not be touched 3) its position within the holiest place in the tabernacle and 4) it being guarded by cherubim, but to top it all off, the presence of the Creator of the universe, Almighty Yahweh, dwelt upon it. The ark acted as Yahweh’s throne as He ruled over Israel while sitting upon the very laws that governed His Kingdom.

Picture in your mind what was taking place. The mercy seat/cover stood between the Elohim of Israel and His commandments. Yahweh’s people, not only in Moses’ day, but today as well, are prone to break His commandments. However, Yahweh provided a means for them and us to attain mercy and forgiveness. He provided a covering for us and that covering is Messiah Yeshua. When we break Yahweh’s laws, we have a covering or an atonement for our sins through the shed blood of the Savior of the world, Yeshua.

And not only so, but we also joy in Elohim through our Master Yeshua Messiah, by whom we have now received the atonement. Romans 5:11

And all things are of Elohim, who has reconciled us to Himself through Yeshua Messiah, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

That is, that Elohim was in Messiah, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Whom Elohim has set forth to be a propitiation [hilestarion – same word used for “mercy seat” in Hebrews 9:5] through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of Elohim; Romans 3:25

And he is the propitiation [hilestarion] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2

Herein is love, not that we loved Elohim, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation [hilestarion] for our sins. 1 John 4:10

Yeshua the Messiah fulfills the function of the mercy seat in that we receive mercy through him via his righteousness and shed blood on our behalf. This mercy is not only for us who have faith in his atoning blood, but for the entire world. That includes you, dear reader. You need only receive Yeshua as your Savior, your atoning sacrifice, and the blood he shed on the cross almost 2,000 years ago will cleanse you of all your sins.

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that Elohim is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Yeshua Messiah His Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:5-10

Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest of Israel would enter the Most Holy Place with the blood of a sin offering and sprinkle that blood upon the mercy seat to atone for the sins of the people.

Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: Leviticus 16:15

Yeshua died as the ultimate sin offering for the world. His blood was sprinkled upon the mercy seat to atone for the sins of not only Israel, but the world. Not only does he fulfill the sin offering, but he fulfills the function of the mercy seat.

Have you made him your sin offering? Is he your mercy seat through whom your sins are atoned for? Do not make your Creator out to be a liar by saying you have no sin.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of Elohim; Romans 3:23

Sin is the transgression of Yahweh’s holy law.

Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 1 John 3:4

You have broken Yahweh’s laws, especially the Ten Commandments. The payment for sin is death. The way to cheat death is by having your sins atoned for by the blood of Yeshua. By doing so, you will be clothed with his righteousness and receive the free gift of eternal life.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of Elohim is eternal life through Yeshua Messiah our Master. Romans 6:23

I hope you will exercise wisdom and choose life.

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body of Messiah.

Paul, writing many years after Yahweh’s Holy Days were supposedly fulfilled and done away with, said those days still existed as shadows of things that would come in his future. These shadows portray the reality of Yahweh’s plan of salvation for mankind. In other words, each appointed time or Holy Day depicts an aspect of Yahweh’s plan that will be fulfilled in our future. An example of a shadow / reality would be animal sacrifices which were a shadow of the true sacrifice of Yeshua the Messiah. Once the reality, Yeshua’s death, was accomplished or fulfilled the shadow ceased to continue. Since Paul spoke of the Holy Days as unfulfilled shadows, they will not be totally fulfilled and cease until the reality has come.

Yahweh’s three primary holy times (Passover / Feast of Unleavened, Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles) revolve around the agricultural harvest of Israel. We see this in Ex.23:14-16;

“Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened: (thou shalt eat unleavened seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) And the feast of harvest [Pentecost], the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering [Tabernacles], which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.”

They begin in the spring when new life springs from the ground (in particular, the barley crop of Israel) and they end when the final crops of Israel are harvested.

Yeshua gave us a parable that helps us to understand the spiritual aspects of the harvest. The Parable of the Tares in Mt.13:24-30, 36-43 reads;

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

“Then Yeshua sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

 

We see, by this parable, that the agricultural life of Israel has a spiritual parallel. Keep that in mind as you learn what the reality of each Holy Day shadow is.

Passover - Redemption / Protection

Ex.12:3,6,7,12,13 – “Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: . . .And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it . . . For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am Yahweh. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”

It was through the shed blood of a lamb being applied to their doorposts that the Israelites received Yahweh’s divine protection from the final plague to befall Egypt. It was through this same sacrifice that Israel was redeemed from Egyptian bondage.

The New Testament writings of Paul to the Corinthians teach us that Yeshua the Messiah is our true Passover lamb. 1 Cor.5:7 says;

“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Messiah our Passover is sacrificed for us:”

He has totally fulfilled the shadow of that original sacrifice, dying at the exact moment the Passover lambs were being sacrificed by the Jews. Now it is his blood that redeems us from our bondage to sin (a type of Egypt). It is also his blood upon the door posts of our hearts that provides us divine protection from Yahweh’s wrath to come. We see this in 1 Th.1:10 and Ro.5:8,9;

“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Yeshua, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

“But Elohim commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Messiah died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

Feast of Unleavened - Sanctification

Ex.12:17 says, “And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.”

Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage came on the first day of this Feast (Abib 15). It is a type of how believers are delivered from this world. Once a person accepts Yeshua as their Savior and receives divine redemption and protection through his shed blood, he must begin his journey to the promised land. He begins his exodus out of this worldly system (sanctification or being set apart) and starts to walk in the newness of life that comes only through a relationship with Yeshua, the Son of Yahweh.

As a requirement for observing this Feast, Ex.12:15 reads;

“Seven days shall ye eat unleavened; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leaven from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.”

Leaven represents sin, false doctrine, and hypocrisy. We are not only to rid our homes of leaven during this appointed time, but we are to rid our hearts of these things as we grow in grace and truth. It is part of our sanctification process or the process of coming out of this world. Since this is an ongoing process that will continue until Messiah returns, we cannot do away with the shadow of the Feast of Unleavened.

Wavesheaf - Firstfruits of the barley harvest

The firstfruits of the barley harvest were offered on Abib 16.

Lev.23:10,11 says, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before Yahweh, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.”

The fulfillment of this wavesheaf offering is found in the person of Yeshua who was the firstfruit of the spiritual harvest of souls mentioned earlier in this study. We see this in 1 Cor.15:20;

“But now is Messiah risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”

Yeshua’s resurrection occurred on the exact date and at the exact time the wavesheaf was offered, the early morning of Abib 16. Every believer in Messiah has a hope of a resurrection from the dead, but only at the appointed time. First, the firstfruits of the harvest had to take place (Yeshua’s resurrection). Eventually the entire crop of souls will be harvested.

Feast of Weeks - Firstfruits of the wheat harvest

Fifty days after the wave offering brings us to the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. This was the day the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples in Acts 2. To understand the shadow of this day we must go back to Lev.23:15-17;

“And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto Yahweh. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto Yahweh.”

As we saw in Lev.23:10,11, Yeshua represented the firstfruits of the barley harvest. Here, however, we have the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. The Parable of the Tares taught us that wheat is symbolic of true believers and that all believers, the entire harvest, would be reaped or resurrected after the tares or wicked are destroyed. However, before the main harvest is reaped the firstfruits of the harvest must be offered. In Lev.23:17 we see the firstfruits being represented by two loaves of wheat bread. In Rev.14:1-5 we learn the 144,000 are the “firstfruits unto [Yahweh] and to the Lamb.”

“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his name and his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto [Yahweh] and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of [Yahweh].”

Just as the reaping and waving of the sheaf in Lev.23:10,11 represented the resurrection and ascension of Yeshua, the wave loaves of Lev.23:17 represent the ascension of the firstfruits of Rev.14. Each loaf represents one group of 144,000. The total number of firstfruits of the wheat harvest is 288,000. To understand why this is click here.

In Acts 2, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the “former rain” that allowed the wheat harvest to grow. The “latter rain” is yet to come. The Holy Spirit will be poured out once again to fulfill the two important rains of the agricultural cycle of Israel.

Day of Trumpets - Warning of the coming judgment

Lev.23:24 reads, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.”

On this day “trumpets” (plural) are blown, not just one trumpet. When Yeshua returns only one trumpet will be blown. Therefore, he will not return on the Day of Trumpets. This day is a shadow of a future time in Yahweh’s plan of salvation when He will command the angels to begin blowing the seven trumpets of Revelation 8. These trumpet judgments begin the “Day of Yahweh” or the day of His wrath upon this world.

Day of Atonement - Yeshua’s return

The atonement has been totally fulfilled by Yeshua’s one time sacrifice for sins, however, there remains one aspect of this day that has not been fulfilled. It was on this day (the tenth day of the seventh month) that the “trumpet of the Jubilee” was blown as we read in Lev.235:8,9;

“And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.”

I believe Yeshua will return at the sound of the seventh trumpet of Rev.11:15, the same trumpet as in 1 Thess.4:16 and 1 Cor.15:52, the trumpet of Jubilee. The Jubilee signaled the time when liberty was proclaimed throughout the land and every man returned to his own family (Lev.25:10). When Yeshua returns at the sound of the Jubilee trumpet on the Day of Atonement, he will set the captives of death free. They will be granted liberty and they will return to their own family. Since Yahweh is their Father, they will return to His family in heaven.

Feast of Tabernacles - Millennium

Lev.23:39 – “Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto Yahweh seven days:”

After the harvest of souls is complete or after the final agricultural harvest is complete and the fruit of the land (true believers) is gathered or resurrected, the millennium will begin which is the reality of the shadow of this Feast.

“Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates. Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto Yahweh thy Elohim in the place which Yahweh shall choose: because Yahweh thy Elohim shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.” (Deut.16:13-15).

It is a time of rejoicing for those in Messiah as they see the fruit of their labors over the course of their walk with Yeshua. All the seeds they ever planted, all the toil and hardships they underwent to further the Kingdom of Yahweh is now reaped and brought into Yahweh’s barn. They will now live forever in Yahweh’s Kingdom.

Last Great Day - The New Earth

We finally come to the culmination of Yahweh’s great plan of salvation. The Millennium has ended. The Great White Throne Judgment has been completed. Death and the grave have been thrown into the lake of fire. We come to a time spoken of by Yeshua on the Last Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles in which he said;

“If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Yeshua was not yet glorified.)” (Jn.7:37-39)

This happened in part in Acts 2, but it will happen to all when Yahweh’s Last Great Day is literally fulfilled after the Millennium when rivers of living water will flow out to the nations and the earth is restored to its former glory.

“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of [Yahweh] and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of [Yahweh] and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: And they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for [Yahweh] Elohim giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” (Rev.22:1-5)

Here is a summation up this great plan of salvation Almighty Yahweh offers to everyone through His Son Yeshua the Messiah:

Passover - Redemption and lifelong protection for the new believer.

Unleavened - The sanctification process begins as the new believer comes out of the world and puts away sin, false doctrine, hypocrisy, malice and wickedness.

Wavesheaf - Yeshua’s resurrection paves the way for true believers to follow.

Feast of Weeks - The resurrection of the 288,000 firstfruits unto Yahweh.

Day of Trumpets - Warning trumpets. A wake-up call of the impending judgment upon the wicked.

Day of Atonement - Yeshua returns to set the captives of death free at Jubilee.

Feast of Tabernacles - The Millennial rest and rejoicing over the harvest of souls. The Kingdom has come!

Last Great Day - The new earth restored in all its glory.

I hope you will take part in this great plan of salvation by believing on the Master Yeshua the Messiah, being baptized for the remission of your sins, and walking in the newness of life that can only come through the only begotten Son of Yahweh.

Let’s begin with the first mention of being born again in the New Testament, John 3:3.

“Yeshua answered and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Elohim.”

Yeshua spoke these words to Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews. By Nicodemus’ reply it is obvious that he misunderstood Yeshua in that he was thinking an adult could somehow enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born a second time.

Yeshua then clarifies further in verse 5;

“Yeshua answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Elohim.”

Yeshua is explaining only one aspect of being born again, the literal meaning. There is a second aspect, the spiritual meaning, which will be dealt with later. To be “born of water” refers to one’s physical birth. The unborn child is encased in “water” for the majority of his life in the womb. Once that encasement breaks and the “water” is released the birth begins. Yeshua was responding to Nicodemus’ question about entering his mother’s womb a second time. So, in essence, Yeshua was saying, “Except a man be born of the womb and of the Spirit . . .”

Many have concluded that Yeshua was referring to baptism in water and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Based on the context that follows, that is not true. Verse 6 reads,

“That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Yeshua is drawing a parallel to what he just said in verse 5. To be “born of the flesh” equals to be “born of water.” To be “born . . . of the Spirit” equals to be “born of the Spirit.” When a person is born of water he is born a flesh and blood being. However, when a person is born of the Spirit he is spirit. He becomes a spirit being. This can only happen to a person upon his resurrection from the dead. That is what happened to our Savior Yeshua upon his resurrection from the dead. Ps. 2:7 reads,

“I will declare the decree: Yahweh hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”

Its fulfillment is found is found in Acts 13:33;

“Elohim has fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he has raised up Yeshua again; as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.”

Yeshua’s resurrection from the dead was the point in time that he was “begotten” or “born again.” He was “born of the flesh” or “born of water” when his mother Miriam gave birth to him. “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. . .” (Jn 1:14)

Yeshua is said to be the “firstborn from the dead” (Col 1:18). He was the first person to be resurrected unto eternal life or the first to be “born” via resurrection. Rom 8:29 says,

“For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Therefore, all those that believe in the Son (his brethren) will also be resurrected or literally born again as he was.

The Apostle Paul wrote,

“It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body” (1 Cor 15:44).

The “natural body” means our flesh and blood body that was born of water or of the flesh. The “spiritual body” means the new body that is reserved in heaven for each saint that will be resurrected. In 2 Cor 5:1-4, Paul speaks of this spiritual body as our future “house.”

“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of Elohim, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.”

Notice, also, in 1 Cor 15:44, that Paul says the natural body is “sown.” Just as a seed is sown in the ground and gives birth to a new plant, so must we be sown in death before we are literally born again at our resurrection as spirit beings. We will literally experience a new birth into a different kind of being, one that is not subject to sickness or death or hindered by the physical barriers of life in the flesh such as walls. This latter ability of a spirit being is very important in understanding what Yeshua meant in Jn 3:8.

“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

Yeshua is saying, if you are a person who is born of the Spirit, you will be able to come and go without detection because spirit beings are invisible. We all know that angels, who are spirit beings, are invisible until made manifest to human eyes for some reason as was the case with Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6:17. The same is true of Yeshua now that he has been resurrected or born again, born of the Spirit. In Luke 24:31, Yeshua vanished out of the sight of Cleopas and his traveling companion. Later, in Luke 24:36, Yeshua suddenly appeared in the midst of his disciples as they spoke to one another. His appearance was so sudden and unexpected that they thought they were seeing a spirit. Jn 20:19 tells on that occasion the disciples were hiding in a room in fear with the door shut. It is not too great an assumption to believe the door was locked as well, yet Yeshua, as a spirit being, was not hindered by the physical world. He passed through the door or wall, undetected as the wind, to speak to his disciples.

All this simply confirms what Paul said in 1 Cor 15:50;

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of Elohim; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”

This is another way of saying, ” Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Elohim” and “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Elohim.” The kingdom of Yahweh is closed to all that are flesh and blood. Its doors will open when the flesh is made spirit at a persons resurrection. When the earth gives birth to a dead saint their entrance into the kingdom is permitted. (For an explanation of the erroneous belief that Enoch and Eliyah went to heaven in their earthly bodies, click here).

What about this concept of the earth giving birth? Is it Scriptural? Most certainly. Consider Is 26:19;

“Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”

It is the earth that is going to “cast out” the dead via resurrection when dead bodies shall arise. “Cast out” is #5307 in Strong’s Concordance. A root of it is #5309 which means an “untimely birth.” Consider, also, Is 66:8;

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

Zion will give birth to her “children,” but it is the earth that is actually made to “bring forth” or give birth to these children. This refers to the resurrection of believers. The resurrection of Yeshua is referred to in verse 7. For a deeper understanding of this passage click here.

In Jn 3:9, Nicodemus says, “How can these things be?” Yeshua replies, “Art thou a master [teacher] of Israel and knowest not these things?” In other words, Nicodemus should have known from the Old Testament what Yeshua was talking about. Nowhere in the Old Testament, that I am aware of, is the concept of being born again while in the flesh taught. However, the resurrection of the dead is taught and that is what Yeshua was referring to by being “born again” and “born of the Spirit.”

What Yeshua taught in Jn 3:3-12 is the literal act of being born again. Now it is time to study the spiritual aspect of being born again which is far more important. Without being born again spiritually we cannot expect to be born again literally at our resurrection.

We begin in 1 Pe 1:23 which reads,

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of Elohim, which liveth and abideth forever.”

When the incorruptible seed of the Word of Yahweh is planted in the fertile heart of an unbeliever (Mt 13:18-23) via the preaching of the good news (1 Pe 1:25) it begins a transformation process that eventually leads to repentance of sin and acceptance of Yeshua as one’s Savior. It is culminated in baptism, total immersion under water, which symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua. When we submit to baptism we agree to die to self and live for Yahweh. We determine in our hearts to put to death our “old man” or old nature and walk in newness of life through the Holy Spirit that will be given us.

When we are submerged under water it symbolizes the burial of our old self. Finally, we emerge out of the water symbolizing our resurrection from the dead, for before Yeshua came we were dead in our sins (Eph 2:1,5; Col 2:13). It is at that point (emerging from the water of baptism) that we are spiritually born again. We are spiritually born of water (Rom 6:3-11).

At this point you are probably saying I contradicted myself since I said being “born of water” in Jn 3:5 did not refer to water baptism. It is, however, not a contradiction. The phrase “born of water” in Jn 3:5 cannot refer to baptism since “born of spirit” refers to one’s resurrection into spirit. Jn 3:5 deals with the literal aspect, not the spiritual aspect. In either case, if we are not born again, we will not see or enter the kingdom of Elohim. It is this fact that places major emphasis on this doctrine. Therefore, it is important for us to explore fully what it means to be “born again.”

James 1:18 also speaks of the Word in relation to the process of being born again. It reads,

“Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”

The word “begat” means “to be pregnant.” When the word of truth is preached to an unbeliever with a fertile heart, the seed is planted, a spiritual conception takes place, and a new birth is imminent. But this conception and birth cannot occur if the word of truth is not preached. If we are taught error it will not lead to a new birth. Millions of people embrace false religions and false teachings throughout the world. There is no life in these religions because they are not founded on the preaching of Yeshua as Messiah. He is “the way, the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6).

John 1:12,13 also speaks of the new birth;

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of Elohim, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of Elohim.”

Those that receive Yeshua as their Savior become sons of Elohim. They are spoken of as being “born.” This birth, however, is not the result of a man and woman uniting, but is the direct result of Yahweh’s intervention and power.

The Apostle John speaks of believers as being “born of Elohim” seven times throughout his first epistle. For brevity, I will list them all with a brief comment or two.

• 1 Jn 2:29 – Those that do righteousness are born again.
• 1 Jn 3:9 – Those that are born of Elohim, born again, do not practice sin.
• 1 Jn 4:7 – Those that are born of Elohim truly love the brethren.
• 1 Jn 5:1 – Those that are born of Elohim believe Yeshua is the Messiah.
• 1 Jn 5:4 – Those that are born of Elohim overcome the world through their faith.
• 1 Jn 5:18 – Those that are born of Elohim do not practice sin and are untouched by the wicked one.

When this new spiritual birth takes place the believer is spoken of as being a “babe” in Messiah (1 Cor 3:1; Heb 5:13; 1 Pe 2:2). Eventually the “babe” matures as he feeds first upon the milk of the Word (the elementary teachings of Scripture) and then upon “strong meat” (the deeper truths of Scripture) (Heb 5:12-14).

The most important aspect of this new birth is a change in one’s thinking and in one’s very nature. Eph 2:2,3 read;

“Wherein in times past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

Before a person is born again in a spiritual sense he walks in a way that is contrary to his Creator’s will because his very nature is corrupt. As a result of Adam’s sin, “death passed upon all men for that all have sinned” (Rom 5:12). Sin caused man to have a fallen, corrupt nature which Paul calls “the old man.”

In Eph 4:22-24, he admonishes the new believer in Messiah to

“. . . put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after Elohim is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

Without this taking place a person is still corrupt, still partaking of the old nature rather than partaking of the divine nature as 2 Pe 1:4 teaches;

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding and great promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Paul says this conflict or war between the old man or old nature and the new man or the new nature will continue to take place until the new believer yields his mind and will to the guidance of the Holy Spirit rather than to the flesh.

For brevity’s sake I will not go into detail concerning this battle and how to win it, but will recommend a thorough reading of the following verses; Rom 7:14-8:17; Gal 5:16-25; Eph 4:17-5:33; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pe 4:1-6.

The Scriptures presented in this study are not ambiguous or difficult to understand. They are quite clear that a new birth must take place while we are yet alive in our flesh and blood bodies. This is what I call being “spiritually born again.” They are also quite clear that another new birth occurs upon the resurrection of someone whose faith is in Yeshua the Messiah for salvation. This is what I call being “literally born again.” Without first being born in a spiritual sense a literal new birth cannot occur. And without being born again in a literal sense at one’s resurrection we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. It would, therefore, behoove us all to examine ourselves carefully to determine whether or not we are born again in a spiritual sense. Has our old man or old nature died? Are we now walking in the Spirit as partakers of the divine nature? Have we experienced a change in behavior from doing the works of the flesh as described in the previous Scriptures to bearing the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5?

Finally, there are many professing believers who claim to be born again, but are yet in their sins because they have sought salvation the wrong way. They believe they are saved because they obey a set of rules; because they keep the Sabbath; because they have been baptized a certain way; because they are members of a certain denomination, etc.

There is only one way to become born again or saved and that is through accepting Yeshua the Messiah as our personal Savior. He is the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father (Yahweh) except through Yeshua and his righteousness. It does not matter how many laws we keep, etc. Salvation (and, by extension, the born again experience) are by grace through faith and not of works lest any man should boast” (Eph 2:8,9).