RECOGNITION

2. RECOGNITION THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY BIBLE PROJECT http://www.messianicbible.com HEAR O ISRAEL www.hearoisrael.org SHEEPFOLD GLEANINGS WRITTEN BY JULIE PARKER www.sheepfoldgleanings.com MESSIANIC ISRAEL ALLIANCE http://www.messianicisrael.com AZAMRA TORAH FOR OUR TIME – RABBI AVRAHAM GREENBAUM http://www.azamra.org

3. D’VARIM – “WORDS” TORAH:Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22 HAFTORAH:Isaiah 1:1-27 B’RIT CHADASHAH: 1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9; Ephesians 2:20; 4:11–14; 1 Corinthians 6:1–5; James 2:1–9; Acts 7:38–45; 13:18; Hebrews 3:7–4:11; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18; Luke 9:1; 10:19; Romans 8:37; 2 Corinthians 10:3–5; Ephesians 6:10–18; James 4:7 All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted

4. DOUBLE REPENTANCE The Torah portion for this week is normally read during the last week of the three weeks of mourning between 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av. The 9th of Av is said to be the saddest day in history. It is the day the 10 spies gave their bad report of the land leading toיהוה decree that the first generation of Israelites would not enter the Promised Land. It is the day that the First Temple was destroyed in 586 B.C.E. and the day the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 C.E and many more. One of the most unknown principals in the worship of יהוה is that one should repent of one’s sins, and the sins of one’s forefathers before drawing near to the Almighty. This double repentance is also what brings about יהוה’s action concerning His promise of the Land: ‘But if they confess their crookedness and the crookedness of their fathers, with their trespass in which they trespassed against Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me ... if their uncircumcised heart is then humbled, and they accept the punishment of their crookedness, then I shall remember My covenant with Yaʽaqoḇ, and also My covenant with Yitsḥaq, and also remember My covenant with Aḇraham, and remember the land. Leviticus 26:40-42

5. KETUBAH Moses saw and spoke to the Word of יהוה face to face and this enabled Moses to follow the pattern given him. He was intimate with the Word יהושע and wrote down His teaching and instructions for His Bride known as her ketubah, the Hebrew word for marriage covenant. Other Hebrew idioms for the ketubah are "the promise", "the message", "the gospel", "the good news", "good tidings" and "the word of truth". The interpreters of the New Testament put all these expressions together into one word namely nomos (Strong’s # G3551), translated simply as "the law”. Unfortunately this Greek word nomos is more negative and legalistic through the lens of a Greek to English mindset, than positive. Using the word nomos has literally severed the bride’s identity. Whenever we read the word law in the English New, it is from the Greek rendering nomos.

6. NOMOS The result is that when we read יהוה’s Word today we do not know whether the word law/nomos in the passage is referring to: יהוה’s teaching and instruction of how to receive the blessings of His Word with the moral and ethical code of conduct for a holy walk that governs His kingdom? OR The law of sin and death that which causes our flesh to be governed by what brings about curses in our lives when we walk outside יהוה’s blessings via unholy thoughts, attitude, speech or physical behaviour that יהושע set us free from? OR One of the Five Books of Moses or all Five Books of Moses? OR The Ten Commandments, known as precepts, statements, categories or principles that govern יהושע’s Kingdom? OR The Covenants put into effect by the Holy Spirit to direct our lives (i.e. the Abrahamic, Mosaic and Davidic, Renewed Covenants). OR יהושע’s commandments?

7. LAW OR TORAH The Hebrew language cannot be translated linguistically word for word into English. From the 3rd to 2nd century, three major changes took place in the Hebrew culture. Judah (or the Jews) began to strictly follow the oral tradition (Talmud) alongside of the Torah, especially the suppression of the sacred name of יהוה. A massive campaign of Greek Hellenization began (Alexander the Great) with the purpose of uniting the Greek Empire, including Israel, under one common religious heritage. The LXX (an acronym meaning Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Torah) was commissioned and eventually adopted as Scripture for non-Hebrew speaking Jews. The subsequent translations of the Old Testament were commissioned from the Greek LXX translation of the Old Testament and not the original Hebrew language. Greek understanding is more abstract and legalistic in thought, while Hebrew understanding is more conceptual in thought.

8. EXAMPLES In English the Greek word ‘statues’ is used instead of the meaning of the original Hebrew word ‘chukim’ which means that יהוה delivered the Children of Israel by His great Power and by showing them His lasting impressions, marks, signs and wonders. The Greek to English word ‘judgments’, the translators misrepresented the original Hebrew word ‘mishpatim’. The purpose of the Torah, and יהוה’s guidance of the Children of Israel through the Wilderness was to show them His Mishpatim - His loving kindness in being their Deliverer and delivering them by His great Power. The original purpose in the Hebrew language is overlooked and distorted the love and care of יהוה into dry legalism. The Hebrew word ‘mitzvot’ meaning יהוה’s loving teaching and instruction guided the Children of Israel through the Wilderness and enabled them to enter in and posses the land He was giving them as being translated using the Greek word ‘commandments’, ‘decrees’ and ‘laws’.

9. HELLENISTIC JUDIASM (L. Feldman) The Septuagint is the oldest Greek translation of the Bible. Legend contained in the apocryphal letter of Aristeas, according to 72 elders of Israel, six from each tribe, translated the LAW (Torah) into Greek, in Alexandria, during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-244 BCE). The Greek translation was for the growing Hellenistic non-Jewish population at the time. The Septuagint was laced with subtle changes. The Hebrew meanings were changed into Greek/Hellenistic meanings. For instance, Yahweh’s Name was changed over 7,010 times to Lord, God, and Adonai (Greek names for their gods). The fact that the word Torah was translated as nomos/law opened the way for anti-Torah in early Christianity and an adoption of many Greek pagan ways. A very subtle introduction of pagan idolatry had slipped into the Holy Scriptures. Finally, the designation Septuagint was extended to the rest of the Bible and non-canonical books that were translated into Greek during the following two centuries.

10. GRACE Today, many are taught that יהוה’s teaching and instruction for LIFE, mistranslated in ages past as nomos/law, is done away with now that we are under grace in יהושע. This is not true. The grace in Torah is יהוה’s provision of forgiveness and redemption back to Him through the grace and mercy offered us in יהושע, a gift that we did not deserve. יהושע fulfilled the purpose of the law which was to direct us to Him. He is the goal of Torah. The ‘law’ was like a shadow of יהושע, a loving tutor meant to expose sin in our lives; it was never meant as a means of salvation. Only יהושע, the author of the Torah, can save us. יהושע’s words (at Mount Sinai, His teaching and instruction) will never disappear any more than He can disappear; they are filled with the Spirit and will always be our guide! “The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words [ALL Scripture from Genesis to Revelation] shall by no means pass away. (Matthew 24:35)

11. THE TRUE MESSAGE Deuteronomy 11:1 from the LXX or Greek Septuagint: Therefore you shall love the LORD your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always. Deuteronomy 11:1 from the Original Hebrew: Therefore you shall love the LORD your God, and keep His charge, His lasting impressions, marks, signs and wonders- (Chukim), His loving kindness in being your Deliverer and delivering you by His great Power (Mishpatim), and His loving principles - teaching and instruction to guide and direct the you through the Wilderness and enabled you to enter in and posses the land He has given you (Mitzvot) always. We are instructed to teach our children and those returning to יהוה ‘the message/the gospel/the teachings’ of יהוה that bring Life. When the Children of Israel 3,500 years ago stumbled over/disobeyed over the message (of Moses), they miss the fullness of the Messiah and His blessings in His Word/Torah. Moses was very careful to share the Word with the Children of Israel in present tense, meaning this message of the gospel, was for those in the future (us) (Hebrews 3 & 4).

12. GREEK LANGUAGE “For truly, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall by no means pass from the Torah till all be done. (Matthew 5:18) The Greek language does not have characters called jots or tittles! יהושע is teaching us today that it is the HEBREW that constitutes the final court of appeal regarding what is right and what is wrong! Eighty-five percent of the New Testament is made up of quotations from the Hebrew Tanakh (Old Testament)! The New Testament could be considered a commentary and fulfilment of the Tanakh. They should be thought of and taught as one complete book. You who follow Torah know we are in a time of the last days. Moses has been sent to the people. You need to understand why Torah is becoming so prevalent now. Because we are in the same time …as in Pharaoh’s day, there’s deliverance coming forth. So whom does God send? Moses, that’s why you’re learning MOSES now to get the people ready to cross over. Come out of Egypt, into the Promised Land! You are walking out a Torah cycle in your own life (Appointed Times (STBM): Charlotte Fludd).

13. 1 Peter 1:10-12 Concerning this deliverance the prophets have sought out and searched out, prophesying concerning the favour for you, searching to know what, or what sort of time, the Spirit which was in them was pointing out concerning Messiah, when it was bearing witness beforehand the sufferings of Messiah, and the esteems that would follow, to whom it was revealed that they were serving, not themselves, but you, in these matters which now have been announced to you through those who brought the Good News to you by the Set-apart Spirit sent from heaven – into which messengers long to look into. (1 Peter 1:10-12) This message from Moses was given in prophetic language and empowered by the Holy Spirit/Ruach Ha Kodesh for us today. The words יהוה passed on to Moses have been hotly contested all through history, or "His-story," because it is ultimately about יהושע the Messiah.

14. ENTER MY REST For He is our Elohim, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice: “Do not harden your hearts as in Meriḇah, And as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, “When your fathers tried Me, Have proved Me, though they saw My work. “For forty years I was grieved with that generation, And said, ‘They are a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways.’ “As I swore in My wrath, ‘If they enter into My rest...’ ” (Psalms 95:7-11) Let ‘US’, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest [by obeying His Chukim - His lasting impressions, marks, signs and wonders, His Mishpatim - His loving kindness, and His Mitzvot - His loving principles, teaching and instruction to guide and direct the you through the Wilderness and enabled you to enter in and posses the land He has given you], so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.“ “For if you believed Mosheh, you would have believed Me, since he wrote about Me. “But if you do not believe his writings, how shall you believe My words?” (John 5:46-47)

15. DAVID STERN "There are hundreds of commands in the New Testament meant as much for Gentiles as for Jews. Nor should it be thought that the New Covenant does away with moral, civil, ceremonial or any other category of law. There are New Testament commands for Jews and Gentiles in all of these categories. To give but a few examples, Romans 13:1-7 and Acts 5:29 touch on civil obedience and disobedience, Matthew 28:19 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-6:7, 14:26-40, 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 and Matthew 18:15-17 deal with order in the Messianic Community, and there are so many moral, ethical and spiritual commands that there is no need to cite them. We conclude that under the New Covenant the Torah remains in force and is as much for Gentiles as for Jews…" (End of quote.)

16. DEUTERONOMY Deuteronomy is the powerhouse book that holds the vision and mandate for the Priesthood of יהושע. This book is the culmination of the teaching found in the first four Books of Torah. For those who choose to walk humbly and uprightly before יהוה, walking in His precepts, the book of Deuteronomy becomes a type and shadow of the mantle of anointing that Elijah passed on to Elisha. For יהוה’s Priesthood, Deuteronomy is for them a place of anointing, of righteousness and empowerment in the Spirit of יהושע (John 5: 46-47). Those of Israel who listened to the instructions and took them to heart would be carried into victory. These principles lifted even the weakest man to become the strongest and carried many beyond their own abilities, giving vision to the poor of heart, humbling the oppressor and crushing the enemy. For those who walked in the words of יהוה, it became their very life.

17. MOUTH OF THE TORAH The book of Deuteronomy was quoted by Messiah יהושע more times than any other book of the Tanakh. It is also the most quoted book of the New Testament with some eighty different references being attributed to it. Rabbis teach that the Book of Debarim is the Torah's "mouth", summarizing all that has gone before in the "main body" of the Torah. As Rabbi AvrahamGreenbaum writes, “Debarim calls to the inner ear of the soul of Yisra’el to hear the essential message of the Torah. Each of the twelve months of the year is integrally connected with one of the twelve tribes and one of the twelve basic human faculties, according to Hebrew thought. This month, the month of Av, the fifth month, corresponds to the Tribe of Shim’on and the faculty of hearing as noted in B’reshith / Genesis 29:33, speaking of how Shim’on’s name is related to ‘sh’ma’. It is significant that the phrase "Sh’maYisra’el! Hear, O Israel!" recurs in four key passages in the book of Debarim.”

18. STRUCTURE Deuteronomy is not just a repetition of the Torah Law for of Deuteronomy’s 100 mitzvot 70 are new, having not been previously mentioned in the other books of the Torah. The book is broken up in the following way: Chapters 1 - 4 Introductory Speech and Historical review Chapters 5 – 26 Main dissertation – Laws given at Sinai with warnings and exhortations Chapters 27 – 28 Covenant – Blessings and Cursing for Obedience and Disobedience Chapters 29 -30 Warnings, Promised Blessings, Repentance Restoration Chapters 31 through 34 revert to the narrative style in the books conclusion of Moses' final Acts, Words, Prophecies, and record of death.

19. SECOND LAW Deuteronomy literally means “Second Law.” This is not to imply that a “First” Law is being replaced by a “Second”. What is happening here is Moses is “repeating” Torah principles to the children of the generation that rejected the Promised Land and ended up dying in the wilderness. The rabbis call this book MishnehhaTorah : you shall certainly set a sovereign over you whom יהוה your Elohim shall choose. .... “Only, he is not to increase horses for himself, ...’ “And he is not to increase wives for himself, ... nor is he to greatly increase silver and gold for himself. “And it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his reign, that he shall write for himself a copy of this Torah in a book, from the one before the priests, the Lĕwites. (Deuteronomy 17:15-18) The same man who said, “I am slow of speech” (words) now takes up a whole book with “these are the words”

20. MOSES SPOKE These are the words which Mosheh spoke to all Yisra’ĕl beyond the Yardĕn in the wilderness, in the desert plain opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, and Laḇan, and Ḥatsĕroth, and Di Zahaḇ, (Deuteronomy 1:1) Jewish sages take as code words for the main sins, which Israel had committed during its time in the wilderness. (See ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash, p. 939, notes on verse 1.) These are the seven most egregious sins, which resulted in Israel being condemned to wander the wilderness for 40 years. And let us be concerned for one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging, and so much more as you see the Day coming near. For if we sin purposely after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a slaughter offering for sins, (Hebrews 10:24-26)

21. 7 DEADLY SINS In Deuteronomy 1:1, Moses lists seven place names. The meanings of the names and what happened there is significant since they give us clues to Israel’s spiritually stumbling’s in the wilderness en route to the Promised Land. Wilderness of Sin (meaning “thorns,” located near Mount Sinai) - Here Israel complained about lack of food (Exodus 16:1–3). The Israelites Lacked Trust or Faith in יהוה. The Plain or Arabah (meaning “desert plain, sterility, wilderness”) - Here Israel was seduced by Midianite women (Num 36:13). Spiritual and Physical Whoredoms. Opposite the Red Sea - Here Israel complains that they’re going to die. They manifest sarcasm and cynicism against Elohim in their statement against Moses: “… because there were no graves in Egypt…?!” (Exod 14:11).Fear, Faithlessness, False Accusation and Discontentment.

22. 7 DEADLY SINS Between Paran (meaning “beauty”) – The incident where the twelve went in to spy out the Promised Land. (Num 13–14) - Walking By Sight and Not By Faith Tophel (meaning “calumny,” a reference to the false charges or misrepresentation to damage another’s reputation) and Laban (meaning “white,” the color of manna [Exod 16:14]) - Scripture does not record any geographical locations by these names where Israel camped. To answer this dilemma, the rabbis teach us that these names are references to Israel complaining twice about manna (Num 10:12; 21:5; 11:6). Lust, Ungratefulness and False Accusation Hazeroth (meaning “enclosures”) - This is a reference to Miriam’s and Korah’s rebellion (Num 12:1–16 and 16:1–50). Rebellion Against Elohim-Ordained Authority Di-zahab (meaning “gold”) - יהוה blessed Israel with an abundance of gold when they left Egypt and they used his gracious gifts (their wages for servitude in Egypt) to make the golden calf. Riches Lead to Idolatry

23. JORDAN RIVER These are the words which Mosheh spoke to all Yisra’ĕl beyond the Yardĕn in the wilderness, in the desert ... (Deuteronomy 1:1) Now, the Jordan River itself is very significant. It has four sources: Mount Hermon – comes through a spring at Banias The Hasbani stream which flows from Lebanon The Dan springs whose source is also Mount Heron The Iyon stream which flows from Lebanon The river drops rapidly in a 75 kilometre run to the Hula Lake which is slightly below sea level in the Galilee area. Then it drops much more to 690 feet below sea level at the Sea of Galilee. The river continues out of the Sea of Galilee and falls till it reaches the Dead Sea which is 1,290 feet below sea level (lowest place on earth) and has no outlet. You should take note that this River has run the gamut from the clear, clean mountain water to the dead and lifeless water ending at the Dead Sea.

24. JORDAN Jordan originates from the verb “yarad” meaning “to descend”. Thus the meaning of the Jordan becomes “the descender”. There is an inherent emotion in the word of moving from a place of prominence to one of lesser importance. For example “to go down to Egypt” has the overtone of leaving the Promised Land to dwell among people outside the covenant: Woe to those who go down to Mitsrayim for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but who do not look to the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl, nor seek יהוה! (Isaiah 31:1) Conversely, “to go up” or “to ascend”, was to “alah”. Today people who immigrate to Israel are said to make “aliyah”. In the Scriptures, we see it in reference to “going up to Jerusalem”: Who is among you of all His people? His Elohim be with him! And let him go up to Yerushalayim, which is in Yehuḏah, and build the House of יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl – He is Elohim – which is in Yerushalayim. (Ezra 1:3)

25. ADAM If Jordan means descending why are descending? The last part of the Hebrew word for Jordan is “dan” which means “judgment.” Could the Jordan River symbolize a river that “descends with judgment?” Also: One of the sources of the river itself is from springs in Dan. The Jordan River in our Torah reading posed a barrier from entering the Promised Land. How would they be able to stop the flow of judgments? The only way was to stop the flow of the Jordan River! In the book of Joshua, יהוה stopped the flow of the River at a place called Adam. The city of Adam is 18 miles upstream of where the people are waiting to cross. that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Aḏam, the city that is beside Tsarethan. And the waters going down into the Sea of the Araḇah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Yeriḥo. (Joshua 3:16) Literally declaring the Almighty has chosen to stop the flow of judgment going all the way back to the first man!

26. OBEDIENCE To take part in the promises and the inheritance of יהוה, the flow of judgment has to end. This happened through יהושע the Messiah and it is no coincidence that the one to take the Israelites across the River Jordan was Joshua, whose name means “Yah is Salvation!”. Now we need to be reminded that those who were disobedient were not permitted entrance into the Land. Many of the second generation had already died through the various events that took place prior to our reading in Devarim. Only the obedient ones who wholeheartedly acknowledged יהוה as their God would enter in and receive their inheritance. “Blessed are those doing His commands,2 so that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of life, and to enter through the gates into the city. Footnotes: “But outside are the dogs and those who enchant with drugs, and those who whore, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and all who love and do falsehood.(Revelation 22:14-15) 2Long before the books were compiled to form “The New Testament,” Rev. 22:14 was quoted, as it is here given, by Tertullian (CE 208), and by Cyprian (CE 251) – see the well-known Antenicene Fathers.

27. MIKVEH “Mikveh” is where we derive the English word Baptism. The phrase: “mikvehmayim” literally, means a “gathering of waters”. And Elohim said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it came to be so. And Elohim called the dry land ‘earth,’ and the collection of the waters He called ‘seas.’ And Elohim saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:9-10) It is through these waters that one is brought to purity, which is a requirement to fellowship with יהוה. Purity of heart is also a requirement to dwell with Elohim in the renewed Garden of Eden in the future: Who does go up into the mountain of יהוה? And who does stand in His set-apart place? He who has innocent hands and a clean heart, Who did not bring his life to naught, And did not swear deceivingly. He receives a blessing from יהוה, And righteousness from the Elohim of his deliverance. This is the generation of those who seek Him; Yaʽaqoḇ, who seek Your face. Selah. (Psalms 24:3-6)

28. DECENDING FROM EDEN Another meaning ascribed to the word Jordan comes from a contraction of the Hebrew meaning “descending from Eden”. It was a spring-fed stream of living water that flowed out from Eden to water the earth…and flowing into every river on earth. And a river went out of Ěḏen to water the garden, and from there it divided and became four riverheads. (Genesis 2:10 ) The Mishneh (Jewish oral commentary on the Torah written down in 200 C.E.) speaks of six levels of immersion by mikvaot (plural for mikveh). Each is for a particular kind of ritual purification, required at specific times. John the baptizer was only involved with the baptism of repentance which is also the highest level of mikveh: And he went into all the neighbourhood of the Yardĕn, proclaiming an immersion of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, (Luke 3:3)

29. MISHNEH Now in our Parasha in Devarim, Moses is relating to the people their past, implying the need for corporate repentance due to the sins of their forefathers. Then very shortly, they will walk through the Jordan River. This is the same area where hundreds of years later, John will be baptizing for repentance! This took place in BĕythAnyah beyond the Yardĕn, where Yoḥanan was immersing. (John 1:28) John is baptizing Israelites in the Jordan….in the same area where we have the children of Israel about to walk through the Jordan River to enter into the Promised Land! This is a repeat of the very footsteps of those following Joshua into the Promised Land! Notice another similarity. When Joshua took them through the Jordan, look what was in the middle of the river: And the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of יהוה stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Yardĕn. And all Yisra’ĕl passed over on dry ground, until all the nation had completely passed over the Yardĕn. (Joshua 3:17)

30. LIVING WORD Just as the Ark of the Covenant containing the written Word of יהוה stood in the midst of the Jordan, so the Living Word also stood in the midst of the living waters of the Jordan as the people who were repentant, followed in His footsteps by being immersed: Then יהושע came from Galil to Yoḥanan at the Yardĕn to be immersed by him. (Matthew 3:13 ) The Pharisees also understood this identification with the Jordan, repentance, and entry into the Promised Land. John was immersing the repentant multitudes who had come to him in preparation for the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. The Pharisees sent priests and Levites to question John as to whether he was the Messiah, the Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15) or Elijah (John 1:19-26) because the Israelites had a tradition that no one could perform immersion in the Jordan River except one of those individuals. Immersion in the Jordan was a sign of the coming of the Messiah.

31. PROMISED LAND: SIGN Just as the Israelites had crossed over into the Promised Land with Joshua, the tradition held that the Promised Land would not be fully occupied and enjoyed by the Israelites until the Messiah came to rule and reign on the earth. Now, with this understanding of their traditions, you can see why they asked John the Baptizer the questions that they did: Now this was the witness of Yoḥanan when the Yehuḏim sent from Yerushalayim priests and Lĕwites to ask him, “Who are you?” And he confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him, “What then, are you Ěliyahu?” So he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Therefore they said to him, “Who are you, so that we give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of יהוה,’ as the prophet Yeshayahu said.” And those sent were of the Pharisees, and they asked him, saying, “Why then do you immerse if you are not the Messiah, nor Ěliyahu, nor the Prophet?” Yoḥanan answered them, saying, “I immerse in water, but in your midst stands One whom you do not know, (John 1:19-26)

32. MIDRASH: Part 1 John’s immersion was an outward sign of a mysterious inward change that enabled repentant individuals to enter an elevated state of purity. The one immersed would be ready to receive the Spirit of Elohim so that he could enter the Kingdom of Yah. יהושע answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he is unable to enter into the reign of Elohim. (John 3:5) Keeping the reoccurring subject of repentance in mind we must note the midrash(ancient commentary, interpretation) יהושע made, when He compared John the Baptizer to Elijah: “For this is he of whom it was written, ‘See, I send My messenger before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You.’ (Matthew 11:10) יהושע was quoting from Malachi: “See, I am sending My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me. Then suddenly the Master you are seeking comes to His Hĕḵal, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. See, He is coming,” said יהוה of hosts. (Malachi 3:1 )

33. MIDRASH: Part 2 In the first century, there were no chapter numbers or verses in the Hebrew Scriptures. If a person wanted to reference Scripture, he would quote a phrase. For those who were educated in the Hebrew Scriptures, they would understand a quote to mean not only the phrase, but everything in context with that phrase. Therefore, יהושע was not only speaking of Malachi 3:1, but also what surrounds it. “For I am יהוה, I shall not change, and you, O sons of Yaʽaqoḇ, shall not come to an end. “From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My laws and did not guard them. Turn back to Me, and I shall turn back to you,” ...Then shall those who fear יהוה speak to one another, and יהוה listen and hear, and a book of remembrance be written before Him, of those who fear יהוה, and those who think upon His Name. “And they shall be Mine,” said יהוה of hosts, “on the day that I prepare a treasured possession. And I shall spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. “Then you shall again see the difference between the righteous and the wrong, between one who serves Elohim and one who does not serve Him... “Remember the Torah of Mosheh, My servant, .. laws and right-rulings. (Malachi 3:6-4:6)

34. ELIJAH / ELISHA Elijah also parted the Jordan River in the same location as that of our Torah portion. Elijah was a prophet who understood that the nation of Israel had a mission to preserve its religious system – the worship of the one true Elohim – in a pure form without any mixture with idol worship. He taught Israel’s responsibility for total commitment. In 2 Kings we read of Elijah passing on his ministry to Elisha. In the same location, Elijah is taken by chariot up to heaven. We also see that Elisha begins his ministry with his first miracle….the parting of the Jordan River: And Ěliyahu took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the water. And it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them passed over on dry ground. ..... And it came to be, as they continued on and spoke, that see, a chariot of fire with horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Ěliyahu went up by a whirlwind into the heavens. ... And he took up the mantle of Ěliyahu that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Yardĕn. And he took the mantle of Ěliyahu that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is יהוה Elohim of Ěliyahu?” And he struck the water, and it was divided this way and that, and Elisha passed over. (2 Kings 2:8-14)

35. EDEN - LIFE And a river went out of Ěḏen to water the garden ... (Genesis 2:10) Now what was in the middle of the garden being watered by a river? And out of the ground יהוה Elohim made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the midst of the garden .. (Genesis 2:9) Adam was able to eat of the Tree of Life, but commanded not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was the custom of יהוה Elohim to walk with Adam and Eve in the garden in the cool of the day. However, after they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were no longer blessed with His Presence: And they heard the sound of יהוה Elohim walking about in the garden in the cool of the day, and Aḏam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of יהוה Elohim among the trees of the garden. .. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...” so יהוה Elohim sent him out of the garden of Ěḏen to till the ground from which he was taken, (Genesis 3:8-23)

36. EDEN TO EDEN “And they shall make Me a Set-apart Place, and I shall dwell in their midst. (Exodus 25:8 ) The sages taught that the tabernacle was a miniature Garden of Eden, totally devoted to the service of Yah. The tabernacle was to be a place of purity and holiness and anything to do with man’s fallen state was to be excluded. Those who had become defiled by contracting certain diseases, having various fluid discharges, association with a corpse, etc., were required to be immersed in a mikveh…in living water… before entering. The picture is that of one losing his contamination from the world of sin, through the living water that flows from the Garden of Eden, so that he might once more have fellowship with Elohim. Later, the heavenly pattern for the Temple to be built in Jerusalem was given. יהושע ascended into the heavens to prepare a place for us. That prepared place, after which the Tabernacle and the Temple were patterned after, will come down from the heavens to a renewed earth. It will be called the New Jerusalem and it will be a return to Eden. There we will again eat of the Tree of Life and drink of the living water!

37. FULL CIRCLE And I saw a renewed heaven and a renewed earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. And I, Yoḥanan, saw the set-apart city, renewed Yerushalayim, coming down out of the heaven from Elohim, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the heaven saying, “See, the Booth of Elohim is with men, and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and Elohim Himself shall be with them and be their Elohim. (Revelation 21:1-3 ) And he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And no longer shall there be any curse, and the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. (Revelation 22:1-3)

38. GENESIS TO REVELATION So, as you can see, we have made the full circle from Eden to Eden. Maybe what was not so obvious in these verses from Genesis to Revelation was that the completed circle depended on repentance i.e., return to Torah. Impurity that requires an immersion by mikvah (baptism) primarily involves the soul. All sin, all death and imperfection is a result of the sin of Adam. To be “born again” represents being immersed in the living waters of Eden. By the physical, we picture the spiritual….being born again through the water of the Word, which is the Spirit of the Messiah: יהושע answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he is unable to see the reign of Elohim.” Naḵdimon said to Him, “How is a man able to be born when he is old? Is he able to enter into his mother’s womb a second time and be born?” יהושע answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he is unable to enter into the reign of Elohim. “That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:3-6 )

39. WOMB AND GRAVE The immersion by mikveh represents both the womb and the grave. In an immersion, the individual enters the world of the non-living (grave/womb) since he ceases to breathe under the water. Then he emerges from the grave (womb), his soul having been overwhelmed by the Spirit of Yah: And having been immersed, יהושע went up immediately from the water, and see, the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of Elohim descending like a dove and coming upon Him, (Matthew 3:16 ) His ascending out of the waters represents His resurrection. When we identify with Him, we also resurrect and leave behind that body of sin. The level of purity that we have attained enables us to keep the Torah and enter into the Kingdom of fellowship with Him: What, then, shall we say? Shall we continue in sin, to let favour increase? Let it not be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were immersed into Messiah יהושע were immersed into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through immersion into death, that as Messiah was raised from the dead by the esteem of the Father, so also we should walk in newness of life. ... (Romans 6:1-6 )

40. SIN Since these verses say that we are done with sin, let’s make sure we know what sin is: Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4) We are called to immerse ourselves into the Word and allow the Word to wash us clean. We are called to lay down our old thought patterns and ways and follow new ways. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim. (Romans 12:2) We are called to lay down our lives as a living sacrifice for life in יהושע as our reasonable worship. I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable worship. (Romans 12:1 )

41. DEAD SEA And יהוה shall go forth, and He shall fight against those gentiles, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives, which faces Yerushalayim on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, a very great valley, and half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south. And you shall flee to the valley of My mountain – for the valley of the mountains reaches to Atsal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziyah sovereign of Yehuḏah. And יהוה my Elohim shall come – all the set-apart ones with You. And in that day it shall be: there is no light, it is dark. And it shall be one day which is known to יהוה, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light. And in that day it shall be that living waters flow from Yerushalayim, half of them toward the eastern sea and half of them toward the western sea, in summer as well as in winter. (Zechariah 14:3-8)

42. SODOM AND GOMORRAH The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Abraham's day was in the area south of what is presently the Dead Sea. The Bible's mention of a rain of fire and brimstone from heaven on those wicked cities (Genesis 19:24-29) indicates that the Divine judgment came from sudden volcanic/tectonic activity in a "plain" area which is now the submerged floor of the Dead Sea. There is evidence that the Age of the Dead Sea is only about as old as the time of Abraham. In the days of the Garden of Eden, there was no Dead Sea in that spot, but a river flowed through the rift zone southwards towards the area that is presently the Red Sea. In Zecheriah 14:3-8 we see that a day is coming that the River of Judgement and purification is going flow again to the whole earth.

43. THE TORAH .. Mosheh undertook to declair this Torah, saying, (Deuteronomy 1:5 ) The Torah does not set an impossible standard by which to live. We must ask ourselves this important question: would a righteous and just Creator and a loving Heavenly Father give to his chosen people and children a set of standards that were humanly impossible to perform, and then curse them for their inability to meet these standards? “For this command which I am commanding you today, it is not too hard for you, nor is it far off. “It is not in the heavens, to say, ‘Who shall ascend into the heavens for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear it, so that we do it?’ “Nor is it beyond the sea, to say, ‘Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear it, so that we do it?’ “For the Word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart – to do it. (Deuteronomy 30:11-14 )

44. THE TORAH: NEGATIVE Torah reacts according to human action. Those who obey it are blessed and those who disobey it are cursed. David Stern in his Jewish New Testament Commentary lists both some of the “negative” and some of the positive functions of the Torah. On the “negative” side: The Torah “has the capacity to stir up sin in an individual… beneficial to a believer living by faith, is an instrument of death to those controlled by their sinful nature” (p. 375). “The Torah can still produce guilt feelings in a believer … as his behaviour falls short of the standard [Elohim] sets in the Torah. The Torah also provides a framework of justice by which Elohim, will judge the actions of men. Because of the righteous standards the Torah sets out, for the sinner it points out the fact that they have sinned and how far they have fallen short of the glory of יהוה (Rom 3:23) and hence their need for a Saviour or Redeemer.

45. THE TORAH: POSITIVE The Torah provides a framework of grace in which one can live The Torah, as understood and applied through the Spirit, thereby gives life in union with Messiah (Stern, p. 381) who is the Living Torah, or Word of Elohim incarnate (in human or flesh form). Obeying the Torah brings us eternal rewards (not eternal life, which is by grace through faith alone, see Eph 2:8) in the world to come (Matt 5:19). Obeying the Torah helps deepen a loving and intimate relationship withיהוה - יהושע and helps us to abide in יהושע (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3–6). Obeying the Torah helps us to stay spiritually pure (1 John 3:3–6). Obeying the Torah (i.e., not sinning, which is the violation the Torah, see 1 John 3:4) protects us from the influence of the devil (1 John 3:8). Obeying the Torah-Word of יהוה helps to perfectיהוה - יהושע’s love in us (1 John 2:5).

46. PROMISE OF MULTIPLICATION ‘יהוה your Elohim has increased you, and see, you are today as numerous as the stars of the heavens. ‘יהוה Elohim of your fathers is going to add to you a thousand times more than you are, and bless you as He has spoken to you! (Deuteronomy 1:10-11) You are as the stars of heaven (Gen 22:17).. יהוה has promised He will bless you and make you a thousand times as many more as ye are..! If the children of Israel numbered between two and three million, then when was this prophetic promise of יהוה ever fulfilled in Israel's history? Where are the two to three billion Israelites (1000 times two to three million) today? “Yisra’ĕl has been swallowed up. They have now become among the nations as a vessel in which is no pleasure. (Hosea 8:8) So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the set-apart ones and members of the household of Elohim, (Ephesians 2:19)

47. APPOINTING OF LEADERS ‘Choose men, wise and understanding, and known to your tribes, and let me appoint them as your heads.’ “And you answered me and said, ‘The word which you have spoken to us to do is good.’ (Deuteronomy 1:13-14) The word understanding (Strong's H995) means "discerning, perceptive, discreet, intelligent, observant and prudent." The chosen leaders did not demonstrate that quality when it came to following the instructions of the Lord and they lead their people into a wilderness walk. True understanding of spiritual things requires faith and trust in יהוה? For indeed the Good News was brought to us as well as to them, but the word which they heard did not profit them, not having been mixed with belief in those who heard it. (Hebrews 4:2)

48. APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES “And I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘When hearing between your brothers, judge righteously between a man and his brother or the stranger who is with him. ‘Do not show partiality in right-ruling, hear the small as well as the great. Do not be afraid of anyone’s face, for the right-ruling belongs to Elohim. And the case which is too hard for you, bring it to me, and I shall hear it.’ (Deuteronomy 1:16-17) No longer are our laws based upon biblical doctrines, but rather the errant decisions of judges with non-biblical, libertarian, and humanistic philosophies. Under the guise of equality for every individual, the courts have perverted the very justice for which they were established. Minority groups with perverted morals and special agendas build upon judicial loopholes and case law precedent (versus biblical foundations) to give liberty to the guilty and burden the righteous. The voice of righteousness is being drowned out by the volume of the noise from special interests who have the money or influence to be heard

49. MISSING THE PROMISED LAND Deuteronomy 1:26-28 We may reflect upon the lack of belief of Israel in not originally possessing the land as they were commanded, but we must also see the application to our lives. There are many times in our spiritual walk when we are just at the point of spiritual breakthrough when we receive an evil report. Instead of believing God and going forth, our resolve vanishes. If we could just see what the future holds for us we think that it would be much easier for us to go forward! יהושע said to him, “T’oma, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (John 20:29) And the book of Hebrews says, And belief is the substance of what is expected, the proof of what is not seen. (Hebrews 11:1). Thus, walking in faith is not walking in that which we can see or rationalize, because faith involves things NOT SEEN. We must be able to hear his voice with our spirit and resolve to walk in obedience when he tells us, "This is the way, walk you in it," (Isaiah 30:21).

50. FRIENDS AND FOE Deuteronomy 2:1-9 As Israel was opposed by Edom (Esau, Jacob's brother) as well as Moab and Ammon (Lot's sons), so too are we often hindered by relatives in our spiritual walk. יהוה instructed Israel how to relate to them, He told them that as they passed by they should not make war with their brethren, but rather pay for food, water and not to damage crops. We should not quarrel (especially over beliefs) and not indebt ourselves in any way. In contrast, Israel was instructed to make war with those who were not relatives and were in the way of יהוה 's promised territory. We are also instructed to do battle and overcome the enemies of our promised spiritual inheritance. (Ephesians 6:10-18) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not fight according to the flesh. (2 Corinthians 10:3)