Musings of a Winsome Heart

Monday, September 8, 2014

YOU: Joint-Heir, Joint-Suffering, Joint-Glorying, Joint-King, Joint-Member, Joint-Partaker; Types of Suffering

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Messiah, you have an inheritance. You inherit the promises alongside Jesus the one who rescued you. It matters little what the unsaved think of you, you are made to be a member and partaker alongside Jesus. You will reign as a king alongside Jesus. While we may suffer on earth, we are told we have a very different value to God. The world may hurt you, put you down and stand on you or hound you, but by enduring you will be glorified along with Christ. This is something to keep in mind when our days seem dark and our lives seem pitiful and painful. You are important.

Sometimes translations don’t communicate the eloquence the writer intended. While Paul was writing the doctrines of the Christian faith in Romans and Ephesians, he also used a fluency that we do not see in the English translations. Paul says that we are united heirs, united suffers, and united glory with Jesus. I know that sounds grammatically awkward, but stick with me here. Paul’s idea of our unity in these areas alongside Jesus is also communicated as being partakers together and unified in the body of Christ. Another way to say this is that we are companions in inheritance, companions in suffering, companions in glorying, companions in membership, companions in the body, and companions in kingship with Jesus the Messiah. But in Romans, as compared to Ephesians, this denotes cause and effect. If one, then two, then three. The first promise is heavenly and based on the actual enduring on earth, then there is a second heavenly promise. While Paul was using these words creatively, they are quite informative.

We must also remember that many times we only have one word for something in English, but the Greek is very specific and can be clearer or more descriptive with multiple words for the same English word. There are close to fifteen words in the Greek New Testament for suffering while English uses one broad word and depends on surrounding text to inform us on what kind of suffering. Let’s explore.

The word for “joint-heir or co-heir” is sug-kleronomos. It is made up of two words; Sun, meaning “union”, and kleronomos meaning a “sharer or inheritor”.

NT:4789 sugkleronomos (soong-klay-ron-om'-os); from NT:4862 and NT:2818; a co-heir, i.e. (by analogy) participant in common: KJV - fellow (joint)- heir, heir together, heir with.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

NT:4862 sun (soon); a primary preposition denoting union; with or together (but much closer than NT:3326 or NT:3844), i.e. by association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, addition, etc.: KJV - beside, with. In composition it has similar applications, including completeness.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

NT:2818 kleronomos (klay-ron-om'-os); from NT:2819 and the base of NT:3551 (in its original sense of partitioning, i.e. [reflexively] getting by apportionment); a sharer by lot, i.e. inheritor (literally or figuratively); by implication, a possessor: KJV - heir.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Rom 8:16-17 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, we are heirs—heirs [2818] of God and co-heirs [4789] with the Messiah—if, in fact, we share in his sufferings [4841] in order that we may also share in his glory [4888]. ISV

Because we have the Holy Spirit inside of us, we are children of God. If we are children then we are co-heirs, and we are also co-sufferers and co-glorifyers. The words translated “share in his suffering” is the compound word sum-pascho. Sun, again meaning union, and pascho meaning to experience sensations or impressions that are usually painful.

NT:4841 sumpascho (soom-pas'-kho); from NT:4862 and NT:3958 (including its alternate); to experience pain jointly or of the same kind (specifically, persecution; to "sympathize"): KJV - suffer with.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

NT:3958 pascho (pas'-kho); including the forms (patho (path'-o) and pentho (pen'-tho)), used only in certain tenses for it; apparently a primary verb; to experience a sensation or impression (usually painful):KJV - feel, passion, suffer, vex. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

What this suffering implies is “hurt feelings or circumstances leading to sadness”. The third idea is the compound word sun-doxazo; Sun meaning union, and doxazo meaning “to render or esteem glorious”.

NT:4888 sundoxazo (soon-dox-ad'-zo); from NT:4862 and NT:1392; to exalt to dignity in company (i.e. similarly) with: KJV - glorify together.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

NT:1392 doxazo (dox-ad'-zo); from NT:1391; to render (or esteem) glorious (in a wide application): KJV - (make) glorify (-ious), full of (have) glory, honour, magnify.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Paul is telling people that we are heirs together with Jesus, sufferers together with Jesus, and esteemed glorious together with Jesus. But there are two more words we should note, the words “if in fact” and “in order that”. Both phrases are translated well in the ISV. This tells us that if we are children, and heirs together with Jesus, albeit, we will suffer, so that we will be glorified together with Jesus. There is always suffering for the children of God in this world because we renounced our citizenship to this world. We are living in enemy territory. There is a different word Paul used for suffering when writing to Timothy.

2 Tim 2:11-13 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:12 If we suffer [5278], we shall also reign [4821]with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. KJV

NT:5278 hupomeno (hoop-om-en'-o); from NT:5259 and NT:3306; to stay under (behind), i.e. remain; figuratively, to undergo, i.e. bear (trials), have fortitude, persevere: KJV - abide, endure, (take) patient (-ly), suffer, tarry behind.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

This is not the same type of suffering as pascho, meaning “feeling pain”. Hupomeno is to “be left behind”, or have “to bear trials and persevere through them”. Hupo means “under” and meno means to “stay in place”. This type of suffering is like being buried under, where one is being held down and has to fight through the situation. This indicates there is an oppressor involved, whereas pascho may indicate a mean person or bad situation, meno is indicating someone putting a child of God trough a tough time. A third type of suffering is dioko, meaning to be pursued.

Paul tells Timothy that if we are pushed down we will reign with Jesus. Here Paul uses another compound word sum-basileuo. Our same word sum meaning “union” and basileuo meaning “to rule as a king”.

NT:4821 sumbasileuo (soom-bas-il-yoo'-o); from NT:4862 and NT:936; to be co-regent (figurative): KJV - reign with.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

If we are oppressed by others we will be co-regents, or kings together with Christ. That is not such a bad thing, is it?

2 Tim 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer [1377] persecution. KJV

NT:1377 dioko (dee-o'-ko); a prolonged (and causative) form of a primary verb dio (to flee; compare the base of NT:1169 and NT:1249); to pursue (literally or figuratively); by implication, to persecute: KJV - ensue, follow (after), given to, (suffer) persecute (-ion), press forward.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Have you ever known someone who constantly hounds another person? Sometimes that is due to mental illness, but sometimes it is a spiritual, or demonic behavior intentionally causing suffering. Dioko is being picked on constantly or being hounded. This is likened to the child of God having someone hammering them all the time. Whether it is chasing them, as in trying to catch them, or stirring up strife by pointing out faults all the time. If the child of God is living godly in Christ, this is the type of persecution they will suffer. Notice that Paul is saying this suffering comes about by living a godly life.

Coming back to being fellow heirs, we find another usage here of that word sug-kleronomos. We may have to do a bit of backtracking on this section to get a running start. Firstly, Paul is going to tell us about the mystery that was revealed to him. This mystery is that the nations, ethnos, are sug-kleronomos. But oddly, like the construction in Romans, he uses three words together with the prefix sun, meaning union, #4862. Remember there wasn’t a word gentiles in the first century, it was translated that way later, the Greeks didn’t have a word describing themselves as “less than” Jews. Gentile is a slang word with a derogatory connotation and as we have studied, all Jews are goyim, but not all goyim are Jews. So what Paul is communicating is that all the tribes of the earth, all the ethnic groups are now going to be joint-heirs, co-inheritors.

Eph 3:1-6 For this reason I, Paul, am the prisoner of the Messiah Jesus for the sake of you gentiles. 2 Surely you have heard about the responsibility of administering God’s grace that was given to me on your behalf, 3 and how this secret was made known to me through a revelation, just as I wrote about briefly in the past. 4 By reading this, you will be able to grasp my understanding of the secret about the Messiah, 5 which in previous generations was not made known to human beings as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This is that secret: 6 The gentiles are heirs-in-common, members-in-common of the body, and common participants in what was promised by the Messiah Jesus through the gospel. ISV

The first thing that Paul says is that “the mystery” is that all tribes can become heirs together with Christ. Not only that, all tribes can be members together of the body of Christ. Thirdly, all tribes can be partners together in the promise, or announcement, or pledge of Christ.

NT:4954 sussomos (soos'-so-mos); from NT:4862 and NT:4983; of a joint body, i.e. (figuratively) a fellow-member of the Christian community: KJV - of the same body. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

NT:4983 soma (so'-mah); from NT:4982; the body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively: KJV - bodily, body, slave. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

NT:4830 summetochos (soom-met'-okh-os); from NT:4862 and NT:3353; a co-participant: partaker. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

NT:3353 metochos (met'-okh-os); from NT:3348; participant, i.e. (as noun) a sharer; by implication an associate: KJV - fellow, partaker, partner.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Here Paul’s sentence puts three aspects together, inheritors together, members together, and participants together. The whole idea of this secret was that all the nations and tribes could share together, it was not just about the one tribal group called Jews; it was about all tribes sharing together. This was an all-encompassing promise, not an exclusionary club where only a certain heritage and DNA are allowed. Instead of this being announced in Genesis 3:15, this mystery was hidden so that there would be no stopping the plan of Christ. Paul is revealing the manifold wisdom of God to principalities and powers through the church

How do we attain inclusion into this particular group? Paul also tells us that we are heirs by righteousness produced by faith, not by following the law.

Rom 4:13-15 For the promise that he would inherit [2818] the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the Law, but through the righteousness produced by faith. 14 For if those who were given the Law are the heirs [2818], then faith is useless and the promise is worthless, 15 for the Law produces wrath. Now where there is no Law, neither can there be any violation of it. ISV

Once again, we see our word, kleronomos. To be an heir is to walk by faith, not the law. The law produces wrath. If we study Abraham’s walk with Yahweh, we see that there were no rules or written documents telling Abraham what to do. Abraham, by relationship, by fellowship, by communication, walked with God. And Paul hits this point many times, it is by faith we become righteous, and that is how we become joint-heirs and partakers in the promises of God. If, by faith, we belong to the Messiah, then we have been adopted.

Gal 3:29-4:7 And if you belong to the Messiah, then you are Abraham’s descendants indeed, and heirs [2818] according to the promise. 4:1 Now what I am saying is this: As long as an heir [2818] is a child, he is no better off than a slave, even though he owns everything. 2 Instead, he is placed under the care of guardians and servant managers until the time set by the father. 3 It was the same way with us. While we were children, we were slaves to the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the appropriate time had come, God sent his Son, born by a woman, born under the Law, 5 in order to redeem those who were under the Law, and thus to adopt them as his children. 6 Now because you are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to cry out, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if you are a child, then you are also an heir [2818] because of what God did. ISV

Heirs and children are the present reality and destiny of believers on Jesus Christ the Messiah. Paul asks Titus to remind the believers of a few things, then the ISV translates Paul’s summation of our salvation as a poem. It communicates stronger as a poem and is part of the reminder of heirs by grace and eternal life.

Titus 3:1-8 Remind believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready to do any honorable kind of work. 2 They are not to insult anyone or be argumentative. Instead, they are to be gentle and perfectly courteous to everyone. 3 After all, we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, and misled. We were slaves to many kinds of lusts and pleasures, spending our days in malice and jealousy. We were despised, and we hated one another.

4 In grace our Savior God appeared,

to make his love for mankind clear.

5 ‘Twas not for deeds that we had done,

but by his steadfast love alone,

he saved us through a second birth,

renewed us by the Spirit’s work,

6 and poured him out upon us, too,

through Jesus the Messiah our Savior true.

7 And so, made heirs by his own grace,

eternal life we now embrace. ISV

8 This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have put their faith in God may devote themselves to good actions. These things are good and helpful to other people. ISV

The way Paul uses words and communicates to us is not dry, but colorful. This translation takes the imagery of our salvation story and future as heirs, and gives us a great poetic version which is not dry, but vibrant. This is probably how Paul wanted it communicated, rather than in a boring, lecture type tone.

From this understanding of being joint-heirs, joint-sufferers, Joint-gloryings, joint-members, joint-participants, and joint kings with Christ Jesus our Messiah, we can begin to see why we were made a little lower than the Elohim, Psalm 8:5. When we remember the angels are to serve us, we have to wonder why we were adopted as sons and daughters, and the angelic class is in service to us and to God.

Heb 1:1-14 God, having spoken in former times in fragmentary and varied fashion to our forefathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by a Son whom he appointed to be the heir [2818] of everything and through whom he also made the universe. 3 He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact likeness of his being, and he holds everything together by his powerful word. After he had provided a cleansing from sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Highest Majesty 4 and became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited [2816/2818] is better than theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”? 6 And again, when he brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” 7 Now about the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire.” 8 But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of your kingdom is a righteous scepter.9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. That is why God, your God, anointed you rather than your companions with the oil of gladness.” 10 And, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.11 They will come to an end, but you will remain forever. They will all wear out like clothes.12 You will roll them up like a robe, and they will be changed like clothes. But you remain the same, and your life will never end.” 13 But to which of the angels did he ever say,“Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14 All of them are spirits on a divine mission, sent to serve those who are about to inherit salvation, aren’t they? ISV

What we see here from Hebrews is that Jesus is the Son that the Father appointed to be heir of everything, and yet we get to be co-heirs. Jesus created everything and provided a rescue for us by His blood, and yet we are co-members of His body. Jesus is worshipped by the angels and we get to be co-partakers of the promise. The Father calls Jesus God, and we get to be glorified along with Him. And while the heaven and earth that we know will end, and a new one will be born, we get to reign alongside Jesus just for having faith and suffering painful times. How is it that man is so important that angelic beings are here to serve us? This is all so surreal. All day long the world tells us how worthless we are for believing in Christ as Messiah, and yet the opposite of what we are told by the world is our true inheritance. Truly amazing. While the world and the people who refuse Christ will not change their opinions of us, we need to remind ourselves of God’s opinion of us. What does it matter what the unsaved think of us, when we are adopted and sharing alongside Jesus? Who cares what suffering may come, we can endure because we are going to reign with Jesus!

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Traditions; The Temple in the City of David;The Gihon Springs

“Because of our traditions we have kept our balance for many, many years”; Fiddler on the Roof. Let’s think about that for a moment. Those who extol the virtues of tradition do so because they feel it keeps them and the others around them balanced. What they are really saying is that there is no disruption in their daily lives with things that might be new or things that one would have to think about. Really, traditions void us from thinking. People just follow the yellow brick road, no need to wander off the path, just stay on the path. What if traditions hold us back from the greatness of what God has for us? What if traditions end up binding us rather than allowing our hearts to connect with God? Jesus was not about tradition but about tender, connected hearts with God. Jesus was the most rebellious teacher ever as he didn’t teach or follow tradition.

Sometimes tradition takes a more harmful twist than simply unwashed hands or unwashed feet. While ceremonial washing was symbolic to bathing with the word of God, what if traditions held people in such bondage that those who daily wish for a closer walk with God are held back because their elders refuse to learn and grow. Specifically, I am speaking about the location of the Temple in Jerusalem. There have been rumors for many years regarding the location of the Temple of Solomon. What if the elders who refuse anything that is non-traditional do the necessary research and find something new? Not that what they find would be new to God, or other people, but new to themselves because tradition has held them back. If then, new knowledge allows growth and a closer relationship with Yahweh Elohim, then wouldn’t it be wise to drop traditions and dive into the heart of God? The Temple location is not the Temple Mount, but the City of David. More on that shortly.

Here is a definition of the word tradition from Easton’s Bible Dictionary, and Strong’s Concordance.

Tradition — any kind of teaching, written or spoken, handed down from generation to generation. In Mark 7:3,9,13; Col 2:8, this word refers to the arbitrary interpretations of the Jews. In 2 Thess 2:15; 3:6, it is used in a good sense. Peter (1 Peter 1:18) uses this word with reference to the degenerate Judaism of the "strangers scattered" whom he addresses (comp. Acts 15:10; Matt 15:2-6; Gal 1:14(from Easton's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

NT:3862 paradosis (par-ad'-os-is); from NT:3860; transmission, i.e. (concretely) a precept; specifically, the Jewish traditionary law: KJV - ordinance, tradition.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

The word tradition only appears in the New Testament, and it means a way of conducting one’s self. The Pharisees loved to annoy Jesus regarding their traditions. The Scribes and Pharisees could not believe the Messiah would not follow the traditions that were instituted by their forefathers. The first thing that tells us, is that Jesus wasn’t interested in following traditions. Instead, Jesus wants to know why they instituted traditions to get out of following the law.

Matt 15:1-20 THEN FROM Jerusalem came scribes and Pharisees and said, 2 Why do Your disciples transgress and violate the rules handed down by the elders of the past? For they do not practice [ceremonially] washing their hands before they eat. 3 He replied to them, And why also do you transgress and violate the commandment of God for the sake of the rules handed down to you by your forefathers (the elders)?

People bent the rules to suit their own desires. Instead of taking care of their parents, people made a new “rule” that if they dedicated everything they had to the temple, they didn’t have to take care of their aging parents.

Matt 15:4 For God commanded, Honor your father and your mother, and, He who curses or reviles or speaks evil of or abuses or treats improperly his father or mother, let him surely come to his end by death. [Ex 20:12; 21:17; Lev 20:9; Deut 5:16.] 5 But you say, If anyone tells his father or mother, What you would have gained from me [that is, the money and whatever I have that might be used for helping you] is already dedicated as a gift to God, then he is exempt and no longer under obligation to honor and help his father or his mother. 6 So for the sake of your tradition (the rules handed down by your forefathers), you have set aside the Word of God [depriving it of force and authority and making it of no effect].

There are many reasons why people would do this. If we look at our modern world today, we can see that families are not perfect, and many times parents have mental issues and personality disorders, while some may also be lazy and selfish, and not interested in serving God. Not wanting to take care of one’s parents because of constant conflict is likely the reason the new “rule” was made. This led everyone into a tradition of deciding to care for the elderly or not. Jesus did not discuss this other than pointing out to them their redesigning of the laws to suit their needs. Jesus then gives us the key to this idea of traditions. The people’s hearts were far from God. They did the works of traditions without their hearts being in what they were doing.

Matt 15:7 You pretenders (hypocrites)! Admirably and truly did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said: 8 These people draw near Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts hold off and are far away from Me. 9 Uselessly do they worship Me, for they teach as doctrines the commands of men. [Isa 29:13.] 10 And Jesus called the people to Him and said to them, Listen and grasp and comprehend this: 11 It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that makes him unclean and defiled, but what comes out of the mouth; this makes a man unclean and defiles [him].

The Pharisees and Scribes were doing what someone told them was tradition and expected others to follow along so this did not please them.

Matt 15:12 Then the disciples came and said to Him, Do You know that the Pharisees were displeased and offended and indignant when they heard this saying? 13 He answered, Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be torn up by the roots. [Isa 60:21.] 14 Let them alone and disregard them; they are blind guides and teachers. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a ditch. 15 But Peter said to Him, Explain this proverb (this maxim) to us.

The Heavenly Father did not create traditions and those things will be torn up by the roots. Yet the disciples didn’t quite get it.

Matt 15:16 And He said, Are you also even yet dull and ignorant [without understanding and unable to put things together]? 17 Do you not see and understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the abdomen and so passes on into the place where discharges are deposited? 18 But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles [him]. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts (reasonings and disputings and designs) such as murder, adultery, sexual vice, theft, false witnessing, slander, and irreverent speech. 20 These are what make a man unclean and defile [him]; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him unclean or defile [him]. AMP

Traditions lead people so far astray from the heart of God that religious leaders put requirements on people’s actions but did not teach people to have a pure heart towards God. Mark gives us a little more insight into what this specific tradition entailed.

Mark 7:1-5 NOW THERE gathered together to [Jesus] the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 For they had seen that some of His disciples ate with common hands, that is, unwashed [with hands defiled and unhallowed, because they had not given them a ceremonial washing] — 3 For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat unless [merely for ceremonial reasons] they wash their hands [diligently up to the elbow] with clenched fist, adhering [carefully and faithfully] to the tradition of [practices and customs handed down to them by] their forefathers [to be observed]. 4 And [when they come] from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions [oral, man-made laws handed down to them, which they observe faithfully and diligently, such as], the washing of cups and wooden pitchers and widemouthed jugs and utensils of copper and beds — 5 And the Pharisees and scribes kept asking [Jesus], Why do Your disciples not order their way of living according to the tradition handed down by the forefathers [to be observed], but eat with hands unwashed and ceremonially not purified? AMP

At the time of the first century, people’s lives had gone from freedom of heart, like we see in Abraham, to so many rules no one could get it all right. Not only that, Jesus didn’t care about these traditions, and for him to do miracles and heal people, and have a following became confusing to the religious leaders who expected the traditions to be followed. While they themselves were not doing miracles and healing people, they were keeping the traditions, but Jesus blew their minds by pointing out that their traditions were nullifying the very law that God gave them.

Paul tells us to now walk in unity and conformity to Jesus, not to traditions.

Col 2:6-9 As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him. 7 Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men's ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah). 9 For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature]. AMP

We are not to be lead away from unity and conformity with Jesus by philosophy, or intellectualism, or traditions. These things are crude concepts that disregard the living and vital relationship we are to have with Jesus himself. The whole Godhead is encompassed in Jesus and our hearts should connect with Him rather than ordering our behaviors to be compliant with man’s ideas and traditions. Paul gives us the answer here in Galatians.

Gal 1:11-24 For I want you to know, brethren, that the Gospel which was proclaimed and made known by me is not man's gospel [a human invention, according to or patterned after any human standard]. 12 For indeed I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but [it came to me] through a [direct] revelation [given] by Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 13 You have heard of my earlier career and former manner of life in the Jewish religion (Judaism), how I persecuted and abused the church of God furiously and extensively, and [with fanatical zeal did my best] to make havoc of it and destroy it. 14 And [you have heard how] I outstripped many of the men of my own generation among the people of my race in [my advancement in study and observance of the laws of] Judaism, so extremely enthusiastic and zealous I was for the traditions of my ancestors.

Paul was so very zealous to do the law and follow traditions that he excelled beyond his peers. Paul learned under Gamaliel, a Pharisee mentioned in the Bible who advocated that the rulers not be harsh on the Apostles because if what they were preaching was not from God it wouldn’t amount to anything. It is odd that Paul, as a student, set about to kill Christians instead of taking the advice his teacher gave him in Acts 5. Paul was probably one of those self-promoter types who enjoyed pats on the head from the religious leaders and teachers. But his heart was hollow, not knowing Jesus but instead knowing traditions and rules.

Gal 1:15 But when He, Who had chosen and set me apart [even] before I was born and had called me by His grace (His undeserved favor and blessing), saw fit and was pleased [Isa 49:1; Jer 1:5.] 16 To reveal (unveil, disclose) His Son within me so that I might proclaim Him among the Gentiles (the non-Jewish world) as the glad tidings (Gospel), immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood [did not consult or counsel with any frail human being or communicate with anyone]. 17 Nor did I [even] go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles (special messengers of Christ) before I was, but I went away and retired into Arabia, and afterward I came back again to Damascus. 18 Then three years later, I did go up to Jerusalem to become [personally] acquainted with Cephas (Peter), and remained with him for fifteen days. 19 But I did not see any of the other apostles (the special messengers of Christ) except James the brother of our Lord. 20 Now [note carefully what I am telling you, for it is the truth], I write this as if I were standing before the bar of God; I do not lie. 21 Then I went into the districts (countries, regions) of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And so far I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea (the country surrounding Jerusalem). 23 They were only hearing it said, He who used to persecute us is now proclaiming the very faith he once reviled and which he set out to ruin and tried with all his might to destroy. 24 And they glorified God [as the Author and Source of what had taken place] in me. AMP

Notice what Paul did, he didn’t talk to anyone about his experience with the Lord. He didn’t see church elders, or priests, or rabbis. Instead he went to Arabia, possibly Mt Sinai, and dug into a relationship with the Lord. Remember, Paul didn’t have his own personal scrolls. He was spending time in the wilderness with Yahweh the Elohim. When he finally connected with people, they were excited about Paul’s conversion to Christianity. This wasn’t like turning on a light, it took time for Paul to figure things out. Paul says he was called by His grace. It is interesting because Jesus never taught grace, but by Jesus’ grace we are called and saved. Repetitive actions, laws, or traditions do not save us. Salvation is a free gift which is not something that one can work for and become prideful over. It simply cannot be earned. We are all called by grace, just like Paul. Paul put off the traditions he learned to dive into a life with Jesus.

Today, the combination of historical documents, archeology, and the Bible, all point to the location of Solomon’s Temple and Herod’s Temple being built over the Gihon Springs in the City of David. Dr. Ernest L. Martin first made this claim, and wrote a book in 1994 entitled The Temples that Jerusalem Forgot. Dr. Martin passed before the accumulation of archeological evidence could prove him correct. Archeologist/Explorer Bob Cornuke took up this information and now confirms Dr. Martin’s findings documented in his new book Temple: Amazing Discoveries That Change Everything About the Location of Solomon’s Temple.

At first thought, some people may scoff because they are rooted in tradition. But think of what this means. Today, the Muslims control the temple mount and no excavation is allowed there. Also, there are no fresh springs on the temple mount which are required for ceremonial washings of the Priests, and the cleaning and drainage of the blood sacrifices. The Muslims do not control the area of the City of David. When I was in Israel in 1999, our guide was careful to tell us that some of the stones we saw at the Wailing Wall and under the ground were re-used from Herod’s temple. Jesus told us that not one stone would be left upon another. Jesus was either mistaken, as we have a wall left, or he was very accurate. The wall we see today as well as the area of the temple mount was from the fortress Antonia built by Herod the Great around 19 BC which held about 10,000 people. It was still standing in 73 AD, three years after the temple was destroyed in 70 AD. While I am not qualified to share all evidences I will site some resources here, and we will look at Jesus’ words.

Article: http://askelm.com/temple/t001211.htm

Article: http://www.askelm.com/news/n140717.pdf

Ernest L Martin’s Book: http://www.askelm.com/books/book008.asp

Bob Cornuke’s Book http://www.baseinstitute.org/product-details/literature/_new_-temple-book/2/16

City of David Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_David

Matt 24:1-2 JESUS DEPARTED from the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to the buildings of the temple and point them out to Him. 2 But He answered them, Do you see all these? Truly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. AMP

Mark 13:1-2 AND AS [Jesus] was coming out of the temple [area], one of His disciples said to Him, Look, Teacher! Notice the sort and quality of these stones and buildings! 2 And Jesus replied to him, You see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be loosened and torn down. AMP

Matthew and Mark both tell us the same thing, that no stone would be left, but torn down or thrown down. Jesus tells us why this is the case. Every stone of the temple would be torn down because they did not recognize the time of his visitation as Luke records.

Luke 19:37-44 As He was approaching [the city], at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to rejoice and to praise God [extolling Him exultantly and] loudly for all the mighty miracles and works of power that they had witnessed, 38 Crying, Blessed (celebrated with praises) is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven [freedom there from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin] and glory (majesty and splendor) in the highest [heaven]! [Ps 118:26.] 39 And some of the Pharisees from the throng said to Jesus, Teacher, reprove Your disciples! 40 He replied, I tell you that if these keep silent, the very stones will cry out. [Hab 2:11.] 41 And as He approached, He saw the city, and He wept [audibly] over it, 42 Exclaiming, Would that you had known personally, even at least in this your day, the things that make for peace (for freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin and upon which your peace — your security, safety, prosperity, and happiness — depends)! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For a time is coming upon you when your enemies will throw up a bank [with pointed stakes] about you and surround you and shut you in on every side. [Isa 29:3; Jer 6:6; Ezek 4:2.] 44 And they will dash you down to the ground, you [Jerusalem] and your children within you; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, [all] because you did not come progressively to recognize and know and understand [from observation and experience] the time of your visitation [that is, when God was visiting you, the time in which God showed Himself gracious toward you and offered you salvation through Christ]. AMP

As we have looked at from Sir Robert Anderson’s work in Daniel, the angel told Daniel the exact day that Jesus would be announced, the day he would come and then be cut off. It is with amazing accuracy that we can now understand how literal this was. There was no approximate time, but an exact date, and the people should have known who he was and the time of his visitation. That is why the temple and the city was destroyed in 70 AD. That is also why the Romans took the stones and used them elsewhere. We also have one more clue from Luke. People were admiring the temple.

Luke 21:5-6 And as some were saying of the temple that it was decorated with handsome (shapely and magnificent) stones and consecrated offerings [laid up to be kept], He said, 6 As for all this that you [thoughtfully] look at, the time will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. AMP

It looked beautiful even in their day (remember this was Herod’s temple), and people thought this was a beautiful building. We don’t see that today, nor do we see any type of inlays, or places where precious stones were inlaid. We don’t see any decoration on the stones of the temple mount that come from that era. There seems to also be the problem of the living waters, the spring. There are no springs on the temple mount, and the priests had to have flowing water, not stagnant water. Let’s look at Easton’s Bible Dictionary regarding Gihon.

GIHON— a stream. … (2.) The only natural spring of water in or near Jerusalem is the "Fountain of the Virgin" (q.v.), which rises outside the city walls on the west bank of the Kidron valley. On the occasion of the approach of the Assyrian army under Sennacherib, Hezekiah, in order to prevent the besiegers from finding water, "stopped the upper water course of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David" (2 Chron 32:30; 33:14). This "fountain" or spring is therefore to be regarded as the "upper water course of Gihon." From this "fountain" a tunnel cut through the ridge which forms the south part of the temple hill conveys the water to the Pool of Siloam, which lies on the opposite side of this ridge at the head of the Tyropoeon ("cheesemakers'") valley, or valley of the son of Hinnom, now filled up by rubbish. The length of this tunnel is about 1,750 feet. In 1880 an inscription was accidentally discovered on the wall of the tunnel about nineteen feet from where it opens into the Pool of Siloam. This inscription was executed in all probability by Hezekiah's workmen. It briefly narrates the history of the excavation. It may, however, be possible that this tunnel was excavated in the time of Solomon. If the "waters of Shiloah that go softly" (Isa 8:6) refers to the gentle stream that still flows through the tunnel into the Pool of Siloam, then this excavation must have existed before the time of Hezekiah. (from Easton's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Let’s look at the information concerning where the city of David was. Take note that this is where Jesus was born.

CITY OF DAVID The name of two cities in the Bible: 1. The stronghold of ZION, the fortified city of the Jebusites, later known as Jerusalem. King David and his men captured it (2 Sam 5:7,9). The Jebusite fortress of Zion was situated on a hill overlooking the pool of Siloam, at the junction of the Kidron and Tyropoeon valleys (later in southeastern Jerusalem). The account of the capture of Zion implies that David's army entered the fortress by surprise (2 Sam 5:8). The "water shaft" mentioned in this passage was apparently a tunnel leading from the underground spring of GIHON into the citadel. Joab was the one who went up the shaft first (1 Chron 11:6), true to his promise, David made him the commander, or "chief," of the armies of Israel.

After the capture of Zion, "David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David" (2 Sam 5:9). Not only did David establish his residence here, but he also strengthened the city's fortifications (1 Chron 11:8). Solomon further strengthened the defenses of the city (1 Kings 11:27). The site of Solomon's Temple was on the neighboring Mount Moriah, part of the same strong rock outcropping as Mount Zion.

Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. KJV

The area seems to be significant because the Bible also tells us that the Lord dwells in Zion. Not only was he born there, he was worshipped there as well. The millo gives us another clue.

MILLO [MILL oh] (mound) - a fortification or citadel near Jerusalem. The Millo of Jerusalem was probably part of the fortification of the Jebusite city that David captured. It may have been either a solid tower full of earth or a bastion strengthening a weak point in the wall. It was already in existence when David's army captured the Jebusite city (2 Sam 5:9).

The Millo was one of the building projects included in King Solomon's expansion program in Jerusalem in later years. He strengthened the Millo by using conscripted labor (1 Kings 9:15). Centuries later, King Hezekiah had the Millo repaired in preparation for an invasion and siege by the Assyrians (2 Chron 32:5). King Joash was killed "in the house of the Millo" (2 Kings 12:20) - the victim of a conspiracy.

And the Pool of Siloam is another place of interest. While there may have been more pools, we have this one mentioned. It seems silly that Hezekiah would not protect the temple, but only protect the springs and his residence from the Assyrians.

SILOAM[sigh LOW um] (sent) - a storage pool and water tunnel that provided a water supply for early residents of the city of Jerusalem. The pool and tunnel drew water from the GIHON spring outside the city wall.

Under the peril of an impending invasion by the armies of Sennacherib, king of Assyria (reigned about 705 B.C. - 681 B.C.), King Hezekiah of Judah "made a pool and a tunnel [or conduit] and brought water into the city" (2 Kings 20:20). The parallel account in 2 Chronicles says he "stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David" (2 Chron 32:30).

Hezekiah's tunnel was discovered accidentally in 1838 and was explored by the American traveler, Edward Robinson, and his missionary friend, Eli Smith. They found the Siloam tunnel to be about 518 meters (1,750 feet) long, although the straight line distance between the storage pool and the Gihon spring is only 332 meters (1,090 feet). The course has numerous twists and turns. Some scholars have suggested that by following such a crooked course, the tunnel builders were trying to avoid the royal tombs cut into the same area through which the conduit was cut. But it is just as possible that more accurate surveying methods were unavailable to Hezekiah's technicians. By any standards, however, Hezekiah's tunnel was a notable achievement.

The tunnel was explored in 1867, but it was not until 1880 that an important Hebrew inscription was discovered near the entrance to the reservoir. It gave a graphic description of how the tunnel was built. Two work crews cut the tunnel through solid rock, working from opposite ends until they met in the middle.

It may have been through another tunnel or gap such as this that David's warriors entered the ancient city of Jerusalem about 1002 B.C. The city was known as Jebus at that time. David captured it and turned it into the capital city of his kingdom.

The Bible does contain some puzzling references to a more ancient pool. The prophet Isaiah, for instance, speaks of Hezekiah's "reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool" (Isa 22:11). Perhaps Hezekiah and his craftsmen used an existing reservoir and linked it to his tunnel and pool.

Whether we understand this or not, we have a minor issue as “the Lord dwells in Zion”. Does he dwell on the temple mount with a rock and a dome, or does he dwell in the very place he was worshipped and came to earth? He dwells in a place that we are only beginning to rediscover and uncover.

Ps 9:11 Sing praises to the Lord, Who dwells in Zion! Declare among the peoples His doings! AMP

Ps 102:16 When the Lord builds up Zion, He will appear in His glory; AMP

Isa 8:18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and wonders [that are to take place] in Israel from the Lord of hosts, Who dwells on Mount Zion .AMP

Joel 3:21 And I will cleanse and hold as innocent their blood and avenge it, blood which I have not cleansed, held innocent, and avenged, for the Lord dwells in Zion. AMP

There is a great history here that goes back to the time of Melchizedek/Shem, who taught and ministered to the Lord in that same place. It is very simply clear from the Bible itself that the place David bought from Onan was this place, then called the city of David. It is the place Solomon was anointed at his coronation, and the place Hezekiah built the pool of Siloam so that the Assyrians would not find water. It is also the place that Nehemiah and Ezra came back to (from their captivity), to re-build the Temple along with governor Zerubbabel. Herod the Great took 46 years to build the temple again. That was the temple that was in existence in the first century alongside the fortress Antonia. The Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, but not the fortress. This temple is the place where Simeon prophesied over Jesus as a baby. And this is the place that the temple will be built again just before, or in the beginning of, the tribulation years.

The Apostle Paul is our example, as he dug into scriptural understanding rather than man’s understanding, when he first learned about Jesus. Tradition may get in the way for the time being, but most certainly a people will rise up and search out the Temple remains. Then, the time of the end will be near as there is nothing stopping the rebuilding of the temple but tradition. The Millennial temple will be built in this place as well. That will be a glorious time. As the days and times unfold, we must remember that we are called by grace, and our hearts should be close to His. If Jesus is our example, we must put off traditions as he did.

Ps 50:1-6 THE MIGHTY One, God, the Lord, speaks and calls the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes and does not keep silence; a fire devours before Him, and round about Him a mighty tempest rages. 4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that He may judge His people: 5 Gather together to Me My saints [those who have found grace in My sight], those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice. 6 And the heavens declare His righteousness (rightness and justice), for God, He is judge. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! AMP

Monday, August 25, 2014

Rehearsing for Rapture; Passing from Death to Life; Trumpets and the Harpazo

The fall season is a great time for reflection and introspection; in fact, God set it up that way. As we saw a few weeks ago, God ordered the days and months and years for us to reflect, but he also appointed holy days so that we will take the time to think about our lives. The first fall holy day is the Feast of Trumpets, or Rash Hashanah. This is a day that occurs on the first day of the seventh month, and it occurs on a new moon, which is the start of a new month, but also a new year. Therefore, until it was confirmed by two witnesses that there was a visible sliver of the moon, no one actually knew when the holy day would start. One could guess, but until it was formerly announced, it was not a holy day. Once the determination was made by the witnesses telling the high priest, the trumpets would blow one hundred times signaling the start of the seventh month. While with every month, the new moon had to be attested to, the seventh month started the Ten Days of Awe. This was the time for personal introspection, repentance, and forgiveness, leading up to the Day of Atonement, Yom Kipper.

The first day of the seventh month is also the day Jesus was born into this world. Ernest L Martin’s book The Star of Bethlehem, The Star that Astonished the World http://www.askelm.com/star/star008.htm is a wonderful book to gain an understanding of all the evidence for the many facts supporting Jesus’ birth at this time. Not only was Jesus’ birth the first day of the seventh month, Jesus’ coronation (Revelation 11) will likely take place at the blowing of the seventh or last trumpet. So the Day of Trumpets holds significance for us as Christians to observe Jesus’ birth and Jesus’ coming Kingship. But there may be another association to this day that is significant to us in the future. The Apostle Paul alluded to the last trumpet sounding when Jesus comes to call from the clouds. This will be the time that the dead in Christ will rise and those alive on earth will join the dead in the air. This is the harpazo, the gathering. This will be the time that precedes the opening of the seals in heaven, where the redeemed will be worshipping and viewing the events on earth.

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-night-sky-when-jesus-was-born-what.html

There is a type or pattern that Doctor Martin points out to us regarding the New Moon and celebrations. This was the day that Joseph was brought out of prison to become ruler over Egypt. Joseph had been in prison for two years when Pharaoh had a disturbing dream that no one could interpret.

Gen 41:14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. KJV

Once Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, he was put in charge of Egypt, but not just because he was a diviner of dreams, but because the Spirit of God was upon Joseph.

Gen 41:38-40 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. KJV

Joseph’s kingship happened on the new moon, but also on New Year’s Day! The man who was imprisoned, who had the Spirit within him, became ruler over Egypt in one day. This is a story of us.

Ps 81:1-5 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not. KJV

Here is Joseph’s new name, Zaphnath-paaneah which means treasury of the glorious rest.

Gen 41:45-46 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. KJV

The first thing the saints sing about after being gathered is being redeemed by Jesus’ blood and being made Kings and Priests (see Revelation 5). Joseph is the type or shadow for us who begin reigning on the new moon of the New Year and of the seventh month. We are a type of Joseph, as we are in bondage on the earth. While we can’t leave earth now, and when we die we do get to go to Paradise, we cannot enter heaven until the dead in Christ rise first, then the living in Christ join them. The constellation Andromeda tells us the story of who we are. We are chained here to earth until our Prince comes to rescue us. Like Joseph, the Spirit of God is in us. As Joseph was made a little lower than Pharaoh, we are made a little lower than Elohim.

Ps 8:5 And causest him to lack a little of Godhead, And with honour and majesty compassest him. YLT

Ps 8:5 You made him a little less than divine, but you crowned him with glory and honor. ISV

Ps 8:5 Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor. AMP

The word used here in Psalm 5 is Elohim, “Gods” (plural). Humankind, in our original state when Adam was created, was to be just a bit lower in authority than the Creator, Yahweh, Aleph Tav, Elohim. We know Elohim consists of Father, Son, and Spirit; and humans were intended to be just a bit less than the Godhead. This is why Lucifer hated Adam and Eve and then stole rulership from Adam. We are not lower than angels, instead as Paul tells, us we will judge angels. We wouldn’t be judges over beings that are above us, but judges of those below us. Angels are to minister to us because in our fallen state we are blind. This indicates however, that we will gain back abilities that were lost in the fall. Human beings were made to become kings and priests, and that day that we are to celebrate Joseph as well as our rulership is the Day of Trumpets. The first day of the seventh month.

Trumpets are used to gather people as well as sound an alarm for the community. But on this particular New Year’s Day, there was to be a memorial which was a memorial for the dead, and a holy convocation. What is a convocation? And why remember the dead?

Lev 23:23-28 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,24 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 [4744].25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.26 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. KJV

OT:4744 miqra' (mik-raw'); from OT:7121; something called out, i.e. a public meeting (the act, the persons, or the place); also a rehearsal: KJV - assembly, calling, convocation, reading.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

This is quite interesting. First of all, a convocation is something called out. The church, the ekklesia, is not a building; it is the people that are the called out. Secondly, it is a public meeting, the episunagoge is the “above assembly”. Thirdly, it is to be a rehearsal. A rehearsal for what? And why on this day should we remember the dead? This is to be a foreshadowing of a group, the called out, and the time when the epi (above) - sunagoge (synagogue or assembly) is announced. Rehearse it. Rehearse it on the first day of the seventh month. Use instruments, and sing loudly, because we are celebrating and practicing for the day we are gathered and made kings and priests. Trumpets is a day we are to commemorate the calling up of the called out. We remember the dead because the dead rise first. This is the announcement heralded by trumpets, which the future kings and priests are singing about in Revelation 5. Now, we don’t know exactly which year will be the last year of our earthly celebration, therefore until we are snatched (harpazo’d), we are to then spend time in introspection, atoning for sin. First we celebrate, then we dig deep within ourselves to search out anything that hinders us from God.

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-above-synagogue-above-congregation.html

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/03/when-we-get-to-heaven-revelation-5_11.html

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/03/spiritual-beings-in-heaven-beasts-and.html

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/10/every-eye-will-see-five-visitations-of.html

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/06/doors-and-clouds-jesus-tells-us-of-his.html

Another foreshadowing of this is in Joshua when the Israelites were going to take Jericho. While this was in the spring, and not the fall, the sounding of the trumpets, and the shouting was what is important to note. The instruction was very specific. In fact, they didn’t even keep the Sabbath, instead they marched around the city for seven days. And on the seventh day there were trumpet blasts, and a shout.

Josh 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. KJV

The wall that held the people back fell down, and the people went up into the city. The trumpet sound is a loud blast from a shofar, a clear sound that pierces the atmosphere. There is no question that this sound is an announcement of some kind. The people went up into Jericho, just as people will go up into heaven at the sound of the trumpet.

1 Thess 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: KJV

It sounds so eerily similar. The division that holds us back from heaven will be breached when there is a shout and a trumpet blast, and the dead rise first and the living are snatched up too. This is what we are to celebrate according to Leviticus. We are to celebrate, in advance, the harpazo, the gathering of the saints. We may be gathered at any time, but if we are still on earth during the first day of the seventh month we should sing and celebrate. Then if we are still on earth after celebrating our new year, we are to start a time of thinking about the previous year’s sins, repenting and forgiving so that by the tenth day our heart will be penitent. It is not enough to be sorry or remorseful but instead repentant.

There is something more here, we are not simply having a New Year’s celebration, but we are also recognizing that we have been eternally changed. This is the part about the memorial for the dead that we don’t realize. Our dead loved ones who made Jesus Lord of their lives are not gone forever, but awaiting Jesus’ call too. Jesus told us something very interesting, we are passed from death unto life. Not in the future but today, if we believe, we have then passed from death to life.

John 5:24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. KJV

If Jesus is your Lord, you have not only changed to be eternally living now, you also will not be judged as in a tribunal. You are not judged as to whether you have done enough good to get eternal life, instead you pass right by that court hearing because you already have eternal life. Your works will be judged for eternal rewards, not eternal life. That means you have every reason to celebrate on the Day of Trumpets, because you as well as your departed loved ones in Christ will be together again and live eternally. That is a huge cause for celebration. Remember the departed on the Day of Trumpets.

John mentions the same thing, that since Jesus came we who are in Christ have changed places, literally.

1 John 3:13-14 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. KJV

We once stood in condemnation but we don’t any longer, so why spend time between the Day of Trumpets and Yom Kippur contemplating our lives? Even though Jesus is our atonement for our sin, we need to make sure we have a proper relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit. If we sin, we have atonement for sin, but we may lose our communication with the Godhead.

1 John 1:3-10 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.KJV

Fellowship means partnership, and we are to have partnership with the Godhead, the Father, Son, and Spirit. We are to have open communication, and sin puts a wedge in the heart of a human so that no communication can take place. Paul tells us the Spirit is not left out regarding communication.

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2012/10/fellowship-with-god-no-turning-back.html

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2012/10/you-are-loved-growing-in-relationship.html

2 Cor 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. KJV

Jesus is our atonement. Today, the Jewish people have no atonement for sin because there is no temple to make sacrifices in. The Jewish people are quite aware of that this time of year, but they have no way to make it right. Jesus is our atonement; once, for all who accept. We then pass from death to life. While the fall season of holy days was the time God wanted everyone to renew a right relationship with Him, it was never a demand. How could one demand you throw a party and be happy? Today, God does not demand that we follow the law because Jesus was the fulfillment of the law. He made atonement for all who confess Him as Lord. But the bigger picture that God wanted us to see, was that we are to rehearse for the calling of Jesus from the clouds. Rehearse with a joyful noise. The day that Jesus calls the called out will be a day of rejoicing for us. Jesus shouts first, and the voice of the chief angel speaks a disclosure or address, then the trumpet of God sounds. The type or shadow of this was the determination that the new moon had been seen, someone shouts ‘it is the new moon’, while the priests make the declaration by addressing the people, and the trumpeters blast the trumpets so all the people could hear. On the Day of Trumpets, rehearse this day, remember the dead in Christ, celebrate with music until the day we hear the shout and the trumpets.

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/11/blood-atonement-teachers-and-itching.html

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/12/mercy-and-forgiveness-weighed-and.html

http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2012/10/tabernacles-our-high-priest.html

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