NazareneSpace Blog

The Jewish Origin of the Septuagint
By
James Scott Trimm

The origin of the Septuagint is well known. Flavious Josephus records that Ptolemy Philadelphus (around 250 B.C.E.), entered into negotiations with the Jewish High Priest, to obtain a Greek translation of the Torah for the Library of Alexandria.  Ptolemy agreed to release many Jewish prisoners in exchange for the book. The Jewish authorities chose seventy-two translators, to produce a Greek translator of the Torah. (Josephus; Antiquities 12:2).

Although the Greek Septuagint (named after the Greek for “seventy”) was initially only a translation of the Torah, by no later than 150 B.C.E. the rest of the Tanak had been included as well, since at that time the grandson of Ben Sirach, in his prologue to his Greek translation of his grandfather’s “Wisdom of Ben Sirach”, briefly compares the Hebrew and Greek versions of “the law itself, the prophecies, and the rest of the books”.

The Greek Septuagint is actually very important because it is the earliest known translation of the Tanak into another language, and preserves a Greek translation of a Hebrew text of the Tanak, that existed in the third century C.E. (in the case of the Torah; the second century in the case of the Prophets and the Writings).  It was not composed by Christians.

While Singer generally accuses Christians of having created the Septuagint in order to alter the text and imbed altered verses to support their arguments into it, in fact exactly the opposite is true.

The Septuagint was the standard Tanak to the large Jewish Community that was thriving in Egypt well before the first Century.

The Tanak records that a large Jewish population took refuge in Egypt after the destruction of Judah in 597 BCE, and the subsequent assassination of the Jewish governor, Gedaliah. (2 Kings 25:22-24, Jeremiah 40:6-8) The Jewish population had fled to Moab, Ammon, Edom and in other countries but returned to Judah upon the appointment of Gedaliah as a Jewish governer. (Jeremiah 40:11-12) However, before long Gedaliah was assassinated, and many sought refuge in Egypt. (2 Kings 25:26, Jeremiah 43:5-7).

According to Josephus, when Alexander was dead and his government had been divided among his generals, Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, by treachery seized Jerusalem, and took away many Jewish captives to Egypt and settled them there. (Josephus, Ant. 12:1:1)

His successor, Ptolemy Philadelphus, restored to freedom 120,000 Jews who had been kept in slavery at the instance of Aristeus, one of his most intimate friends. He also dedicated many gifts to the Jewish God, and showed great friendship to the Jews in his reign. (Josephus, Ant. 12:2:1-15).

The center of the Jewish community in Egypt was the great center of Alexandria, and this became one of the largest Jewish communities of the world during the Second Temple Era.  It is this community whom the letters prefacing 2nd Maccabees is addressed.

The Jewish community at Alexandria had a grand synagogue, which is described in the Talmud as one of the great glories of the Jewish people:

It has been taught, R. Judah stated, He who has not seen the double colonnade of Alexandria in Egypt has never seen the glory of Israel. It was said that it was like a huge basilica, one colonnade within the other, and it sometimes held twice the number of people that went forth from Egypt. There were in it seventy-one cathedras of gold, corresponding to the seventy-one members of the Great Sanhedrin, not one of them containing less than twenty-one talents of gold, and a wooden platform in the middle upon which the attendant of the Synagogue stood with a scarf in his hand. When the time came to answer Amen, he waved his scarf and all the congregation duly responded. They moreover did not occupy their seats promiscuously, but goldsmiths sat separately, silversmiths separately, blacksmiths separately, metalworkers separately and weavers separately, so that when a poor man entered the place he recognized the members of his craft and on applying to that quarter obtained a livelihood for himself and for the members of his family.
(b.Sukkot 51b)

Relations between the community in Alexandria and the community in Judea were very good.  The Talmud records that the sages of Judea once consulted with experts from Alexandria on the baking of showbread and on the making of incense for the Temple (b.Yoma 38a).

The Alexandrian Jewish Community was Hellenistic and used the Greek Septuagint as their primary text of the Scriptures.   These were not like the Hellenists of the Maccabean period who abandoned Torah for Paganism, but like Stephen (Acts 7) and the Hellenists in Acts 6. These Hellenists were Greek speaking Jews who remained Torah Observant (at least in there own understanding) while accepting Greek culture.  They were very much like American Jews today who embrace American culture, use English Scriptures as their primary texts and write commentaries in English, but retain their Jewish identity.

With the exception of a a few fragments from others, the writings of only one Alexandrian scholar have survived, those of Philo.  Philo was an Alexandrian Jew who was born nearly 20 years before Yeshua and died around 20 years after his death. Philo wrote commentary, primarily on the Torah, which was highly midrashic.  Philo interpreted the texts in an allegorical manner, finding in them philosophic symbolism.  Philo saw the commandments of the Torah as pregnant with deep symbolic truths, which he sought to express in his commentaries.  However Philo was very clear that the Torah still retains its literal meaning and he emphasized the importance of Torah observance.

Sadly, the grand Jewish community of Alexandria was completely annihilated by Trajan in the wake of the Jewish uprising in 116 CE.   But it is important to remember that in the Second Temple Era the Jewish Community of Alexandria was as important as the Jewish communities in Judea and in Babylon, and their tradition survives in the writings of Philo of Alexandria, their primary spokesman of the first century and the Septuagint was their standard Tanak.

At one time differences between the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint were taken to be the result of bad translation.  However since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls the new approach has been to recognize that the Septuagint often represents an alternate underlying Hebrew text that differed from the Masoretic Text.   Among the Dead Sea Scrolls are many biblical manuscripts dating back to a time prior to the first century. These manuscripts give us a sample of the wide variety of textual readings from the pre-Masoretic period. The Dead Sea Scroll biblical manuscripts vary widely, as to text-type. For example two copies of Isaiah found in cave one, agree very closely with the Masoretic Text, while a Hebrew copy of 1Samuel found in cave four has many important agreements with the Greek LXX (Septuagint), against the Masoretic Text.

The Septuagin was the Standard Jewish Greek text of the Tanak that came to be adopted by Christians, and it is Rabbinic Judaism that created its own Greek text in the second Cenury.  As we read in Old Testament Textual Criticism: A Practical Introduction, By Ellis R Brotzman:

“In time the Septuagint came to be adopted by the Christian churches.  Since it was often used in debates between Christians and Jews, it came to be viewed with suspicion by the latter.  This led, in the course of the second century A.D., to the production of three rival Greek versions that each bore a different relationship to the original Septuagint.”
(Old Testament Textual Criticism: A Practical Introduction, By Ellis R Brotzman; pp. 74-75)

So while the anti-missionaries accuse believers in Yeshua as Messiah of having altered the text and fabricated the Septuagint as a Greek text made to agree with their claims, the truth is much to the contrary.  It was in fact Rabbinic Jews who fabricated revised Greek versions intentionally revised to counter Septuagint based arguments being made by believers in Yeshua in their ongoing debates with them.

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In these uncertain times, we need your support more than ever. The time is short, and there is much work to be done. As you might imagine, donations are low. If you can, please donate. This is no time to pull back from the great work in front of us!

As you know we have been digging ourselves out of a budget shortfall.  As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

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The Jewish Origin of the Peshitta Tanak
By
James Scott Trimm

The Aramaic Peshitta Tanak is an important, and under-recognized witness to the text of the Tanak. The exact origin of the Peshitta Tanak is unknown. The “Syriac” version of the Tanak, is mentioned by Melito of Sardis as early as the second century C.E. One tradition has it that Hiram, King of Tyre in the days of Solomon, commissioned this Aramaic translation of the Tanak. Another tradition assigns the Peshitta translation as having been commissioned by the King of Assyria, who dispatched Assa the Priest to Samarir (see 2Kn. 17:27-28). According to the Aramaic “Church Father” Bar Hebraeus, the Peshitta Tanak originated when Abgar, king of Edessa, Syria, dispatched scholars to Israel to produce an Aramaic translation of the Tanak (Bar Hebraeus; Comm. To Ps. 10). Wichelshaus suggested that this king was the same as King Izates II of Adiabene. This king, along with his family, converted to Judaism as recorded by Josephus (Ant. 20:69-71). This king had dispatched his five sons to Israel in order for them to study Hebrew and Judaism. Burkitt maintained that the Peshitta Tanak originated not long after the first century C.E., as the product of the Jewish community of Edessa, in Syria.   (Early Eastern Christianity; Burkitt; p. 71ff)

There is certainly a good deal of evidence, to support the Jewish origin of the Peshitta Tanak. The Babylonian Talmud alludes to the Aramaic text of the Peshitta with the phrase “We translate”:

 ‘A greeting of ‘Peace’ is not permissible there’. This supports the following dictum of R. Haninuna on ‘Ulla’s authority: A man may not extend a greeting of ‘Peace’ to his neighbour in the baths, because it is said, And he called it, The Lord is peace. (Judges 6:24) If so, let it also be forbidden to mention, By faith! in a privy, for it is written, the faithful God? (Deut. 7:9) And should you answer, that indeed is so: but R. Hama b. Goria said in Rab’s name, By faith! may be mentioned in a privy?-There the Name itself is not so designated, as we translate it, God is faithful (Quoting the Peshitta); but here the Name itself is designated ‘Peace,’ as it is written, and he called it, The Lord is Peace.
(b.Shabbat 10b)

THE LENGTH OF THE TERU’AH IS EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF THREE YEBABOTH. But it has been taught, ‘The length of the teru’ah is equal to three shebarim’? — Abaye said: Here there is really a difference of opinion. It is written, It shall be a day of teru’ah unto you, (Num. 29:1) and we translate, a day of yebaba (quoting the Peshitta), and it is written of the mother of Sisera, Through the window she looked forth, (Judges 5:28) [wa-teyabab]. One authority thought that this means drawing a long sigh, and the other that it means uttering short piercing cries.
(b.Rosh Hashanna 33b)

R. Samuel b. Nahmani introduced his discourse on this section with the following text: Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle: (Is. 55:13) ‘Instead of the thorn’: instead of the wicked Haman who put himself up as an object of worship, as it is written, and upon all thorns and upon all brambles (Is. 7:19) ‘shall come up the cypress’: this is Mordecai who was called the chief of all spices, as it is said, And do thou take to thee the chief spices, flowing myrrh, (Ex. 30:23) which [last words] we translate [in Aramaic], mar deki. (quoting the Peshitta) ‘Instead of the brier’: instead of the wicked Vashti, the daughter of the wicked Nebuchadnezzar who burnt the ceiling of the house of the Lord; as it is written, its top was gold, (Song 3:10) ‘the myrtle shall come up’: this is the virtuous Esther who is called Hadassah, as it is said, And he brought up Hadassah. (Esther 11:7) ‘And it shall be to the Lord for a name’: this is the reading of the Megillah; ‘and for an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off’: these are the days of Purim.
(b.Megilah 10b)

The books of Ezekiel and Proverbs in the Aramaic Peshitta, read very similarly to the Aramaic Targums of those same books.  The Peshitta Tanak has many Jewish liturgical divisions. For example, the Psalms are divided into five sections as in Jewish copies, and the Torah is divided according to the triennial Torah reading cycle, and festival readings are also indicated (for example Lev. 23:1; see b. Meg. 30b). Moreover the Peshitta Torah also contains many headings which are likely of Jewish origin. For example the ten commandments have the heading עםרא פתגם “The Ten Commandments” just above Ex. 20:1 and just above Leviticus 17, the Peshitta has the heading ומוסא דקורבנא ודדבחא “The Torah of Offerings and Sacrifices”, (compare with the Talmud b. Meg. 30b).

The text of the Aramaic Peshitta was originally written in Hebrew letters, until this was forbidden by Ephraim Syrus in the fourth century C.E., and contains many Judeo-Aramaisms. (Encylopedia Judaica; Article “Bible”)  Finally, many readings in the Peshitta Aramaic Tanak read Jewish halacha into the text. Many of these are noted in the footnotes of the HRV translation

The Aramaic Peshitta translation is a literal Aramaic translation, made directly from a Hebrew text which closely resembled the current Masoretic Text.

For example we read in Exodus 22:30 (31):

And you shall be set-apart men unto Me. Therefore,
you shall not eat any flesh that is torn of beasts
in the field: you shall cast it to the dogs.
(Ex. 22:30 (22:31) HRV)

Where we read “flesh that is torn of beasts in the field” the Hebrew reads ובשר בשדה טרפה  The Aramaic Peshitta has for this phrase ובסרא דנתיש מן חיותא חיתא  “And flesh which is torn from a living beast”. The Peshitta here alludes to the concept also found in the Talmud which applies the meaning of this text to eating flesh torn from an animal while it is still alive:

R. Johanan said: The verse: Thou salt not eat the life with the flesh,(Deut. 12:23) refers to a limb [severed] from a living creature; and the verse: Ye shall not eat any flesh in the field, that is trefah [torn of beasts],(Ex. 22:30) refers to flesh [severed] from a living creature and also to flesh of a trefah animal.
(b.Hullin 102b)

Another example is found in Leviticus where we read:

And he shall take the two goats,
and set them before YHWH at the
door of the tent of meeting.
(Lev. 16:7)

The Peshitta Aramaic has here “set them alive before YHWH” in agreement with the tradition recorded in the Talmud that the goats are both alike, and therefore both alive at the time they are presented together at the altar:

R. Aha b. Jacob said: It is derived from the case of the Scapegoat. The Divine Law says. And he shall take the two goats, which implies that the two shall be alike in all respects,
(b.Hullin 11a)

Another example in Leviticus reads:

21 And you shall not let any of your seed pass to Molekh,
neither shall you profane the Name of your Elohim: I am YHWH.
(Lev. 18:21)

Where the Hebrew gas “Molekh” the Peshitta Aramaic has “alien” (נוכריתא). This follows the tradition recorded in the Talmud that the use of “Molekh” in this passage is a euphemism for a “heathen” (b.Meg. 25a; m.Meg. 4:9).  According to the Mishna this passage is a euphemism meaning “you shall not let any of your seed pass to an Arameaness (בארמיותא)” (m.Meg. 4:9) the Gemara to this Mishna passage relates a tradition from the school of Rabbi Yishma’el which understands this to refer to “an Yisra’elite who has intercourse with a Cutheaness (הכותית) and begets from her a son to idolatry (בן לעבודה)” (b.Meg. 25a).

Again in Leviticus we read:

8 Shabbat Day by Shabbat Day he shall set
it in order before YHWH continually: it is
from the children of Yisra’el; an everlasting
covenant.
(Lev. 24:8)

Where we read “Shabbat day by Shabbat day” the Hebrew has: ביום השבת ביום השבת The Aramaic Peshitta has instead ביומא דשתא “on the sixth day”. And the Greek LXX has “on the Shabbat”. The Peshitta may reflect a tradition recorded in the Talmud (b.Men. 97a) that while the work was done “Shabbat by Shabbat” it was actually done on the evening of the sixth day just before the Shabbat began.  However it may also be possible that the Aramaic reading  “of דשתא six” is a scribal error for דשבתא “of the Shabbat”.

The Peshitta Tanak is clearly of Jewish rather than Christian origin.  This is evident from the parallels with many Jewish Targums, the use of Jewish literary divisions, the various citations of the Peshitta as a Jewish translation in the Talmud and the influence of the Talmudic traditions on passages in the Peshitta Tanak.  Because the Jewish origin of the Peshitta has been largely overlooked, a valuable and important resource to Tanak understanding and textual criticism has been greatly under utilized.

We need your help today! In these uncertain times, we need your support more than ever. The time is short, and there is much work to be done. We must raise at least $1,000 by the end of this week. This is no time to pull back from the great work in front of us!

In these uncertain times, we need your support more than ever. The time is short, and there is much work to be done. As you might imagine, donations are low. If you can, please donate. This is no time to pull back from the great work in front of us!

As you know we have been digging ourselves out of a budget shortfall.  As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org or by Zelle or Go Fund Me.

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Donations in December were very low, leaving us behind in January. In these uncertain times, we need your support more than ever. The time is short, and there is much work to be done. This is no time to pull back from the great work in front of us!

In these uncertain times, we need your support more than ever. The time is short, and there is much work to be done. As you might imagine, donations are low. If you can, please donate. This is no time to pull back from the great work in front of us!

As you know we have been digging ourselves out of a budget shortfall.  As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

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The Lost Old Syriac Aramaic Reading of Acts 1:4
By
James Scott Trimm

In the King James Version we read in Acts 1:4:

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
(Acts 1:4 KJV)

The Peshitta Aramaic  version has “And he ate bread (לחמא) with them…” where the KJV has “And, being assembled together with them…”

Here the Earliest Greek manuscripts may reflect a more original Old Syriac reading.

There are a number of variant readings in the Greek for this phrase. The Alexandrian text reads “kai sunalizomenus” Greek scholars have found this a difficult word to deal with in this text. With a long “a” sunalizomenu was used in Classical and Hellenistic Greek to mean “collect or assemble”. With a short “a” sunalizomenu means literally “to eat salt together”.
According to Bruce Metzger the meaning “to eat salt together” is a rare and late meaning of the Greek word which did not appear until the end of the Second century A.D.. Most of the early versions do take the word to refer to eating (The Old Latin, the Latin Vulgate; the Coptic, the Armenian, the Ethiopic and the Armenian for example). About thirty-five late Greek manuscripts read alternately sunaulizomenos “to spend the night with”.

Aramacist Dr. Daniel L. McConaughy has noted that the Ancient Aramaic “Church Father” Ephraim (“Mar Aprim” (early 4th Cent.) quotes the passage in Aramaic in his Hymns on Virginity hymn 36. This is very important because Ephraim’s quotations from the Gospels often agree with the Old Syriac against the Peshitta text and because the Old Syriac of Acts has been lost. Ephraim’s quote uses the word אתמלח “salted” or “ate salt” here. McConaughy suggests that this is the lost Old Syriac reading which would refer to an ancient Semitic custom of eating salt together in ritual meals (Num. 18:19; 2Chron. 13:5).

There is obviously some kind of scribal error here between the roots לחמ (“bread”) as in the Peshitta and מלח  (“salt”) as in the Old Syriac.

( See An Old Syriac Reading of Acts 1:4 and More Light on Jesus’ Last Meal before His Ascension; Daniel L. McConaughy; Oriens Christianus; Band 72; 1988; pp. 63-67)

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As you know we have been digging ourselves out of a budget shortfall.  As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

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1Corinthians and the Counting of the Omer
Part 4: The Words of Elohim
By James Trimm

The Lower Triad

The balance between tongues and interpretations of tongues is prophecy: tongues + interpretation of tongues = prophecy. Prophecy is our foundation.


Kinds of Tongues

Man was created in the image of Elohim. One of the ways that man was created in the image of Elohim was in being “male and female” (Gen. 1:26-27). But there is also another way in which man was created in the image of Elohim.

In Gen. 9:6 we are told that killing a man is a sin because man is “in the image of Elohim”. The preceding verses (9:2-5) tell us that man may kill and eat animals. Since many animals are “male and female” there must be more to man being “in the image of Elohim” than his being “male and female”. What is it that distinguishes man from animals?

The element about man that makes man “in the image of Elohim” while animals are not “in the image of Elohim” is the gift of speech.

The first two verses of Book of Jasher read:

1:1 And Elohim said, let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, and Elohim created man in his own image.
1:2 And YHWH Elohim formed man from the ground,
and he blew into his nostrils the breath of life,
and man became a living soul, endowed with speech.
(Jasher 1:1-2)

Note that Jasher 1:1 parallels Gen. 1:26-27 and Jasher 2:7 parallels Gen. 2:7 but adds the phrase “endowed with speech”.

Now Targum Jonathan to Genesis 1:26 has “And the Word of YHWH said, let us make man in Our image.” And Targum Onkelos to Gen. 2:7 adds a phrase at the end “and man became a spirit with speech”.

Thus it would appear that man’s gift of speech is the difference between man and animals so that man is “in the image of Elohim” while animals are not. It should also be noted that man was GIFTED with speech, Adam did not have to learn speech.

Isaiah prophesied about the manifestation of tongues:

Paul quoted directly from this scripture while teaching the assembly at Corinth about the gift of tongues. (1 Cor 14:21-22).

The gift of the manifestation of tongues is well known in the Rabbinic literature. The Talmud and midrashim both speak of this gift.

The outpouring of the Ruach HaKodesh event of Acts chapter two was a repetition of an event that took place at the first Shavuot (Shavuot is the aniversary of the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai). According to the Midrashim when the Torah was given at Mount Sinai the Torah message was divided up into the seventy languages of the Gentiles:

“Elohim’s voice, as it was uttered, split into seventy voices,
into seventy tongues [leshonoth], so that all the nations should understand.”
(Midrash from Exodus Rabbah 5:9)

The Talmud says:

“Every phrase which issued from the mouth of the All-powerful divided itself into the seventy languages.”
(b.Shabbat 88b)

The Midrash also describes this event in even more detail:

In the occasion of Matan Torah [the giving of the Torah], the Bnai Yisrael [children of Israel] not only heard Hashem’s Voice but actually saw the sound waves as they emerged from Hashem’s mouth. They visualized them as a fiery substance. Each commandment that left Hashem’s mouth traveled around the entire Camp and then to each Jew individually, asking him, “Do you accept upon yourself this Commandment with all the halochot [Jewish law] pertaining to it?”
Every Jew answered “Yes” after each commandment. Finally, the fiery substance which they saw engraved itself on the luchot [tablets].
(The Midrash Says; Rabbi Moshe Weissman. Benei Yakov Publications (1980) p. 182)

Thus the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh and the manifestation of tongues in Acts chapter 2 was a repetition of the gift of Torah and the manifestation of tongues that took place then.

Moreover the Talmud tells us that Yosef (Joseph) the patriarch was also given the gift of “kinds of tongues”:

Rabbi Hiyya ben Abba said in the name of Rabbi Johanan: “At the moment when Pharaoh said to Joseph, And without thee shall no man lift up his hand, Pharaoh’s astrologers exclaimed: ‘Wilt thou set in power over us a slave whom his master bought for twenty pieces of silver!’ He replied to them, ‘discern in him royal characteristics.’ They said to him, ‘in that case he must be acquainted with the seventy languages.’ Angel Gabriel came and taught [Joseph] the seventy languages, but he could not learn them. Thereupon [Gabriel] added to his name a letter from the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and he knew [the languages]…”
(b.Sotah 36b)

The same story appears in the Book of Jasher:

And the angel roused him from his sleep, and Joseph rose up and stood upon his legs, and behold the angel of the Lord was standing opposite to him; and the angel of the Lord spoke with Joseph, and he taught him all the languages of man in that night, and he called his name Jehoseph.
(Jasher 49:14)

The name Yosef is sometines spelled in the Tanak Yahusef. According to the Talmud the extra letter “H” (hey) from the name of YHWH was added to his name thus giving him the knowledge of the seventy languages which he had been unable to learn. It is significant that in Jewish tradition the first HEY in the name of YHWH represents the Ruach HaKodesh. Thus Yosef received the Ruach HaKodesh and the gift of tongues.


TZERUF: Permutations of Letters

Each of the 22 Hebrew letters represents one of twenty two paths which connect the Sefirot of the Tree of Life. Each of these 22 letters represents a relationship between two of the Sefirot and a combination of two of the Sefirot. These 22 letters are part of the image of Elohim and they took part in the creation. Messiah said that he is the ALEF and the TAV. The ALEF and the TAV are the first and last letters of the Hebrew Alphabet and are intended as an abbreviation to indicate that Messiah the incarnate “Word” embodied the 22 letters. When Elohim created the heavens and the earth he did so through words. Elohim “said” things and they were so. Elohim created the universe
by his Word.

Each Hebrew word is more than a word, it is a matrix of dynamic relationships within the Godhead. Hebrew letters are also the building blocks of creation. In the upper worlds all things exist in their prime-material state as the strings of Hebrew letters and words which were the building blocks of creation. As we read in the Sefer Yetzirah:

Twenty-two Foundation letters: He engraved them,
He carved them, He permuted (TZIRUF) them,
He weighed them, He transformed them,
And with them, He depicted all that was formed
and all that would be formed.
(Sefer Yetzirah 2:2)

This brings us to what is called in Rabbinic Judaism “Khokhmat HaTziruf” (Wisdom of Permutation) or simply “Tziruf” (permutation). This practice utilizes the letters of the alphabet in various permutations. By immersing oneself in various permutations of letters and names one empties ones mind of the carnal thoughts that might interfere in focusing on the things of Elohim. Thus ones nefesh (soul), neshoma and ruach are freed from their natural constraints and opened to the influx of the Ruach HaKodesh. Through this process the believer is communing directly with the upper worlds and accessing the permutations of letters which are the creative substance of the universe, thus connecting with the worlds of formation and creation and the “Word”, the ALEF and TAV through which all was created.

This practice is described in the Talmud:

Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: Bezalel knew how
to combine (TZIRUF) the letters by which the heavens
and earth were created. It is written here, And He hath filled
him with the spirit of God, in wisdom and in understanding,
and in knowledge (Ex. 35:31), and it is written elsewhere,
The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding
He established the heavens (Prov. 3:19), and it is also written,
By His knowledge the depths were broken up (Prov. 3:20).
(b.Ber. 55a)

And in the Zohar:

R. Eleazar began here with the verse, “Ask thee
a sign [Hebrew: OT “sign” or “letter”] of the Lord thy God,
ask it either in the depth or in the height above” (Isa. 7:11).
He said: ‘We have compared the former with the latter
generations, and found that the former were conversant with
a higher wisdom by which they knew how to combine
(TZIRUF) the letters that were given to Moses on Mount Sinai,
and even the sinners of Israel knew a deep wisdom contained
in the letters and the difference between higher and lower
letters, and how to do things with them in this world.
For every letter that was transmitted to Moses used to
ascend as a crown upon the heads of the holy celestial
Hayyoth, who with them flitted through the ether which is
under the refined and unknowable supernal ether. There
were large letters and small letters; the large letters came
from the most high and hidden Temple (hekhal) and the
smaller letters from another lower Temple; and both kinds
were transmitted to Moses on Sinai, along with their
hidden combinations. (Zohar 3:2a)

Tzeruf is comparable to “machine language” in computer programming.

The Hebrew word for “tongue” (LASHON) and the Hebrew word TZIRUF (permutation) have the same gematria (numerical value) (386) which is also the gematria for the word YESHUA.

It is the practice of Tziruf which Paul speaks of when he writes:

For he who speaks in a tongue
does not speak to the sons of men but to Eloah,
for no man understands a thing that he speaks;
yet in the spirit he speaks a mystery.
(1Cor. 14:2)

If I were to pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,
but my understanding is without fruit.
(1Cor. 14:14)

When man was created he was given the gift of speech that he might manifest the image of Elohim. Through the manifestation of the gift of tongues man is able to manifest the image of Elohim on an even deeper level.


Interpretations of Tongues

I have identified this manifestation with HOD placing it under the pillar/column BINAH because “interpretation” of tongues adds an element of understanding to tongues.


Prophecy

The Torah regulations concerning prophecy and prophets can be found in Deut. 13:1-6 and Deut. 18:15-22. From these texts we learn that a prophet is a false-prophet if he:

1. Prophecies of a thing that does not come to pass. (Deut. 18:20-22)
2. Prophecies in or through false gods (Deut 13:2-8)
3. Is not Torah observant (Deut. 13:5-6)
4. Detracts from or adds to the Torah (Deut. 13:1).

This means that even if prophet prophecies events that comes to pass 100% of the time but is not Torah Observant, he is a false prophet. His prophecy is mere divination.

As we continue counting the omer toward Shavuot I will be posting much more about the gifts of the Ruach. Get ready for a great move of the Ruach HaKodesh this Shavuot.

In these uncertain times, we need your support more than ever. The time is short, and there is much work to be done. As you might imagine, donations are low. If you can, please donate. This is no time to pull back from the great work in front of us!

Help us to continue to do important work, like posting important Hebrew and Aramaic texts at Scripture Nexus

As you know we have been digging ourselves out of a budget shortfall.  As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by paypal to donations@wnae.org.

And don’t forget to join the conversations at the NazareneSpace Social Network

1Corinthians and the Counting of the Omer
Part 3: The Works of Elohim
By James Trimm

The Middle Triad

Gift of Healing

For obvious reasons this manifestation is closely associated with the Sefirah known as CHESED. It is associated with the right hand of Adam Kadmon (the right hand being on the right hand side of the chart, as if Adam Kadmon had his back toward the viewer.) For this reason Healing is often associated with laying on of hands as described in the Dead Sea Scrolls:

So I prayed for him… and laid my hands upon his head.
Thereupon the plague was removed from him, the evil [spirit] exorcised [from him,] and he was healed.
(1QapGen. Col 21; Lines 28-29)

A good example of this gift in the Tanak occurs in 2Kings 5:10-14 where Elisha the prophet heals Na’aman the captain of the host of the King of Syria.

The Prophet Isaiah speaks of Messiah saying, “…our diseases he did bear… with his stripes we are healed” (Is. 53:4-5). Both Matthew and Kefa apply this passage to healing through Yeshua (Mt. 8:17; 1Kefa 2:24).

Ya’akov tells us:

And if one is sick, let him call for the elders of the assembly and they will pray for him and will anoint him [with] oil in the name of our Adon.
And the prayer of trust will heal him who is sick and our Adon will raise him; and if [any] sins were committed by him, they will be forgiven.
(Ya’akov 5:14-15 HRV)

Notice that this gift is associated with anointing with oil. In the Scriptures olive oil is commonly symbolic of the Ruach HaKodesh. At the moment of his anointing the Ruach HaKodesh came upon Saul causing him to “be turned into another man” (1Sam. 10:1, 6, 9). David was anointed with oil by the prophet Samuel and “from that day forward… the Spirit of YHWH came upon David” (1Sam. 16:13-14; cf 1Sam. 18:12). Isaiah again speaks prophetically of Messiah saying “The Spirit of YHWH is upon me; because YHWH has anointed me…” (Is. 61:1 cf. Lk. 4:18, 21) Some other passages in which the Ruach HaKodesh is symbolized by olive oil are: Acts 10:38; 2Cor. 1:21-22; Zech. 4 & Rom. 11). There is therefore a Scriptural basis to anoint someone with oil when exercising this gift, symbolizing the anointing of the Ruach HaKodesh.

The connection this gift has with the Yayin HaMeshumar is clear, in my blog on the Yayin HaMeshumar we explained its connection with the Suffering Servant Song of Isaiah 53, a line of which reads “by his stripes we are healed” (Is. 53:5)

There is one major element of this gift which is often misunderstood. Just as the gift of tongues is not the gift to cause others to speak in tongues, and the gift of prophecy is not the gift to cause others to prophecy, the gift of healings is not the gift of healing others, it is the self realized gift of being healed oneself. A person manifests this gift, not by healing others, but by being healed.

Note also that Ya’akov 5:14-15 refers to “the prayer of faith” in connection with this gift. This gift flows from the gift of faith and as you will find in our discussion of the gift of faith, the gift of faith manifests itself in being guided to observe Torah. So if you seek a gift of healing, you should first make sure that you are following the path of Torah.


Power

The Aramaic word here is KHAILA, which means, “power, miracles, authority”. This is the very Aramaic word, which the Peshitta Tanak uses to translate Hebrew GEVURAH in 1Chron. 29:11 (the Tanak text from which the lower seven sefirot are derived) and is obviously associated with the sefirah called GEVURAH.

The gematria (numerical value) of (KHAILA) is 49 (7 x 7). This is the same as the gematria of the MAT ”the rod” of Aaron and Moses, which was so closely related to many of their “miracles”.

Khaila includes the power to perform “miracles”:

And Eloah was doing great miracles (KHAILA)
by the hand of Paul.
(Acts 19:11)

And the power to exercise authority over spirits and shedim (demons):

And Yeshua called his twelve and gave them power (KHAILA) and authority over all the spirits and shedim and to heal sickness.
(Luke 9:1)

The word Khaila in Aramaic can also denote “courage” and may therefore also indicate the strength to endure trials, tribulation and torture. Thus Khaila can also refer to a supernatural ability to endure these tortures, like the martyrs of 2nd and 4th Maccabees.. As such Khaila is especially associated with the Armor of Elohom.

Khaila is often exercised (like healing) through the evocation of the “Names of Power” which are discussed below. Khaila is associated with the left hand of Adam Kadmon and thus it is often exercised in connection with a ritual of laying on of hands, especially when exercising authority over shedim (demons).

Acts 1:8 says:

But when the Ruach HaKodesh comes upon you, you will receive power (KHAILA) …

Paul tells us that the effecting of Khaila comes from “the hearing of faith” (Gal. 3:5) because this gift flows from the gift of faith, a gift which itself manifests itself in Torah observance.

There is a good example in the Torah of this gift being expressed in the effecting of miracles when YHWH, through Moshe parts the red sea (Ex. 14:16-22). It was also manifest when David, through his Psalms, drove a shed out of Saul (1Sam. 16:14-23) and when Toviyah exercised Khaila over the shed Asmodeus (Tobit 6). Finally Khaila was exercised by Eleazar and Hanna and her seven sons, when they endured the tortures inflicted upon them by Antiochus Epiphanies (2Macc. 6:18-31; 7:1-42; 4Macc.).



Trusting Faithfulness

This manifestation is known as Haimanuta, which in Hebrew is Emunah (faith, trust). This manifestation is associated with tiferet (beauty, harmony) and is at the center of the tree. The other manifestations must proceed from “trusting faithfulness”. According to the Tanak the Torah is the way of faith (Emunah) (Ps. 119:29-30)

Yeshua calls the Ruach HaKodesh the “Spirit of Truth” which will “guide us in all truth” (Jn. 16:13). The Psalmist tells us “the Torah is truth” (Ps. 119:142, 151). One of the promised manifestations of the Ruach HaKodesh was that the Ruach would guide us in observing Torah:

And I will put My Spirit within you,
and cause you to walk in My statutes,
and you shall keep My ordinances, and do them.
(Ezek. 36:27)

Since Torah is “the way of faith” the manifestation of “faith” is that of guidance to observe Torah as described in Ezekiel 36:27.

Both Ya’akov (Ya. 2:14-26) and Hebrews (Hebrews 11) lay out a tendency for faith to be accompanied by works.

This manifestation is at the center of the three triads, all other manifestations of the Ruach are tied to this one. This manifestation is the one which is the true evidence of the immersion of the Ruach. You can now say “I have the immersion of the Ruach with evidence of walking in statutes and keeping of ordinances”!

(to be continued in Part 4: The Words of Elohim)

In these uncertain times, we need your support more than ever. The time is short, and there is much work to be done. As you might imagine, donations are low. If you can, please donate. This is no time to pull back from the great work in front of us!

Help us to continue to do important work, like posting important Hebrew and Aramaic texts at Scripture Nexus

As you know we have been digging ourselves out of a budget shortfall.  As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by paypal to donations@wnae.org.

And don’t forget to join the conversations at the NazareneSpace Social Network

1Corinthians and the Counting of the Omer
Part 2: The Mind of Elohim
By James Trimm

The Upper Triad: The Mind of Elohim

The gifts of the upper triad relate to the mind of Elohim. These relate to the Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding of Elohim. The Torah tells us that YHWH used these gifts to reveal to B’tzal’el (Bezalel) just exactly how each of the furnishings of the Tabernacle was to be made:

and I have filled him with the spirit of Elohim, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
(Ex. 31:3; 35:31 HRV)

Since the Upper triad corresponds with the Mind of Elohim, it is also therefore closely associated with the SOD level of understanding. Paul describes this “Mind of Messiah this way:

1 My brothers, when I came to you, I declared to you the mystery of Eloah, not with great words or with wisdom….
4 And my words and my proclaiming was not by persuasion of words of wisdom, but by demonstration of the spirit and of power,
5 That your faith would not be by the wisdom of the sons of men, but by the power of Eloah.
6 Now we speak wisdom among the mature, not the wisdom of this world nor of the authorities of this world who come to naught,
7 but we speak the wisdom of Eloah in a mystery that was hidden and [that] Eloah had before separated from before the ages for our glory,…
9 But as it is written, The eye has not seen, and the ear has not heard, and into the heart of a son of man has not entered that which Eloah has prepared for those who love him.
10 But Eloah has revealed [it] to us by his spirit, for the spirit searches into everything, even the deep things of Eloah.
11 For who is the son of man who knows what is in a son of man except the spirit of the son of man that [is] in him? So also, that which is in Eloah, no man knows except the Spirit of Eloah.
12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit that is from Eloah, so that we might know the gifts that were given to us from Eloah;
13 Which also we speak, not in the teaching of words of the wisdom of sons of men, but in the teaching of the spirit, and to spiritual men we compare spiritual things.
14 For the son of man who is in the nefesh does not receive spiritual things, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to know that which is judged spiritually.
15 Now the spiritual man judges all things, and is not judged from man.
16 For who knows the mind of YHWH that he might instruct him? But we have the mind of the Messiah.
(1Cor. 2:1-16)

Compare this with the words of the Zohar:

Behold, these are three names, how can they be one?
Is it because we call them one? (Literally: And also
concerning the proclamation that we call them one?).
How these are one can only through the vision of the Holy Sprit be known? And these are through the vision of the closed eye (or the hidden eye) To make known that these three are one (i.e. a Tri-Unity).
(Zohar 2:43b)

Note also that Paul quotes Isaiah 64:3 (4):

For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O Elohim, beside you, what he has prepared for him that waits for him.
(Is. 64:3 (4)) (See 1Cor. 2:9)

According to the Talmud this refers to the yayin ha-meshummar, the wine kept from the creation:

What is the meaning of ‘Eye hath not seen’? (Is. 64:3(4))
R. Joshua b. Levi said:
This is the wine, which has been preserved in its grapes from the six days of Creation.
(b.Ber. 34b)

What does ‘the eye hath not seen’ (Is. 64:3(4)) refer to? —
R. Joshua b. Levi said:
To the wine that has been kept [maturing] with its grapes since the six days of Creation.
(b.San. 99a)

The Hebrew word for “wine” is YAYIN which has a gematria of 70, which is also the gematria of SOD (mystery, secret, hidden)


The Word of Wisdom

Paul writes:

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each man, as it is profitable for him.
There is a word of wisdom that is given for it by the Spirit: and for another, a word of
knowledge by the same Spirit.
(1Cor. 12:7-8 HRV)

Now this term “Word of Wisdom” appears only here is the Scriptures and in no other passage. Neither does the term appear in the Talmud or Midrashim. The phrase “Word of Wisdom” does however appear in the Zohar on several occasions. Just as Paul tells us that the “Word of Wisdom” is a “manifestation of the Spirit”, the Zohar tells us that the “Word of Wisdom” is a “manifestation of the Shekinah”:

Said R. Jose to R. Hiya: ‘Did I not say, perhaps he is a great man?’ Then he applied to him the words, “Blessed be the man that finds wisdom and the man that gets understanding” (Prov. 3:13), saying: ‘Such are we who found you and acquired from you a Word of Wisdom and were inspired with understanding to wait for you! We are of those for whom the Holy One prepares a present when they are journeying, to wit, the manifestation of the Shekinah, as it says: “The path of the righteous is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day” (Prov. 4:18).’
(Zohar 2:50a)

The Zohar also gives a good definition of the “Word of Wisdom”:

IN THE BEGINNING. R. Simeon opened his discourse with the text: And I put my words in your mouth (Isaiah 51:16). He said: ‘How greatly is it incumbent on a man to study the Torah day and night! For the Holy One, blessed be He, is attentive to the voice of those who occupy themselves with the Torah, and through each fresh discovery made by them in the Torah a new heaven is created. Our teachers have told us that at the moment when a man expounds something new in the Torah, his utterance ascends before the Holy One, blessed be He, and He takes it up and kisses it and crowns it with seventy crowns of graven and inscribed letters. When a new idea is formulated in the field of the esoteric wisdom, it ascends and rests on the head of the “Tzaddik, the life of the universe”, and then it flies off and traverses seventy thousand worlds until it ascends to the “Ancient of Days”. And inasmuch as all the words of the “Ancient of Days” are Words of Wisdom comprising sublime and hidden mysteries, that hidden Word of Wisdom that was discovered here when it ascends is joined to the words of the “Ancient of Days”, and becomes an integral part of them, and enters into the eighteen mystical worlds, concerning which we read “No eye has seen beside You, O Elohim” (Isaiah 64:3). From there they issue and fly to and fro, until finally arriving, perfected and completed, before the “Ancient of Days”. At that moment the “Ancient of Days” savors that Word of Wisdom, and finds satisfaction therein above all else. He takes that word and crowns it with three hundred and seventy thousand crowns, and it flies up and down until it is made into a sky. And so each word of wisdom is made into a sky, which presents itself fully formed before the “Ancient of Days”, who calls them “new heavens”, that is, heavens created out of the mystic ideas of the sublime wisdom.
(Zohar 1:4b)

This manifestation corresponds to the sefirah of Wisdom. The term “Word of Wisdom” is a Semitic idiom for a “matter of wisdom”. This wisdom consists of revelation and flashes of insight or intuition. Unlike Knowledge, Wisdom is not analytical; it does not classify and divide. It is instead total unity of thought without any division whatsoever. Wisdom cannot be put into words, it is beyond words and its idea cannot be divided up into words. The Word of Wisdom is direct access to the Wisdom of YHWH.

An example of the Word of Wisdom can be found in the Torah in Exodus 18. In this section of Torah, Yitro (Jethro) comes to Moshe with the advice to create the Council of Elders to hear cases and sit in Moshe’s seat. This advice did not really come from Yitro, but it came through Yitro from YHWH. Yitro received it as a “flash of insight”, a Word of Wisdom. Moshe subjected this Word of Wisdom to Spiritual Discernment (the next gift we will discuss).


Discerning of the Spirit

Many translated this “discerning of spirits” because “spirits” is plural in the Greek, but in the original; Aramaic itr is singular, which is the Aramaic grammar for “Spiritual Discernment”. This manifestation corresponds to the sefirah of Understanding. Understanding is analytical. It divides and classifies and discerns. The Aramaic term for “discerning here comes from the root P-R-SH meaning “to divide”. This manifestation is a manifestation of the Understanding and discernment of YHWH.

This gift of the Spirit is mentioned in the Tanak in the Book of Job:

But it is a spirit in man, and the breath of Shaddai, that gives them understanding.
It is not the great that are wise, nor the aged that discern judgment.
(Job 32:8-9 HRV)

There is an excellent example of this gift in the Tanak in 1Kings 3:5-15. Here Shlomo (Solomon) asks YHWH for “an understanding heart … that I may discern between good and evil…” (1Kn. 3:9) and YHWH gave him this gift as well as the additional gift of the Word of Wisdom (1Kn. 3:10-13).


The Word of Knowledge


This manifestation corresponds to the sefirah of Knowledge (which is the flip side of the Sifira known as KETER or “crown”). The term “Word of Knowledge” is a Semitic idiom for a “matter of knowledge”. The Word of Knowledge occurs when the Word of Wisdom is subjected to the Discerning of the Spirit, thus harmonizing the two opposing pillars.

Knowledge naturally fills the structure created by the gifts of Wisdom and Understanding (Discernment) as the Psalmist writes:

Through wisdom is a house built; and by understanding it is established;
And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
(Prov. 24:3-4 HRV)

A good example of this gift is found in the Tanak when Natan (Nathan) comes to Daniel with a parable expressing his knowledge of David’s sin (2Samual 12:1-12). Natan had received a Word of Knowledge concerning David’s actions that allowed him to approach David on the matter.

In these uncertain times, we need your support more than ever. The time is short, and there is much work to be done. As you might imagine, donations are low. If you can, please donate. This is no time to pull back from the great work in front of us!

Help us to continue to do important work, like posting important Hebrew and Aramaic texts at Scripture Nexus

As you know we have been digging ourselves out of a budget shortfall.  As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by paypal to donations@wnae.org.

And don’t forget to join the conversations at the NazareneSpace Social Network

1Corinthians and the Counting of the Omer
Part 1: Introduction
By James Trimm

Last year while studying the book of 1stCorinthinans I saw something I had never seen before. The Book of 1stCorinthians was written shortly after Passover, as Paul criticizes the handling of a recent seder at Corinth (1Cor. 5) and looks forward to the coming Shavuot (1Cor. 16:8). This letter is written during the counting of the omer and that theme prevails throughout the letter.

The counting of the omer is described in the Torah as follows:

15: And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
16: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and you shall offer a new meat offering unto YHWH.
17: Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto YHWH.
(Lev. 23:15-17)

The counting of the omer begins at the firstfruits wave sheaf offering during Passover and ends with the firstfruits wave loaf offering at Shavuot.

The first counting of the omer marked the time from the exodus from Egypt and redemption of the firstborn to the receiving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai.

At the time of the death of Messiah the counting of the omer marked the time from the resurrection of Messiah to the outpouring of the Ruach HaKodesh in Acts chapter 2.

IT STARTS WITH PASSOVER

The counting of the omer begins with Passover and Paul begins 1st Corinthians with a discussion of the Yayin HaMeshumar, the wine that has been kept in its grapes since creation for the great Messianic Feast (see my recent blog on The Yayin HaMeshumar).

Paul again addresses the Passover in 1Cor. 5 even saying “our Pesach is the Messiah, who was slain instead of us, Because of this, let us observe the feast…” (1Cor. 5:7-8).

Again in 1Cor. 11 Paul addresses the Sader discussing Yeshua’s Sader at the time of his death and stressing that our hearts be right in receiving the elements of the sader (1Cor. 11:20-34)

In 1Corinthians 12:13 Paul alludes again to the Yayin HaMeshumar and the Passover wine when he says “And all of us drank of one spirit.”

Finally Paul alludes to the firstfruits offering of the counting of the omer when he says in 1Cor. 15:20 “Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep”.

TAKING STOCK

The counting of the omer is traditionally a time of taking stock of ourselves. It is a time of reckoning. It marks the time of preparing to receive the Torah, and of preparing to receive the outpouring of the Ruach HaKodesh. In fact the Hebrew word for “count” can also mean “reckon”.

It was during the time of the first counting of the omer that Moshe wrote Psalm 90 (and 91) in which he writes:

8 You have set our iniquities before You; our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.
9 For all our days are passed away in Your wrath: we bring our years to an end as a tale that is told.
10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten, or even by reason of strength, fourscore years. Yet is their pride, but travail and vanity: for it is speedily gone, and we fly away.
11 Who knows the power of Your anger and Your wrath, according to the fear that is due unto You?
12 So teach us to number our days: that we may get us a heart of wisdom.
(Ps. 90:8-12 HRV)

In the past I have spoken of the first three chapters of Revelation and their connection to the counting of the omer. According to the Aramaic text of Revelation the vision of Rev. 1 takes place on “the first day” (Rev. 1:10 HRV). In this vision Yochanan sees seven menorahs each of which would have seven branches totaling 49 branches. These represent seven assemblies and they represent a counting of the omer from the first day (the day of the firstfruits offering during Passover, i.e. the morrow after the Sabbath) to the day of Shavuot. In the following two chapters Yochanan writes seven letters to these seven assemblies giving them each a reckoning or accounting.

1Corinthians is very much about a reckoning of the of the assembly of Corinth in much the same way that the seven letters to seven assemblies in Rev. 2-3 are such a reckoning. One need only look over this letter to see that the entire letter is a reckoning and criticism of the assembly at Corinth. Note especially the criticism of the handling of the sader in 1Cor. 5 and the encouragement of self reckoning in taking the sader in 1Cor. 11.

GETTING READY TO RECEIVE THE RUACH HAKODESH

Messiah tells his Talmidim during the counting of the omer:

For John truly immersed with water; but you shall be immerseded with the Ruach HaKodesh not many days hence…
But when the Ruach HaKodesh comes upon you, you will receive power (KHAILA)…
(Acts 1:5, 8)

The Aramaic word here is KHAILA, which means, “power, miracles, authority”. This is the very Aramaic word, which the Peshitta Tanak uses to translate Hebrew GEVURAH in 1Chron. 29:11 (the Tanak text from which the lower seven sefirot are derived) and is obviously associated with the sefirah called GEVURAH.

The gematria (numerical value) of KHAILA is 49 (7 x 7). This is the same as the gematria of the MAT ”the rod” of Aaron and Moses, which was so closely related to many of their “miracles”.

Khaila includes the power to perform “miracles”:

And Eloah was doing great miracles (KHAILA)
by the hand of Paul.
(Acts 19:11)

And the power to exercise authority over spirits and shedim (demons):

And Yeshua called his twelve and gave them power (KHAILA) and authority over all the spirits and shedim and to heal sickness.
(Luke 9:1)

The word Khaila in Aramaic can also denote “courage” and may therefore also indicate the strength to endure trials, tribulation and torture. Thus Khaila can also refer to a supernatural ability to endure these tortures, like the martyrs of 2nd and 4th Maccabees.. As such Khaila is especially associated with the Armor of Elohom.

Khaila is often exercised (like healing) through the evocation of the “Names of Power” which are discussed below. Khaila is associated with the left hand of Adam Kadmon and thus it is often exercised in connection with a ritual of laying on of hands, especially when exercising authority over shedim (demons).

Paul tells us that the effecting of Khaila comes from “the hearing of faith” (Gal. 3:5) because this gift flows from the gift of faith, a gift which itself manifests itself in Torah observance.

There is a good example in the Torah of this gift being expressed in the effecting of miracles when YHWH, through Moshe parts the red sea (Ex. 14:16-22). It was also manifest when David, through his Psalms, drove a shed out of Saul (1Sam. 16:14-23) and when Toviyah exercised Khaila over the shed Asmodeus (Tobit 6). Finally Khaila was exercised by Eleazar and Hanna and her seven sons, when they endured the tortures inflicted upon them by Antiochus Epiphanies (2Macc. 6:18-31; 7:1-42; 4Macc.).

The outpouring of the Ruach HaKodesh event of Acts chapter two was a repetition of an event that took place at the first Shavuot (Shavuot is the aniversary of the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai). According to the Midrashim when the Torah was given at Mount Sinai the Torah message was divided up into the seventy languages of the Gentiles:

“Elohim’s voice, as it was uttered, split into seventy voices, into seventy tongues [leshonoth], so that all the nations should understand.”
(Midrash from Exodus Rabbah 5:9)

The Talmud says:

“Every phrase which issued from the mouth of the All-powerful divided itself into the seventy languages.”
(b.Shabbat 88b)

The Midrash also describes this event in even more detail:

In the occasion of Matan Torah [the giving of the Torah], the Bnai Yisrael [children of Israel] not only heard Hashem’s Voice but actually saw the sound waves as they emerged from Hashem’s mouth. They visualized them as a fiery substance. Each commandment that left Hashem’s mouth traveled around the entire Camp and then to each Jew individually, asking him, “Do you accept upon yourself this Commandment with all the halochot [Jewish law] pertaining to it?” Every Jew answered “Yes” after each commandment. Finally, the fiery substance which they saw engraved itself on the luchot [tablets].
(The Midrash Says; Rabbi Moshe Weissman. Benei Yakov Publications (1980) p. 182)

Thus the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh and the manifestation of tongues in Acts chapter 2 was a repetition of the gift of Torah and the manifestation of tongues that took place then.

Paul speaks in 1Corinthians 12:13 of being immersed by the Ruach HaKoesh because this is what happens at the end of the first counting of the omer in Exodus and also at the time of Messiah’s death in Acts 2.

The Book of 1Corinthians encourages us to spend the counting of the omer in self reflection of our worthiness to drink the Yayin HaMeshumar (1Cor. 11:27-28) for one is drinking in the Ruach (1Cor. 12:13).

THE IMMERSION OF THE RUACH HAKODESH

Paul writes of the immersion of the Ruach HaKodesh:

For as the body is one, and there are in it many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also the Messiah.
For all of us also are baptized by one spirit into one body, whether Jew or Aramaean, whether slave or son of freedom. And all of us drank of one spirit.
(1Cor. 12:12-13 HRV)

This seems to some to come into direct conflict with the immersion of the Ruach HaKodesh coming subsequent to salvation in several passages in Acts such as:

And they went down and prayed concerning them so that they might receive the Ruach HaKodesh.
For it was not yet upon a man from them, for they were only immersed in the name of our Adon Yeshua.
Then they placed a hand on them, and they received Ruach HaKodesh.
(Acts 8:15-17 HRV)

What is the resolution to this apparent conflict?

Now let us look at Exodus 12:43-49:

And YHWH said unto Moshe and Aharon: ‘This is the ordinance of the Pesach: there shall no alien eat thereof;
but every man’s servant that is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.
A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat thereof.
In one house shall it be eaten; you shall not carry forth aught of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall you break a bone thereof.
All the assembly of Yisra’el shall keep it.
And when a stranger shall sojourn with you, and will keep the Pesach to YHWH, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
One Torah shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourns among you.’
(Ex. 12:43-49 HRV)

Now there are a number of things we can learn from this passage:

1. All the “Assembly” of Israel must eat the Passover.
2. No uncircumcised male can eat the Passover.

From these two facts we may conclude that:

If all the Assembly eat the Passover,
and if no uncircumcised males eat the Passover,
then no uncircumcised males are part of the Assembly.

This is an inescapable categorical proposition drawn from the plain statements in Exodus 12:43-49.

Now from Acts 15 we also know that one does not have to be circumcised to be saved. Thus we can add another fact to our reasoning:

3. Some uncircumcised males are saved.

Now if no uncircumcised males are part of the Assembly, and if some uncircumcised males are saved, Then some saved persons are not part of the Assembly.

Again this is an inescapable categorical proposition draws from the facts plainly laid out in Ex. 12:43-49 and Acts 15.

There are in fact some saved persons who are not part of the Body of Messiah, the Assembly of Israel.

Thus also Acts refers to “…the Ruach HaKodesh which Elohim has given to them which obey him.” (Acts 5:32).

It stands to reason that if one were to become conformed to the image of YHWH that one might manifest he Ruach HaKodesh in the world that we live in. In 1Corinthians 12 Paul lays out the nine manifestations of the Ruach HaKodesh. Paul describes the believers as an allegorical “Body of Messiah” made up of various body parts (1Cor. 12:12, 27). These nine manifestations are likened to the various body parts of the Body of Messiah (and as we learned in an earlier chapter that body is the Adam Kadmon—the Tree of Life). This is immediately made evident by the first three manifestations: The Word of Knowledge; the Word of Wisdom and Spiritual Discernment. Paul instructs us:

Pursue love and be zealous about the gifts of the spirit…
(1Cor. 14:1)

THE SEFIROT

There is also a parallel between the counting of the omer and the sefirot of the Tree of Life. Of course the root word for sefirot comes from the Hebrew verb “to count” and the sefirot are themselves the qualities and characteristics which we have as being made in the image of YHWH.

In the Siddur (traditional liturgy) during the counting of the omer on each of the 49 days a combination of each of the seven lower sefirot is recited and meditated upon. The first day is “CHESED that is in CHESED” the second day is “GEVURAH that is in CHESED” and so on until over 49 days all 49 (7×7) combinations have been recited.

In Part two of this blog (coming soon) I will discuss each of the nine manifestations of the Ruach HaKodesh as they parallel the upper nine of the ten sefirot.

Thanks to all who have donate thus far! We must still raise at least $500 by the end of the day Monday, or our account will go in the negative!

In these uncertain times, we need your support more than ever. The time is short, and there is much work to be done. As you might imagine, donations are low. If you can, please donate. This is no time to pull back from the great work in front of us!

Help us to continue to do important work, like posting important Hebrew and Aramaic texts at Scripture Nexus

As you know we have been digging ourselves out of a budget shortfall.  As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by paypal to donations@wnae.org.

And don’t forget to join the conversations at the NazareneSpace Social Network

Counting of the Omer and Psalm 91:
Preparing for the Gift
by James Scott Trimm

The days between Passover (particularly the First Fruits offering) and Shavuot are the days of the Counting of the Omer. Passover commemorates the redemption of the firstborn (firstborn and firstfruits are the same word in Hebrew) by the blood of the lamb. Shavuot commemorates the receiving of the gift of Torah at Mount Sinai. The Counting of the Omer recalls the journey to Sinai, getting ready to receive the gift at Mount Sinai. First comes redemption, then a time of purification, and then we may received the gift. This parallels the redemption of the believer. First we are redeemed, then we must prepare ourselves to receive the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit).

During these days of preparing to receive the gift Moshe Aveynu (Moses our Father) before the Torah was even given on Mount Sinai, Moshe wrote what is now the oldest part of our Bibles (unless one includes the Book of Enoch) the 90th and 91st Psalms. A tradition recorded in the Midrash Rabba says of this Psalm “it was composed by Moshe at the time when he ascended Mount Sinai because he was afraid of the harmful spirits.” (Num. R. xii, 3)

The Jerusalem Talmud indicates that Psalm 91 was traditionally used to give relief to those stricken by shedim (demons):

In Jerusalem they used to recite “The Song of the Evil Spirits”
on the Sabbath for the relief of a stricken person. Which is it?
Psalm 91.
(b.Shab. 8b)

The Sefer Shimmush Tehillim (Book of the Use of the Psalms) says of Psalm 91:

After speaking this Psalm and the preceding one (Psalm 90),
over a person tormented by an evil spirit, or one afflicted by
an incurable disease, in the name of El Shadai, then pray
humbly, “Let it be your set-apart will, Oh my Elohim, to
take from son of the evil spirit by which
he is tormented, for the sake of your great, mighty and set-apart
name El Shaddai. May you presently send him health and let
him be perfectly restored. Hear his prayer as you once did
that of your servant Moshe when he prayed this Psalm. Let
this prayer penetrate to You as once did the set-apart incense
arose to you on high. Amen! Seleh!”

This was probably one of the Psalms David would sing in order to exorcise demons from King Saul:

Now the spirit of YHWH had departed from Sha’ul, and an evil spirit from YHWH terrified him.
And Sha’ul’s servants said unto him: ‘Behold now, an evil spirit from Elohim terrifies you.
Let our master now command your servants, that are before you, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp; and it shall be, when the evil spirit from Elohim comes upon you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well.’
And Sha’ul said unto his servants: ‘Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.’
Then answered one of the young men, and said: ‘Behold, I have seen a son of Yishai the Beit-Lechemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and a man of war, and prudent in affairs, and a comely person, and YHWH is with him.’
Wherefore Sha’ul sent messengers unto Yishai, and said: ‘Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.’
And Yishai took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Sha’ul.
And David came to Sha’ul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer.
And Sha’ul sent to Yishai, saying: ‘Let David, I pray you, stand before me; for he has found favour in my sight.’
And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from Elohim was upon Sha’ul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand; so Sha’ul found relief, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.
(1Sam. 16:14-23 HRV)

And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from Elohim came mightily upon Sha’ul, and he raved in the midst of the house; and David played with his hand, as he did day by day; and Sha’ul had his spear in his hand.
And Sha’ul cast the spear; for he said: ‘I will smite David even to the wall.’ And David stepped aside out of his presence twice.
(1Sam. 18:10-11 HRV)

And an evil spirit from YHWH was upon Sha’ul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.
And Sha’ul sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Sha’ul’s presence, and he smote the spear into the wall; and David fled, and escaped that night.
(1Sam. 19:9-10 HRV)

Let us now examine the Psalm itself as we prepare ourselves for Shavuot:

1 O you that dwell in the covert of Elyon, and abide in the shadow of Shaddai:

According to Rashi, this refers to the covering of the wings mentioned in verse four. Shaddai means literally “breasted one” and is a reference to the feminine aspect of Yahweh, the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit). The word for “wing” in the Hebrew is KANAF which also means “corner” and is used to refer to the four corners of the Tallit where the tzitzit are placed. The Tallit represents the Ruach HaKodesh covering us with her wings.

Yeshua said “when you pray, enter into your chamber, and shut the door…” This passage refers to the Jewish practice of using one’s tallit (prayer shawl) to create a private chamber over ones head in which to pray with some privacy even in a public location. According to the Book of Jasher, Enoch often concealed himself in his “chamber” (same word in the Hebew) and his soul was “wrapped up” in the instruction of YHWH (Jasher 3:2, 5)

2 I will say of YHWH, who is my refuge and my fortress; my Elohim, in whom I trust,
3 That He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

Clearly Paul refers to this verse when he writes:

10 Henceforth, my brothers, be strong in our Adon, and in the might of His power:
11 And put on all the armor of Eloah, so that you may be able to stand against the
strategies of Akel Kartza,
12 Because your struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with principalities, and with authorities, and with the possessors of this dark world, and with the evil spirits that are under heaven.
(Eph. 6:10-12 HRV)

The Psalm continues:

4 He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you take refuge; His truth is a shield and armor.

This is the earliest mention of the shield and armor of Elohim, which Paul elaborates as follows:

13 Because of this, put on all the armor of Eloah, that you may be able to meet the evil one, and being prepared in everything, you may stand firm.
14 Stand therefore, and gird up your loins with Truth, and put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 And bind on your feet the preparation of the Good News of shalom.
16 And with these, take to you the shield of Trust: by which you will have power to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And put on the helmet of salvation, and take hold of the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of Eloah.
18 And with all prayers, and with all petitions, pray at all times in the Spirit: and in prayer, be watchful in every season while praying continually and making supplication on behalf of all the Set-Apart-Ones;
(Eph. 6:13-18 HRV)

The Psalm continues:

5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day:

Rashi says that “the arrow that flies by day” refers to “the demon that flies like an arrow.” Paul recalls this phrase when he says:

And with these, take to you the shield of Trust: by which you will have power to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
(Eph. 6:16 HRV)

Psalm 91 continues:

6 Of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday.

According to Rashi “Pestilence” and “Destruction” in this verse are actually the proper names of two demons.

7 A thousand may fall at Your side, and ten thousand at Your right hand; it shall not come near you.

Rashi says that the word for “fall” here actually means in this context “camp”. We have 11,000 demons camping around us, but which the wings of the Ruach HaKodesh shelter us from. In Hebraic thought, the left side represents our Severity while the right side represents our Mercy. HaSatan only assigns 1,000 demons to our left side because it is most vulnerable.

8 Only with your eyes shall you behold and see, the recompense of the wicked.
9 For You, O YHWH, are my refuge! Elyon, you have made your habitation.
10 There shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near your tent.
11 For He will give His angels charge over you–to keep you in all your ways.
12 They shall bear you upon their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and asp; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample under feet.
14 Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known, My Name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him, and bring him to honor.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, and make Him to behold My salvation.

One of the battles in this war in heaven between Mikha’el (Michael) and HaSatan is related to us in Y’hudah (Jude):

Yet Mikha’el the chief angel, in contending with ‘Akel Kartza, when he disputed about the body of Moshe, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, YHWH rebuke you!
(Jude 1:9 HRV)

Notice that Mikha’el defeats HaSatan with the words “YHWH rebuke you”. In Zech. 3:2 YHWH himself invokes this same phrase (in a longer form) to rebuke HaSatan and defend the High Priest Yahushua (Joshua) from an attack of accusation by HaSatan.

There is power in the spoken word. There is power in the very letters themselves. When angels and shedim do battle, they battle with words. We are told that Yeshua cast out shedim by “his word” (Mt. 8:16). Yeshua’s talmidim exercised authority over the Shedim using the name of Yeshua (Luke. 10:17)

One who makes use of such names is called a “Ba’al Shem Tov” (Master of the/a Good Name). This concept appears throughout the NT in which miracles, healings and exorcisms are performed in the name of “Yeshua

The most important Name of power is the Sacred Name of YHWH known as the tetragramaton (four letter name):

The name of YHWH is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is set up on high.
(Prov. 18:10 HRV)

From now on, I am not in the world, but these are in the world and I come to you, set-apart Father. Keep them in your name that you gave me
(John 17:11 HRV)

Through You do we push down our adversaries; through Your name do we tread them under that rise up against us.
(Ps. 44:6 (44:2) HRV)

O Elohim, save me by Your name, and right me by Your might.
(Ps. 54:3 (54:2) HRV)

There is none like unto You, O YHWH; You are great, and Your name is great in might.
(Jer. 10:6 HRV)

These days of the Counting of the Omer are a special time. A time to prepare for Shavuot and the gift. A time to put on the full armor of Elohim and take up the Shield of Faith. A time to dawn the tallit, be comforted under the wings of the Ruach HaKodesh as you wrap yourself in it. A time to meditate on the Name of YHWH and prepare to receive the gift of power from on high!

We must raise at least $400 by the end of the day tomorrow, or our account will go in the negative!

In these uncertain times, we need your support more than ever. The time is short, and there is much work to be done. As you might imagine, donations are low. If you can, please donate. This is no time to pull back from the great work in front of us!

Help us to continue to do important work, like posting important Hebrew and Aramaic texts at Scripture Nexus

As you know we have been digging ourselves out of a budget shortfall.  As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by paypal to donations@wnae.org.

And don’t forget to join the conversations at the NazareneSpace Social Network

Enoch on the Apostasy and Last Days Restoration
By
James Scott Trimm

The Book of Enoch prophecies of a great apostasy in the last days:

6 And unrighteousness shall again be consummated on the earth, and all the deeds of unrighteousness and of violence and transgression shall prevail in a twofold degree.
7 And when sin and unrighteousness and blasphemy and violence in all kinds of deeds increase, and apostasy and transgression and uncleanness increase, a great chastisement shall come from heaven upon all these, and the Set-apart YHWH will come forth with wrath and chastisement to execute judgment on earth.
(1Enoch 91:6-7)

The Book of Enoch tells of how 200 fallen angels led by Shemikhazah and Azazel “saw and lusted after” human females and copulated with them producing a race of giants (1Enoch 6) and taught mankind secrets such as sorcery, the making of weapons (1Enoch 7-8) and how to perform an abortion (1En. 69:12). YHWH’s judgment finally comes. Shemikhazah and “all his associates” are bound fast “for seventy generations” until “the judgment that is forever is consummated” (1En. 9:11-12) (compare Y’hudah 1:6 & 2Kefa 2:2-10).  The giants are killed by the flood but their spirits remain on earth as evil spirits (1En. 15:8-12).

The Book of Enoch tells us that Shemikhazah and his associate fallen angels would be bound up for seventy generations:

11 And YHWH said unto Mikha’el: ‘Go, make known to Shemikhazah and his associates who have united themselves with women so as to have defiled themselves with them in all their uncleanness.
12 And when their sons shall die, and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for seventy generations  in the valleys of the earth, till the great day of their judgment and of their consummation, till the judgment that is for ever and ever is consummated.
(1Enoch 10:11-12)

Now if one counts the generations from Enoch to Yeshua one finds there were seventy generations (Luke 3:23-37).

So the seventy generations end immediately after the generation of Yeshua and hit Talmudim. This brings us to an interesting statement made by the Nazarene writer Hegesippus around 185 C.E. as he recounted the beginning of the apostasy:

Up to that period the Assembly had remained like a virgin pure and uncorrupted: for, if there were any persons who
were disposed to tamper with the wholesome rule of the proclaiming of salvation, they still lurked in some dark
place of concealment or other. But, when the sacred band of Emissaries had in various ways closed their lives, and that generation of men to whom it had been vouchsafed to listen to the godlike Wisdom with their own ears had passed away, then did the confederacy of godless error take its rise through the treachery of false teachers, who, seeing that none of the emissaries any longer survived, at length attempted with bare and uplifted head to oppose the proclaiming of the truth by proclaiming “knowledge falsely so called.”
(Hegessippus; Memoirs)

The generation which followed the life of Yeshua and his emissaries was the generation in which Shemikhazah and his associates were to be released. And this was the very generation in which false teachers began with bare and uplifted head to oppose the proclaiming of the truth, the very generation in which the apostasy began.

The long night of the apostasy is ending. The Book of Enoch is again coming to light that it may be a cause of joy and uprightness and much wisdom to those who observe the Torah in the last days. The culmination of all things is at hand.

One of the great revelations of the Book of Enoch is that the fallen angels were set loose for a period of time pending their final judgment, beginning with the generation immediately following Yeshua and his Talmidim.  In other words, by the late first Century, the apostasy was well underway!

The prophet Enoch continues:

7 And when sin and unrighteousness and blasphemy and violence in all kinds of deeds increase, and apostasy and transgression and uncleanness increase, a great chastisement shall come from heaven upon all these, and the Set-apart YHWH will come forth with wrath and chastisement to execute judgment on earth.  
8 In those days violence shall be cut off from its roots, and the roots of unrighteousness together with deceit, and they shall be destroyed from under heaven.
9 And all the idols of the heathen shall be abandoned, and the temples burned with fire, and they shall remove them from the whole earth, and they (i.e. the heathen) shall be cast into the judgment of fire, and shall perish in wrath and in grievous judgment forever.
(1Enoch 91:7-9)

According to the Talmud, Elohim has postponed bringing judgment to the Gentile nations because they have at least kept three commandments:

Said Rab Judah: These are the thirty righteous men among the nations of the world by whose virtue the nations of the world continue to exist. Ulla said: These are the thirty commandments which the sons of Noah took upon themselves but they observe three of them, namely,(i) they do not draw up a kethubah document [marriage contract] for males, (ii) they do not weigh flesh of the dead in the market, and (iii) they respect the Torah.
(b.Chullin 92b)

The Talmud teaches that Elohim withholds judgment from the nations of the world because they do not give marriage certificates to homosexuals, they do not sell human meat in the market, and while they do not keep the Torah, they do at least respect the Torah. But the world is in these last days descending into a darkness not seen on this planet since the days before the flood, and the time of YHWH’s judgment cannot be far off!

On June 26, 2015 in Obergefell v. Hodges the US Supreme Court plunged this world into an even deeper darkness by inventing is a supposed Constitutional right to a “gay marriage”.  (This despite the fact that the US Constitution never mentions marriage and the Tenth Amendment reserves all powers not delegated by the Constitution to the Federal government to the States and the People)

Yeshua warned that the last days would be like the days of Noach:

37 And as it was in the days of Noach, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
38 For as they were in the days that were before the flood–eating and drinking, marrying
and giving in marriage, until the day that Noach entered into the ark,
(Mt. 24:37-38 – HRV)

And this is a major theme of the Book of Enoch.  Enoch forewarns of the coming judgment of the flood, and parallels this with the judgment of the last days. The Book of Enoch even prophecies that in the last days:

“women shall become pregnant and abort their babies
and cast them out from their midst”
(1En. 99:5).

The very same week that the Supreme Court ruled there is a right to a gay marriage a video was released of a Planned Parenthood official chatting about selling human organs from aborted babies… as casual dinner conversation!

Finally Enoch the Prophet prophecies a last days restoration:

10 And the righteous shall arise from their sleep, and wisdom shall arise and be given unto them.
11 And they shall have rooted out the foundations of violence and the structure of falsehood in it, to execute judgment.
(1Enoch 91:10-11)

This will be a last days restoration of Torah truth, as the Book of Enoch states that it was written “for those who will come after him, and keep the Torah in the last days.” (1Enoch 108:1)

Enoch the Prophet prophecies that the restoration would include a bonus, a restoration of lost books:

But when they write down truthfully all my words in their languages, and do not change or diminish ought from my words but write them all down truthfully –all that I first testified concerning them. Then, I know another mystery, that books will be given to the righteous and the wise to become a cause of joy and uprightness and much wisdom. And to them shall the books be given, and they shall believe in them and rejoice over them, and then shall all the righteous who have learnt therefore all the paths of uprightness be recompensed.’
(1Enoch 104:10-13)

These words have been fulfilled as the original Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts of the books of the so-called “New Testament” have been translated and published, and as lost books like the Book of Enoch itself are restored. (This is the work of the Scripture Nexus project)

This is where we are right now in Biblical prophecy!  And I am delighted that this ministry has been on the cutting edge of this great last days work of restoration! 

We must raise $550 by the end of the day today or our account will go into the negative starting a chain reaction of returned items and fees. In these uncertain times, we need your support more than ever. The time is short, and there is much work to be done. This is no time to pull back from the great work in front of us!

As you know we have been digging ourselves out of a budget shortfall.  As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org or by Zelle or Go Fund Me.

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