1. The Invention of the Civil New Year by the Bramble Bush King
2. The Torah commands Nisan 1 to be the beginning of the year
3. New Creation Begins: Return of the Prophet(s)
4. Return of the Prophet to the witness stand
5. The Heavenly Messiah in the era of the Second Temple
6. Adonai’s Heavenly Messiah ben Yosef ben David
7. Heavenly Messiah in the writings of the Prophets
8. Meaning of the Place Name of Jerusalem
9. Meaning of the Place Name of Bethany
10. House of My Cloud and House of My Misery and Affliction
11. Meaning of the Place Names of Jordan and Mount Hermon
12. Mountain of Sanctuary and the Hebrew Sign of the Tav
13. Ancient Hebrew Sign of the Tav is configured in the shape of a crude cross
14. Why have so many atrocities been committed under the Banner of this Sign?
15. There are Three that Testify: the Spirit, the water, and the blood

הַשְּׁלוּחִים הָיוּ מִן הַפְּרוּשִׁים וְהֵם הוֹסִיפוּ וְשָׁאֲלוּ אוֹתוֹ: “אִם כֵּן מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה מַטְבִּיל אִם אֵינְךָ הַמָּשִׁיחַ וְלֹא אֵלִיָּהוּ וְלֹא הַנָּבִיא”? הֵשִׁיב לָהֶם יוֹחָנָן וְאָמַר: “אֲנִי מַטְבִּיל בְּמַיִם, אֲבָל בֵּינֵיכֶם עוֹמֵד אֶחָד שֶׁאֵינְכֶם מַכִּירִים אוֹתוֹ. הוּא הַבָּא אַחֲרַי וַאֲנִי אֵינֶנִּי רָאוּי לְהַתִּיר אֶת שְׂרוֹךְ נְעָלָיו”. כָּל זֶה קָרָה בְּבֵית-עֲנָנִי מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן, בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה יוֹחָנָן מַטְבִּיל. פ

The Shlichim (הַשְּׁלוּחִים), emissaries were sent from the Prushim (הפרושים). And they continued asking him, “So why do you immerse if you are not the Messiah nor Eliyahu nor the Prophet?”  Yochanan [ben Zecharyah ben Aaron] answered them, and said “I immerse with water, but among you stands one you do not know. He who comes after me I am not worthy to loosen the strap of his sandal.” This all happened at Beit-Anani (בֵית-עֲנָנִי) beyond the Jordan, where Yochanan was *immersing.

*“Yochanan was Immersing”: “Immersing” is the literal translation of the practice of Tevilah (טְבִילָה). Tevilah is the Jewish commandment (mitzvah) of complete ritual immersion in natural or living water.

Complete Submersion: The entire body (including all hair) must be submerged simultaneously in a single, uninterrupted motion.

Living Water (Mikveh): The water must be “living” (mayyim hayyim), meaning it originates from a natural source (such as rainwater collected in a cistern, a spring, or the ocean) and is connected directly to the earth rather than being a portable vessel.

[Day 2/of 7] The next day Yochanan [ben Zecharyah ben Aaron] saw Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) coming  toward him. Yochanan said, “Behold, Seh Ha-Elohim (שֵׂה הָאֱלֹהִים) “Lamb of God” who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one of whom I said, ‘After me will come a man that was before me, because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but so that he might be revealed to Israel, I came immersing in water.” Yochanan testified and said, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him, but he who sent me to immerse with water said to me, “The one you see the Spirit descend and rest upon, he is the One who will immerse with the Spirit of the Holy One.’  I have seen and I have testified that he is Ben Ha-Elohim (בֶּן־הָאֱלֹהִים).”

Prophet(s) returns to the Witness Stand: In the Proceedings of the Heavenly Court the Spokesperson for the prophets Yochanan ben Zecharyah ben Aaron returns to the witness stand. He recalls the time when he first announced it was time for the Messiah to be revealed to Israel. A Jerusalem delegation of priests and Levites were sent by the Prushim (“separated ones”) to inquire about the prophet’s ministry in the wilderness.

The Forerunner of Messiah: The delegates from the religious leaders in Jerusalem asked Yochanan if he was the Messiah, or Elijah returned, or the Great Prophet—-the Moses to come. In reply Yochanan the Immerser informed the delegates from Jerusalem that he was none of these. He was the prophet who Isaiah had foretold would prepare the way for Adonai to visit and reveal (יִגָּלֶה) manifest Himself to Israel.

The Manifestation: The Hebrew word yigaleh (יִגָּלֶה – from the root גלה, meaning to be uncovered or revealed) matches Isaiah’s promise that the intrinsic, majestic glory of Adonai would be openly unveiled to all of humanity.

The Fulfillment: Isaiah describes a messenger whose role is to level the spiritual topography—clearing away obstacles of pride, sin, and unfaithfulness—to create a smooth highway for the arrival of the Messiah. The Besorat (Jewish Gospels) explicitly name the Prophet Yochanan the Immerser as this exact “voice,” who emerged in the Judean wilderness preaching a tevilah (baptism) of repentance to ready the hearts of Israel for the manifestation of God through His Messiah ben Yosef ben David.

Tevilah of Repentance: While traditional Jewish tevilah was used for ritual purity, Yochanan used it as a public, one-time sign of inward repentance teshuvah—turning away from sin and turning back to Adonai to cleanse the soul.

Ready the hearts of Israel: This refers to the prophetic role of preparing the nation of Israel spiritually. It echoes the prophecy in Malachi 4:6 about turning the hearts of the people back to God so they would be ready to receive the Messiah.

Manifestation of Adonai: This means that God would not just reveal Himself physically cloaked in His Shekinah Glory Cloud but now would yet again reveal (glorify) Himself through His Messiah.

Gabriel’s Message: The delegates were members of the same tribe as Yochanan ben Zecharyah ben Aaron. They were members of the tribe of Levi. These priests and Levites no doubt knew of the wonderful miraculous encounter Yochanan’s father had experienced years before, when he was performing his duties as a priest at the altar of incense; and of the wonderful words that the angel (המלאך ) Gabriel (גבריאל) spoke about Yochanan before he was even born.

First the Cloud and now the Messiah: The prophet made it known to the delegation why he was immersing people in the Jordan, at Beit-Anani (בית-ענני) . He was immersing the people as a means to call them to repentance. For the prophet Yochanan reported that he was instructed by Adonai to call the people to do Teshuvah and be immersed in water to prepare for the visitation of Adonai to Israel. At the first God physically revealed Himself in His Shekinah Glory Cloud. Now He would reveal Himself through a human son. Therefore, the invisible God would reveal Himself to Israel through His Son, the Messiah Yeshua ben Yosef ben David.

The Heavenly Messiah in Second Temple era Belief:

Ancient Jewish Belief: During the late Second Temple era (ca. 200 BCE – 70 CE), the belief in a heavenly, preexistent, and divine Messiah was a prominent and mainstream strain of Jewish thought. While many Jews anticipated an earthly, military king from the line of David to overthrow Roman rule, apocalyptic literature and sectarian movements increasingly focused on a supernatural savior who occupied a divine status in heaven before arriving to judge the world. The core concepts of the Second Temple heavenly Messiah belief are fourfold:

The Son of Man: In Daniel 7:13–14, a figure like a “Son of Man” comes with the clouds of heaven and receives dominion, which later apocalyptic writers interpreted as a pre-existent, heavenly redeemer. Texts like the Similitudes of Enoch (1 Enoch) portray a pre-existent, heavenly “Son of Man” who sits on a throne of glory, acts as a judge, and is explicitly called “the Anointed” (Messiah).

Two Powers in Heaven: Some streams of early Jewish thought (often referenced in discussions of early Binitarian or high-agency angelology) allowed for a principal vice-regent or heavenly agent who shared in divine authority and glory alongside God.

Supernatural Warriors and Priests: Other apocalyptic texts, such as 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch, depicted a supernatural figure or a heavenly New Jerusalem descending from above after the collapse of earthly empires.

High Priestly Mediation: In the earlier centuries of the Second Temple period (during Persian and early Hellenistic rule when a Davidic king was absent), the high priest often fulfilled the primary role of the “anointed” mediator of divine blessing.

Adonai’s Heavenly Messiah ben Yosef ben David:

Ancient Jewish Messianic Figures (3) in One Person: This combines all three ancient Jewish concepts of the Messiah into one figure. By joining the Second Temple era three messianic figures together we are saying the heavenly Messiah Yeshua ben Yosef ben David fulfills all three ancient Jewish messianic roles: his heavenly pre-existence as the “Son of Man;” his first coming to suffer (like Joseph) and die as the (Isaiah 53) Suffering Servant; his resurrection and return (ascension) into heaven; and his second coming to earth ruling as King (like David). All three of these figures are a valid part of Jewish belief during the era of the Second Temple and before the (rabbinic) Bramble Bush King era.

(1) Heavenly Messiah: Throughout the Second Temple era there was belief in a pre-existent heavenly Messiah. After the destruction of the Second Temple and the rise of the rabbinic age, for the most part, only one of these messianic figures has been recognized as “valid.” Only the Messiah ben David belief is now considered valid by mainstream rabbinic Judaism; the other two Second Temple era messianic figures have been censored to the point of practically being “erased” from our corporate Jewish consciousness.    

(2) Messiah ben Yosef: In rabbinic tradition, this figure is a suffering Messiah who undergoes trials and potentially dies for the Jewish people.

(3) Messiah ben David: This is the triumphant King who rules, conquers, and brings ultimate peace. 

Heavenly Messiah in the writings of the Prophets:

The Daniel Text: Daniel (7:13-14) beholds a vision of the night where, “with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man.” He approaches the “Ancient of Days” (God) and is presented before Him.

Heavenly Attributes: Unlike earthly kings who rise out of the sea (representing chaos or the earth), this figure rides the clouds—a description used elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible exclusively for Adonai.

Eternal Authority: The “Son of Man” is given “dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion”. The Aramaic word used for “serve” (pelah) specifically denotes religious worship or divine service.

The Isaiah Text: Isaiah (9:6-7), “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God (El Gibbor), Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Heavenly Attributes: The phrase El Gibbor (“Mighty God”) is used elsewhere in Isaiah (such as Isaiah 10:21) to describe Yahweh Himself. While some scholars argue these are throne names reflecting God’s attributes through the king, others view it as an explicit declaration of the Messiah’s divine identity.

The Micah Text: Micah (5:2), Out of Bethlehem Ephrathah will come a ruler over Israel, “whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (or “from days of eternity,” miei olam).

Heavenly Attributes: This passage suggests that while the Messiah’s physical birth happens in history, his existence dates back to the deep past, implying pre-existence or a heavenly origin before appearing on earth.

Zechariah Text: Zechariah (12:10),  Adonai speaks, saying: “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child…”

Heavenly Attributes: In the text, Adonai is the speaker (“look on me”), yet the object of the piercing is shifted to a third person (“mourn for him).

Meaning of the Place Name of Jerusalem:

Foundation of Shalom (Peace): On the first day of the Testimony of Messiah we are given two place names: Jerusalem  and Bethany beyond the Jordan. Jerusalem, Yerushalayim  (יְרוּשָׁלַם) means “Foundation of Peace;” from the passive participle yarah (יָרָה and shalam (שָׁלַם). Faith in the Messiah Yeshua ben Yosef establishes a foundation of peace between God and man.

Meaning of the Place Name of Bethany:

Crossing Over & Translation into Heaven: B’vit-Anani (בבית-ענני) means “In the House of My Cloud;” HaAnan (הֶֽעָנָן), “The Cloud.” The description of Beit-Anani that it was “beyond the Jordan” refers to the east side of the river. This location on the east side of the river is the exact place that the people of Israel crossed-over from when they first entered the promised land; a memorial of twelve stones was left there to mark the location. This Beit-Anani is also the location where the prophet Elijah was taken up alive into heaven. This is the very special place where the Prophet Yochanan was doing the immersing of the people of Israel; a mitzvah of repentance and spiritual cleansing from sin.

House of My Cloud and House of My Misery and Affliction:

“House of My Cloud”: There are two locations that are called Bethany. The Bethany located east of Jordan is a compound word composed of the word beit (house) and the word ‘anani (עֲנָנִי) or ‘ananiah (עֲנַנְיָה); which respectively means “My Cloud” and “Cloud of Adonai.”

“Beyond the Jordan”: This means the site located on the east bank of the Jordan River, situated in what is modern-day Jordan. Today, this archaeological site is known as Al-Maghtas (which literally translates to “immersion” in Arabic). 

The other Bethany: This Bethany is Beit-Ani (בֵית עָנְיִי) and (בֵית עַנְיָה) means, House of “My Misery” and “Affliction.” Anya (עַנְיָה): Derived from the Hebrew root anah (עָנָה) or ani (עָנִי), which translates to affliction, poverty, misery, or the poor (destitute). This Bethany is located about two miles east of Jerusalem on the southeastern slopes of the Mount of Olives. This was the hometown of Miryam, Marta, and Eleazar (Lazarus). It is where the Messiah Yeshua ben Yosef (Suffering Servant) frequently stayed, where he famously raised Eleazar from the dead, and the general vicinity from which he later ascended into heaven. Today, the town is known in Arabic as Al-Eizariya (named after Lazarus).

Meaning of the Place Names of Jordan and Mount Hermon:

Waters “Descending” from the Mt. of “Dedication”: Elijah, the forerunner of the Messiah, had left this earth on the east side of the Jordan in Adonai’s Chariot of Fire (רֶֽכֶב־אֵשׁ). It was at this location that the Prophet Elijah was lifted up and ascended alive into heaven. Jordan, literally means “descending” (יַרְדֵּן from yarad-יָרַד). This is so because in ancient times the Jordan River’s major source of water came from the spring rains and the melting of the snow pack that was on top of Mount Hermon (הַר חֶרְמֹֽון). This mountain’s root meaning is “Dedicated” (from charam-חָרַם). The name of the mountain conveys the meaning of the sanctuary (חֶרְמֹֽון) that issues out of a dedicated sacrifice.

Waters of Death: In the ancient time of the land of Israel icy cold water seasonally descended from the melted snow pack of Mount Hermon into the flooded Jordan River below. This ancient natural phenomenon dramatically testifies to the Messiah’s historic voluntary descent into the icy cold torrential waters of death.

The “Drawn Out” one who “Draws Out”: The Messiah was drawn out of the waters of death into resurrection glory. Do you remember the meaning of Moses’ name? Having successfully made a way of reconciliation between Adonai our Father and humankind—to deliver us (draw us out) from the sin and death of the world (the Nile)—Messiah ben Yosef thereafter triumphantly ascended into heaven where he sits now as the Bar HaKavod (Son of Glory) at the right hand of God the Father, Elohei HaKavod (God of Glory).

Adonai Reconciling us to Himself:

הַכֺּל מֵאֵת הָאֱלֹהִים שֶׁרִצָּה אוֹתָנוּ אֵלָיו עַל־יְדֵי הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וּמָסַר לָנוּ אֶת שֵׁרוּת הָרִצּוּי. כְּלוֹמַר: אֱלֹהִים הָיָה בַּמָּשִׁיחַ מְרַצֶּה אֶת הָעוֹלָם אֶל עַצְמוֹ מִבְּלִי לַחְשֺׁב לָהֶם אֶת עֲווֹנוֹתֵיהֶם, וְהוּא שָׂם בָּנוּ אֶת דְּבַר הָרִצּוּי.פ

“And all this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through the Messiah and entrusted us with the ministry of reconciliation—namely, that God was in the Messiah reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has placed within us the message of reconciliation.

Sherut HaRitzui: “Ministry of Reconciliation” (שֵׁרוּת הָרִצּוּי). The Divine goodwill and holy love that is intrinsic to the true meaning of the Sign of the Tav must be reclaimed by the people of Israel. Its correct meanings: The Good News of the Grace of Adonai must be communicated to Israel and the international community in a new and wholesome way; otherwise, the folly of the enemy will continue to rise and defile many more people. The Sign of the Tav exists to foster reconciliation between Adonai and humankind, and between Jew and Gentile. Not to alienate Adonai with man or to alienate Jew from Gentile.

Ministry and Covenental Service: Sherut, this stems from the root sh-r-t (שׁרת), which explicitly denotes priestly attendance or sacred temple service. In passages like Deuteronomy 10:8, the Levites were set apart le’sharto (to minister to Him). Thus, a “ministry” is not just a job; it is a consecrated, covenantal duty performed before God on behalf of the community.

Reconciliation and Restoration of Broken Favor: Ritzui comes from the root r-tz-h (רצה), which means favor, acceptance, or goodwill (Ratzon). Ritzui refers to the process of restoring broken favor or making amends so that a damaged relationship is brought back into a state of mutual delight and pleasure.

Mountain of Sanctuary and the Hebrew Sign of the Tav:

עוֹדוֹ מְדַבֵּר וְעָנָן בָּהִיר סָכַךְ עֲלֵיהֶם וְהִנֵּה קוֹל אוֹמֵר מִתּוֹךְ הֶעָנָן: זֶה בְּנִי אֲהוּבִי אֲשֶׁר חָפַצְתִי בּוֹ; אֵלָיו תִּשְׁמָעוּן.פ

A Bright Cloud: As he spoke, a bright Cloud (עָנָן בָּהִיר) overshadowed them, and behold, a Voice out of The Cloud (הֶעָנָן) said, “This is My Beloved Son (בְּנִי אֲהוּבִי), with whom I am well-pleased; hear, understand, and obey (תִּשְׁמָעוּן) him!

The Heavenly Sacrifice: Mount Chermon  (הר החרמון) speaks of a heavenly sacrifice abruptly consumed by fire, wholly given over to Adonai for a sacred reason or purpose (חָרַם-לאסור להקדיש, להרוס לחלוטין, להרוס לחלוטין, להקדיש להשמדה) to ban, devote, destroy, dedicate for destruction. Mount Chermon is believed to be where the Messiah was gloriously transfigured, where he and his talmidim were covered in the Shekinah Glory Cloud and where Adonai’s Voice spoke out of the Majestic Glory.

“This is My Chosen One”: “This is My Chosen One, Beni Ahavi (בְּנִי אֲהוּבִי) “My Beloved Son,” with whom I am well pleased; shama (שָׁמַע) “hear” him! It was on this Mountain of Dedication that Moses and Elijah appeared in glory with the Messiah to discuss the sacrifice of his life on the accursed Tree that was configured in the shape of a crude cross, his resurrection from the dead and triumphant ascension into heaven.

Ancient Hebrew Sign of the Tav is configured in the shape of a crude cross:

The 22nd Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet: The ancient Sign of the Tav, the twenty-second sacred letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is configured in the shape of a crude cross. The pictograph of the Tav communicates the meaning of the bringing together of two parties for agreement and covenant. It also speaks of “purchase,” “redemption,” and “ownership.”

Completeness and Truth: The Tav is a symbol of “completeness.” It is the “final seal” of God’s Emet, His “Truth” (which ends with Tav).

Ransom completely “Paid in Full”: The Hebrew letter Tav conveys the exact redemptive meaning of why Messiah sacrificed his life on the accursed tree.  Adonai Himself has “paid in full” the ransom for the sins of humanity through His Beloved Son so that redeemed AmIsrael might be cleansed from sin, reconciled to Adonai Avinu, and on the day of resurrection be clothed in the brightness (eternal light) of His righteousness.

The Hebrew Sign of the Tav (Redemption)

 

In contrast to the sign of the false-Messiah we read of the sign of the real Messiah in Ezekiel 9:4-6:  The blood Tav shall be a sign for you: applied to the forehead of your head and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you!

Compare the earlier sign of the blood Tav placed during the time of Moses on the door posts of the homes in Exodus 12:12 to the sign of the blood Tav in Ezekiel placed upon the foreheads of the Israeli men, women, and children to spare us of God’s Judgment. For in the Word of God (D’var HaShem) it is written:

וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ אלו עֲבֹר בְּתֹוךְ הָעִיר בְּתֹוךְ יְרֽוּשָׁלִָם וְהִתְוִיתָ תָּו עַל־מִצְחֹות הָאֲנָשִׁים הַנֶּֽאֱנָחִים וְהַנֶּאֱנָקִים עַל כָּל־הַתֹּועֵבֹות הַֽנַּעֲשֹׂות בְּתֹוכָֽהּ׃ וּלְאֵלֶּה אָמַר בְּאָזְנַי עִבְרוּ בָעִיר אַחֲרָיו וְהַכּוּ על־תָּחֹס עיניכם וְאַל־תַּחְמֹֽלוּ׃ זָקֵן בָּחוּר וּבְתוּלָה וְטַף וְנָשִׁים תַּהַרְגוּ לְמַשְׁחִית וְעַל־כָּל־אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָלָיו הַתָּו אַל־תִּגַּשׁוּ וּמִמִּקְדָּשִׁי תָּחֵלּוּ וַיָּחֵלּוּ בָּאֲנָשִׁים הַזְּקֵנִים אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי הַבָּֽיִת׃

Adonai said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark [the blood-Tav] on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” But to the others He said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare. Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any person on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.” So they started with the elders who were before the temple.

Why have so many atrocities been committed under the Banner of this Sign?

Question: If the Sign of the Tav is such a sacred symbol why have there been so many atrocities committed against the Jews by the Gentiles under the banner of this sacred Hebrew Symbol?

“Salvation is of the Yehudim”: The answer is because the evil one hates the meaning of the Sign of the Tav.  Salvation is of the Yehudim. The evil one knows full well: what better way is there for him to delay his being judged than by blasphemously using the “physical configuration” of the most sacred Sign of the Tav as a means to completely desecrate and nullify its inherent Divine meaning and mission—-the salvation of Israel and the world; and the “final” judgment of the evil one.

Delay of Israel’s Global Mission:  When Israel is unified under the leadership of the Heavenly Messiah ben Yosef ben David, the nation is empowered to fulfill its original covenantal calling: bringing the salvation of Adonai to the entire world. This aligns with biblical promises (such as those in Genesis and Isaiah) that Abraham’s descendants would be a “light to the nations” and a blessing to all families of the earth, a mission realized globally through faith in the Messiah of God.

“Salvation is of the Jews…”

מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לְמָה שֶּׁאֵינְכֶם מַכִּירִים, אֲנַחְנוּ מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לְמָה שֶּׁאָנוּ מַכִּירִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַיְשׁוּעָה מֵאֵת הַיְּהוּדִים הִיא.פ

“You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

Messiah of Israel: Salvation is from the Jews. The Salvation of Adonai and the worship of Adonai are not confined to one location (place), for the Spirit of Adonai is omnipresent. However, the salvation and the worship of Adonai are centered on one person, the Messiah. Therefore, these two things (salvation-worship) of necessity can only be accomplished through our exercising faith in the one person (Messiah of Israel) who is the visible manifestation of Adonai’s invisible nature and who, by the Presence of the Holy One, is the only one able to obtain for us the gift of Eternal Life.

Yeshua aligns himself with Israel! “We worship what we know,” Yeshua aligns himself with the Jewish people (“we”), affirming that the Jewish understanding of God was accurate because it was based on God’s ongoing, progressive self-revelation to Israel through the Law and the Prophets.

Meaning of the Name: Because salvation is bound specifically to Yeshua, receiving eternal life requires active faith in Him. This truth is deeply rooted in the Hebrew language itself. The Hebrew word for salvation is ישועה (Yeshua), which is the exact Hebrew name of the Messiah ben Yosef (Isaiah 53, Suffering Servant). Therefore, when the text says “salvation is from the Jews” and is “centered on the Messiah,” it highlights that Salvation (Yeshua) is literally a Jewish person whose very name means “Salvation” of Adonai.

The Head of Israel: The Head of Israel is the Messiah. Without its Head the body of Israel is not able to save. However, with the Head of all things (Rosh l’khol-ha’edah), the Head of the Assembly (Rosh Ha’edah), the nation and people of Israel are able to bring the Salvation of Adonai to all of the nations and peoples of the world. As already stated: This gift of Eternal Life is received by the insertion of the Life of the Spirit of the Holy One, the springs of His living water, into the well of our inner physical and spiritual being (our spirit-soul-mind-and body).

The desecration of a Sacred Hebrew Symbol: As demonstrated in the writings of the prophet Ezekiel the Sign of the Tav is a most sacred ancient Hebrew symbol. It was used in the Torah as a means to bless (cf. arms crossed adoption blessing of father Israel, Genesis 48:14). The ubiquitous use of the Sign of the Tav in our Tanakh as a most sacred symbol of redemption, atonement, reconciliation and shalem predates by thousands of years the gentiles wrongly use of the mark of the Tav as a means to physically conquer and subjugate each other.

Loss of the original Hebrew Meaning: The ill-will and hatred that has been manifested under the sacred banner of the Sign of the Tav is a work of the evil one. The cross is a configuration, just as both a square or a circle are configurations. What good is the announcement of a mere configuration (shape) of a sacred symbol without the revelation of its sacred origin and original spiritual meaning?

There are Three that Testify: the Spirit, the water, and the blood:

וְהָרוּחַ הִיא הַמְּעִידָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי הָרוּחַ הִיא הָאֱמֶת. הֵן שְׁלוֹשָׁה הֵם הַמְּעִידִים: הָרוּחַ וְהַמַּיִם וְהַדָּם, וּשְׁלָשְׁתָּם לְשֵׁם הָאֶחָד הֵם. פ

“The One Who Testifies”: “And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth. There are three that testify: the Spirit (הָרוּחַ), the water (הַמַּיִם), and the blood (הַדָּם)—and the three of them are in agreement (echad).

Fully Human from Birth to Death: In this view the Spirit of Adonai testifies: the water testifies to the Messiah’s real, natural human birth and the blood to his real, physical human death. The three witnesses are in agreement (echad) that Yeshua ben Yosef didn’t just look human; he was fully human from birth to death.

“.אָמֵן אָמֵן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ, אִם לֹא יִוָּלֵד אִישׁ מִן הַמַּיִם וְהָרוּחַ לֹא יוּכַל לְהִכָּנֵס לְמַלְכוּת הָאֱלֹהִים”

Born of the water and the Spirit: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a person is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

Written on our Hearts by the Spirit of God: You are our letter (אִגֶרֶת-document, epistle), written in our hearts, known and read by all men (כָל אָדָם); being manifested that you are a letter of Messiah (אִגֶּרֶת הַמָּשִׁיחַ), cared for by us (הַנֶּעֱזֶרֶת עַל־יָדֵינוּ), written not with ink (לֹא בִּדְיוֹ) but with the Spirit of the Living God (רוח אלוהים חיים), not on tablets of stone (לֹא עַל לוּחוֹת אֶבֶן) but on tablets of human hearts (לֵב בָּשָׂר-heart of flesh).

Not with ink but blood: Oftentimes (not always) the Bramble Bush King gets things upside down. In Shabbat 55a (paragraph 6) the rabbis assert that the wicked were marked for judgment in blood and the righteous were marked for exemption from judgment in ink. Yes the implement used was identified as an inkhorn but it was not a normal writing kit; neither was the scribe who possessed and used it.

An Angelic Being: The scribe is a high-ranking angelic being or divine messenger. This means the “keseth” (קֶסֶת)  writing kit, palette is supernatural.

A “Supernatural” Writing Kit: Think like Moses. Ask yourself, how in all of the Tanakh does Adonai redeem His people? He always redeems AmIsrael by the shedding of blood—a blood sacrifice. The rabbinic notion that God redeems the righteous in Ezekiel 9 through “ink” and condemns the wicked with “blood” is so ridiculous that no further comment is needed.

Mark of “Redemption”: According to the Torah the presence of blood is always required for purification, cleansing, forgiveness (מְחִילָה). The Bramble Bush King says the Sign of the Tav was made out of ink. But they are absolutely wrong. The Sign of the Tav was not written in ink. It was written in blood. Neither is the Torah written on our hearts in ink, but the Torah is engraved on our hearts by the Spirit of the Living God.

Doorposts were Marked with Blood: If the marks of the Tav on the foreheads of the men would have been made out of ink then none of the Yehudim would have been spared. The same is true of Pesach. We know that if the doorposts of our ancestors’ homes would have been marked with ink—instead of the blood of the sacrifice—all of the firstborn of Israel would have died. Why? The Torah answer is obvious:

אכן על-פי התורה כמעט הכל מטהר בדם, ובלא שפיכת דם אין מחילה.פ

“Indeed, according to the Torah, almost everything is purified in the blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

For it is written in Leviticus 17:11

:כִּ֣י נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַבָּשָׂר֮ בַּדָּ֣ם הִוא֒ וַאֲנִ֞י נְתַתִּ֤יו לָכֶם֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־הַדָּ֥ם ה֖וּא בַּנֶּ֥פֶשׁ יְכַפֵּֽר׃

Life is in the blood: For the life of the flesh is in the blood (דָּ֣ם), and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement (כַפֵּ֖ר) for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life [of the Messiah] that makes atonement (כַפֵּֽר).

וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ אלו עֲבֹר בְּתֹוךְ הָעִיר בְּתֹוךְ יְרֽוּשָׁלִָם וְהִתְוִיתָתָּו עַל־מִצְחֹות הָאֲנָשִׁים הַנֶּֽאֱנָחִים וְהַנֶּאֱנָקִים עַל כָּל־הַתֹּועֵבֹות הַֽנַּעֲשֹׂות בְּתֹוכָֽהּ׃

Blood Mark on the Foreheads of the Men: Adonai said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a (*blood) mark (tav-תו; picture of vav- configured as nail plus tav-configured in the form of a cross) on the foreheads of the [Jewish] men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.”

Messiah in Rosh Hashanah & Yom Teruah Chapter 19 >>