Parable #15. The Good Yeast (Kingdom of Heaven):

1. Today is Day #15
2. The Fifteenth Mashal of Messiah
3. Fourteen Observations
4. The Journey from Humility to Glorification
5. The Bread of Humility precedes the Bread of Glory
6. Only the Presence of the Humble Man can make the Glory Rise!
7. Consuming day by day the Manna (Teaching ) of the Humble Man
8. The Superiority of the Mashiach to all others…
9. Open up the Gates and let the King of Glory come in!
10. The Unity (Echad) of the Assembly, Messiah, and Adonai Avinu
11. We consume His Living Word and His Life
12. The Berakah of Avinu Shebashamayim

Today is Day #15:

1. Today is “Day #15” in the forty-nine day Countdown to Shavuot.

2. Today is Fifteen days in the Omer.

Today is fifteen days which are two weeks and one day of the Omer.

היום חמשה עשר יום, שהם שני שבועות ויום אחד בעומר.פ

Haiyom chamishah asar yom, sheaym shnay shavuot veyom echad ba’omer.

“You shall count for yourselves — from the day after the Shabbat, from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving — seven Shabbats, they shall be complete. Until the day after the seventh sabbath you shall count, fifty days.” (Leviticus). “You shall count for yourselves seven weeks, from when the sickle is first put to the standing crop shall you begin counting seven weeks. Then you will observe the Festival of Shavu’ot for Adonai Eloheinu.” (Deuteronomy).

“Blessed are You, Adonai Eloheinu, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to count the Omer.”

ברוך אתה, אדוני אלוהינו, מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וציוונו על ספירת העומר.פ

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, melech ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sefirat ha’omer.

The Fifteenth Mashal of Messiah:

וַיִּשָּׂא עוֹד מְשָׁלוֹ וַיּאֹמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם מַלְכוּת הַשָׁמַיִם דּוֹמָה לִשְׂאֹר אֲשֶׁר לְקָחַתּוּ אִשָׁה וַתִּטְמֹן בִּשְׁלשׁ סְאִים קֶמַח עַד כִּי־יֶחְמַץ כֻּלּוֹ׃

A. [Mattai 13:33]  He (the Messiah) took up his mashal again and said to them, “The kingdom of Heaven can be compared to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three se’im (measures) of flour until all of it became leavened.”

וַיֹּאמֶר עוֹד אֶל־מָה אֲדַמֶּה אֵת מַלְכוּת הָאֱלֹהִים׃ דּוֹמָה הִיא לִשְׂאֹר אֲשֶׁר לְקָחַתּוּ אִשָּׁה וַתִּטְמְנֵהוּ בִּשְׁלשׁ סְאִים קֶמַח עַד אֲשֶׁר־יֶחְמַץ כֻּלּוֹ׃

B. [Lukas 13:20]  He said, “What else will I compare to the kingdom of God? It can be compared to leaven that a woman took and hid in three se’im of flour until all of it became leavened (or, fermented).”

Fourteen Observations:

Observation #1.  The mashal of the Good Yeast is like the mashal of the Mustard Seed. Both meshalim are about the latter days. They provide us with a positive, hope-filled prophetic picture of the future.

Observation #2.  The two meshalim illustrate a process that began during Messiah’s first visit to earth (1st century CE) that will conclude after he returns to earth a second and final time; which we believe will occur in the near future (this 21st century CE).

Observation #3.  In retrospect during Chag HaMatzot (unleavened bread) the kingdom of Heaven is seen as a process that begins with Bedikat Chametz (בדקת חמץ), the careful searching for chametz so that it might be completely removed from the House of Israel (בית ישראל-our Jewish people) and then destroyed in fire (1, 2). Chametz (חמץ) is symbolic of pride, boasting of self and everything that is associated with sin.

Observation #4.  Sin is a byproduct of the evil inclination that has been resident in the human race since the time of Adam’s sin against God in the Garden (Gan Eden).  In Hebrew this evil inclination (or nature) that is made out of human pride is called yetzer ha-ra (יצר הרע). The Holy One opposes (wars against) this ‘evil Inclination’ (1, 2, 3) ruling over our thoughts, will, and behavior (the race of Adam).

Sin is a byproduct of the evil inclination. But the evil inclination can and should be neutralized and subordinated to the will of God.

In other words: on the one hand when our natural passions and desires supplant the rule of God within us there is sin; and on the other hand when our natural passions and desires are subordinated to the will of God—which the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One helps (empowers) us to do—there is no sin.

Observation #5.  Messiah came so that humankind’s sin would be cleansed and so that the yetzer ha-ra might be overcome by to the will of God and permanently replaced on the day of the resurrection of the righteous; when in our eternal state we shall be completely devoted to the love of God. This forensic and existential cleansing of all of our internal being  (נפש, לב, רוח -nefesh, leb, ruach; soul, heart, spirit) has only been made possible through the once-in-eternity sacrifice of our Messiah who is our Korban Pesach (sacrifice for sin).

Observation #6.  In addition to the sacrifice for sin the Messiah makes a “firstfruits” offering of himself to *our Father in Heaven. Having made atonement for sin, the humble man is lifted up to Adonai (the LORD) and is accepted as if he were us. The Messiah is the humble one that the Holy One desires all of (redeemed) humanity to be. The huumble (poor) man’s grain of barley is what is offered up as a symbol of this firstfruits offering of Messiah on behalf of all of redeemed humankind. This is a picture of what redeemed humanity will become in the future.

*Avinu Shebashamayim.

In the new humanity that is patterned after the Messiah there will be no chametz.

The Messiah Yeshua ben Yosef ben David is the humble, understanding, obedient sinless one. On the day of resurrection we too shall become the humble, understanding, obedient sinless ones. In the revelation of the prophets (Tanakh) it was revealed that the inclination (nature) of the Messiah, the Anointed One, has only been yetzer ha-tov all of the time. The new nature that perfectly indwells the new Adam—the Indwelling Presence of the Holy One— is good all of the time!

Observation #7.  The HaBikkurim (firstfruits) offering that follows Pesach (Passover) teaches us that what pleases our Father in heaven is humility. The barley grain offered on HaBikkurim is a type of the humble man. The Messiah is the humble person who was ‘cut down’ and offered up as a holy and acceptable sacrifice on our behalf. When we are identified with the Messiah (by our faith in God’s Word) we are offered up to the heavenly Father with him. This identification allows us to be seen in the Beloved (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) as if we too are the humble person.

Observation #8.  The process of our journey to glorification (symbolized after fifty days, on Shavuot) begins on the first day of HaBikkurim. As we begin our symbolic reflective journey regarding the humility of Messiah so we end our journey in our meditating on the glorification of Messiah.

Observation #9.  During this 49-day period of Firstfruits the ingredient of water is added to the Barley. This is a symbol of the water of Life. The water of Life represents the gracious works of the Holy Spirit. At the first the Holy Spirit cleanses us of all sin, this work is the water of the Word (of forgiveness). The water of the Word brings us total cleansing for sin throughout all of our mortal existence. The water of Life is also a word of holiness to us. This is so because we are made to grow spiritually as we proceed on our journey to inevitable perfection.

Observation #10.  The culmination of this entire process depicted in the 49-day observance of the Counting the Omer is when the good barley yeast of the humble person is united with the dough of the golden wheat of the glorified man. This culminating event of our future glorification with the Messiah is accomplished solely by the gracious work of the Spirit of Holiness. The historic day that is set aside to celebrate the time that the Presence of the Holy Spirit returned to Indwell the heart (spirit) of redeemed humanity is the day of Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks).

On the historic day of Shavuot both the Torah of Moses and the Living Torah of Messiah were united and received together by a believing remnant of Yehudim in Israel. It is also on the day of Shavuot that we celebrate the Torah of Moses and the Living Torah of Messiah being given to the believing gentiles as well as to those of us who are Jews.

On this historic day there are two loaves that are made from the golden grain (wheat) that are offered up to Adonai our God as an offering on Shavuot:

The first loaf of wheat bread offering (on Shavuot) represents believing Israel;
The second loaf of wheat bread offering represents the believing Gentiles.

Both loaves of the Golden Grain are treated as one sacrifice because we will all become as one New Adam through our common faith in the One Father of us all. Then will it be that our prayer for Unity (the Shemah) will finally be fulfilled. For in the messianic kingdom there will be:

הנה: גוף אחד ורוח אחת, כשם שגם אתם נקראתם אל תקות יעודכם האחת; אדון אחד, אמונה אחת, טבילה אחת, אל ואב אחד לכל, הוא אשר מעל כל, פועל בכל, ובתוך הכל. פ

One universal calling (Shemah),
One body,
One Spirit,
One Adon (Lord),
One faith (emunah),
One *mikveh (טבילה אחת-lit. one “immersion”) and
One God and Father of All, Who is above All, through All, and in All!

*The word mikveh means a “collection.” This very special mikveh (immersion, baptism) refers to a collection of “all” of the redemptive, cleansing, and perfecting works of the Spirit of Holiness that are administered to the redeemed. Therefore, the mikveh in view here is the mikveh of the permanent Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of Holiness. In this mikveh we are fully “immersed” in the cleansing-sanctifying-perfecting works of the Spirit of all-Holiness. The Presence of the Spirit dwelling in our spirits is assurance (the seal; i.e. the pledge-guarantee of our inheritance) of our inheriting eternal perfection on the day of our resurrection!

Observation #11.  On Shavuot (Pentecost) when the two Golden Loaves of Wheat arise together and are seen side by side, we have a picture of both the one united New Adam and of the one united kingdom of Heaven. The Two Loaves represent a coming together through a common faith in Adonai (the LORD) our God. This united faith is founded on belief in the prophets, the words of Messiah, and the writings of the Jewish Shlichim who were ‘sent’ first to the people of Israel and then to all of the nations, families, and peoples of the world. (התברכו בזרעך כול גויי הארץ–In your [our] Seed (Singular-plural) all the nations of the earth will be blessed).

התברכו בזרעך כול גויי הארץ.פ

“All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in your children” (lit. seed).

As our (Israel’s) prophets have foretold our people of Israel will one day live in peace with all of the peoples and nations of the world as a single Commonwealth of Israel. One day soon, we believe in this century, the Rule of the Almighty One (Israel) will finally become established on earth as it was first intended so long ago:

Since before the foundation of the World.

Observation #12.  The term “three measures” (Hebrew seah, Greek saton) is only found one time in the Tanakh. The one time reference to three measures is found in the Torah passage of Genesis 18:6:

וימהר אברהם האהלה אל־שרה ויאמר מהרי שלש סאים קמח סלת לושי ועשי עגות׃

וַיְמַהֵר אַבְרָהָם הָאֹהֱלָה אֶל־שָׂרָה וַיֹּאמֶר מַהֲרִי שְׁלֹשׁ סְאִים קֶמַח סֹלֶת לוּשִׁי וַעֲשִׂי עֻגֹֽות׃

So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes.”

This preparation of the three measures (one seah equals approx. eleven quarts) in the Torah is obviously good and is in no way evil (as is the case with the good barley yeast that is put into the three measures of wheat flour). Therefore, we believe the three measures of flour being referenced to here is that of wheat; and therefore overall we believe Sarah’s preparation of the three measures is explicitly being referred to in the fifteenth mashal of Messiah:

“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until it was all leavened.” “To what shall I compare the kingdom of Adonai? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until it was *all leavened.”

*The offering of the seed of humility (virtue) of the Messiah will cause all of us (believing Jew and Gentile) to “rise-up” as loaves of golden wheat through the transformational work of the glorious Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of Adonai (cf. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

In these two parallel messianic statements we see the Messiah very subtly unify Israel, the “kingdom of Adonai,” with all of the nations and peoples of the world, the “kingdom of heaven” (i.e. the universal Commonwealth of Israel).

Observation #13.  This coming together of all of redeemed humanity has much to do with the redemptive promise of Isaac, a type of Messiah and of the future joyous realization of the international, world-wide messianic kingdom that is depicted in the observance of the fall festival of Sukkot (read all of Genesis chapters 18 and 19).

The promise of Messiah was given on Sukkot because that is when he was born on earth.

The promise of Messiah will be fulfilled on Sukkot because that is when the beginning of the one thousand years reign of Messiah will occur (the *Golden Age of Israel and of the Commonwealth of Israel). The Festival of Booths (Sukkot) is a very special observance of the coming together in Peace (Shalom) of both the Jew and Gentile. Rightfully so Sukkot is the most vigorously celebrated of all the Feasts of Israel.

*When Jew and Gentile shall rise up together in one united faith in Adonai Eloheinu (the LORD our God).

Observation #14.  Sukkot prophetically speaks of our individual (Jew) and collective (Jew & Gentile) spiritual maturity. It is an illustration of the great safety, security, affluence and joy that will be experienced by all the peoples of the world once the Messiah returns (a second time) and sets up his messianic kingdom here on earth!

The Journey from Humility to Glorification:

Therefore, this transformation of the unclean to the clean, the ordinary (common) to the extraordinary (holy), imperfect to the perfect (glorification)—is seen in the progression of the humble barley flour—the poor man’s bread (humility)—being fermented and inserted into the bread of wheat of the rich man (Rich in Adonai), so that the two loaves of golden grain, the Lechem HaPanim (לחם הפנים-Bread of Presence) are made to rise (יקום בכבוד-raised in glory); thereby becoming the Bread of Glory (לחם הכבוד).

This dynamic (transformational) cause-and-effect chain of humility first, then second glorification (the humble alone ‘shall be exalted’) is symbolized in the two loaves of glorious golden wheat when they are joined together in union with the yeast that is derived from the humble barley grain. Therefore, it is the good yeast of humility that makes the golden grain rise (יקום בכבוד-be raised in glory) and become Lechem HaKavod (לחם הכבוד), the Bread of Glory. This necessarily means:

With the fermenting virtue (presence) of the humility of Messiah the glory of Adonai (His Presence) will rise among us!

Humility is not bad leaven like the other forbidden chametz. The humble life of the humble person (Ha-Mashiach), only his life will make the glory of Adonai our Father arise! The leaven of Messiah is the good leaven of humility. The leaven of the Prushim (the Pharisees) rabbinate is the wicked leaven of pride. The Holy One gives abundant favor (grace, chen) to the humble person. The Holy One opposes the proud person. This is why the humble one is favored above all humankind. This is why the most favored one alone is called the king of glory!

Therefore, it is during this period of 49 days of Counting the Omer that we are called to undergo a radical transformation. This transformation is depicted in the process of the refining process of the barley sacrifice that is harvested from the ground on the Shabbat (that follows Pesach). This sacrifice of the barley is ground into fine flour and presented as an offering to our heavenly Father on the morning of the first day of the week (Yom Rishon, יום ראשון). Thereafter, for the following 49 days, this sacred refined barley flour undergoes an additional  transformation process of fermentation. When the process of fermentation is complete then the fermented barley yeast is mixed in with the refined (perfected) harvested grain of the wheat harvest to produce two loaves from the first of the golden wheat harvest.

The Bread of Humility precedes the Bread of Glory:

This commandment is not meant merely to be celebrated as a static historical event; rather it should be celebrated in the dynamic sense of an ongoing life-process.

The Living Torah of God must be freshly (baked and) received in an attitude of humility ‘every day.’ Then will the accumulated glorious life of the Divine commandments rise within us, like the brilliant light of the morning sun, illuminating and beautifying the inner landscape of our (otherwise) plain, ordinary, humble bodies. This supernatural transformation of the ordinary into the extraordinary is seen in the progression of the humble barley flour—the poor person’s bread (humility)—being fermented and inserted into the rich person’s bread of wheat, so that the glory of the two loaves of golden grain (gold in Torah is a symbol of the Divine Presence) are made by the fermentation of (humility) to rise.

It is the fermented essence of the humble-poor person that makes the Glory of Adonai rise!

In this way if we ingest and become the bread of the poor person -then we shall also ingest and become the bread of His (God’s) Glory (i.e. we will become in Messiah the holiness, maturation, glorification, and immortal perfection of Abba Avinu).

Only the Presence of the Humble Man can make the Glory Rise!

This dynamic (transformational) cause and effect chain of humility first, then glorification second (the humble alone “shall be exalted”) is symbolized in the two loaves of glorious golden wheat when they are joined together in union with the good yeast that is derived from the humble barley grain. This bears repeating:

Only the good barley yeast of humility is qualified to make the golden grain rise and become the *Bread of His (God’s) Glory!

*Bread-body-dwelling place of: His (God’s) Glory!

Without the fermenting work of the humility of Messiah the glory (Presence) of Adonai will not rise  withinin us! Humility is not bad leaven like the leaven of pride. The leaven of Messiah is the leaven of humility. The leaven of Messiah—boasting in humility only of the gracious works of Adonai (the LORD our God)—is not the same leaven as that of the Prushim rabbinate and their successors who boast in their own works and their own name; who give to themselves the glory that solely belongs to the Holy One:

“Beware” of the leaven of the Prushim; the self-proclaimed separated (pious) ones.

The Holy One gives abundant favor (grace, chesed, chanan) to the humble person. However, in stark contrast the Holy One opposes the proud person. This is why the humble one is favored above all humankind. This is why the most favored one alone, like Adonai is called melekh hakavod, the king of glory!

“This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek *Your Face—even Jacob. Selah.

Lift up your heads, O gates,
And be lifted up, O everlasting doors,
That the Melekh HaKavod may come in!
Who is Melekh HaKavod?
Adonai strong and mighty,
Adonai mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O gates,
And lift them up, O everlasting doors,
That Melekh HaKavod may come in!

*The visible face of the Face of God is M’shicho (His Messiah).

Who is this King of Glory?
Adonai Tseva’ot,
The Adonai of Hosts (Armies),
He is the Melekh HaKavod. Selah.

Consuming day by day the Manna (Teaching) of the Humble Man:

It is the life of the humble one that is feasted on and consumed on the sacred day of Shavuot.

It is the Glorious Life of the Spirit of the Holy One that we receive on Shavuot. The prophet Moses ascended the Holy Mountain here on earth and secured for us the Torah inscribed on Stone. The Messiah ascended to the Father’s throne high above the highest heavens and secured for us the Gift of the Living Torah; the eternal gift of the (restored) Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit!

The Superiority of the Mashiach to all others:

Therefore, the ministry of the Messiah is far superior to that of the great prophet Moses. Also, the ministry of the Messiah is far superior to that of the great king David. For this reason King David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit prophetically called the Mashiach, “Adoni” (my master). Therefore it is written, “Now while the Prushim were gathered together, Yeshua asked them a question:”

מה דעתכם על המשיח? בן מי הוא? השיבו לו: בן-דוד.פ

מַה דַּעְתְּכֶם עַל הַמָּשִׁיחַ? בֶּן מִי הוּא? הֵשִׁיבוּ לוֹ: בֶּן־דָּוִד.פ

“What do you think about Ha-Mashiach, whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.”

אמר להם: אם כן כיצד, בהשראת הרוח, קורא לו דוד ‘אדון’ באמרו: נאם ה’ לאדני: שב לימיני עד-אשית איביך הדם לרגליך? ובכן אם דוד קורא לו ‘אדון’ כיצד הוא בנו? פ

אָמַר לָהֶם: אִם כֵּן כֵּיצַד, בְּהַשְׁרָאַת הָרוּחַ, קוֹרֵא לוֹ דָּוִד ‘אָדוֹן’ בְּאָמְרוֹ: נְאֻם ה’ לַאדֹנִי: שֵׁב לִימִינִי עַד־אָשִׁית אֹיְבֶיךָ הֲדֹם לְרַגְלֶיךָ? וּבְכֵן אִם דָּוִד קוֹרֵא לוֹ ‘אָדוֹן’ כֵּיצַד הוּא בְּנוֹ? פ

He said to them : “Then how does David in the Spirit call him *’my Adon’?”

Saying, ADONAI (HaShem) said to (my) Adon (master, lord),
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies beneath your feet”’?

If David then calls him *‘(my) Adon,’ how is he his son?”

*אדֹנִ֗י ,אדוני – “my master, lord.”

אף אחד לא היה יכול לענות לו דבר, ומאותו יום גם לא העז איש להוסיף לשאל אותו. פ

אַף אֶחָד לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לַעֲנוֹת לוֹ דָּבָר, וּמֵאוֹתוֹ יוֹם גַּם לֹא הֵעֵז אִישׁ לְהוֹסִיף לִשְׁאֹל אוֹתוֹ.פ

No one was able to answer him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask him another question.

Therefore, father David said of this his greater son the Mashiach: it is for all of us to open up the gates of our hearts, souls and minds that we might “Let the Adonai of Glory (אֲדוֹן הַכָּבוֹד) come in.” this means:

The Presence of Adonai our God Indwells our beloved brother the Messiah.

For this reason the Voice of Adonai is spoken through our esteemed brother, His Messiah. Therefore, His Messiah is the Head of the Assembly of Israel. He is our King; and the Head of the Messiah and all Israel is the God of our fathers—Adonai Eloheinu. Therefore we are exhorted in Psalm 2 to kiss the Son; otherwise by rejecting the Son we will be rejecting the will and the rule of Adonai our Father. The Messiah is not God but He is indwelt with the Holy One of Israel. Since the Son obeys only the Father:

If we reject our perfectly obedient brother then we are rejecting the perfect will of our Father who dwells in heaven.

For these reasons the Messiah is not only the Head of the Assembly (Rosh Ha’edah) – due to his perfect stewardship he is the Heir to All (ליורש כל) and the Head of Everything (ראש הכל); that in all things he might have preeminence (הוא קודם לכל והכל קים בו). The only exception is the Messiah is not the head of HaShem. For it is written:

אחרי כן הקץ, כאשר ימסר לאלוהים האב את המלכות לאחר שיבטל כל ממשל וכל סמכות ושלטון; כי עליו למלך עד כי ישית את כל אויביו תחת רגליו. האויב האחרון שימגר הוא המות, שכן האלוהים שת הכל תחת רגליו. ובאמרו שהכל הושת תחתיו, ברור כי השת את הכל תחתיו איננו בכלל הזה. וכאשר הכל יושת תחתיו, אז גם הבן עצמו יהיה כפוף למי ששת תחתיו את הכל, למען יהיה האלהים הכל בכל. פ

Then the end, when he (the Messiah) hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign as king until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy defeated is death. For God has put all things in subjection under His Messiah’s feet. But when he says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He (God the Father) is excepted who put all things in subjection to him. When everything is subjected to him (the Messiah), then the Son himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to him, so that HaShem (God) may be all in all.

In the last days the Messiah will bring all things into submission, then he will submit all that exists and himself to our Father (HaShem) that He (GOD) might be above all, in all, and through all. Therefore, the Messiah sits at the right hand of the Father forever because the Father has put all things under the rule of the Messiah; excepting only Himself (ה’). Proof of this found in Psalm 110:1: “ADONAI (ה’) said to my Adonai” (לַֽאדֹנִי). Messiah quoted this passage and when he did it silenced his detractors.

The Prushim  rabbis and other experts in the Law did not dare challenge the declaration of Psalm 110:1.

The mouth of the Prushim rabbis was shut because the Messiah was quoting the text correctly and the obvious meaning of these prophetic words (for David was a prophet as well as a king) to these Torah experts was that the Mashiach ben David was the Adon (Master) of David; and as such the Mashiach was also the Master of all of them. Therefore, the Adoni (אדֹנִי) in Psalm 110:1 (see just below) who sits at the right hand (שֵׁ֥ב לִֽימִינִ֑י) of the LORD (ADONAI) enjoys royal status to (לַ) God (ה’-HaShem). HaShem makes His Messiah to sit (שֵׁ֥ב, יָשַׁב) at His right hand.

HaShem making Messiah to sit at His right side means that HaShem has enthroned M’shicho as His “co-ruler.”

In verse 4 the Mashiach (Son of God, Son of David) also has priestly status — “you are a priest forever” (אַתָּֽה־כֹהֵ֥ן לְעוֹלָ֑ם). This is the case even though the Messiah is not a descendant of the priestly line of Levi.

לדוד מזמור נאם ה’ לאדני שב לימיני עד־אשית איביך הדם לרגליך׃

לְדָוִד מִזְמֹור נְאֻם ה’ לַֽאדֹנִי שֵׁב לִֽימִינִי עַד־אָשִׁית אֹיְבֶיךָ הֲדֹם לְרַגְלֶֽיךָ׃

The passage above (Psalm 110:1) is mentioned twenty-two times in the HaBrit HaChadashah (Modern Hebrew; and Classic/Mishnaic Hebrew).

In the Septuagint (Greek trans. of ancient Hebrew) it is written as “ADONAI says to my Adon.” This juxtaposition of God with man (the Messiah) shows the incredible humility and compassion of Adonai. For out of holy love (chesed) Adonai Eloheinu, the Strong One, stooped (chen, chanan) all the way down from His glory in heaven and took the form of a man (a son). So that through His Son He might deliver our people (Israel) and bring salvation to the gentiles (the lowly, pagan, the weak).

Like the Shekinah Adonai our Father cloaked Himself in a physical  form – yet a ‘second’ time.

The first time (in the first person) Adonai spoke to Adam, Abraham, Moses, and others through His Glory Cloud. The second time Adonai our Father spoke to us (Israel) through His Son. But at the first we (Israel) did not recognize either His Holy Servant or His Voice; and in doing so we (Israel) rejected the blessed mind, will, and teaching of Avinu Shebashamayim.

Now we are forgiven and we are being offered yet again another opportunity to obey Adonai Avinu.

Now is time for our people (modern Israel) to do Teshuvah and return to Adonai our Father. Now is the time for our people and nation to recognize and believe in the one whom He has sent. Then will the Messiah return to us (Israel) from heaven; and then finally, will the kingdom of Adonai be (completely) restored to Israel.

Open up the Gates and let the King of Glory come in!

So too from HaBikkurim to the time of Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks) we must open up the gates of our hearts, souls, and minds and let HaShem, the King of Glory come in! This we do by daily ingesting the golden manna of the heavenly teaching of the Rabbi of Heaven. He is the humble one who came to earth from heaven’s place of highest glory. He came not at first to be the exalted conquering king (although that day quickly approaches) but as the Divinely appointed lowly, humble servant of HaShem. Our Messiah came at the first to us as the suffering servant in Isaiah 53. Thereafter, through a remnant of Israel he has been revealing God’s plan to bring His Salvation to all of the nations and peoples of the world.

The Unity (Echad) of the Assembly, Messiah, and Adonai Avinu:

It is during this 49 day period of time (Firstfruits) of which we are in the fifteenth day that we strive to grow and mature in our spiritual state.

We have thus far climbed the fifteen steps, the number that tells us of the fullness of the Grace of HaShem. Therefore, during this sacred time let us choose to set aside in each and every day a special time to meditate on the golden manna of the Messiah’s teaching. For the Messiah is our Tzaddik, our righteous one who dwells at the right hand of the Majesty that is in heaven. This is the manner in which we are to daily consume the bread of heaven.

The Messiah gives to us the bread of Life and he gives to us the new wine of the Holy Spirit.

We consume His Living Word and His Life:

הרוח היא המחיה; הבשר אינו מועיל כלום. הדברים שדברתי אליכם רוח הם וחיים.פ

“The Spirit [of HaShem] is the Life; The physical (flesh) is not useful at all. The words I spoke to you are Spirit and they are Life.”

In this way—the d’varim (words) of the Messiah—we consume the spiritual body and blood (Life) of the Messiah our Korban Pesach who takes away the sin of the world. through His Messiah: we consume His (God’s) Living Word and Life (Ruach Elohim Chayim, the Spirit of the Living God) in the blessed hope that one day soon, when he appears to us in glory, that we will become like him. For on that yet future glorious day we will be resurrected, translated alive into Heaven (as have been Enoch and Elijah before us).

So then will our humble forms be gloriously transformed into the likeness of Avinu Shebashamayim (our heavenly Father).

In remembrance and honor of the Messiah, who is the Bread of Affliction that has become our Bread of Healing, we count (with him) the 49 days of the Counting of the Omer. For this is the symbol of the Divinely appointed process that necessarily must begin in our identification with Messiah’s humility and end with our being united with him in his glorification.

The growth that occurs during this time is akin to the work of a Farmer and a Baker. We begin by cutting down the head of the chosen stalk of barley. We harvest its grain. Then the Baker receives the grain and refines it into a fine flour. The flour of humility is then further processed by fermentation into a barley yeast. Then is the glorious golden grain of wheat harvested and refined and the good yeast of humility added to its flour to make God’s Bread of Glory rise.

So it is our task today and each of the 49 days. This we do, according to the Living Torah of the Spirit, by beholding (with an unveiled face) the unmatched beauty of *His Face, the Face of the Holy One.

The Berakah of Avinu Shebashamayim:

ברוך אבינו שבשמים, אשר ברך אותנו בכל ברכה רוחנית בשמים [בהמשיח], כשם שבחר אותנו בו בטרם הוסד תבל, להיות קדושים ובלי דופי לפניו באהבה.פ

“Blessed be Avinu Shebashamayim (our heavenly Father), who blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven [in the Messiah], just as He chose us before the world was established, to be holy and without blemish before Him with love.”

והמשכלים יזהרו כזוהר הרקיע ומצדיקי הרבים ככוכבים לעולם ועד׃

“And the wise shall shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

אז יזהירו הצדיקים כשמש בממלכת אביהם. מי שאזנים לו, שישמע!פ

“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father!”

The Blessing of our heavenly Father:

We learn from the prophet Zephaniah (3:17 צפניה) that the source of this beautiful blessing is Avinu Shebashamayim (our heavenly Father).

“HaShem your God is Present with you as a mighty Savior; in love He rejoices over you with singing.”

It is not the blessing of the high priest that we receive here. The high priest (אהרון-Aaron: the Light-bringer) is imparting to us the blessing of God our Father.

First He stoops down beneath us (His children) and then He lifts us up. He lifts us up so that our face will directly face His smiling Face that shines brighter in its glory than the sun. Then He manifests His glorious Name upon us. Our heavenly Father is directly imparting to us His own loving Presence, character, and virtue. This Abba Avinu does by singing over us His own personal blessing:

יברכך ה’ וישמרך׃

Yevarechecha Adonai ve’yishmerecha.

Adonai bless and keep you, place a hedge around you, and keep you safe.

יאר ה’ פניו אליך ויחנך׃

Ya’er Adonai panaiv elecha vi’chuneka.

The Face of Adonai shine on you and illuminate you [that your face will shine as bright as the sun].

ישא ה’ פניו אליך וישם לך שלום׃

Yissa Adonai panaiv elecha ve’yasem lecha shalom.

Adonai lift you up to [face] His Face and give to you [the] Shalom [of His Presence]. Amen.

 

NEXT, PARABLE #16, HIDDEN TREASURE (KINGDOM OF HEAVEN)…

Messiah in Yom HaBikkurim Chapter 35 >>