Sign #1, Miracle #1. Turning water into wine.

1. The Seven Signs and Fifty Miracles of Messiah
2. The Ashrei Man is our Rabbi/Teacher
3. The First *Sign and the First of the 50 Miracles of the Messiah
4. Introduction of Messiah, the Bridegroom (Chatan) of Israel
5. Procession of the Wedding Covenant
6. Children of the Wedding
7. The Wedding in Kana (the First Sign)
8. The Mystery of Marriage reveals the True Love of HaShem
   
9. Galilee speaks of an eternal union between Adonai Eloheinu and Israel
   
10. Six members in Messiah’s wedding party, the number of Humankind
11. The two Wedding Rings of God
12. Take freely of the Water of Life
13. Only Israel and her Son can supply the world with the New Wine of  the Spirit
    
14. At Mount Sinai God pledged His love to never leave or forsake us
15. At the wedding the cleansing of the Water of the Word must come first
16. The drinking of the New Wine of the Spirit comes second
17. Kana speaks of the Full Measure of God’s Love

The Seven Signs and Fifty Miracles of Messiah:

Below, at the bottom of the page – under the heading “Seven Signs and Fifty Miracles of Messiah” – is a Table that lists all of the Messiah’s 7 Signs and 50 miracles. All of these signs and miracles of Messiah are examined in the one hundred and twenty chapters of this study on the Messiah in Yom HaBikkurim.

*The 7 Signs and 50 Miracles are found in chapters 72-120; the 49 Parables of the Messiah are found in chapters 20-69.

The Hebrew texts in these chapters are both of a (Biblical) Classical Hebrew and Mishnaic text form and also of a Modern Hebrew textual form. We believe that the Hebrew language is a most sacred language and that in the future:

Hebrew will be the preferred written and spoken (universal) language in the Messianic Age.

We give thanks to God who is the Father of All (Avi-khol) for all of the languages of the world; and we believe the Spirit of Wisdom (רוח חכמה-Ruach Ha-Chokmah) has exercised a hand in the development of all the languages that have existed here on earth; especially the Greek, ancient Aramaic (Syrian), and Arabic languages.

Nevertheless, we believe that Adonai Eloheinu (YHWH our God) has chosen Hebrew (Classical, Mishnaic, and Modern) to be the most royal language of all the written and spoken languages. Therefore we fully expect that in the messianic age (soon) to come that the universal language of all of the nations, peoples, and families of the world shall be—-Hebrew—the preferred and most blessed-family language of Elohim Avinu (God our Father).

The Ashrei Man is our Rabbi/Teacher:

Ashrei אַשְֽׁרֵי  is a ubiquitous Hebrew term that cannot be defined outside of a specified context and probably can’t be adequately translated into English. The Greek word makarios μακάριος is used in the Septuagint to translate the term ashrei. Markarios is a good place to start in understanding the Hebrew term ashrei because the Spirit of the Holy One chose to disclose many of His teachings and revelatory mysteries of the Hebrew language of Shem into the Greek language of *Yaphet (יֶפֶת ,יָפֶה-Yafet, Yefet). This means that Adonai our God decided to use the Greek language to “enlarge and beautify” His revelation of Himself in the Hebrew Tanakh (and HaBrit HaChadashah).

*Yaphet יֶפֶת ,יָפֶה-Yafet, Yefet – means to beautify. Bar Kappara said of Genesis 9:27 (Bereishit Rabbah 36:8):  “May the words of the Torah be spoken in the language of Japheth in the tents of Shem.” This means the Torah should be studied in both the language of Japheth (**Greek) as well as the language of Shem (Hebrew).

The Greek word makarios (μακάριος) is a passive term; whereas the Hebrew word Ashrei (אַשְֽׁרֵי)  is an active term.

Makarios is a compound word made up out of the two words macro and makarizo; therefore, this word means to be both “enlarged” and “elongated.” In the context of Rabbi Yeshua’s teaching the word makarios is a translation of the Hebrew word Ashrei אַשְֽׁרֵי. The context is the Messiah who is the Salt of Adonai (grace personified) and Light of the World (wisdom personified) is busy teaching today’s unwise, fallen, sinful, wicked, and ungracious Jewish and Gentile peoples how to be Abba Avinu’s Salt (grace) and Light (wisdom) in the world.

**For this reason in 2024 in addition to the Hebrew text, we shall begin using classical Greek text throughout the one hundred and twenty chapters of this study of the Messiah in Yom HaBikkurim.

We know we shall one day be like him

RIGHT NOW our heavenly Messiah Yeshua is “enlarging” and “elongating” his Jewish and Gentile followers to become like him—who is the exact visible image of the invisible God. The Messiah is ascribing (active) makarios upon his Jewish audience (passive) so that we can be enlarged to become an ashrei-person like him. Therefore, actively ashrei can be defined only one way:

The Ashrei-Man “is” the Messiah and no one else.

The ashrei-person is Ha-Mashiach Yeshua and we know that if we follow him now we shall one day be made like him. For it is written:

.אֲהוּבַי, עַכְשָׁו יַלְדֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲנַחְנוּ, וְעוֹד לֹא נִגְלָה מַה נִּהְיֶה. יוֹדְעִים אָנוּ שֶׁבְּהִגָּלוֹתוֹ נִהְיֶה כָּמוֹהוּ, כִּי נִרְאֵהוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא. פ

“Beloved (אהובי), now are we children of God, and it is yet to be revealed what we shall be. We know (יודעים אנו) he shall be revealed (he shall remove the covering) then we shall be like him; because we shall see Him as He is.”

The First *Sign and First of the 50 Miracles of the Messiah:

Yochanan 2:1-11

{Classical & Mishnaic Hebrew}

וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי הָיְתָה חֲתֻנָּה בְּקָנָה אֲשֶׁר בַּגָּלִיל וְשָׁם אֵם יֵשׁוּעַ׃ וְיֵשׁוּעַ וְתַלְמִידָיו גַּם־הֵם הָיוּ מִן־הַקְּרוּאִים אֶל־הַחֲתֻנָּה׃ וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּלָה הַיָּיִן וַתֹּאמֶר אֵם יֵשׁוּעַ אֵלָיו אֵין לָהֶם יָיִן׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ יֵשׁוּעַ מַה־לִּי וָלָךְ אִשָּׁה עִתִּי עֲדַיִן לֹא־בָאָה׃ וַתֹּאמֶר אִמּוֹ אֶל־הַמְשָׁרֲתִים כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר לָכֶם תַּעֲשׂוֹּ׃ וְשָׁם שִׁשָּׁה כַדֵּי־אֶבֶן עֲרוּכִים כְּמִשְׁפַּט הַיְּהוּדִים לְטָהֳרָתָם שְׁתַּיִם אוֹ־שָׁלשׁ בַּתִּים יָכִיל כָּל־אֶחָד׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם יֵשׁוּעַ מַלְאוּ הַכַּדִּים מָיִם וַיְמַלְאוּם עַד־לְמָעְלָה׃ וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁאֲבוּ־נָא וְהָבִיאוּ אֶל־רַב הַמְּסִבָּה וַיָּבִיאוּ׃ וַיִּטְעַם רֹאשׁ הַמְּסִבָּה אֶת־הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר נֶהֶפְכוּ לְיַיִן וְלֹא יָדַע מֵאַיִן הוּא וְהַמְשָׁרֲתִים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁאֲבוּ אֶת־הַמַּיִם יָדָעוּ וַיִּקְרָא רֹאשׁ־הַמְּסִבָּה אֶל־הֶחָתָן׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו כָּל־אִישׁ יִתֵּן בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה אֶת־הַיַּיִן הַטּוֹב וְאַחֲרֵי שְׁתוֹתָם לִרְוָיָה יִתֵּן לָהֶם אֶת־הַגָּרוּעַ וְאַַתָּה צָפַנְתָּ הַיַּיִן הַטּוֹב עַד־עָתָּה׃ זֹאת רֵאשִׁית הָאֹתוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יֵשׁוּעַ בְּקָנָה אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ הַגָּלִיל וַיְגַל אֶת־כְּבוֹדוֹ וַיַּאֲמִינוּ בוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו׃

Yochanan 2:1-11

 {Modern Hebrew}

בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי הָיְתָה חֲתֻנָּה בְּקָנָה אֲשֶׁר בַּגָּלִיל. אִמּוֹ שֶׁל יֵשׁוּעַ הָיְתָה שָׁם, וְגַם יֵשׁוּעַ וְתַלְמִידָיו הֻזְמְנוּ לַחֲתֻנָּה. כְּשֶׁחָסַר לָהֶם יַיִן אָמְרָה אֵם יֵשׁוּעַ אֵלָיו: אֵין לָהֶם יַיִן. אָמַר לָהּ יֵשׁוּעַ: מַה לִּי וָלָךְ, אִשָּׁה? עוֹד לֹא הִגִּיעָה שְׁעָתִי. אָמְרָה אִמּוֹ לַמְשָׁרְתִים: כָּל מַה שֶּׁיֹּאמַר לָכֶם עֲשׂוּ. שִׁשָּׁה כַּדֵּי אֶבֶן הָיוּ עֲרוּכִים שָׁם, כְּמִנְהַג הַיְּהוּדִים לְטָהֳרָתָם, וְכָל אֶחָד הֵכִיל כִּשְׁמוֹנִים עַד מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים לִיטֶר. אָמַר לָהֶם יֵשׁוּעַ: מַלְּאוּ אֶת הַכַּדִּים מַיִם, וְהֵם מִלְּאוּ אוֹתָם עַד לְמַעְלָה. אָמַר לָהֶם: שַׁאֲבוּ עַכְשָׁו וְהָבִיאוּ אֶל רֹאשׁ הַמְּסִבָּה. הֵם שָׁאֲבוּ וְהֵבִיאוּ אֵלָיו. טָעַם רֹאשׁ הַמְּסִבָּה אֶת הַמַּיִם שֶׁנֶּהֶפְכוּ לְיַיִן וְלֹא יָדַע מֵאַיִן הוּא, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַמְשָׁרְתִים אֲשֶׁר שָׁאֲבוּ אֶת הַמַּיִם יָדְעוּ. קָרָא רֹאשׁ הַמְּסִבָּה אֶת הֶחָתָן וְאָמַר לוֹ: כָּל אָדָם מַגִּישׁ תְּחִלָּה אֶת הַיַּיִן הַטּוֹב וְכַאֲשֶׁר הָאֲנָשִׁים מְבֻסָּמִים יַגִּישׁ אֶת הַטּוֹב־פָּחוֹת, אֲבָל אַתָּה שָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת הַיַּיִן הַטּוֹב עַד עַכְשָׁו. זֹאת תְּחִלַּת הָאוֹתוֹת שֶׁל יֵשׁוּעַ. הוּא עָשָׂה זֹאת בְּקָנָה שֶׁבַּגָּלִיל. אָז הֶרְאָה אֶת כְּבוֹדוֹ וְתַלְמִידָיו הֶאֱמִינוּ בּוֹ.פ

ביום השלישי היתה חתנה בקנה אשר בגליל. אמו של ישוע היתה שם, וגם ישוע ותלמידיו הזמנו לחתנה. כשחסר להם יין אמרה אם ישוע אליו: אין להם יין. אמר לה ישוע: מה לי ולך, אשה? עוד לא הגיעה שעתי. אמרה אמו למשרתים: כל מה שיאמר לכם עשו. ששה כדי אבן היו ערוכים שם, כמנהג היהודים לטהרתם, וכל אחד הכיל כשמונים עד מאה ועשרים ליטר. אמר להם ישוע: מלאו את הכדים מים, והם מלאו אותם עד למעלה. אמר להם: שאבו עכשו והביאו אל ראש המסבה. הם שאבו והביאו אליו. טעם ראש המסבה את המים שנהפכו ליין ולא ידע מאין הוא, אלא שהמשרתים אשר שאבו את המים ידעו. קרא ראש המסבה את החתן ואמר לו: כל אדם מגיש תחלה את היין הטוב וכאשר האנשים מבסמים יגיש את הטוב-פחות, אבל אתה שמרת את היין הטוב עד עכשו. זאת תחלת האותות של ישוע. הוא עשה זאת בקנה שבגליל. אז הראה את כבודו ותלמידיו האמינו בו.פ

On the third day there was a wedding in Kana (Cana) which is in the Galil (Galilee), and Yeshua’s mother (Miryam) was there. Yeshua and his talmidin (disciples) were also among those invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, the mother of Yeshua said to him, “They have no wine.” Yeshua said to her, “What do I have to do with you, woman? My *time (hour) has still not come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he says to you.” Six stone pitchers (waterpots) were prepared according to the ordinance of the Yehudim for their purification. Each of them was able to hold two or three battim (20 or 30 gallons). Yeshua said to them, “Fill the pitchers (waterpots) with water,” and they filled them to the top. He said, “Now draw some and take it to the master of the (wedding) banquet,” and they took it. The leader of the banquet tasted the water, which had turned into wine, not knowing where it was from. But his servers who had drawn the water knew. The leader of the banquet called to ha-chatan (החתן- the groom), and said to him, “Everyone gives out the good wine first, and after they have drunk to overflowing (their fill), he gives them the bad (poorer wine). But you have hidden the good wine until now!” This was the first of the **signs that Yeshua did in Kana, which is in the land of the Galil. He revealed his glory, and his talmidin believed in him.

*”My hour/time (הִגִּיעָה שְׁעָתָהּ – 2, 1) has not arrived (עוֹד לֹא הִגִּיעָה שְׁעָתִי).

**A Hebrew sign (אוֹת-ot) is a unique kind of miracle (נֵס) and wonder (פֶּלֶא). It is a coded communication, a special message. There are seven special coded messages that are embedded in the 50 recorded miracles of the Messiah (cf. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). These recorded 7 signs and 50 miracles are only a small providential sample of the innumerable number of signs, wonders, and miracles that the Messiah performed. As it is written (Yochanan 21:25):

יש עוד מעשים רבים אחרים שעשה ישוע, ואלו נכתבו במפרט חושבני שהעולם עצמו לא היה יכול להכיל את הספרים הנכתבים.פ

“There are many other deeds that [the Messiah] Yeshua did, and had these been written in detail I think that the world itself could not have contained the books.”

John 2:1-11

{Classical Greek}

Καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ γάμος ἐγένετο ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἦν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐκεῖ: ἐκλήθη δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν γάμον. καὶ ὑστερήσαντος οἴνου λέγει ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν, Οἶνον οὐκ ἔχουσιν. [καὶ] λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί, γύναι; οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου. λέγει ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ τοῖς διακόνοις, Ο τι ἂν λέγῃ ὑμῖν ποιήσατε. ἦσαν δὲ ἐκεῖ λίθιναι ὑδρίαι ἓξ κατὰ τὸν καθαρισμὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων κείμεναι, χωροῦσαι ἀνὰ μετρητὰς δύο ἢ τρεῖς. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Γεμίσατε τὰς ὑδρίας ὕδατος. καὶ ἐγέμισαν αὐτὰς ἕως ἄνω. καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Ἀντλήσατε νῦν καὶ φέρετε τῷ ἀρχιτρικλίνῳ: οἱ δὲ ἤνεγκαν. ὡς δὲ ἐγεύσατο ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον γεγενημένον, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει πόθεν ἐστίν, οἱ δὲ διάκονοι ᾔδεισαν οἱ ἠντληκότες τὸ ὕδωρ, φωνεῖ τὸν νυμφίον ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος πρῶτον τὸν καλὸν οἶνον τίθησιν, καὶ ὅταν μεθυσθῶσιν τὸν ἐλάσσω: σὺ τετήρηκας τὸν καλὸν οἶνον ἕως ἄρτι. Ταύτην ἐποίησεν ἀρχὴν τῶν σημείων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ ἐφανέρωσεν τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “ Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.” Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him. When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

Introduction of Messiah, the Bridegroom (Chatan) of Israel:

דּוֹמָה מַלְכוּת הַשָׁמַיִם לְמֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה חֲתֻנָּה לִבְנוֹ׃

The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a King who gave a wedding feast for his Son.

In his initial encounter with Nathaniel-Bartholomew (תֶלֶם, תלמים, בַּר תַּלְמַי- Bartholomew is Given of Elohim’s second name), the Messiah made use of an expression which received its symbolic fulfillment in his first sign the turning of water into wine. At the wedding (in נְתַנְאֵל-Nathaniel’s home town) Messiah’s first self-disclosing revelation about himself had been to call himself the ben Ha’adam. Messiah’s humble declaration was a swift and forceful response to Nathaniel’s remarkable confession: “You are the Son of Ha-Elohim. You are the King of Israel.” It is important to understand that the Messiah deliberately and immediately turned his disciples’ focus away from his being the Son of God and King of Israel. Why? At the outset of his ministry in Israel our Rabbi from eternity chose to use the lowliest of his titles to teach us that above all else he is the humble man who rules by serving all other persons and the perfectly obedient one who always hears, understands, and obeys the will of God. This is why Messiah at the very beginning of  his ministry chose to introduce himself by the title (בר אנש, ٱبْنِ إِنْسَانٍ)—-a Son of Man.

יָשַׁב וְקָרָא לַשְּׁנֵים־עָשָׂר וְאָמַר לָהֶם: מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִהְיוֹת רִאשׁוֹן יְהֵא אַחֲרוֹן לַכֹּל וּמְשָׁרֵת לַכֹּל.פ

He sat down to read (to judge) and called the Twelve and said, “who desires to be first will be last to all and a servant to everyone.”

The first order of teaching by Messiah was to convey the absolute truth that Abba Avinu (Daddy our Father) wants us to learn to be servants before we learn to be kings. The least is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The last is the first. The one who is best qualified to rule over us all is the one who best serves everyone. It is a Divine riddle definitely worth solving: How does the Creator rule? Does He lord it over us like the false deities of the Gentiles do? No. The LORD our God is the greatest of all because He is the Servant of all!

Abba our Father is the moral superior to all.

Therefore, it is paramount that we understand that it is the virtue of God our Father that always dictates how His Power will be used. The virtue of the Holy One is love. God comes to us cloaked in human form as a humble servant—a servant to His love. For God is always faithful to His own nature—He is love. Therefore it is written:

“God is Love.”

מתוך כך מכירים אנו את רוח האמת ואת רוח התעות. אהובי, נאהב נא איש את רעהו, כי האהבה מאלהים היא; וכל מי שאוהב נולד מאלהים ויודע את אלהים.  מי שאינו אוהב אינו יודע את אלהים, שכן האלהים הוא אהבה.פ

From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for “God is love.”

The relational importance of deeply respecting the betrothal Name of God…

The personal name of God is YHWH. Out of respect for this His personal (betrothal) name we use the title Adonai (LORD) or HaShem (THE NAME). Therefore for reasons of modesty and deep abiding respect we are very careful about how we use His most sacred Name.

This is so because the Husband (Groom) of Israel is HaShem. We have been estranged from Him for some time now. However, today Eloah Selichot (אֱל֨וֹהַּ סְלִיח֜וֹת – cf. Nehemiah 9:17) in an attitude of compassion and forgiveness is once again making it known to us that He has already redeemed us (Yisra’el), his estranged love, and that His desire is to re-marry us yet a second time; this time in an unbreakable (new) wedding covenant; one that will reconcile us to Him forever. Therefore it is written:

והיה ביום־ההוא נאם־ה’ תקראי אישי ולא־תקראי־לי עוד בעלי׃

וְהָיָה בַיֹּום־הַהוּא נְאֻם־ה’ תִּקְרְאִי אִישִׁי וְלֹֽא־תִקְרְאִי־לִי עֹוד בַּעְלִֽי׃

“It will come about in that day,” declares HaShem, that you will call Me ‘Ishi’ (My Husand) and will no longer call Me ‘Baali’ (My Lord).”

In this incredibly romantic way HaShem now sees His wayward wife (Israel) as more grown-up and mature. In our present state we are capable of more than materialistic aspirations and endeavors. Now we are capable of spiritual endeavor. Now we can be the faithful wife of HaShem that He deserves. No longer are we to be the unfaithful one (the spiritual adulteress) that we have been in the past.

Now is the time for wisdom, the time when we become the bride that HaShem deserves.

In reciprocal love we shall no longer call our Divine Husband My Lord (בַּעְלִֽי-Baali). For in our new ascendancy into spiritual maturity, we Israel, as one person – united in our one exclusive love of Adonai – shall now intimately call out to our Beloved Husband—-“My Man!” (אִישִׁי-Ishi!).

Messiah, the Sovereign Servant Leader.

Therefore, in the past the marriage of the Holy One to our people of Israel has been contentious. For a long time our marriage to HaShem has existed in such a state of disharmony and relational decay that He even declared a ‘writ of divorce’ upon us (His bride, cf. Hosea). Nevertheless, with this tragic divorce (separation) of the past there was also given to us the promise that one day in the future our betrothed would get over His righteous anger and in an attitude of compassion and forgiveness He would reconcile us to Himself. So are we now. For we are learning to walk in the way of HaShem; which is not the way of pride, arrogance, and self-indulgence.

We are to walk in the Way of His (God’s) humility, meekness, and generous service to others.

We are to walk in the way of father Abraham’s mitzvah of hachnasat orchim (הכנסת אורחים- hospitality). This is why throughout much of his ministry the Messiah deliberately veiled from view the exceeding glory that dwelt within him and the unlimited power of his Kingship. The Messiah’s mission was not to set-up an inhospitable pagan cult of “Me” first. His mission has always been to make of us a hospitable worship community and nation that always seeks to put HaShem first (in everything); which requires all Israel to become His Servant-leader nation (i,e. the royal priestly servant-leaders of the kingdom of God

וַיֵשׁוּעַ קָרָא לָהֶם וַיֹּאמַר אַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם כִּי־שָׂרֵי הַגּוֹיִם רֹדִים בָּהֶם וְהַגְּדוֹלִים שֹׁלְטִים עֲלֵיהֶם׃ וְאַתֶּם אַל־יְהִי כֵן בֵּינֵיכֶם כִּי הֶחָפֵץ לִהְיוֹת גָּדוֹל בְּקִרְבְּכֶם יְהִי לָכֶם לִמְשָׁרֵת׃ וְהֶחָפֵץ לִהְיוֹת לְרֹאשׁ בְּקִרְבְּכֶם יְהִי לָכֶם עָבֶד׃ כַּאֲשֶׁר בֶּן־הָאָדָם לֹא בָא לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר־יְשָׁרְתוּהוּ כִּי אִם־לְשָׁרֵת וְלָתֵת אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹ כֹּפֶר תַּחַת רַבִּים׃

קרא להם ישוע ואמר: אתם יודעים שהמושלים בגויים רודים בהם והגדולים שולטים בהם. אל יהי כן ביניכם. אדרבא, החפץ להיות גדול בכם יהא משרת שלכם, והחפץ להיות ראשון ביניכם יהא עבד לכם, כשם שבן-האדם לא בא כדי שישרתוהו אלא כדי לשרת ולתת את נפשו כפר בעד רבים.פ

Then Yeshua called to them and said, “You know that the rulers (שָׂרֵי, שהמושלים) of the Gentiles (הַגּוֹיִם) oppress (רודים-subordinate) them, and the great ones (הגדולים) dominate (שולטים) them. But as for you, let it not be so among you, for the one who desires to be great among you is to be as your servant, and the one who desires to be the head among you shall be as your slave; just as the Son of Man (בֶּן־הָאָדָם-ben Ha’adam) did not come so others would serve him, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom in place of many.”

The LORD sent to us His Spirit cloaked in human form (the Messiah) so that all of us might be cleansed of our sin and reconciled to Him.

It is the will of our heavenly Father that we become humble and obedient like the Messiah, His Beloved Son (בְּנִי אֲהוּבִי). The humanity HaShem desires, therefore, is not one that is competitive and war-like but humble and peace loving. The occasional harsh treatment of humanity we have historically seen in HaShem’s behavior is solely because people have chosen to love evil and hate what is good. The Father of All (Avi-khol) desires that all be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth; not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to teshuvah (repentance, to turn back to Elohim HaAv, God the Father). He desires that all be peace-loving (אַהָבַת שָׁלוֹם) as He is; rather than hateful (נִתעָב) as the evil one is.

:אַךְ טֹוב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹהִים לְבָרֵי לֵבָֽב

Surely the Almighty is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart!

The eyes of the pure in heart (בָרֵי לֵבָֽב) can see Avinu Shebashamayim (our heavenly Father). If we would only be reshaped (שִׁנוּי צוּרָה-changed) by His wonderful grace (חנן-chanan, the graciousness of HaShem). The word picture of God’s grace is one where the ruler of all, who is the strongest of all, is stooping down to help (be a servant) to the least and weakest of all. Fallen humanity desires to be the first. The All-Sufficient One (El Shaddai) seeks to be the last. If only we would become better students of the graciousness of God we would all see Him as He really is. Adonai our Father is innocent, pure, humble, harmless, fun, and above all loving! This is who Abba Avinu (אבא אבינו) really is—-He is Love (הָאֱלֹהִים הוּא אַהֲבָה).

Abba Avinu administers (does) chastisement and judgment only because we choose to be inhospitable and do evil; instead of choosing to be hospitable and do what is good. If we were completely good as He is good we would never see the terrible, fearsome Divine One that He is so often made out to be; rather we would see the truth: the true Face of His gentleness, kindness, and innocence is like that of a harmless, beautiful (כִּי־ט֣וֹב-all good) infant—-an infant who is less than twelve months old. Therefore, it is written:

:טְהֹור עֵינַיִם מֵרְאֹות רָע וְהַבִּיט אֶל־עָמָל לֹא תוּכָל

You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness.

This is why all of the sacrificed lambs at the temple had to be less than twelve months old. So that in their infancy they might bear the true Image of the beautiful, magnificent Face that the holy angels in heaven continually behold—-the Face (פְּנֵי) of our Father in heaven! (אָבִי שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם- Avinu Shebashamayim). It was the will of our heavenly Father that the talmidin of the Messiah first learn about and fully understand what the designation “Son of Man” means. Then, after these sons of Israel (בני ישראל) fully understood what it meant to be a Servant-leader in the world, the heavenly Father could entrust to them the far more majestic and glorious revelation of His Beloved Son being the Son of Ha-Elohim and the King of Israel.

There is an important developmental lesson to be learned here.

Adonai comes to us first and foremost revealing Himself to be a lowly Servant. Only when our hearts are pure do we accept with gladness this wonderful truth. It is only the meek (הָעֲנָוִים, עָנָו) and poor in spirit (עניי הרוח) who can embrace with complete joy our Lord’s perfect humility and meekness. The exalted will be humbled. The humble will be exalted. It is only when we submit to becoming the Humble Man Adonai loves that we begin to understand the rest of the special revelation of His Son, who is the King of Glory (מלך הכבוד-Melekh HaKavod).

Seven Signs and Fifty Miracles.

וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי הָיְתָה חֲתֻנָּה בְּקָנָה אֲשֶׁר בַּגָּלִיל וְשָׁם אֵם יֵשׁוּעַ׃ וְיֵשׁוּעַ וְתַלְמִידָיו גַּם־הֵם הָיוּ מִן־הַקְּרוּאִים אֶל־הַחֲתֻנָּה׃

“On the third day there was a wedding in Kana of Galilee, and the mother of Yeshua was there; and both the Messiah Yeshua and His talmidin were invited to the wedding.”

In this opening up narrative of a wedding in Kana (Cana) the Spokesperson for the shlichim (emissaries, sent ones) of the Messiah, Yochanan ben Zebedyah (יוחנן בן זבדי, זבדיה), continues his second session of the Testimony of Messiah in the *Proceedings of the Heavenly Court by offering a detailed account of the events surrounding the Messiah’s first sign. Signs (אותות) are miraculous events that prove that Rabbi Yeshua is the Messiah.

*All of the signs (אותות) and wonders (מופתים) of the Messiah convey irresistible, persuasive spiritual meaning; as well as demonstrate great power (cf. Seven Signs and Fifty Miracles of Messiah).

The first sign (אוֹת) reviewed in the Testimony of Messiah occurs at the wedding in Kana of Galilee.

This wedding account begins on the seventh day since the Prophet of the Grace of Adonai Remembered, Yochanan ben Zekaryah (יוחנן בן זכריה) witnessed to the Jerusalem delegates, and on the third day since Philip (Φίλιππος) and Netan’el (נְתַנְאֵל) became talmidin of Rabbi Yeshua. As you will recall Philip’s name speaks of the desire to see the return to Israel of the Presence of the glory of Adonai at the second coming of the Messiah. Similarly, Nathaniel’s name speaks of the believing remnant of Israel that is looking for the return of Messiah to “restore” Israel. The subtle reference to a seventh day in the narrative of the Testimony of Messiah is a reference to the perfection of Creation. Man was created on the sixth day. However, it was not until the seventh day that the Creator ”rested” (which began at the moment when the perfection of the sixth day had been accomplished). The seventh day in the testimony of the *besorah of Yochanan is discerned by counting down the days given in the narrative (1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

*Good news (besorah) of the Endowment of the Grace of God (יוחנן בן זבדי, זבדיה) Yochanan ben Zebedyah verses 1:19, 29, 35. 43. and 2:1.

The third day (2:1) is an explicit reference to the Person and work of the Spirit of the Holy One and to the death and resurrection of the Messiah. The omnipresent Spirit is the Endowment of the Grace of Adonai that Yochanan ben Zebedee’s name is a testimony to (i.e. the gift of the Father).

In the Genesis account the third day is the day that the Life of the Seed breaks forth from the invisible to the visible realm:

The third day is the day the invisible Spirit of the Holy One visibly manifests His Resurrection Life. The invisible Divine Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One was first made visible (in an immortal-eternal way) when on the third day the Messiah was resurrected from the dead. Messiah is the firstfruits of many sons of glory that will be manifest by the unlimited power of the Spirit on the day of the resurrection of the righteous.

The work of the Spirit of the Holy One is present in the manifestation of His signs, wonders, and miracles in the ministry of Messiah. The first sign, turning the water into wine is the first of seven recorded signs the Messiah performed in his earthly ministry. The spokesperson for the shlichim (sent ones) is more selective in his testimony of Messiah’s signs and miracles than are the other three writers of the four good news (besorah) accounts of the Endowment of the Grace of Adonai. This is so because he is being guided by the Holy Spirit to be more interested in emphasizing the spiritual significance of the miracles; rather than in just reporting on the spectacular physical and materialistic nature of the miracles.

The Third day and the Seventh day are one and the same day.

The context of the narrative of the wedding at Kana involves two different perspectives of time: seven days (inplicit) and three days (explicit). It is important to pause for a moment and ask why this is. The reference to seven days is implicit, indirect, almost hidden. However, the reference to three days in the Kana sign/miracle is explicit, direct, easily perceived. To see the seven days all you need to do is add up all four references of time in the narrative just preceding the wedding. There you will *see one “first” day; three “next’’ days; followed by the third day referenced in today’s sign/miracle (1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

*Good news (besorah) of the Endowment of the Grace of God (Yochanan) verses 1:19, 29, 35. 43. and 2:1..

Three Points of Light that apply to the Seventh day.

Point #1. The first sign at the beginning of the Messiah’s public ministry highlights the fact that Rabbi Yeshua fulfilled what was old (the written Law) with something new (Life in the Spirit). New wine emerged out of the cleansing water—-the water of the Word. Due to the cleansing water of the Word an old temple became a Cleansed Temple, an old birth became a New Birth, well-water became Living Water, and an old worship became a New Worship (‘sing a new song in the assembly of the faithful’).

New wine emerged out of the cleansing water—-the water of the Word.

Point #2. The third day evidently refers to the third day after the day Nathanael met Rabbeinu Yeshua. Yochanan ben Zebedyah’s references to four succeeding days reflects his knowledge of the New Creation meanings of these events.

The third day reference after Given of Elohim (Nathaniel) met the Salvation of Adonai (Yeshua) is an obvious symbolic reference to God’s actions coming to a culmination with this miracle. (cf. resurrection on the “third day” in Messiah in HaBikkurim).

Point #3. Yochanan ben Zebedyah’s subtle reference to a seven day creation week is presented as follows:

Day #1. On the first day (1:26) the prophet Yochanan ben Zekaryah (יוחנן בן זכריה), the Grace of God Remembered, gives a veiled witness to the (unnamed, unknown) Messiah.

Day #2. On the second day (1:29) the Grace of God Remembered gives his open, public witness to the Messiah Yeshua (named, known).

Day #3. On the third day (1:35) *two talmidin – Andrew and another unnamed disciple – of the prophet Yochanan ben Zekaryah – followed Rabbi Yeshua. Note Andrew (Greek) is the same meaning as *Adam (Hebrew) and the place where they met and followed the Messiah was at Bethany, Beit-Anani (בֵית-עֲנָנִי) means House of My Cloud (HaAnan-הֶֽעָנָן)

*Adam and his companion followed him for the first time at the House of My Cloud (בית-ענני) at the tenth hour, in the cool of the day.

Day #4. On the fourth day (1:43) Philip, name meaning the Lover of the Presence, and Nathanael, name meaning Given of Elohim, both meet the Messiah Yeshua.

*Nathaniel’s name also means the Endowment of Elohim.

Day #5. *The events of the fifth day are unknown (an undisclosed mystery) to us.

Day #6. *The events of the sixth day are unknown (an undisclosed mystery) to us.

Day # 7. On the seventh day, the third day after the Lover of the Presence (Philip) and the Endowment of the Grace of God (John, Yochanan ben Zebedyah) met with the Messiah Yeshua, the Spirit of the Holy One manifested through His servant the sign/miracle of turning the water of cleansing into new wine.

Summary:  The Torah symbolism of these first seven days in Messiah’s ministry leads us to bring to mind God’s creative process. This demands that we connect the first week of Yeshua’s ministry here with the beginning of the Creation of the Cosmos (cf. Genesis 1-2 and Yochanan 1-2).

*Cf. the Hidden Day of Messiah.

Where does the True Son of Israel dwell? Kana of Galilee.

Kana of Galilee is the home town of Given of Elohim, Netan’el (נְתַנְאֵל). Kana is the symbolic place name where the assembly of the elect of God, the Given of Elohim reside. The Given of Elohim are those Jews and Gentiles who the Heavenly Father has entrusted into the care of His Righteous Son, the Messiah.

It is most significant that the village of Kana and home of the true Israelite Netan’el bar Talimai should be honored as the place where the “first” sign/miracle would be manifested by the humble servant of Avi’ad (the Father of Eternity). The two Hebrew (and Aramaic) names of Nathanael-*Bartholomew,

*Son of Furrows (בַּר תַּלְמַי- Bar Talimai, means furrowed (מְתוּלָם), abounding in furrows (תלמים), from telem, a furrow. This name, Son of Furrows, speaks of the seed bed, the cultivated place where the spiritual life of God (זֶ֣רַע אֱלֹהִ֑ים) is nurtured, protected, and matured

Question #1. What purpose does the prepared, cultivated soil (furrow, furrows) exist for? The name Son of Furrows possesses both a rich agricultural and spiritual meaning. The meaning of the name Bar Talimai (בַּר־תַּלְמַי) is a qualification of what the purpose of the Given of Elohim Is.

Question: What purpose does the prepared, cultivated soil (furrow, furrows) exist for?

Answer: The Divinely cultivated soil, the Given of God, exist to receive the eternal seed of the heavenly Father (The DNA of His own Spirit).

It is in this Divinely cultivated soil that the seed of God may drink freely of the heavenly life-giving waters that our heavenly Father generously sends into us from His throne in heaven. Therefore, it is the Divine Seed and the freely given waters of heaven that create a harvest of life in the furrows, the seed bed, the spirits, souls, bodies, and minds of those who are the elect of God.

The message here is one of purpose: The reason Abba our Father is choosing a people for His own Name is so that He might plant His Seed–the precious Seed of the Indwelling Presence of His own Spirit–into the cultivated physical and spiritual being of His adopted children. Thereafter, once the expansive life of the implanted Divine Seed (zera Elohim-זֶרַע אֱלֹהִים) and the rains of heaven permeate the new precious being of His beloved children, then there will be a rich harvest of the immeasurable eternal-infinite life of Abba Avinu—there will be many *sons (and daughters) of glory!

*We are all sons of glory, both men and women, because we all shall inherit equally the gift of the Spirit which is eternal life.

Question #2. Another question we must ask ourselves is: Where does the true *Israelite dwell? Where is the cultivated rich soil that can best serve the Divine purpose of growing-maturing-transforming the godly seed of the sons of Israel into a great harvest of “many sons of glory?” Kana of Galilee is a symbol of that Place. Kana (קָנָה) is more than a physical location. It is symbolizes a state of being. Those who live in right relationship with Messiah “See” who Messiah really is. He is the Shekinah. He is the Place where all of the Spirit of Adonai dwells. Someday we will know Him (the Spirit of the Holy One, the Indwelling One) even as we are already known to by Him.

*Israel means “rule of God.” The believing Gentiles are grafted into the faith of Abraham because they too have believed the promises of God (cf. Israel and the Commonwealth of Israel).

Then we shall become like him – a perfect mirror Image of Avinu Shebashamayim.

Given of Elohim and the Son of the Furrows hear, understand, and obey (receive freely) the heavenly rain—we hear and receive gladly the life-giving words of Abba Avinu. God our Father speaks His abundant life into the depths of our thirsty spirits, souls, bodies, and minds.

When the Good Shepherd (HaRo’eh HaTov) speaks his flock listens, understands, and obeys him. When the Good Sower sows His Seed into the cultivated soil, the soil hears, receives, drinks-in the heavenly rain that nurtures, and grows the seed until it reaches its full maturity. We know that the Messiah Yeshua is the beautiful Voice of God. We know this to be true because this is the word that came to us from the Shekinah (Glory Cloud).

It is the Voice of Adonai our Father that has told us that Messiah Yeshua is His Voice.

Abba Avinu glorified Himself long ago (כבר), beginning with the first Adam by His Indwelling the Shekinah; and then He glorified Himself yet again in a new (ושוב) and most wonderful way by His Indwelling the Messiah (“כבר פארתי ושוב אפאר”) ben Ha’adam (a man).

Therefore when we drink freely from the heavenly waters that are manifest through the new Glory Cloud, the man Yeshua, we absolutely must know that the Voice we are hearing is not the voice of a man but we are hearing the glorious, majestic Voice of YHWH our God.

This is why our Rabbi Yeshua speaks like no other man because he is not the one speaking! It is the Spirit of the Father who is speaking to us through His humble, understanding, obedient servant—-the Beloved Son of Israel whom Adonai loves.

Therefore, when the Messiah speaks we know that we are not hearing the voice of a man but we are hearing the actual Voice of our Beloved Father who is personally nourishing us with His life-giving Word of Truth (D’var HaEmet).

*Kana (קָנָה) represents a place of unity with God. It is where the sons and daughters of the God of Abraham receive the full measure (קָנֶה-from-קָנָה) of His grace. Kana is where we developmentally discover what lies beyond our merely being cleansed of our sins. It is where we grow up and become a righteous dwelling place for God–the Temple of His Spirit.

Procession of the Wedding Covenant:

At Kana we see a royal procession before us: the passing of the time of the old dead, empty heart of stone and the arrival of the time of the living, new heart of the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of God. 

Through the gift of the new heart God is making “all things new” (1, 2, 3, 4).

We see in this royal procession five stages of time, place, and events:

First, in the giving of the Torah/Law of Moses at Mount Sinai; second, in the fulfillment of the redemptive requirements of the Law of Moses accomplished by Messiah on the accursed tree at Mount Moriah; third, in the giving of the Father’s wedding gift, the Endowment of His Grace, the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One that was given to us on the sacred day of Shavuot; fourth, in the two wedding suppers of the Lamb: one to be celebrated in heaven for seven years; the other to be celebrated for a thousand years here on earth; and fifth, the consummation of the ages: when God and His glorified, immortal bride will joyously exodus out of this imperfect temporal universe into His perfect eternal new creation; the new heavens and the new earth. It is in this new creation that God will completely erase our memories of sin, sickness, suffering, and death (cf. “Messiah in Purim“). Therefore now the Spirit of the Holy One and His bride invite every person to receive the gift of His eternal life. For it is written:

הָרוּחַ וְהַכַּלָּה אוֹמְרִים: בּוֹא!, וְהַשּׁוֹמֵעַ יֹאמַר נָא בּוֹא!; הַצָּמֵא יָבוֹא נָא, וְהֶחָפֵץ יִקַּח נָא מַיִם חַיִּים חִנָּם.פ

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!” and the hearing one says, ‘Please Come!’ and the one gleaming with thirst, ‘Please bring yourself in!’ Whoever desires the water of life, ‘Please have all that you desire. It is is free.'”

So all is being ready, the time of the marriage festival of the Lamb in heaven and on earth is almost upon us, so the Spirit and the Bride say “Come!” and join in the celebration of the wedding festival of the Bridegroom and His bride. Drink freely of the water of life and be cleansed and refreshed. Drink of the cup of the new wine and receive the gift of eternal life.

The Golden Age of Israel is the age that the names Given of Elohim (Netan’el) and Son of Furrows (Bar Talimai) bear witness to.

We know that the time is soon to come when “the nations” will become Messiah Yeshua’s inheritance and when the very “ends of the earth” will become his possession. Therefore it is written (Psalm 2:11-12):

עִבְדוּ אֶת־ה’ בְּיִרְאָה וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָֽה׃

Worship GOD with reverence and rejoice with trembling.

עִבְדוּ אֶת־ה’ בְּיִרְאָה (ivdu et-Adonai b’yirah) – Serve Adonai in awe. Avad (עָבַד) Qal imperative masculine plural; to serve as subjects (of Adonai); therefore, accept the rule of the Holy One through His appointed King of Kings (Melekh HaMelakhim-מלך המלכים), the Messiah. To serve in “awe” (יִרְאָה). This means to render moral reverence (from יָרֵא), the kind of respectful submission and obedient service to Mashiach that is required by Adonai (אליו תשמעון).

בְּיִרְאָה וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָֽה (v’gilu bir’adah) – Rejoice (גִּיל) with trembling (רַעַד). This Hebrew phrase that is being applied to the Gentile leaders, nations and peoples is indicative of the kind of righteous worship-attitude that is to be exhibited by the Yehudim (Jews) during our observance of our high holy days that occur in the fall from Rosh HaShanah to Sukkot. This directive to rejoice with trembling specifies the necessary worshipful attitude that is needed for us to be pronounced righteous on our high holy days of Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur (early) and Yom Kippur (late); thereby qualifying us to enter into the most joyous celebration of all: entrance into the messianic age, the Golden Age of Israel and the Commonwealth of Israel; which we prophetically celebrate in our annual dress rehearsal observance of Sukkot, the Festival of Booths (cf. Messiah in Sukkot).

How do all of these prophetic truths about the Messiah directly relate to us today?

In view of all that HaAv (the Father) has declared to the leaders, nations and peoples of the world, regarding His rule of the world through His Son, the Messiah, the world populace would be “wise” to abandon their vain and delusional plans of rebellion; and become united with Israel in the worship of Adonai. Please bring yourself in to our worship and our fellowship with Adonai and freely join us in our celebrating the beauty and the Joy of His Presence; especially please come to our fall festival of Sukkot. Be united with us under the common banner of our celebrating in advance the soon-to-come international rule of the Spirit of Adonai that shall be manifested through the world-wide rule of His Chosen One, His Beloved Son, Ha-Mashiach.

What is a proper worship response of the world population to Adonai?

A proper repentance-response for the world population and our wayward leaders (Jew and Gentile) is for all to ”worship with reverence” and “rejoice with trembling” before the Most High (El-Elyon). The leaders of the world are to live a life of humility and submission. Not a life of self-centered arrogance and rebellion. The peoples of the world are to live a Divinely-centered (humble) life of reverence and exultation. Not a life of destruction under the oppressive-chaotic rule of wicked men. The “exultation” of the people will be due to the high degree of safety, security, and true happiness that all of the people of the world will experience once they are made to live peaceably under the watchful care and guardianship of the Messiah (his return from heaven is the fulfillment of all of the prophetic promises that are invested and endowed in Sukkot).

Blessed (Ashrei) are you who put your trust in the Messiah of Adonai!

נַשְּׁקוּ־בַר פֶּן־יֶאֱנַף וְתֹאבְדוּ דֶרֶךְ כִּֽי־יִבְעַר כִּמְעַט אַפֹּו אַשְׁרֵי כָּל־חֹוסֵי בֹֽו׃

Do homage to the Son, that he not become angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in him!

נַשְּׁקוּ־בַר (nasheku-var) – Nashak (נָשַׁק) Piel imperative masculine plural; to kiss. Bar (בַּר) noun common masculine singular; two meanings exist here as one: to kiss purity is to kiss the son; and to kiss the son is to kiss purity. Traditional rabbinical commentators translate this as “embrace purity,” translating the word var (bar) as ‘purity’ (in Hebrew) rather than as son (Aramaic). We believe there is some legitimacy to this translation because we do believe there is a Hebrew-Aramaic double meaning here. We are to do homage to the “Pure One,” the Messiah, who is the Son who has lived all of his life in perfect purity (i.e. in perfect righteousness, “without ever sinning”). This means the secreted (sod, deep-hidden Hebrew meaning) of the word here is that we must embrace the purity of Adonai that can only come to us (the family of Israel) through our exercising true faith in His Chosen One, the Messiah. However, it is obvious that the primary universal meaning of the word Bar (בַּר) is “Son.” Bar is the Aramaic term for son. It is primarily a gentile world-view that is being addressed here in Adonai’s very strong admonition. Therefore, the “My Son” (Beni in verse 7) who becomes crowned the King of Righteousness on the coronation day of his great triumph over sin and death (i.e. HaBikkurim) is first presented to us in Hebrew and then second is re-introduced in Aramaic (regarding the special prophetic meanings of the terms ‘first’ and ‘second’ cf. our document the “Messiah in Purim“).

This dual international reference to the Son (in both closely related Semitic languages of Hebrew and Aramaic) is understandable since the Messiah is declared forever to be the universal King of Righteousness (cf. Psalm 110). Therefore:

The Messiah is Melekh Yisrael v’ Melekh HaGoyim.

The Messiah is the resurrected-glorified High Priest and King of Israel and of all of the Gentile nations and peoples of the world! Consequently, the alternating warning and invitation to blessedness in Psalm 2 is centered on the sovereignty of the universal king who is the Son (ben-bar) of Adonai. The poetic riddle is: We can only worship Adonai in purity if we first do homage to the Son, who is our Redeemer (HaGo’el) and our Sovereign Righteous One (Tzaddik).

פֶּן־יֶאֱנַף (pen-ye’enaf) – lest He become wrathful. ‘Anaf (אָנַףּ) Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; to be angry, literally to breath hard from the nose, to be enraged. HaAv (the Father) and the Son are One. Therefore, the wrath to come is sourced in both; however, the (unseen) wrath of the Father is expressed visibly through the just judgment of His Son.

וְתֹאבְדוּ דֶרֶךְ (v’tovedu derekh) – and you perish (see Psalm 1:6) from the way. Avad (אָבַד) Qal imperfect, 2nd person, masculine plural; to perish. If the international leaders and their people persist in continuously wandering away from Adonai and deliberately oppose His will then their destruction will inevitably follow. If the leaders of the gentile nations persist in resisting and not submitting to the will of Adonai and His chosen King, then the resurrected-glorified Messiah, the King of Kings (Melekh HaMelakhim), He will destroy them. In accordance with the will of Elohim Avinu (God our Father) Messiah is the Supreme Ruler of all (Hamvorakh). After his return from heaven to Israel he shall rule from the throne of David over the entire world populace; with or without the consent of the angry gentile opposition.

כִּֽי־יִבְעַר כִּמְעַט אַפֹּו (ki-yiv’ar kim’at apo) – i.e., suddenly. Va’ar (בָּעַר) Qal imperfect, 3rd person, masculine singular; to burn, to consume (the “wrath” of Adonai). The absolute urgency of the submission is indicated by the suddenness of the execution of His wrath.

אַשְׁרֵי כָּל־חֹוסֵי בֹֽו (ashrei kol-chosei vo) – “blessed” or “happy.” The happiness of those who trust in Adonai will be evident on Yom Adonai – the Day of Adonai. The final promise of Part II of the Ashrei-Man (Psalm 2) is that those who take refuge in him (the Son) will be delivered from the wrath to come. The Second Coming of the Messiah will mean wrath to all who continue to rebel against the rule of Adonai, but exceedingly great joy, safety and security (refuge) for all who in full faith submit to Adonai’s plan to rule the world through His chosen king, David’s greater Son, the Messiah!

The place where the Seed of Elohim (His Spirit) dwells and grows.

As stated multiple times before the latter part of Netan’el’s name Bar Talimai means Son of Furrows (בן תלמים). Three points about the providential spiritual meaning of this name:

Son of Furrows #1. In the Scriptures furrows (or ridges) are the place where the waters of heaven are deposited so that the cultivated soil might be generously hydrated. The cultivated furrows are where the sower sows his seed. The rows of furrows in the field is the place where the landowner (God the Father) makes His seed to live, grow, mature, and thrive (dwell). The furrows are made by a plowman. The prophets and the shlichim (emissaries) are the plowman. The seed is sown by a sower.

The Sower of the seed is the Messiah.

Son of Furrows #2. The “offspring” (children) of a furrow is the plant life that grows up within it. In Hebrew the word son (ben, bar) speaks of a dwelling place where the seed (zera) of the Father dwells. Son of the Furrows is, therefore, a prophetic term that speaks of the Messiah (Seed, singular) and the sons and daughters of Adonai Eloheinu (seeds, plural). God our Father created the Institution of marriage so that “He” might have many righteous (godly) offspring.

Son of Furrows #3. Messiah is the Great Seed singular. He is “the seed that multiplies by dying.” From the one Great Seed comes many seeds; many sons (and daughters) of glory. We are created out of the life of the Messiah and as such we are the little seeds plural.

A Royal Nation of Priests and Kings.

In the near future – we believe this twenty-first century – millennial Israel as a royal nation of priests and kings (Servant-leaders) will be preoccupied with serving all of the nations, peoples, and families of the world in the abiding Presence, favor, help. loving kindness, and abundant Joy of the Spirit of the Holy One. So it is a true saying:

The Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One is our Living Torah.

It is the Spirit’s abiding truth that is to be forever engraved upon all of our (Israel’s) hearts. After the (soon) return of our Messiah our people will become the good soil that always receives the Word of God (D’var HaShem) with rejoicing and grows to bear multiplied fruitfulness (cf. prophetic meaning of Ephraim). In that day, we believe beginning in this twenty-first century, our people will live in a state of continual spiritual development. Our children (descendants) will be living in a state of continuous blessing. Every person will abide under his own “fig tree” and enjoy the produce of his own “grapevine;” both messianic symbols of great physical and spiritual affluence. At that time the whole earth will be filled with an abundance of the knowledge and wisdom of the Spirit (Micah 4:4, Zechariah 3:10):

וְיָשְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחַת גַּפְנֹו וְתַחַת תְּאֵנָתֹו וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד כִּי־פִי ה’ צְבָאֹות דִּבֵּֽר׃

They shall sit every man under his vine and his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: For the mouth of Adonai Tseva’ot has spoken it.

בַּיֹּום הַהוּא נְאֻם ה’ צְבָאֹות תִּקְרְאוּ אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ אֶל־תַּחַת גֶּפֶן וְאֶל־תַּחַת תְּאֵנָֽה׃

In that day, declares Adonai Tseva’ot, “everyone of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree.”

Vision of the Messianic Age.

This is why in the narrative of the Proceedings of the heavenly Court and the Testimony of Messiah there were multiple references to Messiah supernaturally seeing Given of Elohim, Netan’el, under the “fig tree.” The Messiah’s encounter with Nathaniel is a veiled prophetic reference to the physical and spiritual affluence of the coming messianic age:

וַיַּרְא יֵשׁוּעַ אֶת־נְתַנְאֵל בָּא לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר עָלָיו הִנֵּה בֶאֱמֶת בֶּן־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר אֵין־בּוֹ רְמִיָּה׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו נְתַנְאֵל אֵיךְ יְדַעְתָּנִי וַיַּעַן יֵשׁוּעַ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ בְּטֶרֶם קָרָא לְךָ פִּילִפּוֹס וְאַתָּה תַּחַת הַתְּאֵנָה אָנֹכִי רְאִיתִיךָ׃ וַיַּעַן נְתַנְאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו רַבִּי אַתָּה בֶּן־אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה הוּא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ וַיַּעַן יֵשׁוּעַ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו יַעַן אֲשֶׁר הִגַּדְתִּי לְךָ כִּי־תַחַת הַתְּאֵנָה רְאִיתִיךָ הֶאֱמַנְתָּ הִנֵּה גְּדֹלוֹת מֵאֵלֶּה תִּרְאֶה׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אָמֵן אָמֵן אֲנִי אֹמֵר לָכֶם מֵעַתָּה תִרְאוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם נִפְתָּחִים וּמַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים עַל בֶּן־הָאָדָם׃

כְּשֶׁרָאָה יֵשׁוּעַ אֶת נְתַנְאֵל בָּא לִקְרָאתוֹ, אָמַר עָלָיו: הִנֵּה בֶּאֱמֶת בֶּן יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מִרְמָה. שָׁאַל אוֹתוֹ נְתַנְאֵל: “מִנַּיִן אַתָּה מַכִּיר אוֹתִי? עָנָה לוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ: “לִפְנֵי שֶׁקָּרָא לְךָ פִילִיפּוֹס, כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיִיתָ תַּחַת עֵץ הַתְּאֵנָה, רָאִיתִי אוֹתְךָ. הֵשִׁיב לוֹ נְתַנְאֵל: רַבִּי, אַתָּה בֶּן־הָאֱלֹהִים, אַתָּה מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל! אָמַר לוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ: מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לְךָ כִּי רְאִיתִיךָ תַּחַת עֵץ הַתְּאֵנָה הֶאֱמַנְתָּ? גְּדוֹלוֹת מֵאֵלֶּה תִּרְאֶה! וְעוֹד אָמַר לוֹ: אָמֵן אָמֵן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם, אַתֶּם תִּרְאוּ אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם פְּתוּחִים וּמַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים עוֹלִים וְיוֹרְדִים עַל בֶּן־הָאָדָם. פ

When Yeshua saw Netan’el coming to greet him and said of him, “Truly, here is a son of Yisra’el (בֶּן יִשְׂרָאֵל) in whom there is no deceit!” (מִרְמָה) Netan’el (Given of God) said to him, “How do you know me?” Yeshua answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Netan’el answered and said to him, “Rabbi, you are the ben Ha-Elohim! You are the King of Yisra’el!” (מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל). Yeshua answered and said to him, “You believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these!” He said to him “Amen, amen, I say to you, from now on, you will see heaven opened and the angels of the Almighty ascending and descending on the ben Ha’adam” (the Son of Man-בֶּן־הָאָדָם).

“Rabbi, you are the ben Ha-Elohim! You are the King of Yisra’el!”

Children of the Wedding:

Before he ascended into heaven Rabbeinu Yeshua promised that the sons of Israel (בני ישראל) would one day see him triumphantly return to Israel in glory:

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אָמֵן אָמֵן אֲנִי אֹמֵר לָכֶם כִּי תִרְאוּ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם פְּתוּחִים וּמַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים עַל בֶּן־הָאָדָם׃

וְעוֹד אָמַר לוֹ: אָמֵן אָמֵן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם, אַתֶּם תִּרְאוּ אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם פְּתוּחִים וּמַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים עוֹלִים וְיוֹרְדִים עַל בֶּן־הָאָדָם.פ

“Amen, Amen, I say to you (אמן אמן אני אומר לכם), you will see the heavens opened (אתם תראו את השמים פתוחים) and the angels of God ascending and descending (ומלאכי אלהים עולים ויורדים) on (על) the Son of Man” (בן-האדם-ben Ha’adam).”

This fantastic, wondrous prophecy of signs and wonders in the heavens is meant to refocus our attention on those spiritual initiatives which are of utmost importance to God  our Father who dwells in heaven. Of most importance is His plan to one day transform us into “His” own perfect likeness; which is the likeness of His Beloved Son, our Messiah. It is written:

He shall remove the covering, then we shall see Him as He is!

אֲהוּבַי, עַכְשָׁו יַלְדֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲנַחְנוּ, וְעוֹד לֹא נִגְלָה מַה נִּהְיֶה. יוֹדְעִים אָנוּ שֶׁבְּהִגָּלוֹתוֹ נִהְיֶה כָּמוֹהוּ, כִּי נִרְאֵהוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא. פ

“Beloved (אהובי), now are we children of God, and it is yet to be revealed what we shall be. We know (יודעים אנו) he shall be revealed, then we shall be like him (the Son); because we shall [like the Son] see Him (HaShem) as He is.”

This promise very much compliments the blessing that God made to the first Adam. Where the first Adam failed to appropriate the Genesis Blessing for his children, the Last Adam has succeeded to appropriate this blessing for us and for our children. Due to his flawless obedience the Messiah has given us a path back to full restoration of our original blessed state of existing in perfect unity with God. Therefore, our Creator said in His Genesis blessing to our first father and mother:

וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם אֱלֹהִים פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁהָ וּרְדוּ בִּדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעֹוף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבְכָל־חַיָּה הָֽרֹמֶשֶׂת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

“God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'”

What is the spiritual meaning of the Genesis blessing as it pertains to us today?

The fruitfulness (parah-פָּרָה) the heavenly Father desires most upon the earth is not the multiplication of prideful and sinful people but the multiplication of the humble and obedient righteous one. Rabbi Yeshua our Tzaddik is the Perfect Man. He is the Image of God (צלם אלוהים-Tselem Elohim). It is the abundant, fruitful life of Messiah that the Father seeks to multiply and replenish the earth and heaven with.

Messiah is HaAdam Ha-Acharon.

Messiah is the last Adam (HaAdam Ha-Acharon) who is superior to all the angels, prophets (Moses), and priests. Messiah is the God of the Beginning (Elohei Kedem) cloaked in human form. He is the Life and the Word of Life (Ha Chaim v’ D’var HaChaim). The Messiah is forever our Great High Priest (HaKohen HaGadol). He is our Korban Pesach (Passover Sacrifice). He is the Lamb of God who has cleansed us of our sins—who takes away the sins of the world.

Messiah has conquered death for us that we who believe on him might on the day of resurrection become like him—sons of *glory.

*The term glory/honor is synonymous with Presence – Messiah has made it possible for the actual Presence of the Holy One to abide with us, through us, in us, and upon us forever.

Therefore, prophetically the dual name Netan’el bar Talimai speaks of the abundant fruitfulness–great harvest of redeemed humankind–that will be brought about by the furrowing (תִלוּם), sowing (זְרִיעָה), pruning (גִזוּם) and harvesting (קְצִיר) of the earth’s populace by God.

The culmination of this Great Harvest will occur during the (yet future) millennial (one thousand year) reign of Messiah. However, this great harvest and state of international shalom/peace will not occur until Israel as a nation and a people exercises full faith in the Messiah.

The Seed of Abraham.

This promised deliverance of Israel and the rest of humankind from sin unto righteousness is “solely” the work of the promised Seed of Abraham (זרע אברהם). All of Messiah’s work of redemption and the permanent Indwelling work of the Holy Spirit that is a blessing upon all the families, nations, and peoples of the world is a direct outcome of God’s promise to bless His friend—-father Abraham.

Whether Jew or Gentile everyone who puts their faith in God’s promise to our father Abraham will by their faith in Elohei Avraham – the God of Abraham – become the children of Abraham (אברהם הוא אביו של כולנו) who is a father to all who believe.

לָכֵן עַל־יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁכָּל זֶה יִהְיֶה בְּחֶסֶד וְהַהַבְטָחָה תָּחוּל עַל כָּל הַצֶּאֱצָאִים, לֹא רַק עַל בְּנֵי הַתּוֹרָה, אֶלָּא גַּם עַל בְּנֵי אֱמוּנַת אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁהוּא אָב לְכֻלָּנוּ – כְּפִי שֶׁכָּתוּב: “כִּי אַב־הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם נְתַתִּיךָ” – לְעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ הֶאֱמִין, הָאֱלֹהִים הַמְחַיֶּה אֶת הַמֵּתִים וְהַקּוֹרֵא בְּשֵׁם דְּבָרִים בְּעוֹד אֵינָם בְּנִמְצָא. פ

The Wedding in Kana (the First Sign):

On the evening of a wedding (נִשׂוּאִים-Nissuim, חֲתָנוּת-Chetnuit) in ancient Israel, the bride was led from her father’s home to the new home of her husband. First came the music. Then wine and oil were distributed among the people and nuts given to the children. Next the bride was covered with the bridal veil. Surrounded by her closest female friends the bride was then led by the best man of the groom (שׁוֹשְׁבִין הַחָתָן-shoshebyin ha-chatan) and the groomsmen attendants of the bridal-chamber (בְּנֵי הַחֻפָּה-b’nai ha-chuppah). Everyone was dressed up in honor of the special occasion. Some guests carried torches. Some guests carried lamps on poles. Those persons nearest the bride had myrtle-branches and wreaths of flowers worn on their heads (chaplets).

Everyone rose in respect to honor the wedding procession.

It was everyone’s duty to praise the bride for her modesty (צניעות), virtues (מעלות), and beauty (ויופי). When the bride arrived at her new home she was led to her husband. The husband was instructed, “Take her according to the Torah of Moses and of Israel.” The bride and bridegroom were crowned with garlands. Once the bridal blessing had been spoken and the bridal cup “emptied” (fully consumed) the feast began. In the house of the Groom there was a room where all the side-rooms open up called the Teraklin (טְרַקלִין-salon). Before the bride had gone into the Chuppah, at the exact moment the bride stepped foot into the Teraklin, she was considered married.

“Take her according to the Torah of Moses and of Israel.”

וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי הָיְתָה חֲתֻנָּה בְּקָנָה אֲשֶׁר בַּגָּלִיל וְשָׁם אֵם יֵשׁוּעַ׃ וְיֵשׁוּעַ וְתַלְמִידָיו גַּם־הֵם הָיוּ מִן־הַקְּרוּאִים אֶל־הַחֲתֻנָּה׃ וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּלָה הַיָּיִן וַתֹּאמֶר אֵם יֵשׁוּעַ אֵלָיו אֵין לָהֶם יָיִן׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ יֵשׁוּעַ מַה־לִּי וָלָךְ אִשָּׁה עִתִּי עֲדַיִן לֹא־בָאָה׃ וַתֹּאמֶר אִמּוֹ אֶל־הַמְשָׁרֲתִים כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר לָכֶם תַּעֲשׂוֹּ׃ וְשָׁם שִׁשָּׁה כַדֵּי־אֶבֶן עֲרוּכִים כְּמִשְׁפַּט הַיְּהוּדִים לְטָהֳרָתָם שְׁתַּיִם אוֹ־שָׁלשׁ בַּתִּים יָכִיל כָּל־אֶחָד׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם יֵשׁוּעַ מַלְאוּ הַכַּדִּים מָיִם וַיְמַלְאוּם עַד־לְמָעְלָה׃ וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁאֲבוּ־נָא וְהָבִיאוּ אֶל־רַב הַמְּסִבָּה וַיָּבִיאוּ׃ וַיִּטְעַם רֹאשׁ הַמְּסִבָּה אֶת־הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר נֶהֶפְכוּ לְיַיִן וְלֹא יָדַע מֵאַיִן הוּא וְהַמְשָׁרֲתִים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁאֲבוּ אֶת־הַמַּיִם יָדָעוּ וַיִּקְרָא רֹאשׁ־הַמְּסִבָּה אֶל־הֶחָתָן׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו כָּל־אִישׁ יִתֵּן בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה אֶת־הַיַּיִן הַטּוֹב וְאַחֲרֵי שְׁתוֹתָם לִרְוָיָה יִתֵּן לָהֶם אֶת־הַגָּרוּעַ וְאַַתָּה צָפַנְתָּ הַיַּיִן הַטּוֹב עַד־עָתָּה׃

בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי הָיְתָה חֲתֻנָּה בְּקָנָה אֲשֶׁר בַּגָּלִיל. אִמּוֹ שֶׁל יֵשׁוּעַ הָיְתָה שָׁם, וְגַם יֵשׁוּעַ וְתַלְמִידָיו הֻזְמְנוּ לַחֲתֻנָּה. כְּשֶׁחָסַר לָהֶם יַיִן אָמְרָה אֵם יֵשׁוּעַ אֵלָיו: אֵין לָהֶם יַיִן.” אָמַר לָהּ יֵשׁוּעַ: מַה לִּי וָלָךְ, אִשָּׁה? עוֹד לֹא הִגִּיעָה שְׁעָתִי. אָמְרָה אִמּוֹ לַמְשָׁרְתִים: “כָּל מַה שֶּׁיֹּאמַר לָכֶם עֲשׂוּ. שִׁשָּׁה כַּדֵּי אֶבֶן הָיוּ עֲרוּכִים שָׁם, כְּמִנְהַג הַיְּהוּדִים לְטָהֳרָתָם, וְכָל אֶחָד הֵכִיל כִּשְׁמוֹנִים עַד מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים לִיטֶר. אָמַר לָהֶם יֵשׁוּעַ: מַלְּאוּ אֶת הַכַּדִּים מַיִם, וְהֵם מִלְּאוּ אוֹתָם עַד לְמַעְלָה. אָמַר לָהֶם: שַׁאֲבוּ עַכְשָׁו וְהָבִיאוּ אֶל רֹאשׁ הַמְּסִבָּה. הֵם שָׁאֲבוּ וְהֵבִיאוּ אֵלָיו. טָעַם רֹאשׁ הַמְּסִבָּה אֶת הַמַּיִם שֶׁנֶּהֶפְכוּ לְיַיִן וְלֹא יָדַע מֵאַיִן הוּא, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַמְשָׁרְתִים אֲשֶׁר שָׁאֲבוּ אֶת הַמַּיִם יָדְעוּ. קָרָא רֹאשׁ הַמְּסִבָּה אֶת הֶחָתָן וְאָמַר לוֹ: כָּל אָדָם מַגִּישׁ תְּחִלָּה אֶת הַיַּיִן הַטּוֹב וְכַאֲשֶׁר הָאֲנָשִׁים מְבֻסָּמִים יַגִּישׁ אֶת הַטּוֹב־פָּחוֹת, אֲבָל אַתָּה שָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת הַיַּיִן הַטּוֹב עַד עַכְשָׁו. פ

On the third day there was a wedding in Kana which is in Galil. The mother of Yeshua was there, and also invited to the wedding was Yeshua and his talmidin. When they lacked wine, the mother of Yeshua said to him, “They have no wine.” Yeshua said to her, “What is it to me and to you, woman? (מה לי ולך, אשה) My time has still not come.” His mother said to the servers:

     !כל מה שיאמר לכם עשו

“Whatever he tells you do!”

Six stone pitchers (ששה כדי אבן) were prepared according to the ordinance of the Yehudim for their purification (לטהרתם). Each of them was able to hold two or three battim (בַּתִּים-a liquid measure of about six gallons or twenty-two liters). Yeshua said to them, “Fill the pitchers with water” and they filled them up to the top. He said, “Now draw some and take it to the Master (Head) of the Banquet” (ראש המס’בה), and they took it. The Master of the Banquet tasted the water, which had turned into wine, not knowing where it was from. But his servers who had drawn the water knew. The Master of the Banquet called to the groom, and said to him, “Everyone gives out the good wine first, and after they have drunk to their full then he gives them the less than the best wine. But you have saved the best wine until now!”

זֹאת רֵאשִׁית הָאֹתוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יֵשׁוּעַ בְּקָנָה אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ הַגָּלִיל וַיְגַל אֶת־כְּבוֹדוֹ וַיַּאֲמִינוּ בוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו׃

זֹאת תְּחִלַּת הָאוֹתוֹת שֶׁל יֵשׁוּעַ. הוּא עָשָׂה זֹאת בְּקָנָה שֶׁבַּגָּלִיל. אָז הֶרְאָה אֶת כְּבוֹדוֹ וְתַלְמִידָיו הֶאֱמִינוּ בּוֹ.פ

This was the first of the signs that Yeshua did in Kana, which is in Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his talmidin believed in him.

Before the great joy of the wedding celebration there is a time of sober preparation and self-sacrifice. Paradoxically for our people (Israel) great joy is always born out of great sacrifice. Love is incredibly precious because it costs us so much. Rabbeinu Yeshua has taught us the greatest love is determined by the highest degree of sacrifice. We must ask ourselves, if we are the generation that is a Lover of the Presence, and we do believe we are that generation for we believe the Presence of the Holy One shall return soon; then what sacrifice are we willing to make?

.אני נותן לך את חיי כערובה

 “I give to you my life as a pledge.”

The marital vow is a statement that our Beloved is worth a life. “I give to you my life as a guarantee.” There is a deeper meaning in our Jewish wedding ceremony than the joyous coming together of two people. The Rabbis rightfully insist that the relationship of husband and bride is a sacred illustration of the eternal union (echad) that exists between God and His beloved Israel.

God has set His love, the seal of His Spirit, upon us forever.

The pious Jew and Jewess fast before their wedding and we confess our sins just as we would to prepare for the most sacred day of all our Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur. Entrance into the married state is considered to carry with it the forgiveness of sins. For this reason the newly married enjoy a special exemption from fasting during the sober observance of the Day of Atonement because we have already observed the pious requirements of the day in our wedding. Thus on our wedding day every couple acts as a representative extension of the greater eternal corporate union that exists between our God and all Israel. For we all exist together as one person (one body) and that one person is God’s bride.

So, each and every one of us from father Abraham and our mother Sara on throughout all human history are members of the body of God (His bride). And for now the proxy Bridegroom, acting on behalf of God is His Son, our Great High Priest.  And the Head of Messiah and all of us is the Spirit of God.

!אלהי האמת לבדו

The God of Truth alone!

The Spirit of the Holy One is the only true God. He is the One who *bodily indwells Yeshua Ha-Mashiach. The house (the body) is not God. We are not God. We are His house (Beit-El-בֵּית־אֵל). The One who Indwells His house (the body) is the Spirit of God (HaEL-Beit-El-הָאֵל֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל). He is the only true God. This means we do not worship Yeshua our brother, the man who is the head of the assembly. Rather we do homage to Rabbi Yeshua ben David, the Messiah of God. For it is written

נַשְּׁקוּ־בַר פֶּן־יֶאֱנַף וְתֹאבְדוּ דֶרֶךְ כִּֽי־יִבְעַר כִּמְעַט אַפֹּו אַשְׁרֵי כָּל־חֹוסֵי בֹֽו׃

Do homage to the Son, that he not become angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in him!

Therefore, we do give homage to our Master (adoni) but we worship only the Spirit of the Holy One who indwells him. For this reason Rabbi Yeshua *teaches us to recognize both his humanity and authority, yet, we are only to worship ADONAI who is his God and our God. As he has taught us: YHWH is his Father and our Father; and YHWH is his God and our God. The LORD our God alone is the One who is the one true God, the LORD of our Lord. As it is written:

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

Le-David Mizmor neoom. Adonai ladoni shev liyemini ad-asheet oyvecha hadom leraglecha.

A Psalm of David. ADONAI (ה’) says to my master (אדני) “Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

*It is important to note that both King David (Psalm 110:1) and the talmid of Rabbi Yeshua, Thomas, make a distinction between ADONAI and Rabbi Yeshua. Yeshua, the man, is addressed as my lord, my master (adoni). However, the Spirit of the Holy One who Indwells the Messiah, is addressed as ADONAI (the LORD). So, it is written:

שמע ישראל ה’ אלוהינו ה’ אחד׃

Shema Yisra’el, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad!

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה’ אֶחָֽד׃

Hear, understand, and obey (שמע) Yisra’el (ישראל), Adonai our God (אלוהינו ה’) Adonai is one [perfect] unity (ה’ אחד).

The Shema is best understood as a process that involves God’s calling His people into a state of perfect unity with Him. In this seven-fold process we are expected to walk in a manner that is worthy of our high calling. With all humility and gentleness, with patience showing tolerance for one another in love (אַהֲבָה), being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit (אַחְדוּת הָרוּחַ) in the bond of shalom (שָׁלוֹם). It is in reciting and meditating upon the unity prayer of the Shema that we learn:

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

There is (הִנֵּה):

(1) One body (גּוּף אֶחָד)
(2) One Spirit (וְרוּחַ אַחַת), just as also you were called in (כְּשֵׁם שֶׁגַּם אַתֶּם נִקְרֵאתֶם אֶל)
(3) One hope of your calling; (תִּקְוַת יִעוּדְכֶם הָאַחַת)
(4) One master, lord (אָדוֹן אֶחָד),
(5) One faith (אֱמוּנָה אַחַת),
(6) One immersion (טְבִילָה אַחַת),
(7) One God and Father of all (וְאָב אֶחָד לַכֹּל)
Who is over all (הוּא אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל כֹּל),
Works in all (פּוֹעֵל בַּכֹּל),
Who dwells in all (וּבְתוֹךְ הַכֹּל).

*Echad (אחד-one), echat (אחת-one) is referenced seven times; in the Jewish scriptures seven is the number of completeness and perfection. Kol (כל-all, whole) is referenced four times – four is the number of universality. For these reasons it is written:

כִּי בֹעֲלַיִךְ עֹשַׂיִךְ ה’ צְבָאֹות שְׁמֹו וְגֹֽאֲלֵךְ קְדֹושׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹהֵי כָל־הָאָרֶץ יִקָּרֵֽא׃ כִּֽי־כְאִשָּׁה עֲזוּבָה וַעֲצוּבַת רוּחַ קְרָאָךְ ה’ וְאֵשֶׁת נְעוּרִים כִּי תִמָּאֵס אָמַר אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ׃ בְּרֶגַע קָטֹן עֲזַבְתִּיךְ וּבְרַחֲמִים גְּדֹלִים אֲקַבְּצֵֽךְ׃ בְּשֶׁצֶף קֶצֶף הִסְתַּרְתִּי פָנַי רֶגַע מִמֵּךְ וּבְחֶסֶד עֹולָם רִֽחַמְתִּיךְ אָמַר גֹּאֲלֵךְ ה’׃ .

“For your Husband is your Maker, whose name is Adonai Tseva’ot; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, who is called the God of all the earth. For Adonai has called you, like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,” says Adonai.

For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will gather you.

In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting loving-kindness I will have compassion on you.”

YHWH God is Israel’s eternal High Priest (Husband)—Aaron and his physical descendants are just His stand-in, His temporary, imperfect legal proxy (פרוקסי)—as is our true Great High Priest Rabbeinu Yeshua His permanent *perfect proxy. The God of Israel, the Maker of Israel, He is the eternal Husband of Israel. He is the One who personally has given His sacrifice of love. He has given us the gift of His life to purchase our happiness (His bride). The relational life of the God of Israel is a sacrificial one. Therefore, our Righteous Father voluntarily and perpetually – through His Son, Seh Ha-Elohim – layed down His own precious life as a perpetual sacrifice of love for His bride.

*For it is written:

וְכַאֲשֶׁר הַכֺּל יוּשַׁת תַּחְתָּיו, אָז גַּם הַבֵּן עַצְמוֹ יִהְיֶה כָּפוּף לְמִי שֶׁשָּׁת תַּחְתָּיו אֶת הַכֺּל, לְמַעַן יִהְיֶה הָאֱלֹהִים הַכֺּל בַּכֺּל. פ

When all things are subjected to him, then the **Son himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be the all in all.

**Rabbeinu Yeshua .

The Husband of Israel appeared to us the first time in the person of His perfect proxy the Messiah Yeshua for the cleansing of our sin. Our ancestors rejected the Messiah of God. However, to this generation of Israel the Messiah of God shall appear to us again, a second time, but not for sin. The Bridegroom of Israel shall appear to us again that we may ‘see Him as He is.’ (The covering will be removed).Then shall we be changed, for when we see Him as He is then we shall be like him (the Son, our Messiah).

In marriage, like the Day of Atonement, humility must be exercised, sacrifices offered, forgiveness given, atonement made, union restored and preserved. As stated previously:

In truth the measure of our joy in life very much depends upon the measure of our sacrifice.

The Bridegroom of Israel has made the greatest sacrifice imaginable because: He has given all of His life to us. He has given to us His pledge to remain faithful to us forever. In addition to Adonai making atonement and cleansing His bride of all her sins, He gives to her His gift of eternal life. It is the will of the Father (Ha Av) to give His own Spirit to live within each and everyone of us forever:

First we must be cleansed (by His sacrifice); then we must be filled to the brim with His Spirit (His gift).

The Mystery of Marriage reveals the True Love of HaShem:

In holy love the Creator, our one true Rabbi, spoke the words of blessing over the cup of our unity at the wedding of our first parents. The holy angels looked on as witnesses of this new institution of marriage and rejoiced with our heavenly Father at the establishment of His new family. The prophet Malachi spoke of why Avi-Khol did this. He created the union of marriage so that He might have righteous and holy offspring (זֶרַע אֱלֹהִים).

Question: What is the sacrifice of highest praise that honors Adonai above all else?

Answer: It is when His children love Him and each other as He loves us—with His love!

Therefore, in honor of the Divinely appointed and established sacred institution of marriage and all that it means to God every Yehudi who meets the marriage procession is required to rise up and join it. Therefore,in the practice of our faith everything, even a funeral, has to give way to a marriage-procession. Why is this so? This is so because love is the fulfillment of all the Torah (1, 2) and there is no greater revelation of the love of the Holy One than in His revelation of the mystery of marriage (הסוד של נישואין). In the institution of marriage that our heavenly Father created we learn of His desire for all of us to put into practice His Holy Love. This we are called to do in all of our (His) marital and family life. Our (Israel’s) present practice is but a dress rehearsal for the future immortal, perfect marital and family love we are destined by faith to enjoy in the eternity that our Father has (already) prepared for us to dwell-in.

Galilee speaks of an eternal union between Adonai Eloeinu and Israel:

In Temple times a special ceremony that of “betrothal” (אֵרוּסִין קידושין-Erusin Kiddushin) preceded the Jewish wedding ceremony by a period that normally did not exceed twelve months.

Step #1. At the betrothal, the bridegroom handed to the bride a coin (of redemption) as proof of the man’s pledge to the woman (later it became a tradition to provide a ring).

Step #2. A carefully written legal document was drawn up (שטרי ארוסין-Shitre Erusin) that fixed the amount of dowry that each person brought. It also specified what obligations applied to the marital union that was being made.

Step #3. The ceremony recognized the bride’s new inclusion in the immediate family of her Groom. This fact was underscored by the Father of the Groom first passing a cup of wine to his son, who in turn passed the cup to His betrothed wife. After the bride drank the cup of wine (representing the family blood-line) she was legally considered a member of the family; just as if she had grown up in the same family as her Husband (cf. an illustration of this in the Song of Songs (i.e. the Husband refers to his Beloved as his sister, his bride; as well as lover).

Step #4. From the moment of the betrothal—-the receiving of redemption-bride price, the agreement of the wedding contract, and the drinking of the acceptance and the consuming of the wine—-both parties were considered married. The couple was bound in marriage in every way. This was true as to inheritance, adultery, need of formal divorce. The only exception was that the couple had to wait an “unknown” period of time (known only by the Best Man and the Father of the Bridegroom) before the marriage could be consummated and the couple could live together in union as Husband and Wife.

The Messiah was sent to establish “a permanent circuit of relationship” between redeemed humanity and God our Father.

It was the heavenly God’s plan before the foundations of the earth that the Messiah—as His permanent perfect Proxy, His High Priest—would in the fullness of time come down from heaven to earth, to redeem humankind and establish a ‘permanent circuit of relationship’ between redeemed humanity and Himself. Then will the end come, for when all things have been brought into subjection to the Messiah, then He will hand over the kingdom to Adonai Avinu (our Father) that He might be the all in all (1, 2, 3).

וְכַאֲשֶׁר הַכֺּל יוּשַׁת תַּחְתָּיו, אָז גַּם הַבֵּן עַצְמוֹ יִהְיֶה כָּפוּף לְמִי שֶׁשָּׁת תַּחְתָּיו אֶת הַכֺּל, לְמַעַן יִהְיֶה הָאֱלֹהִים הַכֺּל בַּכֺּל. פ

When all things are subjected to him (the Messiah), then the Son himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be the all in all.

הַכֺּל בַּכֺּל

The place name Galil (Galilee) translated from Hebrew literally means “circuit,” “circle,” and “ring.” In the context of a wedding the place name Galil speaks of an eternal and unbreakable marital bond that the heavenly Father has permanently arranged between Himself and His people (Israel) through the ministry of His Beloved Son, who is our high priest, prophet, and king forever.

Six members in Messiah’s wedding party, the number of Humankind:

At this historic moment there were *six members – the scriptural number that represents Adam/Humankind – in Rabbi Yeshua’s wedding party. In chronological order, according to their order of introduction in the besorah of Yochanan ben Zebedyah, the meanings of the names of these six Jewish men (גברים יהודים) are as follows:.

Rabbeinu: Yeshua (the Salvation of Adonai).
Talmid #1. Andrew (Adam).
Talmid #2. The unnamed one (who did not come in his own name).
Talmid #3. Shim’on Peter ( the Hearing One; the Rock).
Talmid #4. Philip (***Lover of the Presence).
Talmid #5. Netan’el (Given of Elohim).

*Compare and contrast the above listed righteous group of six—Rabbi Yeshua the Elder who is Rich in Adonai and his five Jewish brothers (students)—with the unrighteous group of six—The foolish Elder and his five (1, 2 ) Jewish brothers (students) found in the 49 parables of the Messiah.

**There are six eras of Elders-Sages since the teaching of the Messiah was replaced with the false teaching of the Prushim. These six rabbinic eras are: Tannaim (תנאים), Amoraim (אמוראים), Savoraim (סבוראים) Geonim (גאונים), Rishonim (ראשונים), Acharonim (אחרונים). The present day sixth era is called the era of the Acharonim; which means Last One(s).

***Philip’s name is a compound word in Greek that literally means, Lover (Philos-φίλος) of Horses (Ippos-ἵππος). This personal name of one of the chosen shlichim of Messiah does not make any didactic prophetic sense until one searches out what the biblical meaning of horses is in reference to the Messiah; both in the Tanakh and the Brit Chadashah. When the word horse (or horses) is associated with the Messiah it is nearly always used in reference to his second coming as the Conquering Messiah, the Messiah ben David; and as a reference to the Shekinah Glory Cloud that accompanies the Messiah; wherein dwells the actual Presence of God.

רָאִיתִי אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם פְּתוּחִים וְהִנֵּה סוּס לָבָן וְהַיּוֹשֵׁב עָלָיו נִקְרָא נֶאֱמָן וַאֲמִתִּי; בְּצֶדֶק הוּא שׁוֹפֵט וְלוֹחֵם.

I saw the heavens open and behold a white horse (סוּס לָבָן) and he who sat upon it is called Faithful and True (נֶאֱמָן וַאֲמִתִּי); and in righteousness (בְּצֶדֶק) he judges (שׁוֹפֵט) and wages war (וְלוֹחֵם).

Horses, the Shekinah Glory Cloud: Lover of the Presence.

Scriptural use of the word horse (and horses) in association with the Messiah is a symbolic reference to the Shekinah Glory Cloud (Exodus 13:21; 20:21; Psalm 104:3; Jeremiah 4:13). God’s Shekinah (Presence) will accompany His Messiah when he returns from heaven to establish God’s rule upon the earth. Therefore it is written:

הִנֵּה הוּא בָּא עִם הָעֲנָנִים. כָּל עַיִן תִּרְאֶה אוֹתוֹ, גַּם אֵלֶּה שֶׁדְּקָרוּהוּ, וְיִסְפְּדוּ עָלָיו כָּל מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאָרֶץ. כֵּן; אָמֵן.פ

“See he comes (הִנֵּה הוּא בָּא) with (עִם) the clouds (הָעֲנָנִים) Every eye will see him (כָּל עַיִן תִּרְאֶה אוֹתוֹ). Even those who pierced him (גַּם אֵלֶּה שֶׁדְּקָרוּהוּ); and all (כָּל-the whole) of the families of the earth (מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאָרֶץ) will mourn (וְיִסְפְּדוּ-lament, grieve) over (עָלָיו) him.

The two Wedding Rings of God:

The Hebrew word for Galilee is Galil (גָּלִיל-from גָּלַל). This place name describes the “circuit” of villages in northern Israel that are located west of the Jordan. In the book of Joshua this land was allotted to Zebulun (זְבוּלוּן-from זָבַל), Asher (אָשֵׁר-from אָשַׁר), and Naphtali (נַפְתָּלִי-from פָּתַל). Galil literally means to make a “circle:” For this reason galil is translated as “gold rings” in Song of Songs (5:14, lit. “His Hands are as Gold Rings“-יָדָיו גְּלִילֵי זָהָב):

יָדָיו גְּלִילֵי זָהָב מְמֻלָּאִים בַּתַּרְשִׁישׁ מֵעָיו עֶשֶׁת שֵׁן מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִֽים׃

His hands (yadin-יָדָיו) are rings (גְּלִילֵי) of Gold (זָהָ֔ב)
Set with beryl (מְמֻלָּאִים בַּתַּרְשִׁישׁ).
His body is carved ivory (מֵעָיו עֶשֶׁת שֵׁן)
Inlaid with sapphires (מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִֽים).

This means the Divine Hands (yadin-יָדָיו) of the Spirit of the Holy One are wrapped about us–around our heart, soul, mind, and body. We are eternally safe, secure, and above all loved. The Hand (singular) of the Spirit of God is sometimes expressed as Hands (plural) because of His omnipresence–God’s ability to be present everywhere at the same time. This safe, secure, beloved fullness of the Presence is to us like two omnipresent Wedding Rings: ring one, His Presence with us (engagement); and ring two, His Indwelling Presence within us (consummation):

וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁאֲלָה מֵאָבִי וְהוּא יִתֵּן לָכֶם פְּרַקְלִיט אַחֵר אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכֹּן אִתְּכֶם לָנֶצַח׃ אֶת־רוּחַ הָאֱמֶת אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָכֹל הָעוֹלָם לְהַשִּׂיגוֹ בַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא יִרְאֵהוּ וְלֹא יֵדָעֵהוּ וְאַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם אֹתוֹ כִּי־הוּא שֹׁכֵן אִתְּכֶם וְיִהְיֶה בְּקִרְבְּכֶם׃

ואני אבקש מהאב ויתן לכם מנחם אחר שיהיה עמכם לעולם: את רוח האמת אשר העולם אינו יכול לקבל משום שאינו רואה אותה, אף אינו מכיר אותה. אתם מכירים אותה, כי היא שוכנת עמכם ותהיה בכם. פ

As for me, I will ask of my Father, and He (Adonai) will give you another Advocate who will dwell with you for eternity, the Spirit of Truth, who the world will not be able to grasp, since they will neither see nor know HIm. But you (His Jewish people) know Him because He dwells *with you (Yisra’el) and will be *within you. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10).

*In the first covenant God came into our (Israel’s) midst and His Presence thereby was with us (our engagement). In the new covenant – after the redeeming, cleansing sacrifice of the Messiah our Korban Pesach – our heavenly Fahther sent us the gift of His Spirit to indwell us forever (our consummation).

In the Tanakh the three metals of gold, silver, and copper convey the three meanings of Divinity, redemption, and judgment.

In the Tanakh metals convey meaning. Gold often refers to Divinity, silver refers to redemption, and bronze (or copper) often represents “judgment.” The Gold Rings in Song of Solomon refer to the strong, secure bond (steadfast love) that exists between Adonai and His people. The Salvation of Adonai is Divinely established (Jachin, Yakin-יָכִין) by the strength (Boaz-בֹּעַז) of Adonai’s Hand (singular-plural) and in no way is a work of man.

וַאֲנִי אֶתֵּן לָהֶן חַיֵּי עוֹלָם וְלֹא תֹאבַדְנָה לָנֶצַח וְאִישׁ לֹא־יַחֲטֹף אֶתְהֶן מִיָּדִי׃ הָאָב אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָן לִי גָּדוֹל הוּא עַל־כֹּל וְאִישׁ לֹא־יַחֲטֹף אֶתְהֶן מִיַּד הָאָב׃ אֲנִי וְאָבִי אֶחָד אֲנָחְנוּ׃

ואני נותן להן חיי עולם; ולא תאבדנה לעולם, אף לא יחטף אותן איש מידי. אבי שנתן אותן לי גדול מכל ואין איש יכול לחטף אותן מיד האב. אני והאב אחד אנחנו. פ

I (the Messiah) will give them eternal life, and they will not perish for eternity. No one will snatch them from my hand. The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone; therefore, no one will snatch them from the Hand of My Father (יה). I and My Father are one (echad).

The Hand of Adonai Avinu is His Ruach Ha-Kodesh.

The Hand of God is the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Spirit of the Holy One). The work of the Hand of God is the work of His own omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, supremely sovereign Spirit:

:לֹא בְחַיִל וְלֹא בְכֹחַ כִּי אִם־בְּרוּחִי אָמַר ה’ צְבָאֹֽות

Not by might, not by power, but My Spirit says the Adonai of Hosts.

This means that the kingdom of God and the Temple thereof in heaven and on earth is not to be built by human will or effort but solely by the Divine will and strength of Adonai (i.e. the Hand of His Spirit). The pillars of the Temple (Yakin and Boaz) together translate into the meaning:

By His (God’s) Strength it will be established.

Take freely of the Water of Life:

“And both Yeshua and his talmidin were invited to the wedding.”

The wedding of Kana is a prophetic symbol of the wedding of Seh Ha-Elohim to his people (Israel) and through us (Israel) to all redeemed humankind (the Commonwealth of Israel). The heavenly Father has sent out an invitation to all who are willing, come to the wedding of Seh Ha-Elohim, who is about to be united with His bride (redeemed humanity) in eternal glory. Believe in the Messiah’s besorah of grace and receive the water of life that is graciously given without cost:

וְהָרוּחַ וְהַכַּלָּה אׂמְרִים בֹּא וְהַשּׁׂמֵעַ יׂאמַר בֹּא וְהַצָּמֵא יָבוֹא וְהֶחָפֵץ יִקַּח מַיִם חַיִּים חִנָּם׃

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”
And let the one who hears say, “Come.”
And let the one who is thirsty come;
Let the one who wishes: take the water of life without cost (to us).

Two Elect Groups.

According to the besorah (good news, gospel) of Yochanan: Rabbi Yeshua, his Jewess mother (Miryam) and his five talmidin were in attendance at the wedding at Kana. In addition Yeshua’s four half-brothers (1, 2) and two sisters most certainly attended as well (twelve persons in al). No names are given for Yeshua’s sisters. The names of the four brothers are:

Name #1. Ya’acov (יַעֲקֹב),
Name #2. Yosef (יוֹסֵף),
Name #3. Shim’on (שִׁמְעוֹן), and
Name #4. Yehudah (יְהוּדָה).

Four is a universal number in the Tanakh (N-S-E-W). The cumulative meta-narrative meaning of these four personal names is:

He will add (יוסף) hearing (שמעון) and the praise of God (יהודה) to his brother *Ya’akov (יעקב).

*Supplanter. Ya’akov will one day supplant the evil world system ruled by the evil one and overcome and replace it with the Rule of God (ישראל).

It is interesting to note that in the besorah of Yochanan the narrative of the first sign does not at its beginning visibly unite the spiritual family of Messiah (five talmidin and mother) with the rest of his immediate physical family; four brothers and two sisters (unnamed). However we do “see” the talmidin of Messiah united with his physical family after the wedding.

Under the rabbinical rule of “non-mention” it is important for us to ask: Why are the names of the brothers kept hidden in the besorah of Yochanan but revealed elsewhere? This area of inquiry is explored in the last paragraph of this chapter. It must also be pointed out that the mother of Messiah is placed in the narrative of both elect groups: the followers of Rabbeinu Yeshua (Jewish and Gentile); and the physical family of Yeshua (Jewish).

Abraham’s Descendants.

There are two different elect groups that are children of Abraham: his spiritual descendants and his physical descendants. The mother of Yeshua who is a type of Israel and all Twelve of the sent ones (shlichim) are members of both elect communities. The mother of the Messiah and the Twelve sent ones, therefore, are blessed to be members of the body of Messiah and the elect nation of Israel; they are twice blessed because they are members of *both elections.

*We are both the physical and spiritual descendants of father Abraham.

Israel’s election is as a “nation.” Therefore, those of us who are the physical descendants of Abraham and Sarah are members of a national corporate calling (a physical assembly) and destiny. The problem is for nearly two millennia Israel had lost its way. The Prushim false teachers and their successors caused our people to reject the leadership of the Messiah of God and follow them. Fortunately for Israel, Messiah his shlichim promised us that our falling away would one day come to an end; it would be temporary. Due to our father Avraham’s eternal covenant with Adonai, if one generation of Israel or for that matter several generations fall away a later generation of our elect nation and people will return to Adonai. God’s Word is true. Israel is a nation again and there is a growing number of Jews who are followers of Rabbeinu Yeshua who are living in Israel today. Yet still there are still hundreds of prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled regarding both our nation and our people and in His Name they shall all be fulfilled (1, 2).

Our (Israel’s) inevitable national salvation, however, in no way guarantees our own individual salvation.

Only a saving faith in the divine redemption of Messiah and our own individual spiritual rebirth in the life of the Spirit of the Holy One can provide us permanent forgiveness and cleansing for our sins (past, present, and future) and the gift of eternal life.

Thanks to the Twelve chosen shlichim (sent ones) and the Jewess Miryam (מרים, צאצא של המלך דוד), the mother of our Messiah, and all of the other Jewish followers of Rabbi Yeshua an innumerable number of the pagan peoples of the world have been led to a saving faith in God.

The great generosity of these tzaddikim (righteous ones) to bring the light of God to the world in no way diminished their own hope and natural love for their own people. These dedicated Jewish followers of Rabbi Yeshua, who encountered both rejection and even hate from their fellow Jews, never ceased to believe that one day all Israel would be saved. They knew that the time of th peartial hardening of our people toward the Messiah of God would one day swiftly come to an end. We believe the time of Israel’s restoration is now. The time of the Gentiles must soon come to come to an end. It is time for the people of Israel to take back our birthright.

Israel is the only nation and people who can usher in the establishment of the golden age of the kingdom of God here on earth.

According to the Word of God only when we (Israel) believe in His promises spoken to us through His prophets and the Messiah will He send back to Israel His Messiah to establish His Kingdom here on earth. For it is written: only the rule of God manifested through the Messiah can bring peace (shalom) and prosperity to Israel and all of the nations, peoples and families of the earth.

Only Israel and her Son can supply the world with the New Wine of the Spirit:

וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּלָה הַיָּיִן וַתֹּאמֶר אֵם יֵשׁוּעַ אֵלָיו אֵין לָהֶם יָיִן׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ יֵשׁוּעַ מַה־לִּי וָלָךְ אִשָּׁה עִתִּי עֲדַיִן לֹא־בָאָה׃

When the wine ran out, the mother of Yeshua said to him, “They have no wine.” And Yeshua said to her, ‘Woman what does that have to do with us? My hour (time) has not yet come.”

“Woman (mother) how is this the will of Avinu Shebashamayim?”

Since Messiah’s Jewess mother (Miryam) is a type of Israel, Rabbi Yeshua is asking his mother (Israel) the Torah question, “How is it the heavenly Father’s will that we – Israel and the Messiah of God – must supply the wine at this wedding?” Answer: Only Israel and her preeminent Son the Messiah can supply our people and all of the world with the new wine of the Spirit of the Holy One. The gift of the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of God has come into the world only through the Messiah Yeshua, the Individual (Suffering) Servant, and Israel (the National Servant).

Salvation is from the Jews!

The one-hundred and twenty persons who were first to be blessed with the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One were all Yehudim. All of the writers of the Brit HaChadashah were Jews. Salvation is from the Jews! The future millennial rule of Messiah on earth will come from God through the Jews hearing, understanding and obeying God. This is a true saying:

Israel’s reconciliation with God through faith in His Messiah is essential for there to be peace on earth.

The entire world will remain in a state of constant global turmoil and conflict until the day that our nation and people return to God and say, “Blessed is He (the Messiah) who comes in the name of Adonai!” Only the nation and people of Israel and the Messiah united together can bring into the world the Kingdom of God with its unending peaceful reign.

The best wine will flow freely in the messianic Kingdom of God

The Master of the Banquet called to the Groom, and said to him, “Everyone gives out the best wine first, and after they have drunk to their full then he gives them the less-than-the best (הטוב-פחות) wine. But you have saved the best wine until now!“

The best wine was saved until now!

At the wedding feast of the “first Adam” the wine ran out because of sin. In the wedding feast of the Last Adam the wine will never run out because he (our Messiah) will make an end of all sin! This is so because Rabbi Yeshua has already successfully atoned for sin once-and-for-all by his dying on the accursed tree. This cleansing for sin has allowed the new wine that issues out of the covenant of God’s grace (His chesed), to provide us with an unending supply of the life of His Spirit.

This good wine will flow freely at the Wedding Banquet of the Lamb in the messianic Kingdom of God.

The words, “My hour has not yet come” or “My time has not arrived” occurs five times in the besorah of the Grace of God. Later we read three times that the Messiah’s hour had come (1, 2, 3). The specific time-hour the Messiah was referring to was when He would die on the accursed tree on the day of Pesach (Passover).

Therefore, this miracle at Kana was given as a sign that Rabbi Yeshua’s death on the accursed tree (configured in the Sign of the Tav) would result in his followers being cleansed (forgiven) of sin and thereby made ready to receive the heavenly Father’s gift of the Indwelling Presence of His own Holy Spirit. Once Mashiach Yeshua had died on the accursed tree, was resurrected from the dead, and ascended into heaven all the Assembly of Israel could receive the gift of the Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit.

The gift of the Spirit was given to our people of Israel first; afterwards, it was our responsibility to offer the gift of eternal life to the Gentiles.

After most of our people declined or ignored God’s invitation to the Wedding Banquet of His Son, the Gentiles were invited to receive His forgiveness for sin and His gift of eternal life (study: Invitation to a Great Banquet and Invitation to Wedding Banquet).

Israel’s unbelief has delayed God’s reign on earth.

This is so because God will not establish His physical rule over all the earth without first restoring Israel. In spite of the trouble we have caused the people and nation of Israel can never be replaced. Our Father in heaven has put His love upon us forever. Therefore, the actual establishment of Adonai’s physical reign on earth is being delayed until we accept the rule of His Messiah that He sent to our ancestors and to us.

Our Father in heaven has put His love upon us forever!

The believing God fearing Gentiles–who always support Israel–know this to be true. They know that the Presence of God and the establishment of His kingdom here on earth cannot happen until our nation and people acknowledge the Messiah Yeshua as our Redeemer and King. Therefore, God our Father has given the gift of His Spirit to the Gentiles but He has yet to bring His kingdom rule over all of the earth. This leads us to next ask the question:

When will Messiah return to earth to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth?

As the prophetic Torah narrative goes: After Leah – the one with the weak eyes – gives birth to multiple sons, the Ewe Lamb, the meaning of the name of her younger sister, Rachel (רָחֵל) will give birth to another son. In addition to the first son Joseph, the Messiah ben Yosef, this second son is a reference to the rebirth of Israel in the modern era. Therefore it is written in the time of today’s modern Israel:

“No more Delay!”

There must be no more delay. Now is the time of the Messiah’s appearance/return! The meaning of Yosef’s name, “To Add” (יוֹסֵף) is proof of this. For it is the destiny of Leah’s younger sister (her latter day sister) Rachel to give to Israel yet another son. This means Israel’s people will go through yet one more time of difficulty and suffering. This final time of will last a period of seven years. This will be for Israel a time of Benoni (בֵּן–אוֹנִי), meaning “Son of My Sorrow“). Then at the end of this seven years of (final) testing our Messiah will return to Israel.

When the glorified, immortal Messiah Yeshua returns to Israel this time he will rejoice to find that God His Father has raised up for him a younger brother, Benyamin (בִּנְיָמִין), meaning “Son of My Right Hand.” Then will the people of Israel finally come to full faith in the Messiah of God and together we will change the world! So we continously pray for the salvation of Israel that the reign of the Kingdom of God may begin here on earth. Therefore we now affirm may there be “no more delay!“

At Mount Sinai God pledged His love to never leave or forsake us:

However, what happened at Mount Sinai was Israel’s betrothal ceremony with God; the *awakening of love. This was not the Israel’s final wedding ceremony with God; the **consummation of love. At Sinai the people of Israel for all time gave our pledge to always do whatever God told us to do (Exodus 19:8).

*Awakening of love. God pledged that His Spirit would always be with us and that He would never leave or forsake us.
**Consummation of love. God promised that His Spirit would not only be with us, He would also live within us forever. For it is written

וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁאֲלָה מֵאָבִי וְהוּא יִתֵּן לָכֶם פְּרַקְלִיט אַחֵר אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכֹּן אִתְּכֶם לָנֶצַח׃ אֶת־רוּחַ הָאֱמֶת אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָכֹל הָעוֹלָם לְהַשִּׂיגוֹ בַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא יִרְאֵהוּ וְלֹא יֵדָעֵהוּ וְאַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם אֹתוֹ כִּי־הוּא שֹׁכֵן אִתְּכֶם וְיִהְיֶה בְּקִרְבְּכֶם׃

ואני אבקש מהאב ויתן לכם מנחם אחר שיהיה עמכם לעולם: את רוח האמת אשר העולם אינו יכול לקבל משום שאינו רואה אותה, אף אינו מכיר אותה. אתם מכירים אותה, כי היא שוכנת עמכם ותהיה בכם. פ

As for me, I will ask of my Father, and He will give you another Advocate who will dwell with you for eternity, the Spirit of Truth, who the world will not be able to grasp, since they will neither see nor know HIm. But you (His Jewish peopl) know Him because He dwells *with you (Yisra’el) and will be within you. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10).

*Consummation of love. For the the Spirit of the Holy One to live in us forever we must first hear, understand and obey God. Therefore, at the wedding the command is given:

וַתֹּאמֶר אִמּוֹ אֶל־הַמְשָׁרֲתִים כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר לָכֶם תַּעֲשׂוֹּ׃

“His mother [*Miryam] said to the servers, “Everything he says, you do!”

As already stated Galil (in biblical Hebrew) literally means roll, circuit, cylinder, circle, and ring. In the context of a wedding this scriptural place name indicates the establishment of an eternal and unbreakable union between God and His people. “His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do!'” Our Rabbi’s mother Miryam gives excellent advice to the servants when she directs them, “Everything he says, you do!” This command by her to the servants to obey everything he says reminds us of what Israel agreed to do at the foot of Mount Sinai.

*Miryam, whose name in Hebrew means “bitter” and “rebellious” is a type of our nation and people of Israel.

This promise of our Jewish ancestors at the foot of Mount Sinai to do “whatever God says” is binding on every generation of Israel. This marital vow requires every physical descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to always hear, understand and obey every word that comes from the mouth of Adonai. In Judaism God’s giving His Torah to us represented our (eternal) Bridegroom Adonai placing His ring of engagement on His bride’s (Israel’s) finger.

At the wedding the cleansing of the Water of the Word must come first:

The six stone waterpots used at the wedding of Kana were used for ceremonial cleansing.

The number six is indicative of Adam (Man/Humankind). Man who was created in the Image of God (Tselem Elohim) on the sixth day was originally made of good construction. Then sin defiled Man. Thereafter, the Creator determined that He would provide a way for man to one day be cleansed from sin and be restored to full fellowship with Him. Before the coming of the Messiah  our heavenly Father enabled His servants the prophets to pour the cleansing content of His Word into man. Thereafter in the fullness of time our Father of Mercies (אבי הרחמים) sent His Son to fulfill all the promises He had made through His prophets. Therefore it is written:

וְשָׁם שִׁשָּׁה כַדֵּי־אֶבֶן עֲרוּכִים כְּמִשְׁפַּט הַיְּהוּדִים לְטָהֳרָתָם שְׁתַּיִם אוֹ־שָׁלשׁ בַּתִּים יָכִיל כָּל־אֶחָד׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם יֵשׁוּעַ מַלְאוּ הַכַּדִּים מָיִם וַיְמַלְאוּם עַד־לְמָעְלָה׃ וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁאֲבוּ־נָא וְהָבִיאוּ אֶל־רַב הַמְּסִבָּה וַיָּבִיאוּ׃

“Now there were six (empty) stone waterpots set there for the custom of purification of the Yehudim, each containing two or three battim (בַּתִּים) a liquid measure of about six gallons or twenty-two liters. Yeshua said to them, “Fill the pitchers with water” and they filled them up to the brim. He said, “Now draw some and take it to the Master of the Banquet,” and they took it.

The drinking of the New Wine of the Spirit comes Second:

When the promise of the Holy Spirit was given to believing Israel, Messiah’s Jewish emissaries began to draw out the new wine—the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One. This was only possible because the Messiah had already cleansed believing Israel of sin when He said from the accursed Tree:

“Father forgive (cleanse) them;” and
“It is finished!”

So the blessing of God, the water of His Word for the cleansing of sin came first to Israel; then to all humankind. However, the blessing of God did not end with the cleansing of the water of the word of forgiveness. Messiah’s resurrection from the dead and ascension to the right hand of God has resulted in our recieving the gift of eternal life. This gift of the Spirit that was given to Israel on Shavuot means:  we are cleansed of sin now, we are reconciled and sanctified to God now; and in the future we will be made perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect on the day of our resurrection. This is the testtimony of the full measure of God’s grace. This means:

The filling of the empty stoneware waterpots to the top represents the full measure of God’s love toward Israel His bride.

Each individual waterpot contained two to three measures of volume. The numbers two and three are numbers that indicate “witness.” In the narrative there exists a witness to God’s giving a full measure of His love through the canon of His word of forgiveness; and through the gracious follow-on provision (gift) of the Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit. The Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit is God’s gift of Living Torah. The Holy Spirit is the LORD our God’s everlasting gold (Divine) wedding ring.

Kana speaks of the Full Measure of God’s Love:

The Hebrew word Kana literally means what is “from the reed.”

The word Kana directly relates to the Golden Lampstand: the Menorah located in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. In Exodus the root word for kanah (kaneh) is used to describe the *six branches kanim (קָנִ֔ים) that issue out of the singular stem (קָנֶה) of the Golden Lampstand in the Tabernacle.

*Six is the number of man. Seven is the number of perfection. Humankind is perfected by abiding in the stem of the Spirit of the Holy One.

The measure of the stem kaneh (קָנֶה) and of the six branches kanim (קָנִ֔ים) that issue out of it illustrate the sevenfold “full measure” and stature of ministry that comes from abiding in the Spirit of the Holy One. Abiding in the Spirit produces the Fruit of Light (פְּרִי הָאוֹר): all goodness (כָּל טוּב), all righteousness (כָל צְדָקָה) and all truth (כָל אֱמֶת). In Ezekiel kanah, kaneh (קְנֵ֣ה-literally reed and reed measurement) is used to describe a rod that measures the Temple of the Spirit of Adonai. Here at Kana a measurement is given of the four dimensions of redeemed humanity’s life:

Measurement #1. The spirit, the Holy of Holies; the throne room of the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One.
Measurement #2. The soul, the place where the treasures (good works) of the conscious and behavioral self are storaged.
Measurement #3. The mind, the Holy Place where the mind of the Messiah rules and resides; where our conscious self abides in the living, enduring teaching of Rabbeinu Yeshua HaMashiach; the manna (bread) from heaven; his mind, will, and emotional life.
Measurement #4. The strength, the physical place of the brain and body where the spirit, soul, and mind reside.

Humankind is empty and waiting to be filled like the six stone waterpots:

Apart from Messiah humanity is like the “empty” stone waterpots. With the additon of the wedding gift of the Father—the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One—all five dimensions of humanity’s being are completely filled up:

Dimension #1. Messiah restores eternal content to humanity.
Dimension #2. Messiah is the Perfect Temple (the Perfect Man) who provides the perfect furnishings of the Temple.
Dimension #3. Messiah possesses the full measure of God’s being.
Dimension #4. Messiah fills his followers to the brim with his cleansing Word (Living Water).
Dimension #5. Messiah fills his followers to the brim with his Joy (Simcha), the eternal Life of the Indwelling Spirit of the Holy One (Wine).

Therefore, through the Messiah the Spirit of our Father fulfills all His promises by giving the followers of His Beloved Son the gift of His Holy Spirit who sanctifies and brings abundant joy into our lives; His new wine.

וַיִּטְעַם רֹאשׁ הַמְּסִבָּה אֶת־הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר נֶהֶפְכוּ לְיַיִן וְלֹא יָדַע מֵאַיִן הוּא וְהַמְשָׁרֲתִים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁאֲבוּ אֶת־הַמַּיִם יָדָעוּ וַיִּקְרָא רֹאשׁ־הַמְּסִבָּה אֶל־הֶחָתָן׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו כָּל־אִישׁ יִתֵּן בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה אֶת־הַיַּיִן הַטּוֹב וְאַחֲרֵי שְׁתוֹתָם לִרְוָיָה יִתֵּן לָהֶם אֶת־הַגָּרוּעַ וְאַַתָּה צָפַנְתָּ הַיַּיִן הַטּוֹב עַד־עָתָּה׃

“When the Master of the Banquet tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the Master of the Banquet called the bridegroom, and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the lees-than-best wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”

Messiah’s Jewish relatives at first did not recognize him.

What was it that the prophet Yochanan ben Zekaryah (the prophet John) said to the emissaries that were sent to him from the religious leaders in Jerusalem?

אבל ביניכם עומד אחד שאינכם מכירים אותו.פ

“But among you stands one you do not know.”

Sadly there still is one that the Jewish rabbis do not know but should know. Why did the first century religious leaders not know who was in their midst? Or why is it that their modern Prushim successors don’t know that Rabbi Yeshua is the Messiah? They do not know who Rabbi Yeshua is because they do not know who God is. If they or we for that matter truly know God then we would recognize that Yeshua is the promised one of Israel, the Messiah sent to us by YHWH.

NEXT, MIRACLE #2, HEALING OF A NOBLEMAN’S SON…

Messiah in Yom HaBikkurim Chapter 73 >>