Messiah in Yom HaBikkurim Chapter 79
Miracle #8. The Exorcism of Mary Magdalene.
- The Eighth Miracle of Messiah
- Opening-up questions and clues
- The Village of Magdalit
- The exact time of the miracle is unknown
- The Greatest of all Rabbis
- Miryam Magdalene
- The Twin Towers of Bitterness
- Seven years of Towering Great Bitterness
The Eighth Miracle of Messiah:
Markos 16:9
{Classical & Mishnaic Hebrew}
וְהוּא כַּאֲשֶׁר קָם מִן־הַמֵּתִים בְּאֶחָד בַּשַּׁבָּת נִרְאָה בָרִאשֹׁנָה אֶל־מִרְיָם הַמַּגְדָּלִית אֲשֶׁר גֵּרַשׁ מִמֶּנָּה שִׁבְעָה שֵׁדִים׃
{Modern Hebrew}
כַּאֲשֶׁר קָם בַּבֹּקֶר בָּרִאשׁוֹן בַּשָּׁבוּעַ, נִרְאָה בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה לְמִרְיָם הַמַּגְדָּלִית אֲשֶׁר מִמֶּנָּה גֵּרֵשׁ שִׁבְעָה שֵׁדִים.פ
כאשר קם בבקר בראשון בשבוע, נראה בראשונה למרים המגדלית אשר ממנה גרש שבעה שדים.פ
But when he (the Messiah) rose from the dead on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Miryam HaMagdalit, from whom he had driven (exorcised) seven demons.
Lukas 8:1-3
וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי־כֵן וַיַּעֲבֹר מֵעִיר אֶל־עִיר וּמִכְּפָר אֶל־כְּפָר קוֹרֵא וּמְבַשֵּׂר אֶת־מַלְכוּת הָאֱלֹהִים וּשְׁנֵים הֶעָשָׂר אִתּוֹ׃ וְנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר נִרְפְּאוּ מֵרוּחוֹת רָעוֹת וּמֵחֳלָיִים מִרְיָם הַנִּקְרָאָה מַגְדָּלִית אֲשֶׁר גֹּרְשׁוּ מִמֶּנָּה שִׁבְעָה שֵׁדִים׃ וְיוֹחָנָה אֵשֶׁת כּוּזָא סוֹכֵן הוֹרְדוֹס וְשׁוֹשַׁנָּה וַאֲחֵרוֹת רַבּוֹת אֲשֶׁר שֵׁרְתֻהוּ מִנִּכְסֵיהֶן׃
אַחֲרֵי כֵן עָבַר מֵעִיר לְעִיר וּמִכְּפָר לִכְפָר כְּשֶׁהוּא מַכְרִיז וּמְבַשֵֹר אֶת מַלְכוּת הָאֱלֹהִים. הַשְּׁנֵים־עָשָׂר הָיוּ אִתּוֹ וְגַם כַּמָּה נָשִׁים שֶׁנִּרְפְּאוּ מֵרוּחוֹת רָעוֹת וּמֵחֳלָאִים: מִרְיָם הַנִּקְרֵאת מַגְדָּלִית, אֲשֶׁר שִׁבְעָה שֵׁדִים יָצְאוּ מִמֶּנָּה, וְיוֹחָנָה, אֵשֶׁת כּוּזָא מְנַהֵל מֶשֶׁק בֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל הוֹרְדוֹס, וְשׁוֹשַׁנָּה וְרַבּוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת אֲשֶׁר כִּלְכְּלוּ אוֹתוֹ מִנִּכְסֵיהֶן.פ
אחרי כן עבר מעיר לעיר ומכפר לכפר כשהוא מכריז ומבשר את מלכות האלהים. השנים-עשר היו אתו וגם כמה נשים שנרפאו מרוחות רעות ומחלאים: מרים הנקראת מגדלית, אשר שבעה שדים יצאו ממנה, ויוחנה, אשת כוזא מנהל משק ביתו של הורדוס, ושושנה ורבות אחרות אשר כלכלו אותו מנכסיהן.פ
Then he [the Messiah] moved from town to town and from village to village, proclaiming and bringing the news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve [chosen Jewish disciples] were with him, as well as women who were healed from evil spirits and from sicknesses: Miryam who is called Magdalit, from whom seven demons had been driven out, Yochanah, the wife of Kuza the steward of Hordos, Shoshannah, and many others who attended to him out of their wealth.
Opening-up questions and clues:
The following opening-up questions and clues are provided as an introduction to this study on the 8th Miracle of Messiah.
1. Look at the symbolism of the miracle narrative: At what location did the miracle likely occur?
2. Why is the time of the deliverance narrative of the Jewess Miryam Magagdala deliberately withheld?
2. What do we know about the place where Miryam lived, the village of Magdala?
3. At what time did the Messiah drive the seven evil spirits (demons) out of Miryam of Magdalit?
4. What is the meaning of the number seven in the Hebrew Scriptures?
5. What is the meaning of Miryam of Magdala’s name?
6. How is the Messiah’s discipleship selection criteria different from all other rabbis?
7. What is the prophetic meaning of the phrase “Tower of Bitterness?”
8. What personal price did the Messiah have to pay to deliver Miryam from being possessed by seven demons? How is the Messiah’s deliverance of Miryam a prophecy about the deliverance of Israel in these last days?
The Village of Magdalit:
Miryam was likely delivered from the seven evil spirits at the location of her home town of Magdalit. The Greek name of the town was Taricheae; which means “the places where the fish are prepared.” The location of Magdala on the *ancient road made it strategically important. The nearby water springs, fertile land, and fishing industry made Magdala an important city in the Hellenistic period.
*The ancient road from Netufa valley, via the Arbel valley, through Gennesaret valley on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, towards north and east.
In the Roman period the fishing industry was gradually replaced by a textile industry. The city of Magdalit was especially renown for its dye works and its production of fine woolen products. It also possessed hundreds of shops that sold turtle doves and pigeons that were used for sacrifice at the Temple. Wagon loads of these birds were sent to the Jerusalem Temple during the religious festivals. As a witness to this fact the road that brought the Messiah Yeshua into the plain of Gennesaret was located between two mountains, called the “Valley of the Doves.” This public testimony was appropriate because of the incredible number and importance of the doves that came out of Magdalit.
What else do we know about this city? Tragically, this first century (CE) community that supplied numerous sacrifices for the Temple also was a place of great immorality. When Magdalit was later destroyed and never rebuilt the rabbis attributed its destruction to its sinful-immoral lifestyle.
The exact time of the miracle is unknown:
The exact time of the miracle of the exorcism of seven evil spirits is deliberately withheld. The time that the seven demons were driven out is “unknown.” We only know that long after the event had occurred, at the time of Messiah’s great victory over sin and death (the time of his resurrection), a “retrospective” reference was made to an unknown time (in the past) when Miryam was completely delivered from seven unclean spirits.
Question: Why is the exact time of the miracle deliberately not specified?
Answer: The time of the miracle is left unspecified because the narrative is prophetic.
The Greatest of all Rabbis:
In Judaism a rabbi (רב-rav) chooses his disciples (תַּלְמִידִים , תלמידיו-talmidin, talmidin) carefully. A disciple (תַלמִיד-talmid) is chosen by a rabbi with the purpose of one day transforming him into the likeness of his teacher. The talmid is expected to follow his rabbi everywhere. A worthy disciple will mimic everything his rabbi does until he becomes just like his teacher. Therefore, a great rabbi must choose the ‘best of the best’ to be his disciples. For a great rabbi must choose as his talmidin (students) only those followers who possess the ability to be made like him.
Miryam of Magdalit’s name means a “Tower of Great Bitterness.”
The Mashiach Yeshua, however, is the Greatest of all Rabbis. Rabbinu Yeshua is the only rabbi able to choose the ‘worst of the worst’ of persons to be his disciples. He alone possesses the greatness to one day transform even the worst of sinners into his own righteous likeness. Only the Messiah possesses the power to secure for his followers forgiveness of sin, the Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit, and the blessedness of resurrection and eternal life. No other Rabbi can do these things for his talmidin. This is why one of the Messiah’s own followers, a Jewess named Miryam of Magdalit, whose name means a “Tower of Great Bitterness,” addressed the Master as “Rabboni” – which in Aramaic means—-“My Great One!”
Miryam of Magdalit:
The evil attack and demonic possession of Miryam was one of terrifying, tormenting proportion.
Miryam of Magdalit (Mary Magdalene) was once possessed by seven demons. Seven indicates thoroughness and completeness. Therefore the demonic attack and possession upon Miryam was one of horrific, terrifying, tormenting proportion. It could therefore because of her horrible spiritual condition it could be said that at the first Miryam was counted among the ‘worst of the worst’ of persons.
Yet through the powerful teaching of the Messiah Miryam of Magdalit was at the last transformed into a person of such high excellence that she was honored to be the first person Rabbeinu Yeshua Hatekumah v’haChayim (the Resurrection and the LIfe) chose to reveal himself to immediately after He was resurrected from the dead. It is said of Miryam Magdalit that at the last of her life she was held in such high esteem by all of the followers of the Messiah that she was honored as if she were one of the ruling Twelve (the Twelve Shlichim (sent ones) who ruled over all of the followers of Messiah Yeshua).
The Twin Towers of Bitterness:
Miryam of Magdalit’s name (מִרְיָם מַגְדָּלִית-Miryam Magdalit) is prophetic. Miryam (מִרְיָם) means “bitter” and “rebelliousness.” Magdalit (מַגְדָּלִית) means “great” and “tower.” Her two personal names speak of two horrific, terrifying, and tormenting assaults of evil (satanic-demonic attacks) upon the kingdom of Adonai (our Father and our God) of the highest proportions. These Twin Towers of Great Bitterness prophetically refer to two unique types of historical events-attacks that have caused tremendous suffering for Adonai’s chosen people, the Yehudim (Jews).
Tower 1. The first Tower of Great Bitterness refers to the vicious demonic attacks on Messiah (and on our nation and people of Israel) as he was falsely accused by our envious corrupt religious leaders (הבוגדים-the betrayers, unfaithful ones) of the first century (CE).
In ignorance our people (Israel) followed these unfaithful ones (the Bramble Bush King).
Tragically, we allowed the Messiah of Adonai (the LORD), our Kokhav miya’akov (Star of Jacob), to be stripped naked, tortured, ridiculed, mocked, spat on, and wrongfully-executed for a sin that he never committed—blasphemy of the Spirit of the Holy One. Due to no sin of the Messiah he hung in our place for our sins on the accursed tree. He did this for our redemption and reconciliation with God our Father.
The first Tower of Great Bitterness is that of the Suffering Messiah ben Yosef of Israel.
This was the wrongful death of the King of the Jews, Melekh Ha’Yehudim. He is the rightful, lawful ruling head of our nation of Israel and of our people and of all of the nations, peoples, and families of the world.
The second Tower of Great Bitterness is that of long-suffering of our nation and people of Israel.
Tower 2. The second Tower of Great Bitterness (לזכור שואה – remember HaShoah – השואה) refers to the horrific persecution, maltreatment, and bitter suffering of our people. From the time of the infancy of the nation and people of Israel, the evil one sought to corrupt and destroy us. Yet, due to the coming of the M’shiach Adonai – the evil one has miserably failed. Thanks be to Avinu Adonai we know that will never succeed in destroying our nation and our people.
The (final) collapse of these Twin Towers of Great Bitterness will occur after a yet future seven year period called the *Time of Jacob’s Trouble.
The final collapse of these Twin Towers of Great Bitterness (the Twin Sufferings of Messiah and his people Israel) will occur after a yet future seven year period called the Time of Jacob’s Trouble (וְעֵֽת־צָרָ֥ה הִיא֙ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב) and the Great Tribulation. During this upcoming seven year Time of Jacob’s Trouble two-thirds of our people will perish. Most of these deaths will occur in the second half of the seven year period. Over a period of three and one-half years, forty-two months in all (אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנַיִם חֳדָשִׁים), the hatred of the evil one will inspire the gentile world leaders to severely persecute, hate and execute (לערוף ראשים-by beheading) all of our people who adhere to the teachings of Adonai Avinu (our Father) and the M’shiach Adonai (the LORD).
*For further study: carefully investigate all of the multiple-fulfilling prophecy of Daniel (דניאל-God is My Judge). Much of the prophecy of Daniel is directly related to this future seven year period of Jacob’s Trouble. In addition read Zachariah 13:8. Zechariah speaks of a final world-wide (בְכָל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙) persecution of our people that will be worse than the Nazi inspired holocaust of the twentieth century:
והיה בכל־הארץ נאם־ה’ פי־שנים בה יכרתו יגועו והשלשית יותר בה׃
וְהָיָה בְכָל־הָאָרֶץ נְאֻם־ה’ פִּֽי־שְׁנַיִם בָּהּ יִכָּרְתוּ יִגְוָעוּ וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית יִוָּתֶר בָּֽהּ׃
“It will come about in all the the earth,” declares Adonai, “That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; but the third will be left in it.”
Seven years of Towering Great Bitterness:
We believe in the near future (this 21st century), at the mid-point of the seven years of Jacob’s Trouble, a time of Towering Great Bitterness for our people will occur. This will be the time of the Great Tribulation when our (elect, chosen) people and all of the nations and the peoples of the world will be ruled over by the false-messiah (the False Shepherd who will “come in his own name“).
At the end of this seven year period the Messiah will return to the earth in great power and glory.
And when he returns he will swiftly deliver his Jewish brethren from certain annihilation at the hands of the evil one’s servants. Immediately, the Conquering Messiah ben David will destroy our (Israel’s) enemies and restore the kingdom of Israel to its promised glory. This deliverance will occur in only one day.
The return of our Messiah, the Salvation of Israel, will occur on the Day of Atonement.
The victorious return of the Messiah in great power and glory will swiftly result in the fulfillment of all the promises that the Holy One has has made to our fathers. When the Messiah returns to earth, Israel’s circumstance of Towering Bitterness will be transformed in one day from one of mourning (myrrh) to one of Great Rejoicing (שמחה-simcha). This momentous one day transition from great sorrow and bitter distress to great rejoicing will be experienced by all Israel just as it (prophetically) happened to the individual Miryam of Magdalit when she unexpectedly encountered the resurrected Messiah, and joyously proclaimed to all: “The Messiah is alive!” “I have see the Lord!“