Messiah in Rosh HaShanah & Yom Teruah Chapter 31
- The Mikveh of Messiah
- The Opposition of the Religious Elites
- The Outlaw Messiah reaches out to the mixed-race Outcasts
- The Commonwealth of Israel instituted by Jacob and established by Yehoshua
- A witness to our Sin and a witness to our Righteousness
- In time (this 21st century) all Israel will be saved
- Back to the prophetic Future
- The number Ten is a symbol of our sanctification of Adonai
- The number Ten is a symbol of Adonai’s sanctification of us
- There are Ten Forgiveness sayings of Messiah in the Four Jewish Gospels
The Mikveh of Messiah:
וַיְהִי כַּאֲֲשֶׁר נוֹדַע לָאָדוֹן כִּי שָׁמְעוּ הַפְּרוּשִׁים אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁוּעַ הֶעֱמִיד וְגַם הִטְבִּיל תַּלְמִידִים הַרְבֵּה מיּוֹחָנָן׃ וְאוּלָם יֵשׁוּעַ הוּא לֹא הִטְבִּיל כִּי אִם־תַּלְמִידָיו׃ וַיֵּצֵא מֵאֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה וַיֵּלֶךְ שֵׁנִית הַגָּלִילָה׃ וַיְהִי לַעֲבֹר דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ שֹׁמְרוֹן׃ וַיָּבֹא לְעִיר מֵעָרֵי שֹׁמְרוֹן וּשְׁמָהּ סוּכַר מִמּוּל חֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַן יַעֲקֹב לְיוֹסֵף בְּנוֹ׃ וְשָׁם בְּאֵר יַעֲקֹב וְיֵשׁוּעַ הָיָה עָיֵף מִן־הַדֶּרֶךְ וַיֵּשֶׁב־לוֹ עַל־הַבְּאֵר וְהָעֵת כַּשָּׁעָה הַשִּׁשִּׁית׃
When it was made known to the Master that the Separated Ones (Prushim) had heard that Yeshua had raised up as well as immersed (in water) more disciples than Yochanan—although it was not Yeshua that performed immersion but his disciples—he went out from land of Yehudah and went to the Galil a second time. He had to pass through the land of Shomron. He entered one of the towns of Shomron named Suchar, across from the portion of the field that Ya’akov had given to his son Yosef. Ya’akov’s well was there, and Yeshua was weary from the journey, so he sat at the well at about the sixth hour.
After the Messiah had completed His obligation to go to Jerusalem and observe Pesach (Passover), during the fifty days of Counting the Omer (that begins on the first day of HaBikkurim (Firstfruits, cf. “Messiah in HaBikkurim”), the Messiah had for some unknown period of time stayed in Judea long enough to have ministered to a host of followers who had observed the Mikveh (מִקְוֶה ) of Messiah that was being administered by His leading disciples (His inner circle of what eventually became Twelve Talmidim). Thereafter, the Lord suddenly decided it was time for Him to return back to His Galilean home (Shimon Peter’s house) in Capernaum.
The Opposition of the Religious Elites:
What triggered the Lord’s sudden, hasty departure from Judea? The answer is found in the words:
וַיְהִי כַּאֲֲשֶׁר נוֹדַע לָאָדוֹן כִּי שָׁמְעוּ הַפְּרוּשִׁים אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁוּעַ הֶעֱמִיד וְגַם הִטְבִּיל תַּלְמִידִים הַרְבֵּה מיּוֹחָנָן׃
Therefore when the Lord knew that the Separate Ones (Prushim) had heard that (the Messiah) Yeshua was immersing (His followers) in water and making more disciples than (the prophet) Yochanan.
וַיֵּצֵא מֵאֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה וַיֵּלֶךְ שֵׁנִית הַגָּלִילָה׃
He left Judea and went away again into Galilee.
Messiah’s hasty departure from Judea was due to the elevated attention that was being assigned to Him once His fame and notoriety was rapidly rising. Since the Holy One knew the future in advance, He also knew that it would soon enter the hearts of (the competing orthodox teaching establishment) the elite leaders of the hyper-religious party of the Pharisees (the so-called party of the holy ones) to soon zealously oppose Him and even eventually to openly and publicly seek His death; an unjust execution that would be demanded by a majority of the religious-political elites (Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians) and ultimately effected by the regional Roman official, Pilate.
The Outlaw Messiah reaches out to the mixed-race Outcasts:
וַיֵּצֵא מֵאֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה וַיֵּלֶךְ שֵׁנִית הַגָּלִילָה׃ וַיְהִי לַעֲבֹר דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ שֹׁמְרוֹן׃
He left Judea and went again back unto Galilee. And He had to pass through Samaria.
It was at this time of heightened popularity and increased scrutiny by the powerful Jerusalem religious establishment that the Messiah chose to return to Cana (meaning the “Village of Consolation and Comfort”) via the unpopular route of passing through Samaria to get to Galilee. Passing through Samaria was the short-cut route from Judea to Samaria. It was the shortest route but for an average Jew it was not the preferred route. Sadly many of the Jews in Messiah’s day hated the Samaritans; and sadly many of the Samaritans hated the Jews. Because of this high degree of conflict between the two ethnicities (Jewish and mixed race) the persons of pure Jewish ancestry normally took a route that was east of Samaria. However, the Messiah, led by the Spirit went through Samaria so that He might seek out and save His distant Samaritan relations of whom many were of ‘mixed’ Jewish and Gentile ancestry and whose religion was strongly connected to Judaism. Two very significant differences between the two religions being that the center of religious worship for the Jews was on Mount Zion, in Jerusalem, while for the Samaritans the worship center was on Mount Gerazim, next to Shechem (modern Nablas); and in the case of the Samaritans, they recognized only the revelatory authority of the five books of Moses and completely rejected all of the other books of the Tanakh (a small group of Samaritans still maintain these traditions in modern Israel).
The Commonwealth of Israel instituted by Jacob and established by Yehoshua:
וַיָּבֹא לְעִיר מֵעָרֵי שֹׁמְרוֹן וּשְׁמָהּ סוּכַר מִמּוּל חֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַן יַעֲקֹב לְיוֹסֵף בְּנוֹ׃
So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; and Jacob’s well was there.
The village of Sychar was near the ancient city of Shechem located between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. The village of Sychar was located in the Middle of these two mountains. It was at this same location that Joshua ratified the Covenant of Israel with HaShem (the NAME):
Joshua 8:30-35:
אָז יִבְנֶה יְהֹושֻׁעַ מִזְבֵּחַ לַֽ ה’ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַר עֵיבָֽל׃ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה עֶֽבֶד־ה’ אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר תֹּורַת מֹשֶׁה מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמֹות אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־הֵנִיף עֲלֵיהֶן בַּרְזֶל וַיַּעֲלוּ עָלָיו עֹלֹות לַֽ ה’ וַֽיִּזְבְּחוּ שְׁלָמִֽים׃ וַיִּכְתָּב־שָׁם עַל־הָאֲבָנִים אֵת מִשְׁנֵה תֹּורַת מֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר כָּתַב לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וּזְקֵנָיו וְשֹׁטְרִים וְשֹׁפְטָיו עֹמְדִים מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה לָאָרֹון נֶגֶד הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם נֹשְׂאֵי אֲרֹון בְּרִית־ה’ כַּגֵּר כָּֽאֶזְרָח חֶצְיֹו אֶל־מוּל הַר־גְּרִזִים וְהַֽחֶצְיֹו אֶל־מוּל הַר־עֵיבָל כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה עֶֽבֶד־ה’ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת־הָעָם יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃ וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן קָרָא אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי הַתֹּורָה הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה כְּכָל־הַכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר הַתֹּורָֽה׃ לֹֽא־הָיָה דָבָר מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־קָרָא יְהֹושֻׁעַ נֶגֶד כָּל־קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף וְהַגֵּר הַהֹלֵךְ בְּקִרְבָּֽם׃
Then Joshua built an altar to Adonai, Elohi’ Israel, in Mount Ebal, just as Mosheh the servant of Adonai had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Mosheh, an altar of uncut stones on which no man had wielded an iron tool; and they offered burnt offerings on it to Adonai, and sacrificed peace offerings. He wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Mosheh, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel. All Israel with their elders and officers and their judges were standing on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of Adonai, the stranger as well as the native. Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Mosheh the servant of Adonai had given command at first to bless the people of Israel. Then afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Mosheh had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel with the women and the little ones and the strangers who were living among them.
Joshua Chapter 24:
Joshua Reviews Israel’s History
וַיֶּאֶסֹף יְהֹושֻׁעַ אֶת־כָּל־שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁכֶמָה וַיִּקְרָא לְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְרָאשָׁיו וּלְשֹֽׁפְטָיו וּלְשֹׁטְרָיו וַיִּֽתְיַצְּבוּ לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹושֻׁעַ אֶל־כָּל־הָעָם כֹּֽה־אָמַר ה’ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר יָשְׁבוּ אֲבֹֽותֵיכֶם מֵֽעֹולָם תֶּרַח אֲבִי אַבְרָהָם וַאֲבִי נָחֹור וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִֽים׃ וָאֶקַּח אֶת־אֲבִיכֶם אֶת־אַבְרָהָם מֵעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר וָאֹולֵךְ אֹותֹו בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וארב אֶת־זַרְעֹו וָֽאֶתֶּן־לֹו אֶת־יִצְחָֽק׃ וָאֶתֵּן לְיִצְחָק אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹב וְאֶת־עֵשָׂו וָאֶתֵּן לְעֵשָׂו אֶת־הַר שֵׂעִיר לָרֶשֶׁת אֹותֹו וְיַעֲקֹב וּבָנָיו יָרְדוּ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ וָאֶשְׁלַח אֶת־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן וָאֶגֹּף אֶת־מִצְרַיִם כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי בְּקִרְבֹּו וְאַחַר הֹוצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶֽם׃ וָֽאֹוצִיא אֶת־אֲבֹֽותֵיכֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם וַתָּבֹאוּ הַיָּמָּה וַיִּרְדְּפוּ מִצְרַיִם אַחֲרֵי אֲבֹותֵיכֶם בְּרֶכֶב וּבְפָרָשִׁים יַם־סֽוּף׃ וַיִּצְעֲקוּ אֶל־ה’ וַיָּשֶׂם מַֽאֲפֵל בֵּינֵיכֶם וּבֵין הַמִּצְרִים וַיָּבֵא עָלָיו אֶת־הַיָּם וַיְכַסֵּהוּ וַתִּרְאֶינָה עֵינֵיכֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִי בְּמִצְרָיִם וַתֵּשְׁבוּ בַמִּדְבָּר יָמִים רַבִּֽים׃ ואבאה אֶתְכֶם אֶל־אֶרֶץ הָאֱמֹרִי הַיֹּושֵׁב בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וַיִּֽלָּחֲמוּ אִתְּכֶם וָאֶתֵּן אֹותָם בְּיֶדְכֶם וַתִּֽירְשׁוּ אֶת־אַרְצָם וָאַשְׁמִידֵם מִפְּנֵיכֶֽם׃ וַיָּקָם בָּלָק בֶּן־צִפֹּור מֶלֶךְ מֹואָב וַיִּלָּחֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּשְׁלַח וַיִּקְרָא לְבִלְעָם בֶּן־בְּעֹור לְקַלֵּל אֶתְכֶֽם׃ וְלֹא אָבִיתִי לִשְׁמֹעַ לְבִלְעָם וַיְבָרֶךְ בָּרֹוךְ אֶתְכֶם וָאַצִּל אֶתְכֶם מִיָּדֹֽו׃ וַתַּעַבְרוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן וַתָּבֹאוּ אֶל־יְרִיחֹו וַיִּלָּחֲמוּ בָכֶם בַּעֲלֵֽי־יְרִיחֹו הָֽאֱמֹרִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַֽחִתִּי וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁי הַֽחִוִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי וָאֶתֵּן אֹותָם בְּיֶדְכֶֽם׃ וָאֶשְׁלַח לִפְנֵיכֶם אֶת־הַצִּרְעָה וַתְּגָרֶשׁ אֹותָם מִפְּנֵיכֶם שְׁנֵי מַלְכֵי הָאֱמֹרִי לֹא בְחַרְבְּךָ וְלֹא בְקַשְׁתֶּֽךָ׃ וָאֶתֵּן לָכֶם אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יָגַעְתָּ בָּהּ וְעָרִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא־בְנִיתֶם וַתֵּשְׁבוּ בָּהֶם כְּרָמִים וְזֵיתִים אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־נְטַעְתֶּם אַתֶּם אֹכְלִֽים׃
Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel and for their heads and their judges and their officers; and they presented themselves before Ha-Elohim. Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says Adonai, the Elohi’ Israel, ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other elohim. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him through all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac. To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau, and to Esau I gave Mount Seir to possess it; but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt by what I did in its midst; and afterward I brought you out. I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and Egypt pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. But when they cried out to Adonai, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them and covered them; and your own eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness for a long time. Then I brought you into the land of the Amorites who lived beyond the Jordan, and they fought with you; and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land when I destroyed them before you. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel, and he sent and summoned Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. But I was not willing to listen to Balaam. So he had to bless you, and I delivered you from his hand. You crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho; and the citizens of Jericho fought against you, and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Girgashite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. Thus I gave them into your hand. Then I sent the hornet before you and it drove out the two kings of the Amorites from before you, but not by your sword or your bow. I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them; you are eating of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.”
“We Will Serve Adonai (YHWH)”
וְעַתָּה יְראוּ אֶת־ה’ וְעִבְדוּ אֹתֹו בְּתָמִים וּבֶֽאֱמֶת וְהָסִירוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר עָבְדוּ אֲבֹותֵיכֶם בְּעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר וּבְמִצְרַיִם וְעִבְדוּ אֶת־׃ וְאִם רַע בְּֽעֵינֵיכֶם לַעֲבֹד אֶת־ה’ בַּחֲרוּ לָכֶם הַיֹּום אֶת־מִי תַעֲבֹדוּן אִם אֶת־אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר־עָבְדוּ אֲבֹותֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר בעבר הַנָּהָר וְאִם אֶת־אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱמֹרִי אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם יֹשְׁבִים בְּאַרְצָם וְאָנֹכִי וּבֵיתִי נַעֲבֹד אֶת־ה’׃ וַיַּעַן הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר חָלִילָה לָּנוּ מֵעֲזֹב אֶת־ה’ לַעֲבֹד אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִֽים׃ כִּי ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ הוּא הַמַּעֲלֶה אֹתָנוּ וְאֶת־אֲבֹותֵינוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים וַאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְעֵינֵינוּ אֶת־הָאֹתֹות הַגְּדֹלֹות הָאֵלֶּה וַֽיִּשְׁמְרֵנוּ בְּכָל־הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הָלַכְנוּ בָהּ וּבְכֹל הָֽעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר עָבַרְנוּ בְּקִרְבָּֽם׃ וַיְגָרֶשׁ אֶת־כָּל־הָעַמִּים וְאֶת־הָאֱמֹרִי יֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ מִפָּנֵינוּ גַּם־אֲנַחְנוּ נַעֲבֹד אֶת־ה’ כִּי־הוּא אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹושֻׁעַ אֶל־הָעָם לֹא תֽוּכְלוּ לַעֲבֹד אֶת־ה’ כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִים קְדֹשִׁים הוּא אֵֽל־קַנֹּוא הוּא לֹֽא־יִשָּׂא לְפִשְׁעֲכֶם וּלְחַטֹּאותֵיכֶֽם׃ כִּי תַֽעַזְבוּ אֶת־ה’ וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֱלֹהֵי נֵכָר וְשָׁב וְהֵרַע לָכֶם וְכִלָּה אֶתְכֶם אַחֲרֵי אֲשֶׁר־הֵיטִיב לָכֶֽם׃ וַיֹּאמֶר הָעָם אֶל־יְהֹושֻׁעַ לֹא כִּי אֶת־ה’ נַעֲבֹֽד׃ וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹושֻׁעַ אֶל־הָעָם עֵדִים אַתֶּם בָּכֶם כִּֽי־אַתֶּם בְּחַרְתֶּם לָכֶם אֶת־ה’ לַעֲבֹד אֹותֹו וַיֹּאמְרוּ עֵדִֽים׃ וְעַתָּה הָסִירוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵי הַנֵּכָר אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וְהַטּוּ אֶת־לְבַבְכֶם אֶל־ה’ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וַיֹּאמְרוּ הָעָם אֶל־יְהֹושֻׁעַ אֶת־ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ נַעֲבֹד וּבְקֹולֹו נִשְׁמָֽע׃ וַיִּכְרֹת יְהֹושֻׁעַ בְּרִית לָעָם בַּיֹּום הַהוּא וַיָּשֶׂם לֹו חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט בִּשְׁכֶֽם׃ וַיִּכְתֹּב יְהֹושֻׁעַ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּסֵפֶר תֹּורַת אֱלֹהִים וַיִּקַּח אֶבֶן גְּדֹולָה וַיְקִימֶהָ שָּׁם תַּחַת הָֽאַלָּה אֲשֶׁר בְּמִקְדַּשׁ ה’׃ וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹושֻׁעַ אֶל־כָּל־הָעָם הִנֵּה הָאֶבֶן הַזֹּאת תִּֽהְיֶה־בָּנוּ לְעֵדָה כִּֽי־הִיא שָׁמְעָה אֵת כָּל־אִמְרֵי ה’ אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר עִמָּנוּ וְהָיְתָה בָכֶם לְעֵדָה פֶּֽן־תְּכַחֲשׁוּן בֵּאלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ וַיְשַׁלַּח יְהֹושֻׁעַ אֶת־הָעָם אִישׁ לְנַחֲלָתֹֽו׃
“Now, therefore, fear Adonai and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the false-deities which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve Adonai. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve Adonai, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the false-deities which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the false-deities of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve Adonai.” The people answered and said, “Far be it from us that we should forsake Adonai to serve other deities; for the Adonai Eloheinu is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did these great signs in our sight and preserved us through all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whose midst we passed. Adonai drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. We also will serve Adoani, for He is our Almighty One.” Then Joshua said to the people, “You will not be able to serve Adonai, for He is a holy Elohim. He is a jealous Elohim; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins. If you forsake Adonai and serve foreign deities, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you after He has done good to you.” The people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve Adonai.” Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves Adonai, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” “Now therefore, put away the foreign deities which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to Adonai, the Elohi’ Israel.” The people said to Joshua, “We will serve Adonai Eloheinu and we will obey His voice.” So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of Elohim; and he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of Adonai. Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be for a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of Adonai which He spoke to us; thus it shall be for a witness against you, so that you do not deny Elohim.” Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to his inheritance.
Joshua’s Death and Burial
וַיְהִי אַֽחֲרֵי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַיָּמָת יְהֹושֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן עֶבֶד ה’ בֶּן־מֵאָה וָעֶשֶׂר שָׁנִֽים׃ וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתֹו בִּגְבוּל נַחֲלָתֹו בְּתִמְנַת־סֶרַח אֲשֶׁר בְּהַר־אֶפְרָיִם מִצְּפֹון לְהַר־גָּֽעַשׁ׃ וַיַּעֲבֹד יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־ה’ כֹּל יְמֵי יְהֹושֻׁעַ וְכֹל יְמֵי הַזְּקֵנִים אֲשֶׁר הֶאֱרִיכוּ יָמִים אַחֲרֵי יְהֹושֻׁעַ וַאֲשֶׁר יָדְעוּ אֵת כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂה ה’ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וְאֶת־עַצְמֹות יֹוסֵף אֲשֶׁר־הֶעֱלוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם קָבְרוּ בִשְׁכֶם בְּחֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר קָנָה יַעֲקֹב מֵאֵת בְּנֵֽי־חֲמֹור אֲבִֽי־שְׁכֶם בְּמֵאָה קְשִׂיטָה וַיִּֽהְיוּ לִבְנֵֽי־יֹוסֵף לְנַחֲלָֽה׃ וְאֶלְעָזָר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹן מֵת וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתֹו בְּגִבְעַת פִּֽינְחָס בְּנֹו אֲשֶׁר נִתַּן־לֹו בְּהַר אֶפְרָֽיִם׃
It came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Adonai, died, being one hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of Mount Gaash. Israel served Adonai all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, and had known all the deeds of Adonai which He had done for Israel. Now they buried the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the piece of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of money; and they became the inheritance of Joseph’s sons. And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him at Gibeah of Phinehas his son, which was given him in the hill country of Ephraim.
A witness to our Sin and a witness to our Righteousness:
These two mountains are a witness to our sin (Mt. Ebal-הַר עֵיבָל) and to our righteousness (Mt. Gerizim-הַר גְּרִזִים):
Written Torah. In the witness of the first administration of the Law of Moses (Written Torah) we are sinners, lawbreakers, declared unrighteous (by our own failed works), who are all in need of a Savior-Deliverer (Mt. Ebal, cursed under the Law of Moses).
Oral Torah. Under the witness of the second administration of the Law of the Spirit (Living Torah) we are cleansed of our sin and declared righteous by faith (Mt. Gerizim, blessed under the Law of Messiah, i.e. the Law of the Spirit).
We are declared righteous under the witness of Mount Gerizim not by our own flawed works (Mount Ebal) but by the perfectly virtuous works of the Holy Spirit. Faith in one’s own works is a dead faith that will in the eternal scheme of things only produce dead works. Therefore, faith (emunah) in the Divine works of the Spirit of Grace (chesed, chen) is a Living Faith that is solely sourced in Adonai. For it is only through His perfect works (not our works) that we will ever produce His eternal good works. Therefore, our faith in the written Torah of Moses without the empowerment of the living Oral Torah of the Spirit of Life (Ruach Elohim Chayim) is a faith in dead works. This is so because attempting to do good works without one actually “abiding” in the gracious Life of the Spirit is like a separated dead branch in a Grapevine independently attempting to bear fruit on its own without the benefit of the life of the Living Vine.
Now that the Living Oral Torah of the Spirit is available to all who believe in the promise of Messiah it is incumbent that all who believe in the Law of Moses—who have humbled themselves and eaten of the poor bread of repentance (teshuvah) and submission (the grain of barley)—also receive the affluent gift of righteousness from heaven of the New Heart that is given to us as a guarantee (Unbreakable Seal). Therefore, our faith (emunah) must rest upon both the Written Torah of Moses (התורה שבכתב של משה) and the empowerment of the Oral Torah of the Spirit of Life (תורה שבעל פה של רוח החיים).
When the Written Torah is enlivened by the Oral Torah of the Spirit our faith will be transformed into a faith of eternal living works.
With the help of the Spirit of Grace and Truth we will one day be made perfect as our heavenly Father is Perfect. This happens not by our own power but by the gracious power and grace of the Living Spirit.
In time (this 21st century) all Israel will be saved:
The Master made it absolutely clear that in time all Israel shall be saved. As soon as Israel believes in Him then all Israel will see the fulfillment of all the promises that Adonai made to our fathers, the fathers of Israel. Messiah also stated that there is another flock that is not of “this fold” (of the flock of Israel. This other flock that also must be delivered. This prophecy of the Mashiach is a veiled reference to Adonai’s intent to not only make the Jewish Messiah the Deliverer for Israel but He is also expects our Messiah to be the Redeemer of all the peoples of the world.
What important lesson do we learn from the Messiah’s outreach to the Samaritan people?
Messiah of Israel’s outreach to the (despised) ‘mixed race’ of the Samaritans, a special people who represent the international integration of persons who are of both Jewish and Gentile ancestry, is a prophetic illustration of the future dual “integrated” deliverance of Jewish Israel and of the International (Jew-Gentile) Commonwealth of Israel.
In the near future messianic kingdom the long-standing wall of enmity that has existed for over three thousand years between Jew and Gentile will be ‘torn down!’ In the Kingdom of Adonai the nations and peoples of the world will dwell together in racial harmony and peace. In that day the entire global community will live together (under near Edenic conditions) in a one world government that will be ruled over by the returning Ha-Mashiach.
The sacred location of Sychar, Shechem, and Shalem (modern Nablus) in the future Millennial Kingdom of Adonai will be part of a new sacred (50 X 50 mile) sacred district (mapped out by the prophet Ezekiel). This new sacred district will have at its northern most boundary Shechem.
ויבא יעקב שלם עיר שכם אשר בארץ כנען בבאו מפדן ארם ויחן את־פני העיר׃
And Jacob came to Shalem (שלם), the city of Shechem (שכם), which was in the land of Canaan, when they came from Padanaram (פדן ארם), and encamped before the face of the city.
This northern boundary includes the ancient patriarchal tract of land of “Shalem” (Genesis). This is where the remains of all twelve of the tribal patriarchs are located; and this is the location where the twelve patriarchs will be miraculously resurrected on the day of the resurrection of the righteous (for more information about this future sacred district and the miraculous historical events that are associated with it cf. “Messiah in Rosh HaShanah II & Chanukkah II,” chapters 1-24).
Back to the prophetic Future:
To further understand the prophetic significance of the ancient city of Sychar one must go back to the time of father Jacob. In the Torah account of the Generation of Jacob and his return to Israel we discover that he had symbolically purchased a plot of land at the foot of Mount Gerizim (the Mount of Blessings), located in the region of Shechem. Without getting into the bazaar circumstances that were involved an actual covenant was made and ratified by Adonai between the family of Jacob (later called Israel) and the Gentile City-Nation of the Shechemites. This covenant that was shamefully (but understandably) violated by the sons of Jacob (cf. Genesis 33:18-34:31), nevertheless, required that the (mixed race) children of the Shechemites be included as legal participants in the covenant community of Israel. This verbal commitment to include the Shechemite descendants in the Yahwistic covenental of Israel was honored by Joshua.
Therefore, from the time of Joshua on we see a (miniature scale) prophetic foreshadowing of the inclusion of all the nations and peoples of the Gentiles into the family of Israel. This mixed race (Jew-Gentile) prototype of the future messianic kingdom I call the ‘Confederation of Israel.’ Please note:
וַיִּכְרֹת יְהֹושֻׁעַ בְּרִית לָעָם בַּיֹּום הַהוּא וַיָּשֶׂם לֹו חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט בִּשְׁכֶֽם׃
So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem (Joshua 24:25).
וַיִּכְתֹּב יְהֹושֻׁעַ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּסֵפֶר תֹּורַת אֱלֹהִים וַיִּקַּח אֶבֶן גְּדֹולָה וַיְקִימֶהָ שָּׁם תַּחַת הָֽאַלָּה אֲשֶׁר בְּמִקְדַּשׁ ה’׃
And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of the Almighty, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that [was] by the sanctuary of Adonai (Joshua 24:26).
Therefore, the people at Shechem were not attacked or destroyed because they were included in the covenantal family of Israel. Adonai (the LORD) made certain that Jacob’s promise to recognize these Gentiles as being legitimate members of the family of Jacob (Israel) was honored (cf. Judges where the Shechemites are treated as members of Israel, yet they are allowed to retain their own city-nation identity (Judges 8, 9 & 21).
וְשָׁם בְּאֵר יַעֲקֹב וְיֵשׁוּעַ הָיָה עָיֵף מִן־הַדֶּרֶךְ וַיֵּשֶׁב־לוֹ עַל־הַבְּאֵר וְהָעֵת כַּשָּׁעָה הַשִּׁשִּׁית׃
And Jacob’s well was there. Yeshua therefore, being wearied from His journey, was sitting by the well. It was about the sixth hour (שעה שישית).”
This is the second time in the besorah of Yochanan ben Zebedee that we have been given a revelation of “times” (as well as persons and places). There are actually four such revelations in the narrative of the Beloved Disciple. These “four” times are recorded in their proper chronological order as follows:
Time #1. The Messiah said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour (Jewish time, about 4 PM; i.e. in the cool of the day).
Time #2. And Jacob’s well was there. Yeshua therefore, being wearied from His journey, was sitting by the well. It was about the sixth hour (Jewish time, about 12 Noon; i.e. in the heat of the day).
Time #3. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour (Gentile time, about 7 PM; i.e. the beginning of the evening) the fever left him.”
Time #4. Now it was the day of preparation for the Pesach (Passover); it was about the sixth hour (Gentile time, about 6 AM; i.e. the beginning of the morning). And he said to the Yehudim (Jews), “Behold, your King!”
The former times are Jewish and the latter times are Gentile!
Like so many things in the Besorah of Yochanan there is a generous equality given between the Jews and Gentiles. Just as there were fourteen names used, seven Jewish names and seven Gentile, in the introductory portion of the Besorah of Yochanan ben Zebedee: so now there is an equality of time! As to the numbers: Both Jewish times (from the cool of the day to the heat of the day) and the times of the Gentiles (from the evening to the morning) share together a common numerical hour, the sixth hour. This is true even though the Jewish time and the times of the Gentiles are different!
The former Jewish times begin at nightfall and end at sunset. The latter times of the Gentiles start at midnight and end at midnight.
Jewish time begins at nightfall (about 6 PM). The latter times of the Gentiles begins six hours later (about midnight). “Six” is universally the number of Adam-Man. As to the distinctive differences of Jewish time and the times of the Gentiles: the unique Jewish time is designated as the tenth hour, ten is the number of a legal quorum for worship (assembly; a *minyan-מִנְיָן); and the unique Gentile time is designated as the seventh hour, “seven” is the number of completion, perfection and rest. “Seven” is the number of perfection. The seventh hour speaks of a completion and rest that is brought about by the universal redemptive ministry of the Messiah here on earth. We read in Genesis that on the seventh (הַשְּׁבִיעִי) day:
וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיֹּום הַשְּׁבִיעִי מְלַאכְתֹּו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת בַּיֹּום הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתֹּו אֲשֶׁר עָשָֽׂה׃ וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־יֹום הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתֹו כִּי בֹו שָׁבַת מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתֹּו אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים לַעֲשֹֽׂות׃
By the seventh (הַשְּׁבִיעִי) day Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) completed His work which He had done, and He rested (שָׁבַת) on the seventh (הַשְּׁבִיעִי) day from all His work (מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתֹּו) which He had done. Then Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) blessed the seventh (הַשְּׁבִיעִי) day and sanctified it, because in it He rested (שָׁבַת ) from all His work which Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) had created and made.
Needless to say the selection of these four times (four being the number of universality in the scriptures) is very interesting. Why? Because although salvation is of the Jews it is incumbent upon us that we understand the equally important love the heavenly Father has for the Gentiles. It is the calling of the Jewish people—this New Generation of Israel—to take the faith of our fathers, the prophets, the Messiah, and the Messiah’s chosen sent ones (שליחים) to all of the nations and peoples of the world. This is what the first Jewish followers of Messiah did almost two thousand years ago. Now all Israel must follow. Only then will Israel be fully restored and the Shiloh of HaShem (שילה של השם) come to reign over all the earth!
The number Ten is a symbol of our sanctification of Adonai:
“I will be sanctified among the children of Israel!”
*Minyan (מִנְיָן) -a quorum of ten men (or in some synagogues, men and women) over the age of 13 required for traditional Jewish public worship…a meeting of Yehudim (Jews) for corporate worship.
עַד־מָתַי לָעֵדָה הָֽרָעָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה מַלִּינִים עָלָי אֶת־תְּלֻנֹּות בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה מַלִּינִים עָלַי שָׁמָֽעְתִּי׃
“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation (edah ha-ra’-עֵדָה הָֽרָעָה) who are grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel, which they are making against Me.
The source in the Tanakh for the ten men required to complete a minyan (lit., count or number) is Numbers 14:27. Moses sent out spies to scout the promised land of Canaan. Ten of these men returned and issued an evil report for they refused to believe that they could conquer the people of the land. Adonai was disrespected by the lack of faith these ten men had in His promise to give them the land. Only two men out of the scouting party of twelve urged the people to go into the land. Only Joshua and Caleb believed in the Promises of Adonai. After the people were incited to a riotous level of fear, Adonai turned to Moses and Aaron telling them: “How long will this evil assembly provoke [the people of the newly formed nation of Israel] to complain against Me?” From here and several other passages it is understood that an “assembly” is comprised of ten men.
וְלֹא תְחַלְּלוּ אֶת־שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתֹוךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי ה’ מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃
It is written in Leviticus 22:32:
“You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be *sanctified among the children of Israel (וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתֹוךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל); I am Adonai who sanctifies you.”
Using a method of scriptural exegesis known as gezerah shavah (גזירה שוה), where two verses with identical terminology are compared to each other, this verse is paired-up to another verse (Numbers 16:21):
הִבָּדְלוּ מִתֹּוךְ הָעֵדָה הַזֹּאת וַאַכַלֶּה אֹתָם כְּרָֽגַע׃
“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.”
The gezerah shavah of the Torah informs us that an “assembly” (edah’-עֵדָה) must be present when Adonai is being sanctified. Examples of such sanctification are the recitation of kaddish (קדיש), kedushah (קדושה) and barechu (ברכו), or the public reading of the Torah.
The Number Ten is a symbol of Adonai’s sanctification of us:
“I am Adonai who sanctifies you!”
The number ten symbolizes sanctification (holiness). Perfect sanctification is the aim of the symbolic tenth hour and of the tenth day. The most sacred day of the year occurs on the tenth day of the same month as Rosh Hashanah (the seventh month of Tishri). The Ten Days of Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe) begin on Rosh Hashanah and are concluded on the tenth of Tishri. These days are a sojourn of the pursuit of a sanctified life of complete dedication to Adonai. Our sanctification begins with Teshuvah (repentance for sins). Then there is Viduy (confession of sins). In Jewish tradition confession begins with an immersion (baptism) of repentance, and then on the Day of the Atonement a special series of prayers of confession (the Viduy) are said ten times. This coincides with the tradition that the High Priest pronounced the name of HaShem ten times when he invoked Divine pardon on Yom HaKippurim. Yom HaKippurim also recalls the Ten Commandments which serve as a testimony to the Messiah our Righteous One (our Tzaddik). For only the Messiah has continuously lived a perfect sanctified life (a life set apart to our Father in heaven).
The Ten Commandments also bear witness to our sanctification because, by the grace of Adonai, on the day of resurrection we will be transformed into the likeness of the Messiah so that we too might be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.
דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִישׁ אֹֽו־אִשָּׁה כִּי יַעֲשׂוּ מִכָּל־חַטֹּאת הָֽאָדָם לִמְעֹל מַעַל בַּ ה’ וְאָֽשְׁמָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִֽוא׃ וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶֽת־חַטָּאתָם אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ וְהֵשִׁיב אֶת־אֲשָׁמֹו בְּרֹאשֹׁו וַחֲמִישִׁתֹו יֹסֵף עָלָיו וְנָתַן לַאֲשֶׁר אָשַׁם לֹֽו׃
“Speak to the sons of Israel, ‘When a man or woman commits any of the sins of mankind, acting unfaithfully against Adonai, and that person is guilty, then they shall confess their sins (וְהִתְוַדּוּ אֶֽת־חַטָּאתָם) which they have committed, and he shall make restitution in full for his wrong and add to it one-fifth of it, and give it to him whom he has wronged.”
Viduy (confession) is inseparable from Teshuvah (repentance). The Torah’s commandment to repent makes explicit mention of confession, not of repentance (Numbers 5:6-7). Confessing the words “I have sinned” is the performance of a great and meaningful act. The act of confession must be performed before repentance can be regarded as complete.
There are Ten Forgiveness sayings of Messiah in the Four Jewish Gospels:
There are Ten Sayings of Messiah on forgiveness provided in the Four Jewish Gospels of the Brit Chadashah. These Ten Sayings of the Messiah on the subject of forgiveness are directly related to the Ten Days of Yamim Noraim and especially the Tenth Day of Yom Kippur. A summary of Messiah’s Ten Sayings regarding the practice of both the “giving” and “receiving” of forgiveness is provided in chapters eleven through twenty of our writing on the “Messiah in Yom Kippur.”
אַךְ בֶּעָשֹׂור לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַזֶּה יֹום הַכִּפֻּרִים
On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement.
In closing, as to our final comment in this chapter regarding the Hebrew numbers ten (עשר) and seven (שבע), it is very interesting to observe in the Torah that only one specific unit of time bears witness to the unique temporal-spiritual identity of these two numbers: The Day of Atonement! For it is written that on exactly (אַךְ) the tenth (עָשׂוֹר) day and the seventh (הַשְּׁבִיעִי) month of the Jewish calendar we shall observe Yom Kippurim (יום כיפורים). Selah (סֶלֶה).