Messiah in Yom HaBikkurim Chapter 35
Parable #16. Hidden Treasure (Kingdom of Heaven):
- Today is Day #16
- The Sixteenth Mashal of Messiah
- Twenty-one Observations
- Interpretation – 7 Points
- Postscript
Today is Day #16:
1. Today is “Day #16” in the forty-nine day Countdown to Shavuot.
2. Today is Sixteen days in the Omer.
Today is sixteen days which are two weeks and two days in the Omer.
היום ששה עשר יום, שהם שני שבועות ושני ימים בעומר. פ
Haiyom shishah asar yom, shehaym shnay shavuot ushnay yamim ba’omer.
“You shall count for yourselves — from the day after the Shabbat, from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving — seven Shabbats, they shall be complete. Until the day after the seventh sabbath you shall count, fifty days.” (Leviticus). “You shall count for yourselves seven weeks, from when the sickle is first put to the standing crop shall you begin counting seven weeks. Then you will observe the Festival of Shavu’ot for Adonai Eloheinu.” (Deuteronomy).
“Blessed are You, Adonai Eloheinu, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to count the Omer.”
ברוך אתה, אדוני אלוהינו, מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וציוונו על ספירת העומר.פ
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, melech ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sefirat ha’omer.
The Sixteenth Mashal of Messiah:
עוֹד דּוֹמָה מַלְכוּת הַשָׁמַיִם לְאוֹצָר טָמוּן בַּשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר מְצָאוֹ אִישׁ וַיִּטְמְנֵהוּ וּבְשִׂמְחָתוֹ יֵלֵךְ וּמָכַר אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ וְקָנָה אֶת־הַשָּׂדֶה הַהוּא׃
דומה מלכות השמים לאוצר טמון בשדה, והנה מצאו איש. הוא טומן אותו שוב ובשמחתו הוא הולך ומוכר את כל אשר לו וקונה את השדה ההוא. פ
[Mattai 13:44] “The kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man found buried in a field. He buries it again and in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.”
Twenty-one Observations:
Observation #1. In the previous teaching of the Messiah we learned to define treasure as being “rich toward Adonai.” We discovered that the early Assembly of Israel was required (on the whole) to become poor in material things so that they might become rich toward Adonai Elheinu (The LORD our God).
Observation #2. In the earliest stages of the growth of the kingdom of Heaven (on earth) the small number of wealthy Jewish followers of the Messiah were seen—by the rest of the Jewish messianic community—as being the ‘tested ones.’ These persons carried the extra burden of using their wealth wisely; so as to carefully attend to the material needs of the other members of their Israeli ‘family’ (ישראלים – Yiśraʾelim). This is the case because in the Scriptures it is revealed:
The rich are allocated their riches by God for the common good and not for the good of themselves alone.
Therefore, for everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to him whom God entrusts much, of him He will demand all the more.
Observation #3. If the rich believers failed to be good stewards of the material wealth that was entrusted to them by the Holy One, then their works would be burned up on the Day of Judgment. These insufficient works would be identified as wood, hay, and straw (עֵץ אוֹ חָצִיר אוֹ קַשׁ) and would not survive the scrutiny of the fiery judgment of God.
The fire itself will test the quality of each person’s work.
If the tested rich believer succeeds in being a good steward of the material wealth that God (השם-HaShem, the NAME) has entrusted to him or her, then his or her good works will not be burned up in the Day of Judgment. The faithful person’s good works (עוֹשֵׂי הַטּוֹב) will pass on through the fire and become an eternal reward (לִתְקוּמָה שֶׁל חַיִּים-to a resurrection of life) for her or him in the life to come.
Observation #4. One day the kingdom of Heaven will mature to such a great degree that the entire world will be brought under its influence. However, that day has not come yet. That day will not come until two additional events occur: first, the Jewish people of our nation of Israel must come to believe in the Besorah (Good News) of the D’var (Word) of Messiah; and second, the Messiah ben David, our Conquering Messiah, must return from heaven to put down the rebellion of humanity against HaShem and restore Israel to the fulfillment of all the promises that He has made to our fathers. Then will all the nations and peoples of the entire world become joined to our nation and people (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; i.e. the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob); and then as such all of the nations, peoples, and families of the world will be greatly blessed. Therefore, in the near future (this 21st century):
Little modern Israel will not just be a single nation but shall become a Commonwealth of all of the nations of the world!
Observation #5. When Messiah, the Savior of the World (מושיע העולם), returns to Israel all of the nations, peoples, and families of the world will be required to pledge their loyalty to the Messiah of God whom all will serve as the King of kings, and Lord of lords. The Administrator (Head Servant-Leader) of the New Israel will be the Spirit of the Holy One. In that day the Spirit of the Holy One will be recognized as the Adonai Elohim (LORD God) of all!
“For the earth is His and all that dwells therein”
Observation #6. The Treasure that is “hidden in the field of the world that a Man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” is:
The kingdom of Heaven on earth.
This Kingdom of Heaven (מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם – malchut shamayim) is being built by Adonai Avi-khol (the Father of All) upon the foundation of the (hidden) treasure of the Jewish people. In the past two millennia to the present day there has been a partial (temporary) hardening of our people, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that will one day, we pray soon, be removed. For the nation and people of Israel are irrevocably assigned the role of being the chosen people of the Holy One.
During this prolonged period of time—that our Jewish people have bitterly (מָרָה-mara) resisted the will of God our Father—you believing gentiles have been grafted into the Olive Tree of our father Abraham that has gained for you the riches of the sovereign regenerating-maturing-perfecting works of the Holy Spirit. By embracing our father Abraham’s faith in God you have been made to experience the immeasurable blessings of God’s grace, mercy, and love. So it must be asked, if God has mercifully blessed you gentiles to be grafted into the Olive Tree of our father Abraham’s faith in God, you who are not the natural branches:
How will God now bless the Jewish people, who are the natural branches of His Olive Tree that is rooted in the faith of His friend Abraham?
Observation #7. So, if Adonai (our God) now owns the entire earth (the “field”) and all of the people that dwell therein, then why does the Sixteenth Mashal of Messiah indicate that this world, its people and all its contents must be “purchased”by the Man (who is rich in Adonai) so that he might take into his own possession all of the hidden treasure (Israel)? Why doesn’t the Almighty just give the nation of Israel and for that matter all of the nations of the world to the Good Businessman-Steward, the Man (the Messiah) who is rich in Adonai?
Observation #8. The answer to the previous question: We know that the whole World (System) is under the control of the evil one. The entire human race came under the control of the Serpent when the first Adam ben Elohim failed to obey his Father in heaven and instead, chose to obey the word (false-teaching) of the evil one.
Observation #9. The evil one maintains control over the human race as long as humankind remains indebted to Adonai under the first covenant (mediated by the angels; including the fallen ones).
Observation #10. The evil one used the fall of Adam (when he-Adam disobeyed Abba Avinu) to wrestle away from Adam his legal stewardship over the earth and mankind. This was a temporary tactic employed by the evil one to delay his being judged by the Holy One for sins he had (already) committed.
Observation #11. The only way for all the children of Adam to be liberated from this state of perpetual enslavement to the evil steward was for the Son of Man (Adam) to appear as the Redeemer of Israel and of all humankind. Messiah was the new and Last Adam (*HaAdam Ha-acharon) who would through his own redemptive sacrifice pay in full the universal debt of sin that the evil one used to enslave humankind. For Messiah to deliver all of humanity from sin unto righteousness he had to first universally deliver the whole of humankind (purchase the entire field) from sin unto righteousness (i.e. redeem the entire world).
*He is the Last Adam because unlike the first Adam the Messiah shall (perfectly) fulfill all of the will of God; therefore, there is no need for another.
Observation #12. Therefore, once the debt had been paid for humankind universally, the Son of Man (Adam) was able to take back by force of payment the lost estate of humankind generally and the nation and people of Israel specifically. In other words the certificate of debt was cancelled when it was paid in full (i.e. our redemption was made complete, “finished” – “נִשְׁלַם“).
Observation #13. No longer is Satan in a position to subordinate through legal means the nation and people of Israel, the adopted (National) Son of Adonai or the enslaved gentile sons of Adam (the human race). What overcomes the legal powers of the old order? It is our faith in the Messiah whom Adonai sent to us (Israel) that we might overcome the world system (rule) of the evil one.
Observation #14. Messiah Yeshua is the mediator (1, 2, 3) of a New Covenant (HaBrit HaChadashah). Messiah is our (Israel’s) Melitz Echad (וְאֶחָד הַמְתַוֵּךְ-One Mediator) in this New Covenant. Not the angels. They are the mediators of the first Covenant received by Moses and our ancestors at Mount Sinai (הַר סִינַי). The Brit HaChadashah possesses the power to liberate the people of Israel from living in bondage to the evil world system that is controlled by Satan (our Accuser). Adonai (our God) recognizes the Brit HaChadashah (New Covenant) that is set up by M’shicho (His Messiah); who is our Savior (HaGo’el-Redeemer). He is the one that our father Moses promised would be the New Moses, our Deliverer (HaPalat) to come (Hu Haba’).
Observation #15. Therefore, by His universal redemption the Messiah is able to purchase the Treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven that is hidden within the field of the whole earth. Under the New Order of Adonai (our God), the Messiah has purchased freedom for Israel to be liberated (1, 2, 3, 4), Now the old order superintended by the evil one (our accuser) is passing away. All is becoming new. The Messiah has fulfilled all the requirements of the Law of Moses, so that his (our) people might be liberated from the bondage of living under the old Law of sin and death; so that now we might live in complete freedom as Adonai (our God’s) children under the new Law of the Spirit of Grace and Truth (chesed/chen v’ emet). For the nation and people of Israel shall always be—Adonai Avinu’s most treasured possession.
What overcomes the legal powers of the old world order? It is our faith in the Messiah whom Adonai our Father sent to us (Israel) that we might overcome the world.
Israel is a corporate body. What happens to one member of the family affects all the members of the family. Messiah ben Yosef (Joseph) has set at liberty his natural family and in so doing he has liberated us sufficient to one day rule with him over all of the world (1, 2):
ועתה אם־שמוע תשמעו בקלי ושמרתם את־בריתי והייתם לי סגלה מכל־העמים כי־לי כל־הארץ׃
וְעַתָּ֗ה אִם־שָׁמֹ֤ועַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ בְּקֹלִ֔י וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֑י וִהְיִ֨יתֶם לִ֤י סְגֻלָּה֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים כִּי־לִ֖י כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
“Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own treasured possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine.”
כי־יעקוב בחר לו ה’ ישראל לסגלתו׃
“For Adonai has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own special treasure.”
Observation #16. The special Treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven is made up of those children of Israel past, present, and future who have sincerely put their trust in the promises that Adonai passed on to us through the faith of our fathers. All of the promises given to the fathers are to be fulfilled through the first and second appearances of the New Moses who is Messiah our Savior-Redeemer.
Throughout the Scriptures it is has repeatedly been prophesied that through exercising faith in the Messiah the nation and people of Israel will receive forgiveness of sin (national atonement) and the Gift of the Father which is the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One. When all Israel is Indwelt with the treasured Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One then truly we shall all become Adonai Avinu’s (GOD our Father’s) own special treasure.
Observation #17. Only through our (Israel) exercising sincere faith in the words and teaching of the Messiah of GOD will we receive national atonement and the Gift of the Indwelling Presence of the Spirit of Grace and Truth; and then shall we be most blessed to see all of the promises of Elohei Avoteinu (the God of our Fathers) be fulfilled. Israel has yet to avail itself of this great opportunity and this has delayed not only the national salvation of Israel but it has delayed the coming of the world-wide rule of the messianic kingdom of Israel and the Commonwealth of Israel.
In the meanwhile, while we wait for the salvation of Israel, the Holy Spirit has gathered together from all the nations and peoples of the world (Jew and Gentile) an international remnant of believers who are already following the Messiah. At the present time this international remnant is functioning as Messiah’s ambassadors (emissaries) to the world.
Observation #18. This Master Plan of the Spirit of the Holy One, of gathering together an international remnant to bear witness to HaShem and His coming international kingdom rule through His Messiah, was originally written into the Tanakh in the form of a “mystery” that was not revealed until the Messiah unveiled (revealed) it in the form of his meshalim that he taught to his Jewish disciples.
Observation #19. This revelation of the testimony and coming international rule of Messiah and the explanation of all the deep meanings and mysteries of the Scriptures (haSodim) are found hidden (buried) in the writings of the prophets in the Tanakh and found (revealed) in the writings of the shlichim (Jewish emissaries; sent ones) found in the Brit HaChadashah (the New Covenant).
Observation #20. Included in HaBrit HaChadashah (which was entirely written by Yehudim, Jews) is a thorough and complete explanation of where in the Scriptures all of the promises to Israel are located; what their exact meanings are; and how we – the children of Israel – can claim all of the the promises of Adonai (our God) so that we might usher in the rule of His heavenly kingdom here on earth. HaBrit HaChadashah (the New Covenant) also includes a series of prophetic writings that can and will supernaturally help us successfully navigate through the very difficult challenges we (modern Israel) are presently facing today.
Observation #21. Now, in this 21st century as in ages past, the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven that have been hidden for so long are once again being revealed to our treasured nation and people of Israel.
Interpretation – 7 Points:
Point #1. In a state of war where is the safest place to hide your treasure? In ancient days the safest place to hide your treasure during a state of war was under the ground; preferably in one’s own garden. Israel in ancient times (and even today) has had the distinction of being the most fought over piece of real estate in the world.
Point #2. In the ancient land of Israel it was common practice for our ancestors to hide their valuables under the ground. This they did in the hope that once the period of violence and hostility had ended—when the enemy who had temporarily occupied our land left—then our ancestors who hid their valuables under the ground could return to their hiding places and reclaim their treasures.
Since 1948 – 72 years ago – Israel, the special treasure of God has been back in the Land as a Hebrew speaking nation and people.
Point #3. Through faith in our Messiah, who is Rich in Adonai (our God), our people (Israel) now have the right and the power to reclaim our national treasure. Question: What is the treasure that was first given to our fathers and by right of our inheritance of faith in Messiah has always belonged to us? Answer: It is the everlasting Treasure of the Word (the *Scriptures) of the Holy One.
*D’var HaShem.
Point #4. Therefore, it is all of the “promises of Adonai (our God)” that were given to our fathers of Israel and our prophets and the Jewish schlichim of our Messiah that have been temporarily forgotten by us (the children of Israel) and must now be remembered. The treasure hidden in the ground is not just one promise (redemption) but all of the the promises (the restitution of all things).
The people of Israel have presently lost awareness of where our fathers hid our treasure.
The treasure is all of the promises of Adonai (our God) that are to be found directly in our Jewish Scriptures (the Tanakh and HaBrit HaChadashah). Only when we search out the Scriptures for ourselves and discover that the Salvation of Adonai (Yeshua) is the real Messiah will we Jews ever possess the necessary means (the key) to our claiming for ourselves (Israel) and all of the nations, peoples, and families of the world—the fulfillment of all of the promised treasures of Adonai our Father.
Point #5. Through the redemptive ministry of Messiah there is available to every son and daughter of Israel cleansing from sin and the Gift of the reawakening Presence of the Spirit of the Holy One. The Spirit possesses the power to make the blind see and the ignorant hear and understand the spiritual language that all of our Jewish Scriptures (Jewish treasures new and old) are written in.
Point #6. When the Gift of the reawakening of the Holy Spirit supernaturally begins to restore the spiritual hearing and sight of the Jewish people of the nation of Israel and of all those Yehudim who are dispersed throughout the world, then will all of us discover together all of the treasured promises that we have inherited through the faith (emunah) of our fathers: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Aaron, Moses, and David (etc.)
Point #7. As the children of light we must now see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears the many supernatural truths that for so long have been buried (concealed) deep within the sodim (the mysteries, secrets) of the Torah of Moses, the Prophets, and the Writings. Then will the Light of Israel be put back upon His chosen Lampstand (the people of Israel). So then will our people and our nation of Israel (finally) be what we have always been called to be: a Light to the Gentiles and a bright shining City on a Hill (1, 2).
Postscript:
It is the royal calling of the children of light (those persons of Jewish descent who have put their faith and trust in the Messiah) to carefully search out the Scriptures to discover the great truths (mysteries) of our Father in heaven, Adonai (our God). When we sincerely search for and find the reality, the truth (האמת) that is concealed in the Tanakh as to who the Messiah really is, then will all Israel begin to be saved. For only when all Israel is restored to full-faith in the Messiah of God, who is our Kinsman Redeemer, will the fulfillment of all the promises of God our Father be fulfilled. On that most blessed day our people of Israel will all say:
“Blessed is He who comes in the Name of Adonai.”
ברוך הבא בשם ה’.פ
“Baruch habah b’shem Adonai.”
It will be on that very same day that all of the treasures of Adonai (our Father) will be fully restored to us. For on that day all of the treasures of the children of Israel will finally be discovered and be claimed! For then (within three days) will Messiah return from the throne of heaven to earth and fulfill of all of the promises of Adonai (our God) that He made to our fathers. Then, after we (Israel) do teshuvah; so will all of the world repent and turn in faith to Adonai (our Father) and they too will be blessed in full measure.
For if our failure to believe in the Messiah has been riches for the Gentiles (because our failure to believe led Adonai to take His salvation to the Gentiles), how much more will our (Israel’s) acceptance of our Messiah be an exceeding blessing not only to ourselves but to all the nations, peoples, and families of the earth! For it is written, the Messiah will:
ושפט בין הגוים והוכיח לעמים רבים וכתתו חרבותם לאתים וחניתותיהם למזמרות לא־ישא גוי אל־גוי חרב ולא־ילמדו עוד מלחמה׃ פ
וְשָׁפַט֙ בֵּ֣ין הַגֹּויִ֔ם וְהֹוכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבֹותָ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֹֽותֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵרֹ֔ות לֹא־יִשָּׂ֨א גֹ֤וי אֶל־גֹּוי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְד֥וּ עֹ֖וד מִלְחָמָֽה׃ פ
“Judge between the nations and rebuke many people; (and) they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; (then) nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”
So will both Jew and Gentile be blessed together beyond all measure and and all the lands of the nations of the earth will become like Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden):
כי כארץ תוציא צמחה וכגנה זרועיה תצמיח כן ׀ אדני ה’ יצמיח צדקה ותהלה נגד כל־הגוים׃
כִּ֤י כָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תֹּוצִ֣יא צִמְחָ֔הּ וּכְגַנָּ֖ה זֵרוּעֶ֣יהָ תַצְמִ֑יחַ כֵּ֣ן ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י ה’ יַצְמִ֤יחַ צְדָקָה֙ וּתְהִלָּ֔ה נֶ֖גֶד כָּל־הַגֹּויִֽם׃
“For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a Garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, so Adonai (our God) will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all of the nations.”