Isaiah 53:1-12, an expanded and reiterated word picture look at the Hebrew

Introduction: The Servant in Isaiah 53 is King Messiah, Son of David, not collective Israel

Isaiah 53 (King James Version)

Isaiah 53
1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.





Isaiah was written generations before the Babylonian exile. Isaiah is thought to have died around 680 B.C.

The definition of the Servant in Isaiah 53 is revealed in Ezekiel, over 100 years later during the time of the Exile itself.

Ezekiel 37:21-25

Ezekiel 37:21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord G-D; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.

23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their G-D.

24 And David my Servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and My Servant David shall be their prince for ever.

Luke in chapter 1, identifies through the angel Gabriel, that this Servant David who eternally sits on the throne is: "JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the L-RD G-D shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end."

Isaiah was not writing his book according to the context of an Assyrian Invasion and other events of his day psychological trauma. Yet, in some ways, when a prophecy becomes too fantastic or too much a revelation confirming Yeshua/Jesus, this is the same old tired tactic of unbelief that is employed to dismiss Christ...keep the prophecy and fulfillment locked within a tight time frame of the past,and take away the miraculousness of the foretelling...but this liberalism and unbelief technique of interpretation is also flawed and full of obvious inconsistencies.

For example: If the term "L'Rabiym" / "for many" of Isaiah 53:11, and "Rabiym" of Isaiah 53:12 is revealed in Daniel 9:27 as Israel and the nations combined (which the singular man-servant David of Ezekiel 37:25 must be the same prince in Daniel 9:24-27, and yet saves in Isaiah 53:11,12) ...then it is imperative that the Biblical context given to us by G-D in Scripture and the Prophets is that Isaiah 53's prophecy, even during the Babylonian exile, concerns a singular Davidic Messiah who also shall be cut off to save and make atonement of the world. This fact is absorbed in the allowance of letting Daniel 9:27 define who the "L'Rabiym" are, and comparing Daniel 9:24,26 with Isaiah 53:8,12 and 52:15.

Since the Servant of Isaiah 53 is defined by and through Daniel and Ezekiel, G-D Himself therefore employs two witnesses to define the linguistic context of Isaiah 53"s "Servant".

A simple examination of the historical context, even in the Babylonian exilic period, shows that Daniel projects this Isaiah 53 Messiah who will atone for the sins of "the many" (Israel and the nations) as being 70 weeks of years further out from his day. Had Daniel meant 70 literal weeks, Daniel would have revealed this Messiah prior to Judah's emancipation in circa 536 B.C., and we would have known his identity in Ezra, Nehemiah, and from that day to this...because that Davidic King and Messiah must conquer death, and have the final right to rule forever (Ezekiel 37:25). That is, there can be no kings as successors after him.

When the Bible tells us: "...they shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. [cf. Zech 13:7, Matthew 26:31]
{and}
...he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the L-RD, in the majesty of the name of the L-RD his G-D; and they shall abide: for now shall he be made great and continually keep growing great unto the ends of the earth." Micah 5:1b, 2b-c, 4 Cf. Zechariah 6:12-13

We see that the L-RD is both King (Psalm 98:6) and Messiah, and is identified for us by His Name Yeshua (I Samuel 2:10b, 2:35, 12:5, 16:6; especially also ever Passover via Psalm 116:13 {the cup of Yeshua/Jesus = the Name of YHVeH}; and Psalm 98:3 with Revelation 1:7, Isaiah 52:10).

In that Day, when every eye shall see Him, He shall reveal the extent of His suffering as testified in Isaiah 53, for:

14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. (Isaiah 52:14-15)

We shall see first hand, then, what it means for the L-RD Messhiach (Lamentations 4:20, Genesis 2:7) to truly "bear iniquities" for others (Isaiah 53:4-6,10-12), then.

-----------------------------

(Isaiah 53 Hebrew from The Westminster Leningrad Codex)

ישעה 53

1 מִ֥י הֶאֱמִ֖ין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵ֑נוּ וּזְרֹ֥ועַ יְהוָ֖ה עַל־מִ֥י נִגְלָֽתָה׃



"Who has believed our report, and the Arm of the L-RD to whom is revealed?"

---------
Rashi comments:
Who has believed our report So will the nations say to one another, Were we to hear from others what we see, it would be unbelievable.
The arm of the Lord like this, with greatness and glory, to whom was it revealed until now?
-------------


In the Hebrew, in contrast to Rashi, how will it really be expounded into the English for us?

"Who...{then we read aman in the hiphil perfect}...will be brought about to be made certain, so as to believe."

In other words, "who has repented, or been brought about, so as to believe?"

"...our report." {uses the word shemua / sh'ma, that news which they are supposed to hear - listen intently to - obey}.

"...And the strength or ARM {v'zeroa} of the L-RD,
to whom is... {then we read gala in the niphil perfect}...
is revealed, uncovered, apocalypsed and made visible (so as they also know what they are seeing)...{or in regard to the ears, unstopped, and made audible so as to clearly be able to hear and understand}?

Therefore: in regard to bible study understanding purposes, we read -

"Who is to repent, so as to be brought about and be made certain and believe -- having intently listened to, heard, and obeyed our report?

And to whom is the ARM of the L-RD unveiled,
uncovered,
apocalypsed
and made visible to an understanding eye,
or heard and understood by the unstopped ear?"
(Isaiah 53:1, translation for word study and intent only, mine, using word pictures and reiterations from the Hebrew)




By the same expanded and reiterated analysis, let us continue:

2 וַיַּ֨עַל כַּיֹּונֵ֜ק לְפָנָ֗יו וְכַשֹּׁ֙רֶשׁ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ צִיָּ֔ה לֹא־תֹ֥אַר לֹ֖ו וְלֹ֣א הָדָ֑ר וְנִרְאֵ֥הוּ וְלֹֽא־מַרְאֶ֖ה וְנֶחְמְדֵֽהוּ׃

Isaiah 53:2 "For He comes up as a shoot before Him,
and as a deep root of the depths out of ground, dry.

Not a form to Him,
and not majesty that we should see
notice
look at closely
inspect Him,
and not an appearance that we should desire."
(Isaiah 53:2, translation for word study and intent only, mine, using word pictures and reiterations from the Hebrew)



3 נִבְזֶה֙ וַחֲדַ֣ל אִישִׁ֔ים אִ֥ישׁ מַכְאֹבֹ֖ות וִיד֣וּעַ חֹ֑לִי וּכְמַסְתֵּ֤ר פָּנִים֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ נִבְזֶ֖ה וְלֹ֥א חֲשַׁבְנֻֽהוּ׃

Isaiah 53:3 - Despised with contempt as having little worth
and rejected as fat and short-lived,
abandoned of men;

a man of heartbreaking sorrow,
grief,
the pains of affliction;
and known of those being sick,
wounded
or faint.

And loftily hiding against (were the) faces from Him, being despised with contempt as having little worth,
and not did we imagine,
count,
or impute Him as having a value.
(Isaiah 53:3, translation for word study and intent only, mine, using word pictures and reiterations from the Hebrew)



Targum Jonathan Isaiah 53:3
"Then He [My Servant, the Messhiach] will become despised,
and will cut off the glory of all the Kingdoms;
they will be prostrate and mourning,
like a man of pains, and like one destined for sickness;
and as though the Presence of the Shekinah had been withdrawn from us, they will be despised, and esteemed not."

The Targums are those works in which the Hebrew is reverted back to Aramaic. The writers of the Targums have no problems in INSERTING words into the Scripture to explain it after a particular interpretation.

We see this also in texts such as Exodus 1 of its predecessor Targum Onkelos, for example, which will place "and the Egyptians" after the word used for "Egypt".

Because of this, while Targums could be read in synagogue from Babylonia about the 300s onward, it was never accepted as a translation of Holy Scripture, but hovered somewhere as an enlightened work of some sort. Rabbis were sure to make a distinguishing between the Torah, and the Onkelos translation. Torah was definitely Holy...Onkelos (an Aramaic altered version of Torah) was "eh",and "so-so" as it were. And if they viewed Onkelos this way, the same is said for Jonathan on Isaiah 53.

The Babylonian Talmud states:
"Those who devote themselves to reading the Bible exercise a certain virtue, but not very much; those who study the Mishna exercise virtue for which they will receive a reward; those, however, who take upon themselves to study the Gemara [commentary on Mishna compiled in 230 A.D.] exercise the highest virtue." Bava Metsia 33a

Later, there were rabbis looking through the Scriptures looking for "code words", as if to prove Targums went back into antiquity. The Talmud has a couple decisions in which it is claimed that one lone word was used as such by Ezra to reference to a Targum that Ezra personally made in his day. And even if Ezra did, guess what...he never, ever, passed it on. But this is used by example, to help show how the rabbinate began to turn to quackery, because as doctor's of the law, they held their own personal opinions in higher esteem than the Word of G-D...especially Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim.

In the 400s and 500s, there is the first suggestion that maybe...in one verse out of 13 verses, of the whole chapter of Isaiah 53, maybe that verse was referring to Israel and not just Messiah. This was not grasped upon until the time of Rashi, another 600 years later in the 11th Century A.D. Therefore, I ask...why did it take another 600 plus years to develop even the notion of a nation of Israel in that one allusion in passing in one verse of Isaiah 53, unless it was wrong? Today, fearing mass conversions to Jesus, the rabbinate has made the ridiculous claim that "voila", the Servant in Isaiah is almost always suffering Israel, even when Israel is filthy in its sins, it suddenly can now be the perfect sacrifice for itself to purity in contradiction to whatever G-D might say in Isaiah or anywhere else!

In the above example of Targum Jonathan, the rabbis viewed the "they" as those of the "kingdoms". The rabbis of the first millennia appear to have accepted the singular "he" to refer to a "person" or "king messiah" and suffering servant Messiah of HASHEM, NOT a whole nation.

In the Babylonian Talmud: Sanhedrin 98a
R. Hama b. Hanina said: The son of David will not come until even the pettiest kingdom ceases over Israel....

Ze'iri said in R. Hanina's name: The son of David will not come until there are no conceited men in Israel.... Hence ruling out Israel as the innocent suffering Messiah.
R. Simlai said in the name of R. Eleazar, son of R. Simeon: The son of David will not come until all judges and officers are gone from Israel....

Sanhedrin 98b

R. Joseph said: Let him come, and may I be worthy of sitting in the shadow of his ass's saddle.

...Rab said: The world was created only on David's account . Samuel said: On Moses account; R. Johanan said: For the sake of the Messiah. What is his name? — The School of R. Shila said: His name is Shiloh, for it is written, until Shiloh come. The School of R. Yannai said: His name is Yinnon, for it is written, His name shall endure for ever: e'er the sun was, his name is Yinnon.

The School of R. Haninah maintained: His name is Haninah, as it is written, Where I will not give you Haninah. Others say: His name is Menahem the son of Hezekiah, for it is written, Because Menahem ['the comforter'], that would relieve my soul,
is far. The Rabbis said: His name is 'the leper scholar,' as it is written, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted. (Cf. Isaiah 53:4)

Even the Babylonian Talmud, held in high esteem as virtually complete in discussion and wisdom by the rabinate (though I and most of Christianity do not concur) refutes the "all Israel is Messiah" nonsense to those anti-missionaries who wish to spring this nonsense in refutation of their True King Messiah, Jesus Christ. Notice that only the identity of an "individual" is sought for in Sanhedrin 98a and 98b: an individual of the lineage of David who will come and be revealed to the nation of Israel. Rabbi Joseph meant one person on one animal, and sitting in the shadow of that one special Zechariah 9:9 (cf. Matthew 21:1-11) animal. Hence, any alteration of Isaiah 53 from a King Messiah to an "all Israel" approach is blasphemy on the order of eternal damnation in order to just deny Yeshua as the obvious and true Messhiach.


Isaiah 53 (Hebrew from Westminster Leningrad Codex - public domain)

4 אָכֵ֤ן חֳלָיֵ֙נוּ֙ ה֣וּא נָשָׂ֔א וּמַכְאֹבֵ֖ינוּ סְבָלָ֑ם וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ חֲשַׁבְנֻ֔הוּ נָג֛וּעַ מֻכֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים וּמְעֻנֶּֽה׃

Isaiah 53:4 Truly indeed our sicknesses and diseases He has lifted up and carried (away), and our mental and physical anguish (He) bore the burdens (for):
yet we did make a judgment so as to imagine and count Him stricken as with a blow by a plague or disease,
slain / killed by G-D,
and so answered.

(Isaiah 53:4, translation for word study and intent only, mine, using word pictures and reiterations from the Hebrew)





5 וְהוּא֙ מְחֹלָ֣ל מִפְּשָׁעֵ֔נוּ מְדֻכָּ֖א מֵעֲוֹנֹתֵ֑ינוּ מוּסַ֤ר שְׁלֹומֵ֙נוּ֙ עָלָ֔יו וּבַחֲבֻרָתֹ֖ו נִרְפָּא־לָֽנוּ׃

Isaiah 53:5 But He was fatally bored through and pierced for our rebellions, revolts and transgressions;
He was crushed emotionally and spiritually, being humbled for our deviations, perversions and guilts:
both the rod of discipline and the oral instruction of
our soundness in mind, body, and spirit / our peace, was upon him;
and with his heaped upon and united blows and stripes we are healed ourselves.

(Isaiah 53:5, translation for word study and intent only, mine, using word pictures and reiterations from the Hebrew)




6 כֻּלָּ֙נוּ֙ כַּצֹּ֣אן תָּעִ֔ינוּ אִ֥ישׁ לְדַרְכֹּ֖ו פָּנִ֑ינוּ וַֽיהוָה֙ הִפְגִּ֣יעַ בֹּ֔ו אֵ֖ת עֲוֹ֥ן כֻּלָּֽנוּ׃

Isaiah 53:6 All we like a flock of sheep and goats go staggering, erring, and wandering astray;
and every one to his own way have we turned the face; and the L-RD hath marked, laid, and killed in Him the deviations, perversions, guilts, the iniquity of us all.

(Isaiah 53:6, translation for word study and intent only, mine, using word pictures and reiterations from the Hebrew)



Compare this to Leviticus 16:21: “Then shall lay Aaron his two hands on the head of the living goat, and shall confess over it ALL THE INIQUITIES of the sons of Israel, and ALL THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS, and ALL THEIR SINS, and shall put them [all their diseases and infirmities] on the head of the goat, and shall send by the hand of a man CHOSEN AS TIMELY AND READY AND MADE AVAILABLE NOW into the wilderness.”

In effect, the iniquities are marked, laid upon, and killed IN the Escapegoat. The Escapegoat itself is innocent of Israel's sins...and yet still dies to successfully atone for Israel.

Jesus, like the Escape Goat, was not only physically bored through by nails and whips, he also suffered all that Isaiah 53 tells us He would. In Jesus alone, we see the fulfillment of Leviticus 16's Escape Goat and Yom Kippur Sacrifice, who bears the iniquities and diseases of not only all Israel, but the whole of humanity...the whole world, once and for ALL eternity.

7 נִגַּ֨שׂ וְה֣וּא נַעֲנֶה֮ וְלֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־פִּיו֒ כַּשֶּׂה֙ לַטֶּ֣בַח יוּבָ֔ל וּכְרָחֵ֕ל לִפְנֵ֥י גֹזְזֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱלָ֑מָה וְלֹ֥א יִפְתַּ֖ח פִּֽיו׃


Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed (with near to violent rulers who acted upon Him) with demanding and exacting pressure ,
and He was in humility and poverty in (the) affliction,
yet but not at all did He open His mouth:
as a lamb to the slaughtering,
trumpeted like a stream He was led,
and as an ewe before her shearers is silent and binded,
so He opens not his mouth.

(Isaiah 53:7, translation for word study and intent only, mine, using word pictures and reiterations from the Hebrew)





8 מֵעֹ֤צֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט֙ לֻקָּ֔ח וְאֶת־דֹּורֹ֖ו מִ֣י יְשֹׂוחֵ֑חַ כִּ֤י נִגְזַר֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּ֔ים מִפֶּ֥שַׁע עַמִּ֖י נֶ֥גַע לָֽמֹו׃

Isaiah 53:8
From being pressed upon,
seized,
taken hold of,
restrained,
held back,
and sufferring barren/naked oppression;

and from justice and the court of Law and the one judging [having rulership over the Congregation of Israel in his office] He was taken:

and the circle of His lifetime,
who shall rehearse over the matter,
consider,
muse and speak upon,
and (even) cause-for-complaining about it?

for He was cut off, parted and separated from out of the land of the undead lives living: for the rebellions, revolts and transgressions of my people the physical blow and (even) controversy (like a plague or disease) was to Him.

(Isaiah 53:8, translation for word study and intent only, mine, using word pictures and reiterations from the Hebrew)



9 וַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־רְשָׁעִים֙ קִבְרֹ֔ו וְאֶת־עָשִׁ֖יר בְּמֹתָ֑יו עַ֚ל לֹא־חָמָ֣ס עָשָׂ֔ה וְלֹ֥א מִרְמָ֖ה בְּפִֽיו׃

Isaiah 53:9
And He was perennially rewarded (by) being put and set with the criminally and greedily wicked;

His sepulcher/tomb,
(was associated) with a man made materially rich by deeds and accomplishments,
as one executed or killed (now) in the realm of the dead;

though no wrongful,
corrupt,
oppressive,
or malicious violence He had done;
and neither (was) any falsifying deceit or treachery in His mouth.

(Isaiah 53:9, translation for word study and intent only, mine, using word pictures and reiterations from the Hebrew)




10 וַיהוָ֞ה חָפֵ֤ץ דַּכְּאֹו֙ הֶֽחֱלִ֔י אִם־תָּשִׂ֤ים אָשָׁם֙ נַפְשֹׁ֔ו יִרְאֶ֥ה זֶ֖רַע יַאֲרִ֣יךְ יָמִ֑ים וְחֵ֥פֶץ יְהוָ֖ה בְּיָדֹ֥ו יִצְלָֽח׃

Isaiah 53:10
And the L-RD joyfully delighted taking pleasure in emotionally and spiritually crushing Him;
to make Him physically beaten,
wounded
and mentally anguished with the sickness of grief:

if He shall bring to ruins and devastations
as a pouring falling noise a sin,
tresspass,
guilt offering for the sin of others His soul,
He shall see with the eyes to look on and inspect the action of [His] sowing seed or offspring,
[i.e., He shall behold the Harvest of that which He has sown by pouring out His soul into ruins in atoning for them],

he shall make long his days,
and joyfully delighted taking pleasure the L-RD His Hand shall prosper.
(Isaiah 53:10, translation for word study and intent only, mine, using word pictures and reiterations from the Hebrew)


The Hand of the L-RD, King Messiah, shall be killed, but shall resurrect unto eternal life, see with the eyes and inspect the Harvest of His pouring out His soul unto death, and be joyfully delighted and taking pleasure in His saints, those who will come to believe and trust into Him and what He did just before and at the Cross.

A couple words of interest in this verse:

[dakau] - the crushing in context to Messiah is emotional and spiritual. Cf. Psalm 51:8, verse 10 in the Hebrew.

[H'holi] - Proverbs 23:35, 2 Kings 1:2, 8:29 and 2 Chronicles 18:33, 35:23 - ascribe the condition of physical beating, fall and battle wounds. Jesus was beaten by the open hand, 400-600 blows to the head {the beatings}; beaten by the Cat-and-nine-tails Roman whip {instrument of duplicating battle wounds}; and fell repeatedly on the way to Calvary, so that Simon the Cyrene was kicked about with the knees at the half-way point to help take up Jesus' Cross}. Isaiah 17:11 and Amos 6:6, by example, refer to the non-physical afflictions.

[em-Teshuim] - read as the pluralization of Teshua. A noise in Isaiah 22:2. As Shoa for the root word, pluralized, it means ruins and devastations, including the pourings and fallings of storms in Proverbs 1:27 and Ezekiel 38:9.

[Zera]
Leviticus 19:19 uses “mingled” seed, and Deuteronomy 22:9 “diverse” seed in the KJV translation. In Torah, there is the instruction to not plant fields with two kinds of zera (seed). Jesus addresses this aspect of the prophecy in His parable of the Wheat and the Tares in Matthew 13:24-30 (cf. vv. 1-23 for context).

The wheat is the good zera, and the tares are the bad zera. These both refer to people in the parable.

In the ProtoSemitic (pre-586 B.C. Hebrew inclusive), the word zera is a composite from two words: one means to sow (zr), the other to scatter (drw). The Ugaritic interprets (drw) as that which is dry and exhibits the qualities of that which is dead. Zr appears to exhibit qualities involving moisture and life, or life supporting (or a thought along those lines). Hence, drw is like the tares and even the chaff, and zr is likened to wheat seed that can be planted and "reproduce lives" 30-60-100 fold, perhaps even allegorically, faith.

John the Baptist spoke of stones that could be raised up as zera to Abraham (Matthew 3:9).

Judaism also teaches that those of the Gentiles who convert as Noachides (non-Jewish converts to Judaism) are as “zera” unto Abraham, in the spiritual sense, though not physically until after circumcision, etc.; so that their children (at least) might be grafted in as if physically Jewish. That is, the next generation...the children, not previously Jewish, now can be “by faith” as though the zera of Israel.


"He shall make long his days" Yaarich yamim.

The verb Ya’ARiYK of Isaiah 53:10 is comparable to L’AReK of Psalm 23:6, which means not only of the length of days in this life, but the forever of the world to come (in that verse). By implication, it speaks of the Resurrection, and affirms the prophecies of Ezekiel 37:25 and the proclamation by Gabriel in Luke 1:31-33.

In Psalm 91:16,
"With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation."
the dwelling of the secret place of the Most High (i.e., Heaven) in verse 1,
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."

is given an application of being set on high in the world to come, and a length of days comparable to Isaiah 53:10…forever, once beyond the grave. Jesus died and rose again from the dead; hence, He qualifies as fulfilling this requirement of Scripture: be it also inferred or stated elsewhere in the Torah, the Writings, or the Prophets of the Tanakh as well.

11 מֵעֲמַ֤ל נַפְשֹׁו֙ יִרְאֶ֣ה יִשְׂבָּ֔ע בְּדַעְתֹּ֗ו יַצְדִּ֥יק צַדִּ֛יק עַבְדִּ֖י לָֽרַבִּ֑ים וַעֲוֹנֹתָ֖ם ה֥וּא יִסְבֹּֽל׃

"Of the labor, toiling, suffering
of His soul
He seeing shall see
and shall be satisfied in fullness and plenty[as to the satiating of His soul]

by His distinguishing and intimate acquaintant knowledge
shall lawfully justify and righteousify freely
My just - lawful - Righteous Servant
for a great many (for many lengths / long times)

and their deviations, perversions, and guilts
He shall bear the load to transport, carrying (them) away."
(Isaiah 53:11, translation for word study and intent only, mine, using word pictures and reiterations from the Hebrew)

The Temple Sacrifices do not infer "free" sacrifices, and even the poor were required to pay and purchase animals (including birds) and exchange a payment for sacrifice and service by the Kohen.

In contrast, the righteousifying done by the Righteous Servant, the King Messiah, requires such an inclusion of redemption as free righteousifying...without money, without price (e.g., Isaiah 52:3, 55:1) to the one being redeemed...in the translation of the Hebrew words in respective their word pictures.



12 לָכֵ֞ן אֲחַלֶּק־לֹ֣ו בָרַבִּ֗ים וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים֮ יְחַלֵּ֣ק שָׁלָל֒ תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶעֱרָ֤ה לַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נַפְשֹׁ֔ו וְאֶת־פֹּשְׁעִ֖ים נִמְנָ֑ה וְהוּא֙ חֵטְא־רַבִּ֣ים נָשָׂ֔א וְלַפֹּשְׁעִ֖ים יַפְגִּֽיעַ׃

“Thus, I will allot, apportion, assign to Him
with the great many [with many lengths / long times] great and mighty (ones);

He shall divide the spoil / plunder / booty

because / in exchange for who
He poured out and made bare to death His soul
and with transgressors, and with those who rebel or revolt,
was counted, numbered, appointed, portioned.

and He, the sin [those who experience the failure to live up to expectations or to respect others, those who miss and fall short of a mark or standard]

of a great many
bore, lifting up, carrying and taking away;
and for the rebellions, transgressions, revolts
made entreaties and intercessions.”
(Isaiah 53:12, translation for word study and intent only, mine, using word pictures and reiterations from the Hebrew)

Brianroy answers readers questions about the Bible.

An individual wrote and asked:
I do have a question though, concerning three passages of scripture ... How do you see these passages?

Zechariah 8:23 Thus saith HaShem of hosts: In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, shall even take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying: We will go with you, for we have heard that G-d is with you.'

Jeremiah 16:19 O HaShem, my strength, and my stronghold, and my refuge, in the day of affliction, unto Thee shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say: 'Our fathers have inherited nought but lies, vanity and things wherein there is no profit.'

Deuteronomy 4:5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as HaShem my G-d commanded me, that ye should do so in the midst of the land whither ye go in to possess it. 6 Observe therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that, when they hear all these statutes, shall say: 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'

[Then he asks to the effect of: are they historical only or end-time prophecy related?] Could you help me?

My Reply:

The context of Zechariah 8, as it appears to me, is an entire chapter describing the beginning years of the Millenial Reign.

Verse 3, the L-RD says "I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem will be called the city of Truth..." etc.

When does the L-RD return? Has He yet?

We know Jesus will return and cleave the Mount of Olives in Zechariah 14:4, that He will show Israel the wounds in His hands (inclusive of wrists) in Zechariah 13:6, and that Israel will look upon Him whom they have pierced and mourn in biterness as if for an only Son in Zechariah 12:10.

The return of the L-RD also requires a river of waters to go out from the Mount through the new Valley of Azal through Olivet eastward in Zechariah 14:8 (cf. v. 5, and Ezekiel 47:1ff.).

In fact, the 10 strangers joining to one Jew in Zechariah 8:23 seems to tie in nicely to the participating in an inheritance in Ezekiel 47:21-23,

21 “Thus you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22 It shall be that you will divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who dwell among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 23 And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger dwells, there you shall give him his inheritance,” says the Lord G-D.

so that those who are settling in Judea (of the Tribe of Judah, or Benjamin) may, in that DAY, have this prophecy fulfilled, where 10 men from the nations take hold of a Jew, and join to him, and he becomes their effectual synagogue or Church leader and teacher as well. They become married to that tribe, and any children they have in that Tribal territory is received and accepted as a member of that Tribe (be they in Judah's, or elsewhere in Israel such as with Gad or Reuben, etc.).

You may also wish to compare the City of Truth designation in Zechariah 8:3 to the time period of the G-D of Truth in Isaiah 65:16...again, a Millenial Reign Era designation.


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Regarding Jeremiah 16:19:

I first look to verse 16.

Notice the language as consistent with Revelation 6:16-17 which immediately preceeds Revelation 7's 144,000 Witnesses.

These 144,000 will be endued with powers like and even greater than exhibited by Christ according to the L-RD in John 14:12.

"Amen, Amen, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."


To me, Jeremiah 16:16 can be taken as a dual prophecy. But instead of the short term and then way in the future end times separation of fulfillments, it is a dual way in the future end time fulfillment. There are those hunted and killed in the hills, mountains and caves, probably by Muslim and One World Government forces (in that Time)...tying this in with verse 18 where the Wrath of the LORD is poured out upon those who have practiced idolatry in the Land as Jews (cf. vv.11-13, 20)...and then the second part of this dual prophecy, there will be those of the 144,000 who will seek out them who will hide in caves, and hills and mountains to proclaim the Gospel.
But how far reaching is this geographically? There are a whole lot of mountains and hills and caves on planet Earth.

Verse 15 tells us that this prophecy is dealing with the Land of Israel. Making this search do-able in a timeframe of perhaps months.

So now we look at the events in the context of being in the 7 year Tribulation and Great Tribulation periods, and ask...when will the Gentiles come to Israel and confess their erroneous ways? During the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation, or the second 3 1/2 years Great Day of The LORD Great Tribulation?
No.

It will again fall into the same context of the early days...months...years of the Millenial Reign of Christ. For in the midst of the days of wrath, Jeremiah 16:19 is speaking yet in a further prophetical future time period beyond the one that it is now in. So while the verses immediately surrounding Jeremiah 16:19 are in the Tribulation Week, Jeremiah 16:19 itself is projecting into the Millenial Reign of Christ.


------------------------------------------------
As for Deuteronomy 4:5-6,

notice where the focus is:
that ye should do so in the midst of the land whither ye go in to possess.

This is dual prophecy: near term to be fulfilled after the Joshua conquest of the Land (1511-1496 B.C.); and to be fulfilled in the Millenial Reign at the End of Days.


In regard to the Millenial Reign:

The Law passes not away to those of Israel to perform in the Land of Israel. The nations at that time, are obligated to often come up to the Land of Israel, and to pay homage to the L-RD and observe events there. In regard to the nations themselves, there appears to be greater leniency outside the borders of the Land of Israel. So that perhaps if you break the Sabbath in the nations in those yet coming times, you get jailed...whereas if you break the Sabbath in the Land of Israel during the Millenial Reign, you get taken outside the Camp (in this case the Land of Israel) and killed (i.e., stoned to death) like in Numbers 15:32-36.

At least, that is how these appear to me. Hope this helps. Peace.

John the Baptist's Isaiah 40:3-4 Proclamation, and the coming Azal highway of HASHEM

Isaiah 40:

3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the L-RD, make straight in the desert a highway for our G-D.

4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:


The above is the traditional translation. But the Hebrew word pictures and amplification offers us a little something extra that most people aren't even aware of.

[Hebrew] English Translation

[Qol] “(The) Voice
{Qura] Urgently calling out, encountering and confronting
[BaMidbar] at the mouth and entryways of: oases (and their towns or cities), the open fields, the pasturelands, the alluvial plains,
the deserts, and all manner and sort of uninhabited lands.

In the Old Testament, the Wildernesses associated with locations of nearby oases with their villages or cities included:
1) Beer-sheba Genesis 21:14
2) Paran Genesis 21:21
3) Zin Numbers 13:21
4) Sin Numbers 16:1
5) Beth-aven Joshua 18:12
6) Gibeon 2 Samuel 2:24
7) Damascus I Kings 19:15
8) Kadesh Psalm 29:8

In regard to Wildernesses of whole territories, some Old Testament examples will include:
1) Egypt Exodus 20:35
2) Sinai Numbers 1:19
3) Judah Judges 1:16
4) Edom 2 Kings 3:8

[Panu] “Prepare: face, turn and look (to)
[Derek] (the) wide open and general course
[****] (Of the) L-RD!

[Yasaru] make straight, upright, level, and even
[B’arabah] in the desert plains,
among the Steppes,
in the disorder and confusion of night,
(even) in (and amongst) the Poplars
[Mesilah] a road on a raised and exalted embankment
[L’elohaynu] for our G-D.

Every Valley shall be borne up, lifted and raised;
And every mountain and hill shall crouch and bow down to lowliness;
And the foothills shall become a straight and level place,
And the banded up, the impassable and rough places, a plain.

(Isaiah 40:3-4, fully amplified and reiterated from the Hebrew with word pictures)


Commentary:

We see in the Hebrew word pictures a deeper insight than that left us in the Greek of Matthew 3 and Luke 3 in quoting this passage. For this reason, a return to the language which something was spoken or written can often, when correctly pursued, open our mind's eye from a black and white picture to one of color, or transform a mono sound to that in stereo. In regard to John the Baptist, BaMidbar and B'Arabah are surround-sound stereo words often heard in mono-tone...while Mecillah is also a mono-tone that needs a stereo sound to it.

There are three specific definitions regarding the Hebrew Arabah: Deserts, including desert steppes; as Ereb or Erev, suffixed, it deals with the time and disorder of darkness or night-time; and it is the word used for the poplar (inclusive of the Aspen) tree.

The poplar
http://www.2020site.org/trees/poplar.html
is used only twice in the Bible. In Genesis 30:37, Jacob uses the interior white of a green branch, and it acts like Viagara and Cialis to the sheep and cattle, where the animals are suddenly brought into heat. But Jacob makes sure only those troughs of water and those animals he selects are given the "potency" assist. In Hosea 4:13, the Israelites were having sexual orgies under the shade of the poplars (specifically on the tops of the mountains), and also sacrificing to idols.

We are called to prepare the Way or Genereal Course of the L-RD...to exalt His ways, not ours, even if His ways run right through and amongst our sexual proclivities in pro-creation with the opposite sex marraige partner. In the above, I listed the places that John's ministry probably took him to, before staying and remaining in the Jordan River Valley Basin (betwen the Dead Sea and the Sea of Gallilee) in the last year(s) of his ministry. I believe that prophecy in and through the Hebrew, is telling us that John indeed had once traveled to all these definitions of the wilderness as listed in the Old Testament, and the several others I left out, until he actually did Baptize. Hence, he probably began with a proclamation at the walls and beginnings or endings of the Wilderness locations, until one year, he proclaimed to all Israel to spread the word and come instead to the Jordan River, and be baptized for the remission of sins.

The Locusts testify of John's holding to a vow of poverty in the Wilderness ministry, and that poverty with kosher adherence gave him great credibility

John was so poor, that he ate the kosher diet of those having no money...locusts. (Even with honey to kill the taste...Yuck!) John the Baptist ate the “Desert Locust”, native to the region. In general, he probably ate one or several of these biblical varieties:
The red locust (Hebrew: Arbeh)
The yellow locust (Hebrew: Salam)
The spotted gray locust (Hebrew: Chargol)
The white locust (Hebrew: Chagav)

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When John the Baptist preached in the Wilderness, he preached Isaiah 40:3 in which we are told to go into the desert and build up a straight exalted embankment for our G-D. Why?

At the Second Temple, we know that there was a bridge that stretched forth across the Kidron Valley in direct line to the Holy of Holies...beginning on Moriah and ending eastward on Mount Olivet. At the end of that bridge, the Red Heifer was offered up and sacrificed. John was preaching Isaiah, and telling Israel that a truly prepared Israel would build an exalted embankment -- not just across the Kidron Valley -- but all the way into the Desert and to Mount Nebo itself!

In Deuteronomy 33:2 we see the descent of a warring Yeshua in Revelation 19:11-16 with supplementing passages such as Zech. 9:14 and Psalm 18:13-14.

"HASHEM came from Sinai [northward],
and rose up from Seir unto them;
He shined forth from Mount Paran,
and He came from the myriads of the holy ones at the Right Hand
as His FIERY HILLSIDES [ashedath] went out to meet them." (Devarim 33:2)

Although the singular "ashed" is used only in Numbers 21:15, "ashedot" (pluralized as -"ravines" and "valley slopes") is used of that area around Nebo's peak of Pisgah (Deut. 3:17, 4:49; Joshua 10:40, 12:8). Therefore, though it might be translated as 'fiery law" in Devarim 33:2, the more correct Hebrew Word picture is hooked to a WAY or PATH...the Mesillah of Isaiah 40:3.

At the end of Days, with Jesus' return at the end of the 7 Year Trib and Great Trib Period, will the valleys and hillsides become molten, and prepare a fiery Mesillah (an exalted embankment) in a straight line from Nebo/Pisgah to the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem. Over this straight line will be a ramp of clouds, also in a straight descent, from Nebo to Olivet.

The last obstruction to be cleared in that line of sight, Olivet, will be split wide open -- north and south -- by Messiah's own feet (Zechariah 14:4). In effect, if I understand all of this correctly, a path perhaps like molten glass will be created in the earth that serves as a visible example of a "path" or "way of Law". This will in turn perhaps be in a slight but direct line valley, and eventually covered by waters flowing from the side of Messiah, even from beneath His coming throne, through the newly made Valley of Azal (at that time), ending at Mount Nebo / Pisgah.

In the Kingdom, there will be HASHEM in the Holy of Holies, ever beholding (for 1,000 years) Mount Nebo/Pisgah, as a type of Mizpah -- a type of holy heap, a witness of the scales of Heaven. This is holy heap of Nebo will act as a testimony of the Mosaic Torah, until the Messianic Age of the 1,000 years ends, and even the very concept of Time (apparently) is removed, and the Judgement of the Damned begins.

The Mesillah will run from Nebo to Jerusalem, not built up by the people, but built up by the L-RD Himself. The Law and the L-RD are inter-connected by faith and obedience done in the heat of love, and strengthened in the resolve of legacy. Not our legacy, but the L-RD's legacy. We live, and die, and are for the most part, forgotten. But the WORD of our G-D shall endure forever.

Thus, the difference is, that the One who was sacrificed as our True Passover and True Red Heifer -- that is, our True Redeemer, HASHEM Christ Jesus -- will also be the One beholding (and upholding) that molten perfectly level and even memorial Mesillah (exalted levee like embankment) that will one day run from Jerusalem to Nebo/Pisgah until all is fulfilled. And we who believe will see and behold, and think on Isaiah 40:3-4, as well.

Abraham's Tent set up like the Tabernacle / Temple Mount in Josephus' Torah Copy?

Josephus and the Bible text:

There has been a concern that Josephus may have had a different family of Hebrew manuscripts than which we now currently have, and this family of manuscript masters sometimes has a particular word in its copy that is not quite the same as our own. But this might not necessarily have been the case. A careful analysis of Josephus' testimony using reasoning may help us in determining if there was a generalization or over-simplification by Josephus, a clear distinctive difference, or a deeper insight that was lost later on.

The analysis of Josephus in the first century and the earliest Hebrew manuscripts extant from the 10th Century, will sometimes yield interesting developments. However, we can say with confidence, that though the Massoretes copied from the same trunk family as those decended from Josephus' master Temple of Jerusalem copy...indeed, the Massoretes on at least one point made their own "branch family", as it were.

Josephus' Hebrew Torah copy would have been the one brought up by Hillel from Babylonia, for Jewish rote tradition states that "when Israel forgot the Torah, Hillel restored it unto them." In effect, it was a literal Hebrew copy that was inferred, as the Jewish copy of the Greek LXX was put into common usage, and dominated as the primary copy of those both in the Diaspora, but also in Israel. By the First Century B.C., Israel was a Hellenized land in many respects, but had failed to become as submissive to Romanization.

So what could one example of a Textual difference between the Temple Torah Scroll Josephus had and the Massorete copy which our Bible is now based upon? The Jewish Commentary from those scribes of the Massoretes, the Massorah, tells us that the Massoretes in 134 instances, took the 4 letters of the Tetragrammaton Name of Jehovah and changed the letters to ADNY (i.e., "lord" or "master"). Those instances, in and by themselves, created an entirely new branch family of manuscripts unique and distinctive to the Massoretes. Those 4 letter Y*** to ADNY substitution alterations were stated in the Massorah (hence, by the Massorete scribes themselves) as being done to these verses of Holy Scripture:

Genesis 18:3,27,30,32; 19:18; 20:4. Exodus 4:10,13; 5:22; 15:17; 34:9,9. Numbers 14:17. Joshua 7:8. Judges 6:15; 13:8. 1 Kings 3:10,15; 22:6. 2 Kings 7:6; 19:23. Ezra 10:3. Nehemiah 1:11; 4:14. Job 28:28.

Psalm 2:4; 16:2; 22:19,30; 30:8; 35:3,17,22; 37:12; 38:9,15,22; 39:7; 40:17; 44:23; 51:15; 54:4; 55:9; 57:9; 59:11; 62:12; 66:18; 68:11,17,19,22,26,32; 73:20; 77:2,7; 78:65; 79:12; 86:3,4,5,8,9,12,15; 89:49,50; 90:1,17; 110:5; 130:2,3,6.

Isaiah 3:17,18; 4:4; 6:1,8,11; 7:14,20; 8:7; 9:8,17; 10:12; 11:11; 21:6,8,16; 28:2; 29:13; 30:20; 37:24; 38:14,16; 49:14. Lamentations 1:14,15,15; 2:1,2,5,7,18,19,20; 3:31,36,37,58.
Ezekiel 18:25,29; 21:13; 33:17,29.

Daniel 1:2; 9:3,4,7,9,15,16,17,19,19,19. Amos 5:16; 7:7,8; 9:1. Zechariah 9:4. Micah 1:2. Malachi 1:12,14.


So, in just the use of the Tetragrammaton Name, in order to deny Jesus rather than to preserve the Tetragrammaton's Sanctity (as it is hyped), were the letters equally changed out or altered by the Massorete Scribes. The Presence of G-D rather than just a lord or master, when understood as being the true "context", really does matter, and it should not be hidden away, especially when such instances clearly affirm Christ's Deity in the Old Testament passages on some of those occasions.


Using the Massorah to our advantage:

In the Bible, there are only two Hebrew verses that begin with and end with the Tetragrammaton NAME of the L-RD.

When I say this, I say this with the knowledge of needing to not lightly dismiss the third cited alleged example by scribes writing Massorah in this Scriptural insight of the verses having begun and ended with the Divine Name. That third example, to them, is 1 Samuel 26:23. I do not add that verse to this collection, because in being very precise, 1 Sam. 26:23 leads off in our extant copies with a vav prefix to the Tetragrammaton.

By the standards of Gematria, the leading Yod in each of these two verses below, is the "hand" of the L-RD, who is the L-RD. The ending letter He, in Gematria, represents the "mnemonic sign, Jah is His Name" (C. David Ginsberg, Massorah, Vol. 4, 1880, 1905 reprint. p.472) By 1 Samuel's failure to have the Yod of the Divine Name first, I therefore see it is therefore to be recategorized.

1) “YHVeH your G-D (is) the One (who) is crossing over before you.
He shall destroy nations, those from before, and you will dispossess them.

Yahoshua {Joshua / Jesus } is the One (who) is crossing over before you, as has spoken YHVeH.” Deuteronomy 31:3 (literal)


2) “ YHVeH (is) to my (future) salvation deliverance,
therefore my songs we will play all the days of our life,
at the House of YHVeH.
Isaiah 38:20 (literal)


In these, the L-RD Himself confirms the name of Joshua (LXX – Jesus) upon Himself; and in making this verse in Isaiah the only other match, the L-RD wishes us to learn that it is through this name, Jesus (Deut. 31:3) by which salvation deliverances – in this world and in the next – come about by.

Hence, in the Hebrew, Deuteronomy 31:3 and Isaiah 38:20, are for us -- Yeshua or confirmations of "Jesus" verses out of the Old Testament, and another confirmation in a long line of thousands of Biblical confirmations.


Returning to the theme:

Notice that in the list of the 134 instances provided by the Massorah, the first 4 letter for 4 letter instance begins with Genesis 18:3. But if we simply capitalize and hyphenate the Adonai "lord" top the true intent "L-RD", there is effectively -- for us -- no loss or true alteration to the texts. The infallibility of G-D's word still stands.

But as we examine Josephus' account, there appears to be a change noted in the Greek text of Josephus regarding Genesis 18:1 from the word used by the Massoretes. That word is PaTaCH...door-way or opening of the tent.

Young's Literal Translation states:
18:1 And Jehovah appeareth unto him among the oaks of Mamre, and he is sitting at the opening of the tent, about the heat of the day;

פתח־האהל Patach [open(ing)] is attached to the word Hohel [tent].


In the Greek LXX:
Gen. 18:1 Ὤφθη δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς πρὸς τῇ δρυὶ τῇ Μαμβρη καθημένου αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας τῆς σκηνῆς αὐτοῦ μεσημβρίας.

What does Josephus say? Instead of the Greek word “skene”, Josephus uses the Greek word “aulas” in his Antiquities of the Jews, 1.11.2., to tell us that Abram sat before the fabric enclosure surrounding his “courtyard”.

This is also how Brill translates it: @196 "After God had issued this judgment concerning the Sodomites, Habramos, noticing three angels and he was sitting near the oak of Mambre before the door of his courtyard.”

And then Brill notes: “Abram cannot be associated with homey details that lack nobility. Hence, when Abraham entertains the three angels here, he is seated not in the tent door (Gen. 18:1) but before the door of his courtyard (aulas), in a Greek type of house (so Thackeray, ad loc.). For similar reasons Josephus omits the detail about Abraham’s inviting them to wash their feet (Gen. 18:4).”

Problem with the Brill note, is that the Massorah calls one of these 3 "angels" as "Jehovah" Himself in Genesis 18:3,27,30,32.

It appears that the best answer to this dilemma of whether the Hebrew Copy of Josephus versus the Massorete copy of 600 or more years later, is that there was a lacunae (or hole where the word once was) in the much later Masorete primary copy where the word Petach (Pe-Tav-Chet) appeared in Genesis 18:1.

Therefore, if this was the case, that hole (lacunae), the size of only 3 letters, should have read the letters of "Chet-Tsaddai-Rosh" or "CHaTSeR". This would then be consistent with the Greek LXX "skanas", since its synonym of (Gr.) "aule" (and sometimes the Greek "epaulis") is a proper translation of (Heb.) "CHaTSeR".

Verification of other Hebrew to Greek Scrriptural instances will show that CHaTSeR is indeed translated with the LXX (Gr.)"skene". So now, using this information, we can then take Josephus' account in conjunction with its use with "skene"/ "aule" as also describing the courts / courtyards of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem in I and II Kings, and Ezekiel...and better understand what was being conveyed.

In this above example of Genesis 18:1, we now see that the intent was that Abraham sat before a precursor to the Tabernacle later used by Israel and its priests to worship G-D. Abraham sat before a single access openings into a courtyard series of tents set up within a surrounding tent wall enclosure. This was Abraham's residence at Mamre, and he and his hundreds of servants housed in a tent city having a singular access to within, with open ground for courts, fabric for walls, and sheep and what have you grazing outside these with shepherds for watchmen.

In this, our understanding is enriched by a Hebrew word picture which went beyond a simple one word translation, that before there was a Jewish Temple, Abraham’s own tent city preceded Moses and a knowledge of G-D prior to Sinai that was used to project how the later Court of Women, Priests, Holy Place and Holy of Holies was laid out.

Regeneration: the coming new Genesis through Christ

Regeneration: Some verses and texts to look at.


Matthew 19:28

ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ---- And then Jesus said to them

αμην λεγω υμιν οτι υμεις --- Amen, I tell you that you

οι ακολουθησαντες μοι --- the ones having followed Me

εν τη παλιγγενεσια --- in the Regeneration

οταν καθιση ο υιος του ανθρωπου --- when sits the Son of Man

επι θρονου δοξης αυτου --- upon (the) Throne of (the) glory of Him

καθισεσθε και υμεις --- you will sit, even you

επι δωδεκα θρονους --- upon 12 thrones

κρινοντες τας δωδεκα φυλας του ισραηλ ---judging the 12 tribes of Israel.
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Παλιγγενεσια or regeneration is the merging of two words: the primary word of γενεσις (genesis) preceded by the supporting adverbial word, the feminine of Παλιv: the act of reverting back to a former state, place, or act. That is, a parallel or synonym to the resurrection.

Notice then, that the Regeneration is not only a resurrection, but to a state that Adam and Eve were meant to originally have and keep.

------------------------------
Now let’s look at Revelation 20:4
(4) και ειδον θρονους και εκαθισαν επ αυτους και κριμα εδοθη αυτοις
--- and I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them

και τας ψυχας των πεπελεκισμενων --- and the souls of them having been beheaded.

δια την μαρτυριαν ιησου --- through (or due to) the witness of Jesus

και δια τον λογον του θεου --- and through (or because of) the Word of G-D

και οιτινες ου προσεκυνησαν τω θηριω --- and who had not worshipped the Beast

ουτε την εικονα αυτου --- nor the image of it

και ουκ ελαβον το χαραγμα --- and not received the mark

επι το μετωπον αυτων --- upon the forehead of them

και επι την χειρα αυτων --- and upon the hand of them

και εζησαν και εβασιλευσαν --- and they lived and reigned

μετα χριστου τα χιλια ετη --- after (or with) Christ 1000 years


(5) οι δε λοιποι των νεκρων --- the then (or But) rest of the dead

ουκ ανεζησαν --- certainly did not live again

εως τελεσθη τα χιλια ετη --- until were ended the 1000 years

αυτη η αναστασις η πρωτη --- this (is) the resurrection first (before, of pre-eminence)


(6) μακαριος και αγιος --- Blessed and holy

ο εχων μερος εν τη αναστασει --- the (one) having part in the Resurrection

τη πρωτη --- the first (before, of pre-eminence)

επι τουτων ο θανατος ο δευτερος --- upon (or over) these the Death the Second

ουκ εχει εξουσιαν --- certainly does not has authority

αλλ εσονται ιερεις του θεου --- but they will be priests of G-D

και του χριστου --- and of Christ

και βασιλευσουσιν μετ αυτου χιλια ετη --- and will reign with Him 1000 years.


πεπελεκισμενων of verse 4 is the plural perfect passive participle pelekizo; that which is behead by an axe or pelekos. In all the New Testament, pelekizo is used ONLY in this verse, and is set here as an encouragement for them, that they may simply know that they will live again in a perfect physical bodily resurrection and regeneration of that body, that it may never again die. This runs synonymously with Matthew 19:28.
-------------------------------

Cf. John 5:28-29
(28) μη θαυμαζετε τουτο --- Not marvel (at) this

οτι ερχεται ωρα εν η παντες οι --- for comes an hour in which all those

εν τοις μνημειοις ακουσονται --- in the tombs will hear

της φωνης αυτου --- the voice of Him


(29) και εκπορευσονται --- and will come out

οι τα αγαθα ποιησαντες εις αναστασιν ζωης --- those the good having done into the Resurrection of Eternal Life

οι δε τα φαυλα πραξαντες εις αναστασιν κρισεως --- those then the evil having practiced into the Resurrection of Judgment.
--------------------------------

And again from Revelation 20:4,6
(4) και εβασιλευσαν μετα χριστου τα χιλια ετη --- and reigned after (or with) Christ 1000 years

(6) επι τουτων ο θανατος ο δευτερος ουκ εχει εξουσιαν --- upon (or over) these the Second Death certainly does not have any authority
-----------------------------------


Cf. Luke 20:36
(36) ουτε γαρ αποθανειν ετι --- Not even for is death able to die upon anymore

δυνανται ισαγγελοι γαρ εισιν ---they are empowered equal with the angels for they are (as)

και υιοι εισιν του θεου --- and sons are of G-Dτης αναστασεως υιοι οντες --- of the Resurrection sons being.


And who are these of the resurrection? They are the same as those in the regeneration.

Luke 20:37 - 38
(37) οτι δε εγειρονται οι νεκροι --- that then are raised the dead

και μωσης εμηνυσεν επι της βατου --- as Moses pointed out at (upon) the Bush

ως λεγει κυριον --- as he calls (the) L-RD

τον θεον αβρααμ και τον θεον ισαακ και τον θεον ιακωβ --- the G-D of Abraham and the G-D of Isaaac and the G-D of Jacob

(38) θεος δε ουκ εστιν νεκρων --- G-D then, certainly not of the dead ones

αλλα ζωντων --- but of the living ones

παντες γαρ αυτω ζωσιν --- all for to Him live
----------------------------------



In the Regeneration period of the Millenial Reign, Those of humanity having been Resurrected unto Life as part of the First Resurrection via the Second (some call the Last) Heavenly Silver Trump...the Trump blown for gathering:

“AND IN THAT DAY, it will be that the mountains will rain down YHVeH’s Spirit, as though flowing down forth an intoxicating New Wine;
and the hills will gush forth and flow with fatness;
and all the deep channels of Judah shall flow forth with Living Waters;
and an overflowing River shall pour forth as a spring from the Mountain of GOD -- from out of the House of YHVeH will it go out;
and a refreshing and a watering will it give, as it fills even the Valley of the Pierced Tree.”(Joel 3:18, fully amplified with word pictures from the Hebrew, translation mine)

“AND IN THAT DAY, will the BRANCH of YHVeH be glorious and beautiful,
and the fruit of the Earth (will be) for glory and for pride for the survivors of Israel.” (Isaiah 4:2)

AND IN THAT DAY --
“The days will come when the vines will grow, each having 10,000 shoots;
and on each shoot 10,000 branches;
and on each branch 10,000 twigs;
and on each twig 10,000 clusters;
and in each cluster 10,000 grapes;
and each grape when crushed will yield 25 measures [ca. 150 gallons].

And when one of the Saints takes hold of a cluster, another cluster will cry out,
‘I am better. Take me. Bless the LORD through me.’

Similarly, a grain of wheat will produce 10,000 heads;
and every head will have 10,000 grains;
and every grain (will yield) 10 pounds of fine flour, white and clean.

And the other fruits, seeds, and grass will produce in similar proportions -- and all the animals feeding on these fruits produced by the soil, will in turn, be harmonious toward one another, and fully subject to man.”

-- Papias…who was a hearer of John and…saw John the disciple of the L-RD, recalled having heard how the L-RD used to teach about those times…and he goes on to say [that Jesus, the L-RD, said]:
‘These things are believable to those who believe.’

And according to John, ‘when Judas the traitor did not believe, and asked, ‘’How then, will such a growth be accomplished by YHVeH?’’, the L-RD said, ‘’Those who live until those times will see.’’ “
Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.33.3-4 (2nd generation student from John)

In Prophecy, the L-RD must be King of the Jews. In history, Jesus was de facto the King of the Jews

Deuteronomy 17:

14 When thou art come unto the land which the L-RD thy G-D giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;

15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the L-RD thy G-D shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the L-RD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:

19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the L-RD his G-D, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
-----------------------------------------

In Deuteronomy 17:14-20, we examine some of the characteristics that a King of Israel is required by Mosaic Covenant to fulfill / complete:

1) He must be a brother, and may not be a stranger or alien grafted in (v. 15)

a) Jesus was adopted or grafted into the Tribe of Judah, and direct Davidic
lineage of Kings, through adoption as the son of Joseph.
b) Jesus was virgin born to Mary, who also was a descendant of Judah, and of
the Davidic line.


2) He may not multiply horses to himself, so as to set himself apart from the
people of Israel (v.16).

a) Jesus had no horses. He sat on a borrowed animal never sat upon in His
special proclamation entry into Jerusalem.
b) Jesus never separated Himself from the common Israeli except for periods
of rest and to pray. At most, these periods of separations were a matter of
days. In comparison, dictators might use horses to help separate
themselves from the common folk for many years.

3) He may not cause his people to return to, or subject themselves under
Egypt.

The Pharisees were attempting to bring about this exact abomination in the first centuries B.C. and A.D. The Sadducees attempted to polarize the country in the opposite direction, under Syrian rule, working in conjunction with Roman government. This, too, is forbidden.

4) He may not trust in the flesh of horses or the means of “war toys”
(such as chariots – or high end weaponry) to rule in strength and honor.

5) He may not take too many wives (i.e., he is forbidden concubines – v.17).

6) He may not multiply silver and gold to himself.

The implication of increase is under a conservative restraint, and only to be used for the proper and fair ministration of government.


7) He will have two written copies of Torah, one that he himself will memorize, and one that will be accounted to the priests as witness, to perform and do Torah correctly. He is therefore accounted as a priest himself in this regard (vv.18-20).

8) He may not set his heart above his brethren and must rule within the confines of proper interpretation of Torah (the Law), as according to what is right and to their best interests (v.20).

The L-RD is making allowances for an Earthly king, but as we shall see below, I Samuel 8:7 and 12:12 states that the L-RD (read the tetragrammaton Name each time the hyphenated L-RD appears) was the One and True King.


Since the True King of Israel is the L-RD...collectively, this demands an incarnation of the Almighty in Old Testament Scripture to take up His rulership as dwelling (in some future day) amongst mankind.

Exodus 15:18 - The L-RD shall reign for ever and ever.


Numbers 23:21 - He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the L-RD his G-D is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.


I Samuel 8:7 - And the L-RD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected ME, that I should not reign over them.


I Samuel 12:12 - And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the L-RD your G-D was your King.


I Chronicles 16:31 - Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The L-RD reigneth.


Psalm 5:2 - Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my G-D: for unto thee will I pray.


Psalm 10:16 - The L-RD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.


Psalm 22:28 - For the kingdom is the L-RD's: and he is the governor among the nations.


Psalm 24:7-10 - Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The L-RD strong and mighty, the L-RD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The L-RD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.


Psalm 44:4 - Thou art my King, O G-D: command deliverances for Jacob.


Psalm 47:2, 6-8 -
2 For the L-RD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
6 Sing praises to G-D, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
7 For G-D is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
8 G-D reigneth over the heathen: G-D sitteth upon the throne of His holiness.


Psalm 48:2 - Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.


Psalm 74:12 - For G-D is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.


Psalm 84:3 - Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O L-RD of hosts, my King, and my G-D.


Psalm 93:1-2 -
1 The L-RD reigneth, He is clothed with majesty; the L-RD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.


Psalm 95:3 - For the L-RD is a great G-D, and a great King above all gods.


Psalm 96:10 - Say among the heathen that the L-RD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: He shall judge the people righteously.


Psalm 97:1 - The L-RD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.


Psalm 98:6 - With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the L-RD, the King.


Psalm 99:1, 4
1 The L-RD reigneth; let the people tremble: He sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
4 The King's strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.


Psalm 145:1 - I will extol thee, my G-D, O King; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.


Psalm 146:10 - The L-RD shall reign for ever, even thy G-D, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the L-RD.


Psalm 149:1-2 -
1 Praise ye the L-RD. Sing unto the L-RD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.


Isaiah 6:5 - Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the L-RD of hosts.


Isaiah 24:23 - Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the L-RD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.


Isaiah 33:22 - For the L-RD is our judge, the L-RD is our lawgiver, the L-RD is our King; he will save us.


Isaiah 41:21 - Produce your cause, saith the L-RD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.

Isaiah 43:15 - I am the L-RD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.

Isaiah 44:6 - Thus saith the L-RD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the L-RD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no G-D.

Isaiah 52:7 - ...saith unto Zion, Thy G-D reigneth!

Jeremiah 8:19 - Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the L-RD in Zion? is not her King in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?

Jeremiah 10:7 10 -
7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
10 But the L-RD is the true G-D, he is the living G-D, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.


Jeremiah 46:18, 48:15 - ... saith the King, whose name is the L-RD of hosts...


Jeremiah 51:57 - And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the L-RD of hosts.


Ezekiel 20:33 - As I live, saith the Lord G-D, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:


Obadiah 21 - And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the L-RD's.


Micah 4:7 - And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the L-RD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.


Zephaniah 3:15 - The L-RD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the L-RD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.


Zechariah 14:9, 16-17 -
9 And the L-RD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one L-RD, and his name one.
16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the L-RD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the L-RD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.


Malachi 1:14 - But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the L-RD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the L-RD of hosts, and My Name is dreadful among the heathen.


In past posts I have shown Jesus is the incarnate L-RD of Hosts come unto man from G-D the Father. Further, He did so come according to a specific prophesied timeline and manner, geographical location, family lineage, and by signs and wonders, appearing clothed in flesh via the womb of a virgin, and born into the world (as by water and the Spirit). But...

Was Jesus ever given a Kingship or officially recognized in human or mortal government as a King over Israel while on Earth? The answer is: Yes.

The action of Pontius Pilate’s writing the statement of Jesus as being the “King of the Jews” in John 19:19-20 is an “official act of Roman recognition of the aforesaid office/title of Jesus”.

We see the example in Rome's Legal Precedent by Julius Caesar, in examples retained for us by the historian “Josephus”.

Twice, Caesar makes a ruling and has that inscribed in plates of brass, and that plate is written in Greek and in Latin (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 14.10.2. & .3).

De facto, then, Jesus was the Roman Government recognized rightful successor of the line of Judah, and officially recognized as the one and only “King of Judea” by the government of Rome for about 6 hours: and the signage was a genuine benevolent attempt by Pilate to arouse the sentiment of the people to plead for mercy, and to have them call to have their “King” taken down and spared. Instead, there was no public arousal.

Upon His resurrection 3 days later, Jesus still retained that right of rulership as Shiloh, since there was no succession after Him.

Jesus was indeed physically raised from the dead (John 20:19-25, 20:26-29, 21:14-15) as the pre-eminent one from before the birth of Creation. He was witnessed by, and his identity confirmed by, at least 120 men (Acts 1:15) at his post-resurrection Mount of Olives ascension, which happened with the visible eye (Acts 1:9-11).

Jesus was transformed into the an eternal Resurrection body that fulfills the requirement of Scripture for His appearance upon His return (Revelation 1:7; Zechariah 13:6, 12:10).

The words of Psalm 47:5 being fulfilled at the ascension, indicate the time of morning the ascension occurred.:
G-D is gone up with a shout,
HASHEM with the sound of the shofar.

Nowhere in ancient Jewish Literature is there any evidence that Jesus stayed dead. In fact, there was a passing of a dreadful fear that was passed on. In Jewish oral tradition centuries later, it was attributed to sorcery...perhaps not just meaning those miracles he did before death, but especially His miracle of conquering death, and rising again from the grave. Certainly, it would have been investigated by the Sanhedrin, and Jesus would have also been seen and confirmed also by these agents of Caiaphas the 44 or so days He was up and walking around following the Leviticus 23 festival Sunday after Passover called Firstfruits.

We see the confirmation in the silence of the high priest to the resurrection testimony in Acts 5:17-42.

We see the confirmation in the fact that the Disciples of Jesus were not stoned for blasphemy or burned at the stake for mass healing miracles they conducted at the Holy Temple.

We see the confirmation of the resurrection by passivity of the very generation of Jews that saw Jesus, who refused to promote in writing from that day to this that Jesus' resurrection was not true. Instead, on occasion, it was leaders obtaining writs of permission to pursue and kill Christians, they were using other legal technicalities for their persecutions...and could not punish them for simply saying Jesus rose from the dead. Why?

In testifying Jesus was raised from the dead, and ascended to Heaven, and then NOT prosecuting the disciples for that, there had to be Sanhedrin witnesses of at least 2 or 3 or more when the Acts 1:9-11 event occurred, probably watching in shame from the Temple. Only where Stephen said he saw Jesus at the Right Hand of Power, with the presumption that he saw G-D the Father (which is not what he technically said, and of proclaiming he saw into the Spirit Realm like one of the Holy Prophets --

"Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of G-D." (Acts 7:56)

-- only then was he stoned dead for his testimony. So even Judaism's then hostile passivity to deny the resurrection and ascension of Jesus in the First Century A.D. confirms the bodily resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.


Upon His ascension to Heaven prior to Pentecost, Jesus took the right of rulership by succession (the spritual Scepter) with Him, as no one of the tribe of Judah came ever after Him. And still, to this day, even now, Jesus is still the living King of the Jews and of all Israel (as Yeshua, the Messhiach) lives and holds the right of rulership while awaiting a proper time to return, as written in the eschatology of the Bible (both Old and New Testaments).

Poetry by Brianroy: Alone in the Fields of Wheat

To what do I have to say, when my day begins?
As across the fields of wheat I look,
while sudden frigid and early frost vapors blew out as my nostrils shook,
and in my gloved right hand steaming coffee fresh cooked;
yet, climbing the tractor, I bang my shin.

For what reasons have I, I think, and think;
as memories billow forth like clouds and then a flood,
while shadows of memories and darkened thoughts stream forth their blood,
and the cries like that of war and shouting,
as if in the howling of the wind, now leap up from the frozen mud?
But finally, I turn the key, and hear "clink, clink."

Why is it so, as it is so, I wonder why;
while pulling back the hood to examine forth?
Checking the wires to and fro,
then reconnecting a fusable link on a wire from the starter down low,
and again turning the key the motor revs up;
as I listen to the wind all around me begin to blow, and sadly I sigh.

Will it ever be, that my life means so?
For the pain of rejection, the laughs, the desire,
makes me wish for having a family of my own ever higher,
as I turn and look to an empty house without a fire...
and the echoes of every single proposal met with no, no, and no.

And so I go, and try to harvest what I can of the fields of wheat;
alone and cold, and gritting my teeth.
The frost biting wind numbs the flesh until I forget the pain,
while I try to harvest what I can,
and keep wondering if it will always be just the same.

But I do complete the harvest, and finish what I needed to do;
and return to the house, feeling and looking blue.
The fire is built, and soon rages forth,
as I sit in a chair before it,
and despite the blurry eyes, take up the Bible and read myself to sleep;
and pray the L-RD, my soul to take and keep;
and pray the L-RD, my soul to take and keep.

Zacharias, father of John the Baptist

On the 9th of Av, 6 B.C.

Scripture
In the days of Herod, the king of Judea, there was a certain priest -- by name,
Zacharias -- of the daily (Temple) service: Abijah.

His wife was of the daughters of Aaron -- her name, Elizabeth. In the sight of GOD, they were both righteous,
walking in all the commandments and ordinances of YHVeH, blameless(ly).

No child was theirs, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were well advanced in their days. (Luke 1:5-7)


Observation on Luke 1:5-7

In the Gospel of Luke, the history starts out with a parallel between Zacharias and Elizabeth with that of Abraham and Sarah. The Greek word for well advanced is probebaikotes (προβεβηκοτες).

In the Septuagint, or Greek manuscripts of the Old Testament, the low end use of this word probebaikotes appears to apply to a 70 year old King David in I Kings 1:1. The age continues upward to the more ancient, such as the 110 year old Joshua (Joshua 23:1,2; cf. 24:29).

Therefore, in spite of the priestly limits of age 60 for Temple Service, Zacharias served beyond the age a priest was supposed to serve in the Temple. In 6 B.C., the Temple had only been in "serviceable" use for about 6 years on a regular basis. The outer courts and colonnades were still under-going additions and changes. It is possible, that the Levites who were doing the work were being tapped out with priests who were of age in each of the courses or patristic house / lineages. If that is so, Zacharias, like Abram, may well have been about 84 at this time, and his wife perhaps about 10 years younger; neither being less than 70 years old.


Scripture
It came to pass, namely in his serving as priest, in the order of his daily course (at the Temple) before G-D.

According to the custom of the priests, (his) lot
was to burn incense -- entering into the Temple House of YHVeH.

It was the hour of incense, and all the multitude were outside, praying. But to him, the Angel of HASHEM appeared standing out, on the right, from the altar of incense.

Seeing (this), Zacharias was stirred up emotionally with great alarm and dread, and quaking fear fell upon him.
(Luke 1:8-12)


Observation on Luke 1:8-12

The course of Abijah in the summer months would have fallen for service on Tisha B’Av: the commemoration of the destruction of the Jewish Temple by Nebuchadnezzar. The custom of the priests was to draw lots for who was to serve in what capacity.

For example, when Simon the Cyrenian came in from the wilds of Judea (Mark 15:21) through the dung gate of the Hinom Valley, he had drawn the Levitical lot that told him he was to be a disposer of blood. The very word disposers, was also the translation of "gods" or "theoi" among the Greeks (Herodotus, 2.52). Simon the Cyrenian's participation with the Cross appears implied in Psalm 82, but that is another topic.

It was the duty of Zacharias to enter the Holy Place, and to offer prayer, and to purify the area with the smoke of incense prior to the offering of the Daily Sacrifice. He was chosen by lot, and his skin was required to be blemish free; allowing him to pass behind the outside Altar of 3 Fires.

Again, because of a shortage of those of the course of Abijah, the age factor of service ending at age 60 was waved. Zacharias was to enter alone, make his rounds, and exit alone. The ritual should have perhaps taken him a total of 7 -10 minutes max inside the Holy Place.

When Zacharias entered, he immediately experienced the same inward feeling of great fear, dread, and inward corruption as did Daniel in the presence of Michael in Daniel 10:7ff. The Greek word that Luke uses here with Zacharias is etarachthe (εταραχθη).

The Septuagint uses it in place of the Hebraic Mehuma (מהומה) some 6 times. Its usage suggest that the body undergoes uncontrollable tremors, like an earthquake that won’t stop. The flesh will roll back and forth, and boils will formate and disappear, formate and disappear.


Scripture
The Angel said to him, Do not tremble with fear, Zacharias, your request and petition has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son.

You shall call his name Yochanan. [John]. He shall be your joy and exultation, and many will rejoice over the birth of him. He will grow greater and greater in the sight of HASHEM. Wine and intoxicants he may not at all drink.

The Holy Spirit will fill him while he is yet in the womb of his mother. He will turn many of the Sons of Israel on towards HASHEM their GOD. He will go ahead before Him in the spiritual power of Elijah: to turn the hearts of the fathers upon (their) children, the disobedient to just wisdom, making HASHEM prepared for a people already having been made ready. (Luke 1:13-17)


Zacharias said to the Angel, By what shall I know this? I am quite old, and my wife is well-advanced in her days.

Answering, the Angel said to him, I am Gabriel -- the one standing before GOD. I was sent to speak up alongside with you, to give good news to you of these things. Look and see! You will be silent, not able to speak, until the day these things begin to come into existence,
because you believed not my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.(Luke 1:18-20)

[Note Gabriel’s words in the first person -- my words, which will be fulfilled in their time. Not G-D’s words to you, but my words to you.]


The multitude(s) were expecting Zacharias, and they marveled in his delay of coming out of the Temple. He was not able to speak to them, but they knew that he had seen a vision in the Temple: he was signaling (this) to them, but remained a mute.

And it came to pass, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he went away to his house. After these days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, but she hid for 5 months, saying, Thus has HASHEM done to me in the time which He saw (fit) to remove the reproach of me (from) among men.
(Luke 1:21-25)

So often, the Church misses the miracle of Yochanan / John, for his birth was miraculous like Isaac born of Abraham and Sarah. It is also reminiscent of King David.

Every generation from Abraham to Jesse, that within the Messianic line, had those sons who would carry the messianic lineage when the parent was an average of 84 years old at the time of the child's birth. But now, with John, not only was the father likely in his 80s, but the mother also. With this news, people KNEW Messhiach was about to come! Simeon and Anna regularly began to seek the newborn Messiah at the temple...both being of an age in the neighborhood of 100 to 116 years old or thereabout each. And in December of 5 B.C., having lived through all that they had lived through and seen in their lifetimes: they were NOT disappointed.