Deliverance through the Raptures, part 1

Ascents and Descents

In the Hebrew of Judaism, two important words are used when going to and from Jerusalem:

Aliyah: which means, the “ascent”, or “to go up”
Yerida: “to descend”

In the Jewish mind of 30 A.D., Aliyah generally described the 23 miles of winding caravan roads that led up into the mountains from Jericho to Jerusalem. In essence, any Jew that came from any where in the world for observance of any Leviticus 23 Festival, was considered as one who “went up” (did “Aliyah”) to Jerusalem, regardless of the elevation from which he began his journey from. Specifically, for the primary motivation of a Jewish pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the Festivals would most likely have been either Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost), or Sukkot (Tabernacles). Aliyah also would have come to mind with Moses ascending up the mountain of Sinai/Horeb to see GOD. The traditional Jew views Aliyah as the traveling of emissaries “from the 4 corners of the earth” as “going up” to Jerusalem. The actual Aliyah or “ascent” of Elijah’s translation by fiery chariot is very often beyond the comprehension of the traditional Jew, who often (and generally speaking) is usually limited to what he sees as matter of his limits of Faith. For example: the viewable winding climb of a tribe through a mountain pass, in which they zigzag up the mountain as they ascend.

Of the Torah, the rabbis list 10 Descents of GOD. The revered Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (A.D. 1040 - 1150), “Rashi”, in his commentary on Numbers 11:17, concurs with this view.{1} In citing that there were only 10 descents, and only “10 ascents of GOD’s glory” (Avot de Rabbi Nathan, 34:6), the rabbis are wrong. I contend that there are actually 12 clearly stated descents, or “Yeridot” in the Torah, in which GOD comes down to man. These descents are:

1) At the Garden of Eden* represented by Mount Seir {2}

2) With Enoch with whom He walked with and took**
represented by Mount Sepharah{3}

3) At the Tower of Babel represented by Mount Gilead{4}

4) At Sodom represented by Mount Sinai{5}

5) With Jacob at Penuel* represented by Mount Shapher{6}

6) At the Burning Bush* represented by Mount Hor{7}

7) In Egypt during the night the Firstborn were slain
represented by Mount Abarim{8)

8) At Mount Horeb/Sinai* represented by Mount Hermon {9}

9) At the cleft of the Rock with Moses*
represented by Mount Gerizim{10}

10) At the Tabernacle Temple Tent*
represented by Mount Ebal{11}

11) Again at the Tabernacle Temple Tent*
represented by Mount Nebo{12}

12) Foretold as at a future time -- at the End of Days
represented by Mount Paran{13}
This will occur in 3 parts:
a) an Enochian descent very low but not touching (unseen)
b) an Elijahn that comes to about 6,000 above the Earth (seen)
c) the final descent in which His feet cleave the Mount of Olives


* In Eden, GOD comes as a friend, at Penuel as a friendly stranger, at the Burning Bush as a Holy GOD, at the cleft as the Divine from another dimension, at the Tabernacle Tent as One of Separation and Distinction who is to come in two events.


**Missing from the Rabbinic list is GOD’s walk with Enoch; which indicates both a 12th Yerida (“descent”) and an Aliyah (an “ascent”).

As it is written,
“And all the days of Enoch were 365 years:
And Enoch walked with GOD, and was not;
for GOD took him.” (Genesis 5:23-24) KJV

Therefore, there is an additional mountain that is outside of Rabbinic mention, but inferred with Melchizedek at Salem, the future Jerusalem, a mount of Census and accounting with the nations that they might be found as acceptable as Israel's males ascending to Jerusalem 3 times a year: Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Thus Sepharah will make a 12th descent and mountain listing within the Torah on the same level of holiness or acceptance as Mount Moriah.
Jacob at Penuel, (and Abraham with Melchizedek) is also left off by the rabbis, perhaps because this opens the eyes to Yeshua of Nazareth too easily, or perhaps for other reasons of blindness.

There are other Scriptures, which along with Enoch in Genesis 5:23-24, which support the Doctrine of the Rapture, the Descents of GOD, and His re-ascents with His saints. These, to me, are quite easy to understand after the plain sense interpretation of the passages. Let us look at some of the more elementary Scriptures on the Ascents and Descents of GOD (and His people) in the Bible. For example:

1) “GOD is gone up with a shout; YHVeH (has ascended on high)
with the sound of a ram’s horn” (Psalm 47:5)

2) “This same Jesus, whom is taken up from you into Heaven,
shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into Heaven.”
(Acts 1:11 - KJV)

3) “For YHVeH Himself shall descend
(on the long and winding road leading down)
from Heaven with a shout,
with the Voice as the Commander of the Angels,
and with the Trump of God:
and the dead in Messiah shall rise first,
then we, who are alive and remain, shall be caught up
together, with them in the clouds, to meet YHVeH in the air:
and so shall we ever be with YHVeH.” (I Thessalonians 4:16,17 -- translation mine)

4) “And when He [Jesus] was saying these things --
while they beheld, looking on -- He was taken up,
and a Cloud received Him from their eyes
and out of their sight.” (Acts 1:9 -- translation mine)

5) “YHVeH thundered in the heavens,
and the Highest gave His VOICE…
He sent from above, He took me…
He brought me forth, also, into a Large Place.” (Psalm 18:13,16,19)
6) “The Mighty GOD, YHVeH, has spoken,
and called the Earth:
from the rising of the sun, unto the going down thereof.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, GOD, has shined.
Our GOD shall come and not keep silence:
a fire shall devour before Him,
and it shall be very stormy round about Him.
He shall call to the heavens from above,
and to the Earth, that He may judge His people.
‘Gather My saints together unto Me:
those that have made a Covenant by Sacrifice.’
And the heavens shall declare His Righteousness,
for GOD Himself is Judge. Selah.” (Psalm 50:1-6)

What is the end destination of this group that is raptured or “snatched away”: the “Large Place,” revealed in Psalm 18? Jeremiah tells us,

“A glorious high throne from the Beginning,
the Place of our Sanctuary.
O YHVeH, the Hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed.
‘They that depart from Me shall be written in the Earth,
because they have forsaken YHVeH,
the mountain-artesian-well-spring-Fountain of Living Waters.”(Jeremiah 17:12-13 - translation mine)

The end destination of the Rapture is the Throne of YHVeH, the Throne of GOD.





The Silver Trump and the coming War in the heavens
When Israel had the “Tent of Meeting”, (and also at later times in the Temples at Jerusalem) -- there were Two Silver Trumpets that were used to call the elders and the people. The Second Trump, which the Apostle Paul calls “the Last Trump’: the Dead Sea War Scroll indicates that this is to be blown “low, level, and legato” in order to “gather together the people” in times of peace, or to gather together armies in times of war. The Latin term “legato” means “even, and unbroken”. It will be to this sound, of a low and continuous foghorn-like trumpet blast , to which believers will be forewarned as they transform into beings of Light, -- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, -- before making their Aliyah, or “ascent”, with the Angels of GOD to Heaven.

In the latter Days, through Christ’s perfect work of the Cross -- and through His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension -- we will be given a greater exit than that of Israel from Egypt. The children exited though a sea, whose walls of water were held up upon itself as though canyon walls on either side, while an east wind blew directly in their faces on the journey through it. Then, upon safely gathering through, walls of water crashed on their enemies who followed Israel through on the dry ground passage of the Reed or Red Sea.
Even so, in the End of Days, those left behind in the Second Rapture in Israel, shall also flee into the wilderness to Edom, and by a tidal wave, GOD will swallow again the enemies of Israel by water, and the Earth will open her mouth in a canyon behind the back of the Remnant or 1/3rd of the Jews of Israel. Then GOD will cover them with His cloud, in a land where (in all probability) biological and chemical weapons meant against Israel will have devoured those in Jordan instead. It is to this end, that all that remains of the enemies of Israel’s remnant ( in what was once ancient Edom), are but carcasses to be buried. And yet, still, the ascension of the Raptures is still by far the more glorious than these earthly deliverances. The Heavenly deliverance removes, once and for all, from all earthly trials and tribulations, and transforms from earthly to heavenly substance: it is the transformation from being an earthly being to being a Heavenly one, able to exist both in Heaven and upon the Earth.

In John 12:26, Jesus promises: “And where I am, there also shall My servant be.’ The Latin word, “rapturo”, which means “to snatch away quickly”, is word used in the translation of the Greek’s term for “being caught up”, in I Thessalonians 4:17.

For example, compare the plain sense of the text with Psalm 50:1-6, Acts 1:9, and 2 Kings 2:11.
“…then we, who are alive and remain,
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds,
to meet YHVeH in the air:
so shall we ever be with YHVeH.” (I Thessalonians 4:17, translation mine)

In the Torah, the Red sea is actually referred to as the “Reed Sea”. In the Hebrew, the word for “Reed” is Soof סופ, which in the first sense, means simply a “reed stalk”. In the second sense, it is also used as a verb to mean “to snatch away”; i.e., “to rapture”.

Therefore, to view the deliverance of Israel through the Reed Sea, is a form of viewing the Elijahn Rapture. The walls of water collapsing upon the pathway to deliverance shows that the War of the Heavens (Revelation 12:7-9; Judges 5:19-22) is fought primarily upon the roadway in the heavens that leads to Heaven.


“Came Kings. They fought.
Then the Kings in Canaan fought in Taanach [in the Valley of Jezreel],
by the water of Megiddo.
The unjust gain of silver, they took not.
From the heavens, fought the stars: [the angelic hosts]
from their courses, they fought with Sisera.
The torrential river Kishon swept them away.
That ancient torrential river, the torrential river Kishon.
Then from the galloping galloping of His mighty stallions
did the horses beat the hooves.
‘Curse Meroz’, said the Angel of YHVeH, ‘Bitterly curse its inhabitants,
for they did not come to the Divine assistance and help of YHVeH,
to the help of YHVeH (as to be) among the warriors and mighty men.’”
(Judges 5:18-23 -- translation mine)


Truth stranger than Science Fiction?
It appears that the inter-dimensional “window on high” that opens up (Isaiah 24:18) will be directly above the southeast section of Megiddo, over part of the Valley of Jezreel. The inter-dimensional window will be a portal -- like the concept of an interdimensional "worm hole" -- that warps instantaneously, the distance between Heaven and Earth. The Scriptures describe the "in between" / "the inter-dimensional", as though a long winding path or road in the Greek of 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
The time equivalency in our comprehension is that is traversed in anywhere fom seconds to 15 minutes to perhaps as much as over half and hour (cf. Revelation 4:1, 8:1). Therefore, we are dealing with three dimensions, as described in Judges 5:18-23.
1) The First dimension is of this present reality that we perceive as Earth and Space.
2) The Second Dimension is some kind of in-between reality unseen and unperceived to those of the First Dimension.
3) The Third Dimension is that of Heaven itself, hence, the title of the “Third Heaven” by Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:2.

Jesus tells us of the battle tactics of that time of the Elijahn Rapture on Day 1290-1291, and the evacuation protocol, saying,

“But in those days, after that Tribulation, [of 1290 days]
the sun shall be darkened, [Joel 2:31, cf. vv. 30,32]
and the moon shall not give her light.
And the stars of Heaven shall fall,

[refers to a literal disappearance of the astronomical stars, as well as the casting down of angelic beings from Heaven to earth. That is, from the third dimension, into the second, and then perhaps also into the first dimension as well. If this last part of my analysis is correct, those angels which follow Satan as of post-Day 1291 will be as having had their “wings clipped” and thereafter be visible to the naked human eye, those dwelling upon the Earth. The technology explosion would then become incomprehensibly fast, so that speculation now is futile.
If this scenario of the clipped fallen angels becoming manifest post-Day-1291 is the case, the “kings of the East” will be angels heading humans, to fight other angels heading humans at Megiddo and elsewhere: becoming the house divided that shall not stand (Matthew 12:25-26).]

and the powers that are in Heaven shall be shaken.

[refers to a literal rippling of cosmic elements, and a bringing of war or a
“shaking” to the presence of “the Powers”; i.e., war in Heaven against GOD
the Father and the Lamb. The reverberation likened to a rippling of walls and floors as if by strikes against the foundation and support columns of a building.]

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
And then shall He send His angels, [His Heavenly Troops and Messengers]
and shall gather His elect from the four winds,
from the uttermost part of the Earth to the uttermost part of Heaven.”
(Mark 13:24-27, KJV - Commentary mine)

In Gematria, the word “Sisera” סיסרא holds a value of 331. This word is numerically synonymous with Ephraim אפרים, which means “Doubly fruitful”; with Chasabyahu חשביהו, which means “YH has regarded”; and with Yishyahu ישיהו, which translates as “YH will either lend or borrow, with interest.”
In Gematriac synonym, those of Sisera are borrowed or delivered from Sheol שאל. This deliverance is by GOD’s perfect and atoning work of the Cross, and the power of His eternal life and Resurrection (I Peter 3:19-20, 4:6; Matthew 27:62-28:20, 27:52-53).

In effect, Sisera represents the angelic hosts and translated believers, in the “Song of Deborah” of Judges 5.

Further, the Song of Deborah informs us of the initial success of the powers of Darkness in this battle. In Gematria, Kishon קישין holds a value of 470. It is found to be as Kimriyr [Kaf-Mem-Rosh-Yod-Rosh], “an eclipse of blackness, twice intertwined and shriveled back”. They Yedithun ידיתון , “use the hand meant for laud and worship”, to Arar ערר “to demolish and make bare”, by Ashuq עשק “pressing upon, quarreling with, and overflowing violently upon” the Saints and Sons of Light.

They do so along the Telem תלם , “the bank, or ridge of (the Heavenly sky-way), forming an accumulation.” In other words, knowing the Day of the Elijahn Rapture, they lie in wait as a force that is Token תכן, “a fixed and measured out / balanced quantity” of Kenath כנת “Companions and colleagues” thought to get the job of ambushing done. Yet, for all the intensity and fierceness of the battle, it is seen by GOD as but a Shetseph שצף, as but “a small outburst of anger”. This, in spite of the fact, that it appears at the first that the victory is granted unto the powers of darkness, who seriously pounce the Elijahn Rapture translation of believers and their Heavenly Escort.

Now whether it will be participated in by hundreds of fighter or some kind of more technologically advanced warfare aircraft{14} who enter into the temporarily opened up vector warp-stream or inter-dimensional passageway that leads from earth to Heaven, or the battle is fought solely by angelic hosts against angelic hosts and translated/transformed believers, we shall have to wait and see. Isaiah 24:18 speaks of "windows on high are opened", and I take from this that an interdimensional portal or window or worm-hole is meant.
In all likelihood, it will be a combination assault through this "window on high", as indicated by the curse against Meroz (which appears to be telling us) of man-machine-and spirit beings assaulting spirit beings accessing the portal over Megiddo. It is these that those of “Meroz”, the armies and air forces of the Jordanians and Saudis, to which the curse of GOD appears in Ezekiel 35:3-5. Further, we learn in Obadiah 11-14, that in the time Israel needed assistance most, during this battle and invasion of Heaven and the Land of Israel, those of Esau (the so called “Palestinians”), stood in the crossways and laid ambush and slaughtered their Jewish “cousins”. And even, after all this, it is not we -- the saints and angels -- who will be victorious to save (Luke 10:18-20), but YHVeH Himself must intervene to save us and those of Israel’s remnant upon the Earth at this time. For, according to the Scripture,

“YHVeH shall be seen over them,
and His arrow shall go forth as lightning:
and YHVeH GOD shall blow the trumpet,
and shall go with the whirlwinds of the south.
YHVeH of hosts shall defend them…."
(Zechariah 9:14-15a)

"...The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground." (Jeremiah 25:30-33)


The battle between Satan and his angels and Christ and his angels and those who are the redeemed believers, must not be taken lightly. It will not be a couple of blows, then a cry for help, and no more pain. Rather, this battle is so fierce, that we who will engage in the battle, must fight with all our existence, so that we love not even our second life unto death. That means a violence threatening those who are eternal with extinction is made by Satan and those who follow him. We are told that in order to overcome, and protect those at the seen or Elijahn Rapture, we must fight (John 18:26) after this manner:
“…they overcame by the blood of the Lamb,
and by the word of their testimony,
and they loved not their lives unto the death.”(Revelation 12:11) KJV

The key word in Revelation 12:11 is “lives”. Those engaged in the battle had already died once, they are covered in the blood of Jesus, so that it is said, “Where, O death, is thy sting?” (Isaiah 25:8, I Corinthians 15:55). They are given the power and equality to take on angelic beings of great power and stature. They are not discouraged in the battle, for the word of their testimony bears them witness that they are destined to overcome in and through Christ, even as they overcame the world through Christ in their first life here on earth. Therefore, the fanaticism and empowerment of those of us upon the LORD’s side will more than equally match those who fight against the LORD, and fight knowingly that it is their one and only perceived chance, to avoid their sure destruction and doom. However, there still is another battle yet to come, and it is seen when we take sin -- in the form of the Seraph of Satan -- and nail his sorry ass to the Cross. In doing so, we once again see Christ taking even Satan’s guilt upon Himself, paying for more than just the sin of mankind at the Cross.


The Brazen Serpent, and Anti-Christ
"And spoke YHVeH to Moses,
'Make yourself a Seraph,
and set it on a pole. And it shall be:
when anyone is bitten -- when he sees it, he shall live.'
And Moses made a bronze seraph, and put it on a pole. And it was:
if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpentine of bronze,
he lived.” (Numbers 21:8-9, translation mine)

Tertullian refers to this Scripture in his writings, and comments:
"Why, again, did the same Moses, after the prohibition of any
'likeness of anything,' [Exodus 20:4], set forth a brazen
serpent, placed on a 'tree,' in a hanging posture, for a spectacle
of healing to Israel, at the time when, after their idolatry,
[Numbers 21:4-6], they were suffering extermination by serpents,
except that in this case, he was exhibiting the LORD's (Cross)
on which the serpent, the "devil", was "made a show of". And
for every one hurt by such snakes, that is (the devil's) angels …
he who then gazed intently upon (the symbolism of the Cross)
was freed from the (potency of the) bite of the serpents."
(Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews, .10)


That very serpent of bronze was kept as part of the Temple until the reign of Hezekiah. In his reign, Hezekiah destroyed it because it became as an idol to be worshipped mistakenly, as though it were somehow the physical form of GOD in Exodus 3:14, fully contradicting Genesis 1:26-27 because of the term of Asher, which was associated with the brazen Seraph. Yet, a reminder ever resides upon the High Priest, for on the linen undergarment of the High Priest, the girdle or sash, finely embroidered as with flowers and such, takes the form as though a serpent upon him, four fingers in width (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 3.7.2.).

We therefore see the High Priest, Melchizedek, the high priest of Heaven and Earth, taking sin upon Himself both in Heaven and upon the Earth, in symbolism of type, and literally. In other words, there is a Heavenly dimension and aspect to the Cross that we are blind to, in which YHVeH Messiah was manifest also in the Heavenly at the time of His crucifixion. But, in order to avoid confusion, and to prevent the worship of the serpent upon the high priest, we read of a king gifted with a right heart and foresight:
And Hezekiah…"turned away the High Places,
and broke in pieces the standing pillars,
and cut down the Asherah,
and beat to bits the Serpent of Bronze that Moses made,
for in those days,
the Sons of Israel burned sacrifices to it,
and he called it Nehush-tan."
(2 Kings 18:4 - literal){15}

Nehush-tan literally means, "copper-dragon".{16} The Book of Revelation in 12:9, warns that the dragon is the devil, regardless of what name he uses. We find in Revelation 1:13 that Christ, our High Priest, as YHVeH Messiah, has taken the sash (the burden of sin, and its full atonement) upon Himself. He is our “sin-bearer” who takes away the sins of the world. As for the prodigy of sin, ol’ hatin’ Satan, his location in the end of Days will be stabilized upon the Earth following the defeat in the heavens of the next dimension, where-after he inhabits the person whom will be called Teitan (Titan), the glorious shining one, “the sun”, or to us: Anti-Christ. Teitan/Anti-Christ’s coming location, and his offenses directed against the people of Israel, are seen more easily in the Hebrew and Septuagint (LXX) translations. The following is my own word study amplified version from the Hebrew, and supplemented from the (LXX), which process brings out the word pictures of the verse most clearly: (the joined asterisks are word pictures).

"(And) IN THAT DAY,
YHVeH shall visit with His tearing*ankle*that*comes*fiercely*down,
and (with His) great*loud*and*ancient*and*many*in*number [angels and saints, as though a] -- hardened*strong*stubborn*and*severe* Sword on the Leviathan, the fleeing Serpent; even on the Leviathan, the Serpent who*perverts*and*unlawfully*accuses*out*of*context;
and He shall slay the Dragon (of the Fig Trees [LXX: ton sykon] )
which is in (the midst of) the Western Sea.” [the Mediterranean]
(Isaiah 27:1 - my translation)

The Anti-Christ therefore comes out of a land jut or island in the midst of the Mediterranean. This limits the origin of the coming deceiver primarily to the islands of the Aegean, or to Cyprus, Sardinia, Sicily, Malta; or to the peninsulas of Greece and Italy. He may have an embassy in Jerusalem, but he will rule from the midst of the Western Sea, the Mediterranean. We who either precede in death, or are translated in the Enochian Rapture, will never know with any certainty the identity of Anti-Christ. His identity will most likely be hidden from us who are going in the Unseen and Sudden Enochian Rapture.
However, in all likelihood, Anti-Christ indwelt by Satan only after psot-Day-1291, following the Elijahn Rapture and failed War in Heaven, will probably headquarter from the Vatican in Rome, which he will simply walk in and take over. This is why “Roman Catholicism” is called what it is, “Roman universality”. It is not Christ’s Catholicism, nor Jewish Catholicism, nor a Jerusalem Catholicism; but “Roman”, which St. Peter himself declared to be “Babylon” (I Peter 5:13). Therefore, regardless of the warnings of its founding apostles, Peter and Paul, the world will be united in all its errant doctrines under this one roof - forsaking Christ and His apostles, for “peace and unity” with one another.
The goal, thereafter then, will be to build a war machine that will penetrate the second dimension yet again, as though it were one world building a second tower of Babel. Therefore, the question may arise: Could it be that the kings of the East and Anti-Christ from Europe in the West, are actually joining forces at Megiddo in order to reopen the interdimensional portal and being slaughtered by the Heavenly Hosts as Isaiah 27:1 strongly suggests? Such a speculation is outside what I am aware of in Scripture, but I cannot summarily discount it as a possibility. In such a scenario, the hail that rains down from the heavens, raining the earth with stones and ice measuring an average of 70 - 100 lbs in weight (Revelation 16:21), crushing the armies of darkness like bloody grapes (Revelation 15:19-20, 16:19) might fit such a scenario? I really don't know one way or the other, but must for now assume that the Kings of the East and the armies of Anti-Christ are warring first for physical world domination with conventional weapons as the most likely interpretation, as has been believed an accurate interpretation for hundreds of years.


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1 Doron, “Rashi’s Torah Commentary”, p. 177-178. The following listing of the 11 descents and their prospective mountains, is inspired by my study after reading this passage. The following citation of Avot de Nathan is also cited by Doron, p. 178.

2 Mount Seir is representative of Heaven, the hidden city of Petra (hid by Mount Seir) is likened to Heavenly Jerusalem. The garden lies in the East. In Heaven, “paradise” -- the garden of GOD -- is also in the East, and is likened to the Garden of Eden. Or vice versa, the Garden of Eden was likened to the paradise of Heaven.

3 Mount Sepharah literally means the mount of the Scroll or Census taking. It is when GOD looks at the Lamb's Book of Life, and calls up the living and the dead in a resurrection and transformation of those in His Book to beings possessing bodies with the capacity of eternal life. It is a passage of Descent and Ascent by GOD missed by the Rabbis.

4 Mount Gilead is the possession of Israel that was East of the Jordan River, and seized by Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh (Joshua 1:12; Josephus, Antiquities, 12.8.3). It is a land of coveted possession, such as the religion handed down by Babel’s kingdom to us today: mamonism.

5 Mount Sinai is known for its smoke and fire, from GOD’s holy presence, melting like running lava (Exodus 19:18). This is likened to the judgment of Sodom: fire and brimstone (Genesis 19:24,28).

6 שפר Shapher is actually Shofar. The proper translation is that the children of Israel moved to the Mount of the “beautiful and glistening Coronet”. This refers to Israel’s relationship with GOD, both in the wilderness and in the end of Days, how that they would wrestle with GOD. That wrestling, as revealed by the activity lasting into daylight, would take all the time that GOD has allotted to the world, before bringing in His Kingdom by force. However, by lasting as long as he did, Jacob prevailed with GOD in ensuring the preservation of his descendants after him, and holding GOD to such an oath “to bless by casting forth His lightning” upon Jacob and his descendants (Genesis 32:26). Cf. ברק / ברך.
The rabbis ignore this biblical passage in counting the descents of GOD, because it fouls up 10 commandments being neatly packaged up in 10 descents of GOD. I have included it, because its recognition also points to Christ (Matthew 24:27; Luke 17:24,30).

7 Mount Hor is in the area east of the Dead Sea, in Edom. It is the burial place of Aaron, and Job insinuates this location (Job 30:4) as a place of derision for fools. Mount Hor was once known to have been covered with Junipers, whose roots are edible, and a known food to modern Bedouins as well. It, like the Burning Bush, was considered as a place of “holy ground” because Israel’s first “high priest” is buried there. The burning bush was probably an Acacia, sometimes called after “Rachel”, Jacob’s first and one true love. This again, is representative of YHVeH Messiah, and the love that we are to have for Him. The Burning Bush not only signifies the Cross, but the people of GOD, who He will inhabit in the End of Days. That is, GOD will one day indwell His Saints, and they won’t be burned up, etc.

8 Moses went up to the isolated peak of Mount Nebo, in the Abarim mountain range. The location was labeled Pisgah, because here, Moses was cut off from his people. GOD allowed him to view the Promised Land, but to not go in. Here, he was said to have died, cut off as the Firstborn of the nation of Israel, who wailed as loudly as those “Egyptians” whose firstborns were cut off just prior to the Exodus (cf. Deuteronomy 32:48-52, 34:1-8 / Exodus 12:29-30).

9 Mount Hermon lies north of the Sea of Galilee, and is nicknamed “Mount Snowy” by the Arabs (using a free translation). Its perpetual year round snow gives it the appearance of purity, and from the snow, flows streams of living waters; which eventually empty into the Sea of Galilee.

10 Mount Gerizim is identified with Moses in the cleft of the cliff-rock, and is blessed because he gets to see YHVeH’s after-glow. That is, he is privy to the deliverance of the seen or Elijahn Rapture in the end of days (e.g., Revelation 11:11-12).

11 Mount Ebal is the mount of cursing. GOD twice appears at the Tabernacle Tent. In this first occurrence, it is to chase the Israelites out of the Tabernacle by the presence of the Shekinah glory. Rashi is of a mind, that unless there are 22,000 (Levites and priests), the Shekinah glory of GOD will not reside in Israel. (Cf. Doron, ibid, pp. 174-175.) Therefore, until Israel in these last Days consecrates 22,000 Levites and Kohen for Temple Service, according to the rotational calendars of the priests (e.g., Luke 1:5,8), the Shekinah Glory of GOD will not return to Israel and its Temple Mount.

12 The second appearance of YHVeH at the Tabernacle Tent has to do with the cutting off of all Israel over age 20, except for faithful Caleb and Joshua (Numbers 14:1ff.).

13 Mount Paran is the mount of revelation, of opened prophecy; which is saved for the end of days. When YHVeH comes in the Raptures, each time He will appear first over Paran (Deuteronomy 33:2; Habakkuk 3:3), and then go forth from there. While the entry or inter-dimensional portal for the Heavenly armies enters over Paran, during the Elijahn Rapture, the inter-dimensional warp-portal exits (or returns) over the region of Galilee. Re: “the silver trump and the coming war in the heavens”, this chapter. The portals at the seen rapture will be separated by as many as 100-105 miles apart, or something to this effect. The entry / exit strategy of the Enochian or unseen rapture, which precedes this Elijahn Rapture by 3 ½ years, is apparently a Heavenly military secret.

14 I use the term fighter aircraft loosely. I believe that we will enter an era of a highly revolutionary and new technology in an extremely tight period of months or weeks, which will be the manifestation from or with the minds of fallen angels and Satan the fallen cherub, now being free to utilize earthly resources in the developing kingdom of Anti-Christ. This New Technology Revolution will be a pre-cursor to the coming Hyper-Technology that will follow this failed assault on Heaven in Days 1290-1291. Satan will then utilize the kingdom of the Beast and Anti-Christ to develop mechanized sorceries even more highly advanced than what Science Fiction writers can now only dream about. The purpose of those wizardries of craft will be for the “War of Return”, to fight against Christ and all His Heavenly hosts, when He returns with them on Day 2625 (being Day 1335 from the first failed assault). This will not explode into being until the days following the destruction of exactly half the Earth’s population on Days 1290-1291.

15 Cf. LITV: Green,Jay P. Sr. The Interlinear Bible (Hebrew, Greek, English), a literal translation (1 Volume); Hendrickson Publishers, reprint June 2006, p. 344

16 We know from the Scriptural inferences that the Seraph attains the qualities of a snake, because it identifies the Seraph whom we call the Devil, to be the snake that caused the spiritual deaths of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in Genesis chapter 3. What is missed, however, is how prophecy often reveals many of the questions we wish to know about the end times and the Cross via the Seraph. For example, in Genesis 49:17, we see the origins of Anti-Christ through a Sanhedrin in the end times. A man of the tribe of Dan (who comes from the midst of the western sea, probably Greece or Italy: Isaiah 27:1), rises up as a ruler among them in the Land of Israel in the Sanhedrin, and then, his ascent to power commences amazingly from there -- as it is written,
"Dan shall judge his people as one of the Tribes of Israel.
Dan shall be a Serpent [heb - nechush];
(and) on the Wide Course [heb. - Derek] (as) a horned snake;
on the well traveled path (or highway), (as one) that bites the horse's
heel, so that its rider falls backwards." (Genesis 49:17 - my Translation)

What is the significance of the second part of this verse? The Wide Course is the highway of the world system, the easy road that "the many" will choose in preference to the straight and narrow way that leads to salvation. According to Jesus, the Wide Course or Derek is likened to the broadness of a vast and wide open countryside (Gr. - euruchoros), to which each and every way is right in one's own eyes, but the end result is to one's own destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). Thus, the counsel of this "shining one" is to accept and reinforce the fatal deceit of the easy Course that leads to destruction, and to attack the narrow way and its teachings, which will lead safely to eternal life. The fact that the horned snake bites the rider's heel, suggests that it is given a kingdom for a little while, and makes its assault by attempting to remove anything that uplifts or supports the rider: persecution such as rocks the sanctity of the Church and its faith into Christ to the very core. The fact that the horned snake bites the horse's heel, shows that it is for the end times at a point when the Church was not aware or watching. It also shows that the servants, to whom the horse (being the Church) and its rider (being Christ) have been entrusted, have either fallen asleep, were apathetic to the snake, or aligned themselves with the snake over the horse and rider: perhaps, a little of all three possibilities.

But what happens after this? The book of Job informs us,
"By His Spirit, the Heavens were made beautiful:
His Hand pierced and thrust through the snake (as it was) fleeing." (Job 26:13 - translation mine)

The snake will be pierced, and shook off into the lake of fire with as much ease as Paul shook off the poisonous snake that bit him (when on the isle of Malta) into the fire (Revelation 20:10, Acts 28:1-5).
What else can we learn? We see that in Exodus 4:3, that the staff of Moses becomes a serpent. By Exodus 7:9,12 however, it becomes an instrument in the hand of Aaron. Now, in Aaron's hand, the serpentine staff smites the waters of Egypt. In response, the river becomes as blood, and the fish die (Exodus 7:15 ff.). The river represents the power and the will of GOD, while the fish represent people -- even as Christ told the Disciples, "I will make you fishers of men.” (e.g., Mark 1:17). The staff represents the origin of this persecution as the Seraph of wood, the means of reason of offense -- which is the Cross. Aaron represents the Holy Spirit who offers the Gospel to the whole Earth, while Moses becomes a type or allegory for Christ The Gospel -- as it were -- becomes Aaron, or a type after the manner of GOD the Spirit, who warns in the last days by both word and power. And even as the blood remains for 7 days in the waters, so is the Tribulation and Great Tribulation 7 years according to a man; and man's sin state 7 days according to how GOD reckons time, or 7,000 years for a man.

And so, we look to En Rogel, the temporary burial place of Messiah following Calvary, and the location of Stone of Zoheleth, "the stone of the fearful and crawling (serpent)". In Gematria, the Eben ha-Zoheleth of I Kings 1:9, has a value of 498. Even here, we find the end- result of the victory of the Resurrection of Jesus, and His conquering death; as well as the comfort of faith and trust into Him because of the Resurrection. Those 3 primary Hebrew equivalents of "Stone of Zoheleth" are:
1) חצרר Chatsorer - to trumpet, or to blow the trumpet
2) םנחת Manachath - a safe resting place in which to set down, to rest.
3) תנחם Tanchum - The compassion, comfort, or consolation which brings peace.

I suspect then, that the precise location of the Cross, and the tomb at En Rogel, are 216 feet or 144 cubits from one another, which will aid our determining the precise location of Christ’s Resurrection site.

The Crucifixion, Passover, and Simon the Cyrenian

[In the following, I have reconstructed the Passover sacrifice ritual at Jerusalem. I cannot attest that it is 100% accurate...but only as accurate as I have thus far be able to reconstruct. I believe it to be accurate. -- Brianroy]

Just who led captivity captive?

In A.D. 30, the small bully faction of the First Priests {at least 23 not counting the High Priest, Caiaphas} were so confident in their zeal, that they would triumphantly (and personally) lead Jesus directly out the Water Gate, and out of the City, stripped of His clothing, to be led as one near naked to His death on Golgotha. This was a psychological tactic meant to strike fear into the nation of 3,000,000 gathered together at Jerusalem for Passover.

It was a calculated risk (on their part)that the crowds would not revolt against both them AND the Romans. It was possibly out of worry that they led Jesus, lest the crowds reject the Roman verdict and spirit Jesus away to safety. I believe this was the probable intent of the conspiracists, who again, numbered only one-third or so within the Sanhedrin proper.

As the “Nasi”, as the “princes” of the city, they lead Jesus on -- as if they were returning Caesars, -- leading their captive foe for all of Rome (in this case, for all of Jerusalem) to see. I am of a mind -- that because Nicodemus was one of the 7 elders of the Sanhedrin, and a secret believer in Jesus -- that no more than 6 Jewish leaders led the procession (being the remaining of the 7 elders).

In all likelihood, the precious garment of purple was carried in a satchel by one of the guards; because if it were ruined through and through with blood, it would be all but worthless to gamble over (Matthew 25:36-37). The Tradition left us by Josephus is that Jesus was to be garbed in sackcloth when presented for Judgment. After the scourging, it would be a benefit of testimony that people could see Jesus' fresh wounds, front and back, as he bore the Cross until collapsing at the Dung Gate Road and Siloam Gate Road Intersection.

But the focus here is not what Jesus wore or did not wear before being stripped naked at the Cross. It is the open show -- the parade to which the First Priests made of Jesus, -- that Jesus did reverse (by the power of His Resurrection) and make of these First Priests and others to which Paul also alludes to in Colossians 2:15,
“And having stripped the clothes off the first rulers and
the authorities, He displayed (these ones instead) in all
public speaking (and in the public eye), leading them
in it triumphantly (as if they themselves now follow behind).”
(Colossians 2:15 -- my translation w/ word pictures)

Even so, it is the power of what GOD did at the Cross, which was the true triumph; because the Resurrection was the affirmation of that very power and victory of GOD, in Christ Jesus, over sin -- through the Cross.

Again, Matthew and Mark accurately portray what the Roman soldiers did to Jesus, and having been the ones who led Jesus away (Matthew 27:31; Mark 15:20). Luke’s documentary from eyewitnesses to the event, as well as John of Zebedee, infer that the chief priests also participated in the living funeral march -- as Christ was led away to Calvary (Luke 23:26; John 19:16). Therefore, the parade led by the priests is not a Pauline theological hypothesis or concept, it is an established and historically testified eyewitness fact.

The documentary evidence gathered from Mark through Peter would have also included the testimony of Simon the Cyrene through Simon’s wife and their son Rufus, who were founding members of the Churches of Rome (Romans 16:13). The Churches of Rome and Ephesus found their origin in Corinth of Achaia, where Luke had written his Gospel years earlier in A.D. 50. Therefore, both Mark (i.e. Peter) and Luke, who both spent time with Rufus and his mom, found their source witness in mother and son. Because of Luke’s meticulous nature for accuracy, we may conclude the extreme likelihood that both of these witnessed Simon being kicked about with the knees, until he submitted to carrying the Cross. Afterwards, following the family Patriarch to Golgotha, where he was set free from his forced service in carrying the Cross of Jesus all the way from the Dung and Water Gate street intersect. From that location within the walls of the lower city, he followed behind Jesus, who Himself followed behind and up alongside with the Romans, who followed behind the First Priests.

This, again, confirms Paul’s statement in Colossians 2:15, for Christ not only won every debate, but He -- through the Cross, and visibly confirmed by His victorious resurrection -- did turn the defeat into a victory, placing shame and dishonor upon the would be victors of the Sanhedrin Conspiracy.



The Passage of Simon the Cyrenian

As was just mentioned, that even as the First Priests made an open show of Christ, and led him to His death; there was another victim in all of this, who was forced into this event: Simon of Cyrene (located in modern eastern Libya). Cyrene, in the early First Century A.D., was an overflow colony from Egypt, settled largely by Jews from out of Alexandria. Because of the Crucifixion experience, and what followed thereafter, (i.e., the Resurrection), Simon settled and was buried in Jerusalem.{1}

In A.D. 50, the physician Luke compiled His Gospel account while in Corinth of Achaia, Greece. In Corinth, Luke interviewed the visiting apostles of Christ, as well as the mother of Jesus. Luke also interviewed many more who also were eyewitness of Christ, perhaps before becoming disciples of Him at Pentecost in 30 A.D., and thereafter. From these, he recorded the first of the 4 gospels, and wrote down the eyewitness accounts only 20 years after the events themselves.

In relation to this, Luke would write the Book of Acts some 7 years later. Acts was almost immediately followed (within two months) by Paul’s teachings as recollected by Luke (following the June 29, 57 A.D. deaths of Peter and Paul in Rome). That third work became known to us as the Book of Hebrews.

So, in 50 A.D., in the midst of the Apostles Peter and Paul, and in the midst of other Apostles who have come to Corinth (cf., I Corinthians 9:5), and of Rufus and his mom, Luke writes:

"And as they led (Christ) away, they [the Roman guards] laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and they laid the cross on him, that he might bear (it), following behind Jesus."
(Luke 23:26) KJV

The combined accounts of Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:20c-21, and Luke 23:26, in the Literal Greek to English Translation would read as thus:

"And brings out and leads Him so that He may be crucified;
and after having searched, found a man returning from the wild fields,
a certain Simon,
--who by name and reputation is the father of Alexander and Rufus --
this one they beat about with the knees violently,
in order that he would take up, raise the Cross, and bear it;
which he did take up, bear, and endure
behind the back of Jesus.” (Translation mine)

The emphasis in this verse is where Simon was coming from: the "country". The word for "country" in the Greek, is the anarthous noun αγρου, "agrou"; or literally, "a field". When this usage is examined in relation to Jerusalem, it is directly used of that region which lies south of Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, the Passover rituals clean-ups are happening in and about Jerusalem....

And what was Simon the Cyrenian doing? It is all but a certainty, on the day of Pesach, that Simon the Cyrenian was carting ashes from the Temple Altar from out of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem (lest they defile the Temple) earlier in the day. The day before, between 3pm and about 7pm, some 240,000 portions and unknown cords of wood were burned. Mounds of ashes needed to be spirited away to the wilds of Judea for burial (only during daylight hours). Simon the Cyrenian was a priest serving out his Course at the time of the Passover. His responsibilities were dictated by the Temple Administrator, and his position ordained by lot from G-D -- and even from when he was conceived in the belly of his mother (Jeremiah 1:5).


A Review of going to Temple for Passover Sacrifice between the evenings the afternoon before evening Pesach begins: at the Temple.

At the Temple, the priests and their assistants stand in rows, scalpel sharp instruments and pan-basins at the ready; and await the sacrifices that are to be brought before them. The crowds of the sons of Israel and their sacrifices are divided up into sections numbering in the thousands. The priest perhaps has less than an average of 60 seconds for every sacrifice brought before him. Over 240,000 lambs will be slain in less than 4 hours, perhaps even come storm and high water (lest the second Pesach possibility be prevented by uncleaness). This averages to about less than one minute per sacrifice per priest. It was a "move it, or lose it" proposition, and "get in, get out, get the blankety-blank outta the way!" deal.

If there are more than 1,000 priests and two assistants, then at 2,000 priests - the average time increases to two minutes per sacrifice. The practical capacity of the Temple Court is 20,000; and after this chaos. Thus, with the lambs, the absolute maximum is 3,000 priest with their two assistants each and two witnesses each and one lamb each @ 18,000 creatures and a max time of 3 minutes per sacrifice.

The sons of Israel form a line that only mega-concert and amusement park enthusiasts might be familiar with...it is a line that extends around the city and into the valleys, starting from the southern Temple Stairs. Luke 22:8 says the requirement was that two adult males were to accompany the sacrifice to the Temple. On behalf of the disciples, this fell to Peter and John. These two would have come to Jerusalem with their unblemished lamb, and have lived and slept with the creature over these past 4 days; daily examining and protecting the creature.

The priests outside (where the lines are)stand at certain checkpoints, and examine every sacrifice methodically. Those few that are rejected, and who have to return in one month's time for the Second Pesach opportunity, will leave south by the Dung Gate and into the Hinom in shame. In all likelihood, there would be scribes at that gate to record the names of those expected to return. Failure to return in one month's time risks excommunication (through channels).

As one section moves up and out, the next section files in. They are motioned by the waving of flags and the sound of the shofar. The air resonates with nervous anticipation.

When the Temple is rebuilt, and the sacrifice begins again, Israel will again have to follow the "pattern" or trump and banner to move the crowds in orderly fashions yet again.

So, back here in 30 A.D., for about 4 hours just prior to evening start of Pesach, the sons of Israel will windingly approach and ascend the Southern stairs, and dip themselves in the ritual bath: which (housed by the entrance of the Double Gate) receives and flows a continuous stream of incoming and outgoing (or “living”) waters, which run down until they wash into shallow open channels, which gravitates the water out to the Kidron. They then continue easterly, and pass into the Temple by way of the 50 feet wide stairway that leads through the Triple Gate (passing by the chamber of the Bet Din Gadol).

The sons of Israel bring their lambs up the steps, and are greeted at the Temple’s Entrance by three boys, who with purple wool and hyssop on three sticks, sprinkle the ashes of the red heifer and holy water (with hyssop juice) on every individual living person that enters the Temple, one by one.{2} The effect is like a dark purplish juice (because of the dark juice of the hyssop) that reigns down upon each individual member of the congregation, sometimes having the appearance of crimson blood.{3}

There are said not only to be three boys assigned to the task of sprinkling the anointing that cleanses, but there are thought to be three special sticks used as well. The boy called “Abraham” holds “the stick of Joseph” called “Beauty”, and sprinkles the sons of the northern tribes. The boy called “Jacob”, on Isaacs other side, holds “the stick of Judah”, called “Bands”, and sprinkles only those of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi. The staff called “Beauty” is broken, and cut asunder, representing Messiah’s death and betrayal (Zechariah 11:10-13; Isaiah 53:3-9, 52:14-15; Luke 19:3-7; Matthew 27:3-10). The boy in the middle is called “Isaac”, and as the type of Christ, he bears “a combined stick of Joseph-and-Judah”, and sprinkles any and all of the tribes of Israel (cf. Ezekiel 37:16ff; Zechariah 11:7)

The musicians greet the incoming men and their sacrifices with musical instruments playing Hallelujah songs: Psalm 100 most likely among them.

The men move hastily, perhaps most easily in groups of 50s or 100s, one cluster of men is to be directed “this way”, the next group “that way.” They stand before the priest, some assistants to the priests carrying silver pans, while other assistants to the priests carry gold pans. The sons of Israel receive the blessing, and slit the throat of the lamb, as the priest or his Kohen assistant catches the blood in the pan.

The group may possibly file off to another location, where skinners skin the sacrifice, and the next phase occurs. The animals are gutted of their fat, so that it too might be burned with the blood (Isaiah 1:11). The Temple portion of the sacrifice is then taken. The lamb must then be given back (by the Kohen or priestly skinner) to the son of Israel who brought it, each lamb returned in its own skin (Pesachim 65b). The blood and guts of fat are offered up as sacrificial oblations, and burned to ashes.{4} Then, having shared in the mystery of the Trinity, but not understanding it, the son of Israel leaves through the north of the Temple, and returns to his tent or dwelling-place. (The animal having been offered up by a son of Israel, who is representing the Holy Spirit; to the priest, representing the Son; and to the altar hearth of fire, representing the Father.)

At pre-determined fire-pits, raging with flame, the greatest series of these fire-pits being within the Hinom Valley, the son of Israel roasts the Passover. He then returns to his tent, where a group of at least 13 must partake of the Passover lamb, and eat it in haste. Whatever is unconsumed or as being inedible, must be consumed by fire before morning light. In Jerusalem, the primary depository for these burning bones would be the Hinom Valley, although fires would light up all Jerusalem and its valleys on this night. When the Pesach is over, whatever remains will again be cleaned up, and disposed in the proper manner; in order that the Valley of Hinom be found as pristine as possible.


Temple Lamb

It appears that the likely procedure of cooking the lamb will reveal something of the ministry of Messiah. Upon returning to his household or congregation, the man would then place the lamb in a crucified form upon a leaning cross-spit. The rule of cooking the lamb is that it must be cooked upright, and quickly. The animals form a sort of lean-to effect around the fire-pits, which (by 30 A.D.) are probably using stone blocks (and possibly even iron rods) for propping. The lower legs are tied together, while the upper legs are spread apart and tied to the crossbeam, so that the opened chest cavity may spread apart and cook more evenly. The intestines are placed in a wrapped fashion about the lamb’s head (much like the crown of thorns) and thus the lamb is called, “the horned (or crowned) sacrifice”.

If for some reason a man fails to bring his sacrifice before the priest at the final call for Paschal sacrifice by the Priests, that man is called “lazy bones” (Pesachim 65a); and must return in exactly one month, lest he excommunicated from the congregation of Israel. Those of impurities, or who sacrifice was found unfit, also must return at that same time, under the same somber penalty.


On the Day of Pesach -- travel home was still yet forbidden, it being a High Sabbath. Hence, 3,000,000 who had partaken Pesach at Jerusalem yet remain and lingered about.

It was through this sort of crowd of 3,000,000 about tiny Jerusalem that Christ and Simon the Cyrene had to pass and circumvent in the Lower City area of Jerusalem. Simon the Cyrene, with “pack animal” and cart,{5} had worked his way to a pre-determined path, which wove him from the western court gate of the Temple, southward to the Siloam Gate road; then south on the Dung Gate road. From here, he exited into the Hinom Valley, then East to the Kidron, over the Kidron and past En Rogel, and finally south to the wilds of Judea by Dead Sea.{6} This leads him toward the rest settlements of the Dead Sea, where other priests await the ashes, and the containers are returned upon the burial of the ashes.

Hence, Simon had just returned from the south, traveling north through the dung gate of the Lower City, back towards the Temple. The Siloam Gate road travels from the Kidron in the East, and intersects the northerly Dung Gate road, which basically becomes a one way stop at the vertical point of the “T” intersection of these two roads. Where a person traveling north on the Dung Gate road reaches where the Dung Gate road intersects, you have only two choices, either East or West on the Siloam Road. The left or westerly direction will curve the width of the Temple Walls about until it becomes northerly in direction along the Temple’s Western Wall. This leads north, past the Pavement area of Gabbatha. The so-called “Via Dolorosa” takes the tourists out the northern Gate in the ‘New City’, through the Romanized sector of Jerusalem, and in the wrong direction.

Therefore, with cart and “pack animal” in tow, Simon of Cyrene, fulfilling his 6-week Course as Levite in Jerusalem, was now stopped by a procession of a mini-Sanhedrin, who were “triumphantly leading” the Romans and Christ out of the City through the Gate of Siloam. Simon stood silent, simply being a spectator in the very crowded streets of Jerusalem, simply wanting to take his donkey and cart back to the Temple, wash up, and take his next load into the wilds of Judea. He must have been a stout and very strong looking fellow, because the Romans picked him out so quickly from among the long lines of men that stretched to the Southern Temple steps; and in reverse order out the Siloam Gate. Simon of Cyrene resisted the Roman efforts to force his submission.

Roman and local law allowed him to resist being forced into conscription on the Sabbath and on High Holy Days, especially if he was already “in active service of his custom at the time”. The Law of Custom was that he was "free from conscription 3 days prior to and the day of his sabbath or festive day". But Simon’s resistance was to no avail. We are not told of a word or a look of his superiors directing Simon to give in; but he may have been given such.

We are told that Simon resisted quite stubbornly, but gave in only after the continual (and becoming chronic and never-ending) knee kicks of the Messiah’s Roman escort. The Romans grabbed up Simon’s clothing and limbs with their hands, and kicked Simon about repeatedly with their metal plated leather knee-guards until he submitted to his carrying the Cross for Christ.

Then, following behind Jesus, the entourage continued east, exiting out the Water Gate and into the Kidron Valley. Selah. In other words, a Levite was forced into conscription by the Romans to serve as a priest to YHVeH Messiah. YHVeH Messiah, the true High Priest (after the order of Melchizedek), was waited upon by a Levite from Cyrene, a province recognized back then as being “outer” or “little Egypt”. Meanwhile, the First Priests resumed their pompous ostentatious display of the Pharisaic “power” over the man whom the entire city had moved, and joyously welcomed, only days before. These of the faction of the Sanhedrin, trusted in their outward display of their ideals of piety, rich clothing, and conceit - perhaps believing that they were demonstrating some form of holiness and righteousness, in this process.

We are no different from these men today, especially here in America. The people, the Jewish nation of Israel, were not guilty by the actions of a few who usurped their positions and consolidated their power by means of stealth. The nation of Israel was caught almost as if unawares in its being guilty of apathy, (much like “the Church” is today), because these same 23 plus the high priests, by murdering Messiah in A.D. 30, also murdered more than one million of their brethren by their lawless actions set in motion, come 70 A.D. In this case, the sins of the fathers were visited most unfortunately upon the children. In the case of us, our failure helps to usher in the Tribulation and the end of the world, as we know it. Hence, we are just as guilty as any blame we might attribute to Israel, for we too, have murdered Jesus...because he came, died, and rose again to redeem us as well...even though we are downstream in time from those who saw Him with their own eyes, heard Him with their own ears, touched Him with their own hands.

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1 Biblical Archaeology Review, Vol. 29, No. 4, Jul/Aug 2003, pp. 46-51. “Family Tomb of Simon the Cyrene…’Treasures in the Storeroom’ by Tom Powers.” In 1941, Eleazar Sukenik (and his assistant Nahman Avigad) discovered the hewn rock cave of Simon the Cyrene in the Kidron Valley. Among the bone ossuaries: Simon, his son Alexander, and three others of the family. A Herodian era lamp lay present, which I contend was perhaps a keepsake from the Upper Room.

2 The Epistle of Barnabas, .8

3 David says, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be ritually and ceremonially clean…whiter than snow.” (Psalm 51:7). This same sentiment is repeated in Isaiah, which says in the KJV: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

4 The sacrifices of war are the blood and guts of men, who as soldiers, lay down their lives or have it taken from them. Warfare is a variant of the holocaust or fiery consummation of the blood and guts of a nation’s fat or “cream of their people”. In this respect, so too, does Christ offer up His blood and guts to redeem us from the deepest mires and chasms of violence and depravity; and is able to make us ritually and ceremonially pure before GOD the Father.

5 I use the word “pack animal” to denote the variety of the horse family at his disposal: horse, ass, and donkey. He would not use a camel (considered ritually unclean) for priestly burdens involving ritual activity, be it on a holy day or any other day, under any circumstances.

6 In the End of Days, the priests will be forced to bury the radioactive bones of men for 7 months, in an area northeast of the Dead Sea, called “Hamon-gog” - according to Ezekiel 39:11-12. Those bones (and the weapons that accompany them) will continue to be radioactively deadly for 7 years Ezekiel 39:9. Therefore, the burying of that which dies in Israel -- outside of Israel -- finds only the rare of exceptions, based on ritual cleansing and necessity.

Concerning the martyrdom of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna

Be aware of what other martyrs for Christ suffered:

"…the martyrdoms…they were so torn with scourges, that the frame of their bodies, even to the very inward veins and arteries, was laid open, still patiently endured, while even those that stood by pitied and bewailed them.
…not one of them let a sigh or groan escape them; thus proving to us all that those Holy Martyrs of Christ, at the very time when they suffered such torments, were absent from the body, or rather, that the LORD then stood by them, and communed with them."

"…in like manner, those who were condemned to the wild beasts endured dreadful tortures, being stretched out upon beds full of spikes, and subjected to various other kinds of torments, in order that, if it were possible, the Tyrant might, by their lingering tortures, lead them to a denial [of Jesus Christ]." (Epistle of the Church of Smyrna, Concerning Polycarp's Martyrdom. .2)
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Commentary on .2:
Notice that the one who tortures the Christians is called a 'Tyrant.' This word is also used in describing the one who persecuted John the Apostle, son of Zebedee, and of Christ's inner circle of His three closest Disciples. The word Tyrant relates specifically to a "Proconsul", (a Procrurator or Governor of a Territory or Region) as we shall see in the next quote; and NOT to a Roman Emperor, as some would fabricate a myth to replace an actual time consuming reconstruction of actual history. This is important in regards to dating the New Testament book of Revelation, and of John's exile to Patmos...and exactly "when" that could have been or was.
The tradition that was retold of John's conduct in the province of Asia by Clement of Alexandria in circa 190 A.D., who, in "The Rich Man who Finds Salvation", mentions the death of a "Tyrant". If we pay attention to what is being said in the Tradition repeated and retold by Clement over a century after the events, we will easily see within the history told as a story, the span of many many years passing. There is probably somewhere between 18 and 20 years from the time that John, some unknown number of years after arriving in Asia, entrusts a boy to a Bishop's care and the time he asks for the man (who should be rabbinically ready, or over age 30) back. Thus, the Tradition told as a story could start in 53 A.D., pick up in 62 A.D., and then skip ahead to 80 A.D., for example, and still be entirely accurate and consistent.
In regard to the use of Tyrant as meaning Domitian Caesar: when we see that both "tyrants" must be "Proconsuls of Asia" and not Roman Emperors, the perception of what the early historians are telling us is transformed from that of coke-bottle glasses to a simple pane of clear (although somewhat tinted) glass. We see, albeit, a little darkly, but clearly and not all out of context and distorted.
-------------------------------------------------------


"For the Devil did indeed invent many things against them; but thanks be to GOD, he could not prevail over all. For the most noble Germanicus strengthened the timidity of others by his own patience, and fought heroically (and illustriously) with the wild beasts. For when the Proconsul sought to persuade him, and said to him to take pity on his age, he attracted the wild beast towards himself, and provoked it, being desirous to escape all the more quickly from an unrighteous and impious world. But upon this, the whole multitude, marveling at the nobleness of the GOD-loving and GOD-fearing race of Christians, cried out,
'Away with the Atheists! Let Polycarp be sought out!' "
Ibidem, .3

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Commentary on .3:
In the previous chapter of this very same Epistle, in .2, there is no doubt that the one whom is inflicting tortures and punishments on the Christians in Asia is called 'the Tyrant'. In the very next chapter of the same Epistle, we read in a superfluous manner how that this 'Tyrant' is identified as a 'Proconsul'. To us, a Proconsul is a Military Governor who holds the powers of continual martial law over his Province. He is subject to his Senator, and to his Emperor; and no one else. As long he quells rebellion and unrest, and keeps the tax monies flowing to Rome, how he runs his Province within the laws given him by Rome… well, often that is his own business. The Proconsul could be benevolent, or osmotic in his approach: as dictatorial - demanding - thrusting the law down like a hammer.

The Proconsul of Asia was perhaps more vicious in his ambition towards the people than Pilate was some 125 years earlier in Judea of Israel. Asia was home to the largest Olympic Games outside of Greece, where in the off years the gods of Greece and Rome could be worshipped by sporting events. Asia was also the province of all the Empire that was selected for Emperor worship, where busts of living and dead Emperors of Rome were daily worshipped by a living priesthood. The idea was that they took their place among the gods of Rome, Jupiter and the others, and brought good demons and prosperity to that province. So superstitiously, anyone not believing their brand of theism or god worship, was without god worship or a-theist. Thus, the alpha-privitive -- the "a" before "theos" turns this positive into a negative, from 'god' to 'not god' or 'against god'. In the mind of the Proconsul, or the 'tyrant', he was fulfilling his duties zealously as a good administrator who had potential to one day be Senator over many of his contemporaries by zealously enforcing Roman Law and appeasing the lawlessly inclined among his masses towards peace by giving them sacrifices of innocents in exchange for docility.
----------------------------------------------


"The Irenarch then, (whose office is the same as that of the Cleronamus), by name Herod, hastened to bring him [Polycarp] to the Stadium."
Ibid., .6


"His pursuers then, along with the horsemen… went forth at supper-time on the Day of Preparation, with their usual weapons, as if going out against a robber. And being come about evening, they found him [Polycarp] lying down in the upper room in a certain person's little house … he went down and spoke with them. And as those that were present marveled at his age and constancy, some of them said, '(Why) was so much effort made to capture such a venerable man?' "
Ibid., .7


OUTSIDE THE STADIUM

[Herod the Proconsul, and his father, Nicetes, have just transported Polycarp from the outskirts of the city of Smyrna to the Stadium. The two plead with Polycarp, hoping to avoid a mob trial in which just the roar of disrespect might seem to be enough to make this ancient one drop dead on the spot. Rather than face such a scandal of frightening a weak and very ancient old man to death, Herod resolves that Polycarp should meet with an accidental death…]

"…having no hope of persuading (Polycarp), began to speak bitter words unto him, and cast him with violence (down) out of the chariot, inasmuch that, in getting down from the carriage, he dislocated his leg. But without being disturbed, and as if suffering nothing, he went eagerly forward with all haste, and was conducted to the Stadium, where the tumult was so great, that there was no possibility of being heard."
Ibid., .8



IN THE STADIUM

"And as he was brought forward, the tumult became great when they heard that Polycarp had been taken. And when he came near, the Proconsul asked him whether he was Polycarp. On his confessing that he was … [the Proconsul continued], saying, 'Have respect to your Old Age,' and other similar things, (and as) according to their custom:
'Swear by the fortune of Caesar', 'Repent', and 'Say, Away with the Atheists!' But Polycarp, gazing with a stern countenance on all the multitude of the wicked heathen then in the Stadium, and waving his hand towards them, while with groans he looked up to Heaven, said, 'Away with the Atheists.'
Then, the Proconsul urging him, and saying,
'Swear, and I will set you at liberty.' 'Reproach Christ.'
Polycarp declared,
'86 years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and Saviour?'
Ibid., .9,


"…the Proconsul was astonished, and sent his herald to proclaim in the midst of the Stadium thrice,
'Polycarp has confessed that he is a Christian.'

['Polycarp has confessed that he is a Chrestian.'
'Polycarp has confessed that he is a Chrestian.']

This proclamation, having been made by the herald, the whole multitude -- both of the heathen and Jews -- who dwelt at Smyrna, cried out with an uncontrollable fury, and in a loud voice, [gnashing the teeth words to this effect]:
'This is the teacher of Asia,
the father of the Christians,
and the over-thrower of our gods,
he who has been teaching many not to sacrifice,
or to worship the gods.' "
Ibid., .12

----------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary:
Please take notice of the accusations of the unruly mob toward Polycarp, those who are hostile witnesses (as it were) against him. He is called the "teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians." This tells us that after John the Apostle was martyred in or about the fall of 97 A.D. to no nlater than Passover of 98 A.D., the mantle fell to Polycarp, even as the mantle fell from Elijah to Elisha.
To be called the "teacher of Asia" in rabbinical reference, is to be called "the Rabbi of Asia", or "the Chief Rabbi of Asia." This tells us that Polycarp is more than "just a disciple of John", he is the very successor to the Apostle John as the elder of the Church as well. It is for this reason that Polycarp held such a prominence within the early Church from the Apostle John's death in ca. A.D. 97 or 98 to his own death some 60 years later. In fact, the historical record indicates that it was to Polycarp, not Rome, that the Church of the early second century sought consul and embassy to so as to learn the doctrines of the Apostles from those who had seen and been with them first hand. And we learn twice from Irenaeus, that the apostles were literally (not just figuratively) Levites and Kohenim to the LORD. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 4.8.3. and 5.34.3.)

Therefore, Polycarp was not hated so much for his Jewishness, but for his fidelity and devotion to GOD, as if bringing the Temple worship of GOD to the nations. He behaved more like the high priest who KEPT that deposit entrusted him.

“The priests indeed are good, but the High Priest is better: to whom, the Holy of Holies has been committed, and who alone has been entrusted with the secrets of GOD.”
(Ignatius, Letter to the Philadelphians, .9)

In the Babylonian Talmud, the rabbinic authorities would later put it this way: 'When you come to a town, follow its customs, for when Moses went up to Heaven, he refrained from food for 40 days and 40 nights. And when the angels came down to visit Abraham, they partook of his meal, each one submitting to the custom of the place." (Baba Metzia 86b).

And in Soferim 14:18, it is taught that should Jewish Law or Ritual conflict with the local custom, often the local custom is the one to prevail.

So, in effect, Polycarp was enforcing a conviction of the hearts of those in this Province of the Gentiles to choose from accepting the GOD of Israel, or being brought to an Anti-Semitic fervor and persecuting frenzy. In other words, the unbelieving Jewish community of the Diaspora was receiving a lot of collateral damage and backlash from those who trades and incomes depended on the industry and superstitions of idol worship, to which they also were probably assimilated in the trafficking of, as well.

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"The multitudes immediately gathering together wood and fagots out of the shops and baths; the Jews especially, according to Custom, eagerly assisting them in it. And when the funeral pile was ready, Polycarp, laying aside all his garments...when they were about to fix him with nails, he said, 'Leave me as I am; for he that giveth me strength to endure the fire, will also enable me, without your securing me by nails, to remain without moving in the pile.'" Ibid., .13

"And as the flame blazed forth in great fury...the fire, shaping itself into the form of an arch, like the sail of a ship when filled with the wind, encompassed as by a circle the body of the martyr." Ibid., .15

"At length, when those wicked men perceived that his body could not be consumned by the fire, they commanded an executioner to go near and pierce him through as with a dagger. ...and a great quantity of blood poured forth from the left side, so that the fire was extinguished; and all the people wondered...." Ibid., 16

Transubstantiation inferred in text of 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

Transubstantiation comes from the Latin "trans": beyond; and the Latin "substantia": substance.

The idea that is conveyed and taught, is that - whan the Bread and the Wine of the Communion Service is offered, having been blessed, it becomes more than just its outward appearance. The Bread and the Wine becomes, as it were, "GOD-breathed" upon, as though incorporating into itself -- for the very purpose of the Service, and Sanctification -- the very Spirit of Christ, or at least a literal and direct spiritual link with Christ from Gabbatha to Calvary that is unencumbered by time or space.
Here, at such a moment, there is no unreachable past, because Gabbatha to Calvary is placed in the present. Here, as Communion is taken, the sin debt which was paid in full, once again washes clean the sinner yielding to Christ. If Pride prevents such acceptance of the sin debt, the Communion may return the sin upon such a person's own head, and sickness and death may result. This is why we must all understand the doctrine more thoroughly, and warn about partaking as if it were a common thing without consequence. The Communion is Holy because Christ is Holy, and Christ is Holy because GOD is Holy. Let's look at it.


(I Corinthians 10:16-17)

τό ποτήριον της ευλογιας ό εύλογουμεν
The drinking vessel of Blessing with which we bless,

ούχι κοινωνια του αϊματος του χριστού
not a partaking of the blood of Christ?



έστι τον άρτον όν κλωμεν ούχι κοινωνια
is the Bread which we break not a partaking

του σωματος του χριστου έστιν ότι εις
of the Body of Christ? it is, because one

άρτος έν σωμα οι πολλοι έσμεν οι
Bread, one Body, the many we are, the

γάρ πάντες έκ του ένός άρτου
for all of the one Bread

μετέχομεν.
we partake.


1. "The drinking vessel of blessing, with which we bless,

2. is it not -- (and we know it is) -- a partaking of the blood of Christ?

3. The bread which we break, is it not -- (and we know it is ) -- a partaking

4. of the body of Christ? because one

5. bread, one body, we being many, are:

6. for all of the one bread

7. we partake.


Hence, we see a spiritual, not a physical unification, of the Church in the Pauline text. Physical tokens are used, by they unify via faith and by other spiritual means. A sacrifice that is prayed over is no different physically than that of a sacrifice not prayed over. But spiritually, there is a "something extra" connection...and that is what is being inferred here. We have a "blessed" or "prayed over cup" that is lifted and identified with. It is treated as "set apart", to remain pure and undefiled by protection, to be holy. That sanctification and faith is meant to bridge the realm betwen this physical world and the spiritual realm we cannot see, which is unhindered by time or space. Therefore, by blessing the bread and the wine of the Communion, there is indeed that direct spiritual line or attachment, as if a root or fiber drawing nourishment, forgiveness, and atonement from the Cross for those who partake in faith.

Selah! “Suspended”...Part 2

Selah! “Suspended”

Selah at the Hinom Valley

As Christ looked down from Golgotha, He did so from a mechanism of wood and iron, fixed with pins. He was suspended on high from a fixture familiar to both farmers and sailors, to soldiers and civilians. While in this suspended state, He suffered in agony and slow asphyxiation as long thin stakes (or “nails”) were protruding through His anklebones and into the bend of His wrists. These were driven mercilessly through His body, and into the wood of the Cross. His agony was intensified in that the Romans nailed His arms with one elbow up and one elbow down. This position is mimicked in modern times as a type of anti-climax stage-freeze jazz-dance pose (often with a hat in one hand). Its hidden meaning is to mock Christ at the Cross. If we invert the Hebrew letter Alef by 90 degrees onto its point, depending on the writing style, we will usually see the intent of the letter as “Christ crucified”. This position, which Messiah found Himself in, with one elbow up and one elbow down, forced His bones out of joint over the course of His six hours of suffering upon that Cross.

From this location, at Golgotha, Jesus would have looked to the right up the Kidron Valley, where He was in; but also He would have looked just a little off to His left and straight into the Hinom Valley as well. As He looked into the Hinom, at about his 10 o’clock visual position, 12 o’clock being due west, there Christ saw Judas the traitor, dead by his own hand in suicide. This tract of land is known as Haceldama or “the field of blood” to this day. Judas died, hanging on a tree limb over a small precipice on the southeast Hinom, by means of a rope about the neck; in full view of millions who packed the Kidron and Hinom Valleys, and just left him there. What is important to note, is the silent affirmation of the historical witness to these facts. Notice that there is never an accusation against Christ, of how that Judas sold Him out, and then could not bear to look upon the face of his master or “Raboni”. There is also never a refusal by the priesthood, to say that they did not buy Judas off for 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus. Had this occurred, we would have a Talmudic account, a reference in Josephus, or by the Roman historians: because the outcry would have been too great to not notice, and utilize to put the Christians down as fraudulent. Yet, no record exists, because Christians were called “Chrestians” by the Romans, which means “the gracious (and honest) ones”.

Now, at about Christ’s 2 o’clock field of view, He would have seen -- over the many hundreds of thousands of the multitudes who filled the Kidron Valley -- the irrigation conduit of the Pool of Siloam, which emptied out into the Kidron. As the masses moved, people ran to and from this conduit, collecting water for the thirsty in the Valleys below. From the Cross, Jesus was able to behold the processes of both death and life.



Selah in Gematriac context

In Gematria, Selah and Salah have a value of 95. This is the same value as Hinom
(הנמ). Hinom, of course, is one of the two valleys to which Christ was crucified, the valley of burnings. Here, every 8th feast Day of Tabernacles, the Jewish men of Israel burned their makeshift huts, and gave thanks to YHVeH, in recollection of Isaiah 66:24, which tells them that in the Kingdom, in the New Heavens and the New Earth,

"they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses
of the men that have transgressed against Me: [YHVeH]
for their worm shall not die,
neither shall their fire be quenched;
and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.” KJV

After the value of 95, the value of Selah and of Hinom: what is being told to us about this valley and juncture south of the Temple Mount? It is a place for one who is held in "contempt" or PUT (פוט). Both Jesus who was cast out and crucified here, and on the other side of the same valley, Judas Iscariot, who hanged himself on the tree while viewing Christ crucified. The tree-limb, on which the body of Judas hung, snapped. Judas was then plunged at least 30 feet or more below into the Valley of Hinom, onto some sharp rocks, and was disemboweled. That Valley depth or even greater has been covered since at least A.D. 70, when the Romans filled it during the siege of Jerusalem.
Whether of a right heart, as a disciple; or through a sinister intent, as a zealot or anti-Christian: we all "chase or follow after" Tseda (צדא) YHVeH Messiah.
The wicked cannot help but to "bubble up and froth over" Pachez (פחז) against YHVeH's anointed, and YHVeH Himself.
They would rather offer up drink offerings to some mythical "queen" Milkah/Malkah (Mem-Lamed-Kaf-He) of Heaven. King David sung it of Messiah’s rejection by the people in exchange for idols in this way:
“Sons of men, until when is My Glory? For a reproach (concerning this) will you love vanity and seek out a lie (instead)? Selah.”
(Psalm 4:2)

At some of the modern Passover Seder Celebrations in America, songs are sung also in reverence of “the queen of Heaven” in preference to YHVeH Messiah. Those cakes eaten to the “queen of Heaven” also bore the sign of the cross upon them. The custom of “dessert” still carries this form of indulgence for the “theoi”, “the disposers”, whose god is the belly. Therefore, the idolatry of Baal and the pouring forth of drink offerings to demons are not far from our lips and acts of recognition in our own day. Sadly, this has been embraced as part of the "Jewish ness" of the culture, much like some of the ancient cults engaged in by their Fathers which led to the taking of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon; and were rebuked by GOD, through His prophet, for it (re: Jeremiah 7:18; 44:15-30).

At the Hinom Valley, we have the choice between two sights: Jesus on the Cross, or Judas hung from a tree and then disemboweled upon the rocks below. We have, after the value of 95, the choice of being able "to watch and be observant" - Yiscah (יסכה);
or, to suffer "dishonor and shame", "to suffer disgrace and confusion" - Kelimmah (כלמה).

It is Ge-Hinom, which is called "gehenna" in the Greek: translated as "hell", the "place of burnings". Here, in the Plateia of the city, the outer darkness, is Naham (נהם): the "growls, snarls, and roars" which YHVeH Messiah says is the "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (cf. Matthew 8:12, 13:42, 13:50, 22:13, 24:51, and 25:30).

Hinom is set in prophecy for a place in which Selah (סלה) is Manah (םנה): "ordained, set, appointed" as a measure or weight weighed out, carefully analyzed and considered. The Manah refers directly to YHVeH Messiah. In the Hebrew, the Bread from Heaven is called "manna"; and even though its spelling lacks the "H" (ה), being spelled as "man" (מן); yet after the Greek transliteration, we see it pronounced as though the "H" were present as "manna" (μαννα). The word manna, is taken to mean "bread" in the Greek description of it: for example, John 6:32-33. Literally, this Hebrew word of "manna" spelled as "M-N" means: "What's this?"

In the New Testament, we read how that "manna" to the First Century Hebrew, and to us, is the bread of Heaven. Jesus clearly tells us in John chapter 6, that He is the True Bread, the true "manna" from Heaven. Unfortunately, when many people look at Jesus and the Cross, they cannot help but gaze in a lack of understanding and also say "What's this?", without the comprehension of what they are saying. In effect, "What's this?" is a correct answer, because translated back into the Hebrew, their question becomes an affirmation of identity: "manna", which translated means "What's this?"

After the value of 95, we see that this "manna" which is the Bread come from
Heaven, is like the Chelbenah (Chet-Lamed-Beth-Nun-He): an "odorous gum that is comparable to fat".
On the Cross, Adayahu (Alef-Dalet-Yod-He-Vav) "YH has adorned" Him, in order to Miklah (Mem-Kaf-Lamed-He): "to make complete or whole" Fallen Man. The word Miklah also speaks of the formation of a pen or fold for sheep; and YHVeH Messiah talked about the building of His Church, and the restoring of lost sheep back into the fold of those who have been obedient to Him.

The purpose of the Cross, as we also see in the value of 95 and the other things we have gone over, is the revelation of the knowledge of Christ; and a right relationship with GOD. We see this with passages such as "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto Me.” (John 12:32). “Selah” Gematrically reveals the very identity of YHVeH Messiah, after the value of 95, as: HaMelek (He-Mem-Lamed-Kaf) - "the King", and Daniel (Dalet-Nun-Yod-Alef-Lamed): " the Judge of GOD."

When Luke wrote Paul's Gospel in ca. July of 57 A.D.,9 which over 100 years later was referred to as Hebrews, he wrote of how that we are called to enter into the rest that the LORD provides for His servants, saying,

"For we which have believed do enter into rest…
For he that is entered into rest, he has also ceased from his
own works, as GOD from His.
Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest…." (Hebrews 4:3a, 10-11a) KJV

That Sabbath rest is the Selah, it is a suspension of works and efforts directed at ourselves. This illustration can be seen in the very Hebrew words used for resting or ceasing on the Shabbat. In the Bible, the rabbis inform us how that GOD stops (Genesis 2:2), He rests (Exodus 20:11), and then the example is given us of what was on GOD’s mind at the making of the Sabbath. To which we are referred to I Samuel 25:9, where we see the example of King David’s “mouthpiece” / “logos” / “messenger” / “angel”, after having spoken what his king instructed him, he then has nothing more to say.

Therefore, the Sabbath rest of Selah is the activity of stopping, being refreshed, and no further need for words. It is as if words themselves, are become a form of "work". Thus, when we accept this, we can accept the Gematriac teaching in 2 Kings 14:7, that the word Selah is equated with Joktheel: which means "subdued by GOD". We are also admonished by this, that on the Sabbath, the activity of speaking more than what is necessary, is also a form of work. Therefore, if one is truly to keep the Sabbath as according to the Law of Moses, he had best keep his prayers short, true from the heart, and to the point. But according to the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2), which is free from the Law of Moses (a Law dealing with sin and death), prayer ceases to be like a slave addressing his King in a form of humility. Rather, prayer becomes more of a friend to the Prince relationship (John 15:13-15), who are gladly welcomed and honored as if family by the King, for the sake of His dear Son.


Thought upon Selah, the Suspension, and the Sabbath rest

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live….” (Galatians 6:20)

Selah! “Suspended”...Part 1

Selah

Selah (סלה). In the songs of David, SeLaH was an utterance where an entire world of musical noise, in the song, was called to a stop. “Selah” is a stillness, “as a silence that hangs in the air”, within a song. It holds an expectation of anticipation, energy, and power. It is a time set aside and apart from all words, as a Sabbath (a time of rest) of holy silence as though a vision is being played over in every mind. Whether the music was flowing in a smooth melodic tempo, or in a wild crescendo, when the word "Selah" is sung: all the worshippers, all the musicians, all noise, all activity, comes to an abrupt halt. "Selah" is a call to be still, and know that GOD is.

In Habakkuk 2:20, the idea of Selah is conveyed in the words,
"YHVeH is in the ‘Hushed and Silent Temple of His Holiness’,
(and) before Him, (is) all the Earth.” (Translation mine)

while in Zephaniah 1:7, the reason for Selah is revealed as:
"Be hushed and silent before the Lord YHVeH:
for drawing near to battle is the Day of YHVeH:
because YHVeH hath prepared and appointed a sacrifice,
He has consecrated those called and summoned by proclamation.” (Translation mine)

In aleitheia (the true reality), Selah is a call to stop, pause, and reflect on the 3 hours of light, and 3 hours of darkness in which Christ hung upon the Cross. It is the this theme that is to be reflected upon as the Church takes Communion. Selah is a time to reflect on what GOD has done for us, and upon the sacrifice, which YHVeH (not man) has prepared. This gives us pause upon the Two Sacrifices of Judaism:
1) the upright Passover sacrifice, of a crucified lamb, cooked upright in that state upon a spit, with its intestines wrapped about its head and called the "horned" or "crowned sacrifice"; and
2) the escape goat that is led into the wilderness with scarlet wool wrapped about its head, to take upon itself the sins of all Israel during Yom Kippur.

One occurs in the spring for the benefit of no less than a group of 13, the lawful size of a "Community" AND THE Gematriac equivalent of "Love" in the Hebrew is - הבהא "Ahavah": a value of 13. This size is reflected in YHVeH Messiah's choice of having 12 anointed Disciples, who with Him, were representatives of GOD’s love to the world. Again, we see “love,” (the value of 13), with the 12 tribes of Israel represented by the Priestly tribe, whose number is not de facto counted as 13, but whose inheritance is from the LORD. In other words, the 13th member takes on the attribute of the Heavenly, while the 12 take on the attribute of the earthly. The Alef א is the abbreviation for “GOD” in the Hebrew - Elohim.{1}


The Alef - Havah
Separated in the word Ahavah, or “love”, it forms the identification of two words: Alef - havah, which in Gematria means “GOD breathes into existence”. Therefore, the very act of GOD creating Adam, and breathing into his nostrils “the breath of life”(Genesis 2:7), was an act of love. The souls of men are thereby “GOD breathed”, and must be “GOD redeemed” with the same concept as the exhaling breath. The name YHVeH is the sound of our breath in our nostrils (Lamentations 4:20), and is the name of our Messiah. The inhalation is the masculine YH (represented in the GOD-head by the Father and the Son); while the exhale is the feminine VeH (represented in the GOD-head by the Holy Spirit). This tells us, that since man was created by the feminine exhale breath of GOD, so also must all eternal life be born of the Holy Spirit; and physical life be birthed through the females of the species.
The Origin of the living engine of the soul of man, which is left as a hollow hole in the unbelievers, is in reality the place where G-D is supposed to come and dwell within each one of us. It is a ready-made structural design, to be filled by the Spirit of GOD...and was and is still birthed to a filling by the breath (as it were), such as the power of the spoken word in faith and trust into Christ Jesus as LORD and Savior. The soul that has fallen away in a state of sin (e.g., unbelief), following this line of reasoning, then must be redeemed also by the spoken word as well. Because it was mistrust that caused man to fall, it is by obedient trust or “faith” to which man finds his way back to GOD. That route of return is limited to one lone and narrow cross that stands in the vast wilderness where all other ways lead to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). We must trust the spoken word, Christ our LOGOS (John 1:1), and step through the dimensions of time and space through the only portal that will save us: the Cross.

Between 9 am and 12 pm on March 23, A.D. 30, very probably only those of the small faction that caused Christ to be crucified did call out words against Him, and mocked Him. But when the sun was high, and noon came, the whole world changed, and fell into darkness.{2} The sun fell into the blackness of sackcloth, the stars withdrew their light, the Cross may have taken on the appearance of having begun to smoke, and the moon shone a blood red ambiance upon the land.{3} The majority of the Jewish nation, who watched on like silent lambs, now did so with great sadness. And this they did, not knowing or understanding, not perceiving with eye or the ear, what was truly going on and taking place. They, like we -- had we been there -- stood stunned, and in a daze as if it all were an actual, living dream. But it wasn’t a dream. It was a happening.

As Christ hung upon the Cross, suspended between Heaven and Earth, when darkness enveloped the earth at about 12 noon: the wind was silent, the sky was clear, and a holy hush lay upon all of Jerusalem and its hills. There Jesus, who had 4000 plus years before breathed into Adam the breath of life as YHVeH, now as a man, whipped to shreds and pieces that hung on His skeletal frame, breathed in and out after the manner of one being strangled to death. Literally, now Christ breathed in death, that by His breathing in the form of one dead -- though yet alive in the physical -- He might breathe forth again eternal life. Wherefore as GOD He gave life to man, as man He gave up the death-state of man as atonement to GOD the Father, that all men, dead in trespasses in sins in the living flesh, might breathe forth the spoken word of faith and trust, and be redeemed unto GOD, once and for all time -- and beyond time itself. And as Christ breathed out His last, and the earth quaked, and the veil of the Temple rent, and the wind roared forth in great fury, as an entire nation fell to the ground and fell prostrate. There is a claim in Jewish Tradition that every synagogue but one in Jerusalem fell in that moment. That is a number akin to 499 buildings falling to the ground. When those moments were over, the Roman centurion spoke in a loud voice for all to hear, in words to this effect: “Surely this Righteous One, was a son of the gods.”{4} In response, the people acknowledging the intent of the centurion’s message, that Christ was the “son of GOD”, then beat their chests in mourning and deep heartfelt lament, and returned home overcome with grief (Luke 23:48).


א (Alef) and the Revelation of the Trinity

The letter Alef א holds the value of 1, which is the Heavenly. This letter hangs and hovers over the 12 of the earthly, even as the Holy Spirit hovered, fluttered, and moved upon the face of the waters in Genesis 1:2. The letter Alef hangs, quivers, and flutters as the Eternal Life of us hanging over us.

This Alef is shown in its very concept to be Trinity by the rabbis, and the eternal affirmation of Trinity, even as GOD is Trinity. Alef is formed by a yod (י) in the upper right, and a yod (י) in the lower left, joined in the middle by a Vav (ו).{5} The upper Yod (י) holds a value of 10, and represents the abbreviation for the name of YHVeH, which we Gentiles translate as Jehovah or LORD. In the Alef, the upper right yod represents the Heavenly Father YHVeH. The lower Yod (י), which supports, represents YHVeH the Holy Spirit. The Vav represents Messiah, He who is both man and GOD, having both the Heavenly and earthly attributes in one form. He, as the Vav (ו), has come down as the eternal Life from Heaven, from YHVeH Father (the upper yod). He has lived life as a man -- the Vav (ו): which holds a value of 6. He has died, and entered into the lowest depths of death; but by the power of GOD, He has risen from the dead. His ministry of Messiah being designated to eternally be supported by the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to the glory of GOD the Father. Together, as One, these three letters value a total of 26, the same as YHVeH יהוה- Jehovah, LORD.

Thus, the Sh’ma of Deuteronomy 6:4 -
“Hear, listen carefully, and obey, O Israel!
YHVeH your GOD, YHVeH is One united!” (Translation mine)

And how do we see YHVeH united as One? In the Alef. Turned 90 degrees it becomes to us as the Cross, in its appearance. Therefore, to behold Christ upon the Cross, is to behold the mystery of the Trinity of GOD; whom in remembrance of this Day, will ever after call His own Name as “One” (Zechariah 14:9). This very concept, for man, involves the intensity of silenced and hushed meditation. It takes a need for a concentrated grasping of the far-reaching ness. Thus, in both the Cross and the letter Alef, Selah is found to be a reflection of how Christ died for the Community, for you and me, and for the nation of Israel.



Thought upon Selah and the Cross from the Psalms:

“YHVeH is made known in the Judgment He has made and brought about:
in the work of the bend of His Hands [.i.e., in His wrists]
are the wicked ensnared (as in a noose). A Meditation. Selah!” (Psalm 9:16, translation mine)


Selah is the suspension of both Time and Space.
When Time and Space are intertwined in a moment of eternity, we see a synonym in "Talah" (תלה), the Hebrew verb that means, "to hang". In Isaiah 22:24, Talah is used to describe a "hanging like a peg" (perhaps 'on a wall' would be a best word picture illustration for us). In Psalm 137:2, Talah is descriptive of the "hanging" of a (traveling) musician's lyre upon a tree in a foreign land. In Job 26:7, when the earth is described as hanging upon nothing, while "talah" is used in this verse, "selah" is visualized. However, the relationship between Selah and Talah does not end there. In Esther 7:9, the Greek Version (LXX, or the Septuagint) uses the Greek word "stauroo" in translating "talah".{6} In other words, after Haman was hung by a rope, he was impaled up high on the instrument of death, like a peg some 50 cubits high, fixed as an example to all.

In Deuteronomy 21:22ff, after the offender 'worthy of death' is stoned dead, he is then impaled and "hung upright" as though a dead image. Yet, quite often, the neurological system is still somewhat active, as many corpses may still have the post mortem "quivers". This aspect is important, because TaLaH (as a root word) has a derivative in the Hebrew word "teli" (תלי), which literally means: "to quiver". The nails pierced the hands of Christ through the bone in the bend of the hands at the wrists, right through the major nerves. This will make the hands go limp, the thumbs to bend into the palms, and the arms to quiver. Add a mildly breezy cold day in March, and strip Messiah of all garments, and the whole body will shiver and shake. So it is at this point that the next passage of Deuteronomy strikes home between Jew and Gentile unbelievers alike, as the literal reading of Deuteronomy 28:66 (in light of this) tells them:
"And your LIFE shall be hanging and quivering before you,
and you shall tremble with fear, and dread night and day,
because you do not believe into your LIFE." (Translation Mine)

The LIFE that is talked about in Deuteronomy 28:66 is YHVeH Messiah, who is the way, and the truth, and the LIFE (John 14:6); who for us men and for our salvation, came down from Heaven, and offered Himself as a ransom/sacrifice for our sins. One of the disciples of John the Apostle, Ignatius, whom became bishop of Antioch of Syria, used the example of his "love name" as an illustration of "selah" for us. In either 107 or 116 A.D. (depending on which historical reference you accept), Ignatius spoke with Caesar Trajan in Antioch of Syria. At the time, Trajan may have been warring in the East and decided to visit Syria. Antioch of Syria was third after the capitol of Rome in Italy, and Alexandria of Egypt. Trajan addressed Ignatius of his knowledge that Ignatius was secretly called "Theophorus": 'he whom GOD lifts up.’ But Ignatius corrected the Emperor, before being banished to death by wild animals in the Coliseum of Rome, saying that "Theophorus" should actually be interpreted as 'he who has Christ within his breast.’ To Ignatius, every believer who has Christ, experiences "selah".{7} Every believer is to be GOD - breathed from within. We are given a new and eternal nature that lays sin dormant (Romans 6:2-12).


The Selah Instrument of Jesus Christ -- the Cross
Again, this following quote, which bears repeating: in part because its clarity and truth concerning the mechanics involved in the Crucifixion has been so neglected by scholars; and in part, because it so accurately word-pictures "Selah" and suspension for us:
In the Syriac of Ignatius' letter to the Ephesians, .9., Ignatius clarifies this to us, writing:
"And you are prepared for the building of GOD the Father,
and you are raised up on high by the instrument of Jesus Christ, which is the Cross,
and you are drawn by the rope, which is the Holy Spirit;
and your pulley, is your Faith;
and your Love [Heb. “ahavah” - your GOD - breathed trust] is that Way
[or Path] which leads up on high to GOD."

When Christ was crucified, He was nailed to a Cross, and suspended upon the Cross; the Cross being lifted up by means of a rope and pulley. So too, by the Holy Spirit and Faith, Christ is lifted up and suspended in the breast of every believer and our love of Christ is that Way, which we then follow up on high to GOD the Father, through Christ our LORD. Selah.

The drawing up of the Cross, by rope-and-pulley, was accomplished by means of metal stakes that were driven into the Cross; which was a more sophisticated task than most modern scholars and lay people comprehend. Tertullian, the renowned Carthaginian Christian lawyer who resided and practiced in Rome from ca. 190 - 210 A.D., furthers our understanding about the Cross upon which Christ was crucified, saying:
" 'His glory, is that of a bullock. His horns, are that of a unicorn; (and) with them, shall He push the nations to the very ends of the Earth.' He was not, of course, designated as a mere unicorn with its one horn, or a Minotaur with two; but Christ was indicated in him -- a bullock, in respect of both His characteristics -- to some, as a severe Judge; to others, as a gentle Savior; whose horns were the extremities of His Cross. For the antenna, which is part of the Cross, the ends are called horns; while the mid-way stake of the whole frame is the Unicorn. His Cross is then, by this virtue and in this manner, "horned". He is both now pushing all nations through Faith, bearing them away from Earth to Heaven; and will then push them through Judgment, casting them down from Heaven to Earth." (Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book 3, Chapter 18)

Here we see a long metal protrusive stake through the back of the Cross, which is called a "unicorn". We also see the inference to metal spike also in the extremities of the Cross, likened to those Passover strokes of Lamb's blood on the door posts and lintel, which are called "antenna". It was to these that perhaps only 3 slaves were required to winch up a Cross and set it, while the soldiers could do their job, and stand guard; ensuring that the execution is carried out without interruption. “Thou hast heard Me from the horns of the unicorns…”(Psalm 22:21 - KJV)

Again, in "An Answer to the Jews", Tertullian explains:
"For even in the ship's yard -- this is the name by which the extremities are called, which is a part of (the Cross), -- the central pole of a mast is (called) a ‘unicorn’. In fact, by this power and in and in this manner (is) the Cross ‘horned’." (Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews, .10)

Thus, the goal of the bull and unicorn in the symbolism of the Cross, is to teach us about the nature of GOD. The shipyard tells us that we are living in the midst of a Universe created around the Design of the Creator, which central theme or purpose is the Cross. GOD is a Judge to the rebellious, but gentle to those who are reverent of Him. In the shipyard, this was probably the same attitude taken up by taskmasters, carpenters, and the various workers -- be they slave or free. Respecting the treatment of those who act and obey faithfully, these are to be treated gently. So it is, Tertullian demonstrates that the mission of the Cross, seen on every ship and in every shipyard, points to the mission of one's life: to pass from the Judgment of GOD, and to enter GOD's gentleness and love: through Jesus, through the Cross.
Irenaeus likened the Cross, which is plated together with iron, after the parable of Matthew Chapter 13,{8} to being the “plough of GOD”, by which the Almighty “turns up the earth” (i.e., mankind):
“He has firmly displayed the plough, in that the wood has been joined on to the iron, and has thus cleansed His Land; because the WORD, having been firmly united to flesh, and in its mechanisms fixed with pins, has reclaimed the savage earth. In the beginning, He figured forth the pruning- hook by means of Abel, pointing out that there should be a gathering in of a race of Righteous men.” (Irenaeus, Against Heresies,, 4.34.4)

Selah also takes into account the Sacrifice of the escape-goat at Yom Kippur, in His reclaiming the savage earth. For Christ (being without guilt, without sin) takes upon Himself the sins of all Israel, and by implication the sins of all mankind. Whereas the people whip and spit on the escape goat from Temple to the Water Gate of the Kidron, Christ was beaten about the face and head by over 400 - 600 open hand blows from the Gentiles in the fortress (which represents Heaven), and whipped at The Pavement (which represents the Bema platform of Moses' seat, hence representing Earthly domains). For intestines or scarlet wool about the head, he was plaited with a crown of thorns that not only pricked, and were pressed down with violence, and bled Him; but made Him vomit so much that it must have felt as if every last bit of food and drink was just sucked out of His small intestines. This disgusting and vulgar detail, though prophesied, is left out of the Gospel accounts. Therefore, every hangover or sickness that involves the activity of nausea can now also be identified as a sin atoned for in the Crucifixion of Christ. From thence, from Gabbatha, He was dispatched out of the city by the same path as the escape-goat of Yom Kippur.

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1 Hebrew is read from right to left, in an order reverse to English. Greek is read right to left, just as in English. These two languages show the Cross, in the effect, that the beginning of time in the Bible, is read as if going back into the past to the Beginning, in reverse order. The Greek is read as if from the Cross, and to the right, into eternity future. That is, it is read in such a manner as to the end of time -- either as we know it, or as the Bible tells it. This teaches us that time is a finite entity set for a singular purpose: that we might focus on YHVeH Messiah and the Cross, the source and means of our eternal salvation, in and above and infinitely beyond time - and beyond even the very concept of time. Amen.

2 In Rome, ca. 198-217 A.D., a well noted Carthaginian lawyer with Roman citizenship, wrote a lengthy speech that was to be read before the Senate and Caesar Himself, at a time when Carthage was considered the second most important city in the Empire. The matter at hand, in the apologia, was to defend the Christians, who were malfeasantly persecuted by the Empire. One of the things worthy of note, is that to the Senate and to Caesar and to all of Rome's elite in the gallery who would listen, Quintus Septimus Florens Tertullianus wrote:
"And yet, nailed upon the cross, He [Christ] exhibited many notable signs, by which His death was distinguished from all others. … In the same hour, too, the light of day was withdrawn, when the sun at the very time was in his meridian blaze. Those who were not aware that this had been predicted about Christ, no doubt thought it an eclipse. You yourselves have the account of the world portent still in your archives.” (Tertullian, Apology .21)

3 Matthew 27:45, Mark 15:33, Luke 23:44-45 The idea that is conveyed from Joel 2:30-31, is that all Israel at Jerusalem saw the fulfillment -- the signs in the sun, moon, and the pillar-vapors of smoke. The confusing aspect that is overlooked is the sign of the plural pillar-vapors of smoke that is evident to both Joel 2:30-31, and all those witnesses of Jerusalem who saw its fulfillment only weeks before, as Peter so accused them of seeing with their own eyes. I believe that even as the Passover was cooked upright, from noon until 3 pm, a pillar-column of vapor that smelled like smoke may have taken on the appearance of being emitted from the Cross, and have flown upwards from the Cross itself, as far as the eye could see. This would be after the manner of the burnt sacrifice of Manoah in Judges 13:19-20. However, this would isolate only one column of smoke, and we are told in Joel and in Acts of wonders of the plural “columns” of smoke. Where else they could have come from, who knows? In the Letters to Tiberius Caesar from Pontius Pilate (Roberts, “The Ante Nicene Fathers”, Vol. 8, pp. 459-463.), it is suggested that they came from the Valleys of Kidron and Hinom themselves, as they gave the very appearance of opening up, even as the earth did so to Korah and the followers of him (Numbers 26:10). In Numbers, we are told that Korah and his followers became a sign, being 250 in number. Korah’s children, we are told (in Numbers 26:11) did not perish with him. Therefore, the sign, as it relates to the coming Cross, is that only a grand total of 250 men actually mindfully and knowingly conspired against Messiah at His crucifixion.
We are to absorb this, in light of the 2,700,000 to 3,000,000 Israelites present in Jerusalem at the time. Let us ask ourselves, how many members of the 3 branches of government in the United States would it take to commit a great evil? A handful in the White House, a couple dozen very determined leaders of the House and Senate would suffice to order the military to launch a war, including a nuclear option, just because…with the true reason hidden. Even so, this nation’s 280,000,000 would be put in jeopardy for all the consequences of the actions of these few men. Even so, it was with Israel. Therefore, anti-Semitism, simply based on their fulfilling prophecy in killing their own King through their leader’s manipulation of Law, has no real basis. GOD has given Israel to mankind as a gift, and they are to be treated as equals, and even with greater respect, because the gifts and calling of GOD are upon them, without repentance. Any person or entity, seeking the destruction of Jews or Israel, is de facto, a hater of GOD and a blasphemer of Jesus Christ.

4 cf. the Semitic of Daniel 3:25. If the centurion was like the Righteous soldier from Galilee, and a friend of Israel, then the translation of intent is obvious to be “Surely this Righteous One was THE Son of GOD.” The particular argument here, is in what language did the centurion speak? Obviously, he would have been fluent in three required languages: Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Hebrew being his most recent acquisition, he then would have uttered in his most native tongue: Latin. At the ages of 12-15, boys are sent to a 5 year boot camp on the isle of Sardinia, and grilled and drilled into being the Roman fighting machine, whose battle readiness must be a minimum of 5 hours of intense combat endurance. Drilling day in and day out, then, using Latin and the trumpet by instinct and temperament -- this centurion spoke Latin, and the Gospel writers translated based on their knowledge of Latin at the time they heard the utterance.

5 cf. Benjamin Blech, “The Secrets of Hebrew Words”, Northvale, NJ: Aronson, 1990, p.23

6 cf. Harris, “The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament”, Chicago:Moody Press, 1980, pp. 970-971

7 In the mind of Trajan, Christians were still considered a Jewish sect; and it was the Jews of the “Near & Middle East”, who were derailing his plans of conquest. Therefore, the kindness and innocence of Ignatius was lost on the Emperor, because of the equating of all Israelites leaders as being saboteurs who preached and practiced sedition (whether openly or philosophically).

8 Matthew 13 shows first, the parable of the seed. Jesus carries His cross, and then the Apostles sow after Him (Matthew 13:11). The seed is scattered about, some making it properly into their fitches, and bearing much fruit. That seed, which makes it into the fitches, does so because Jesus guides the direction of that seed: which are defined as being the “sons of the (Heavenly) Kingdom” (Matthew 13:38). Therefore, the Cross brings forth that treasure which is both new and old for every believer. The cross is the plough, and we are the seeds. Therefore, water yourselves in the Word of the LORD: and grow, grow, grow.