Biblical Numbers Unlock Secrets of the Hebrew Scriptures

Biblical Numbers Unlock Secrets of the Hebrew Scriptures

Echad (אֶחָד or א / One, First)

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called."  (Ephesians 4:4)

As a number, 1 is unique in the fact that it is the only number that can be multiplied or divided by itself and remain unchanged; for instance, when one is divided by one, the answer is one.

1x1=1

1/1=1

From the Jewish understanding, like the number 1, God is indivisible.

The unique properties of the number 1 reflect God's unchanging Unity or Oneness.

That unique Oneness and Singularity is proclaimed at least twice daily by observant Jews through the Schema, the eternal declaration of Jewish faith:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is Echad [One].”  (Deuteronomy 6:1)

Echad has a special place in Judaism.

“The number 1 is an underlying feature of Jewish life: ‘The other nations have many rites, many clergy, and many houses of worship.  We, the Jewish people, have but 1 God, 1 Ark, 1 Altar, and 1 High Priest.'  That is why the whole Torah was given by 1 Shepherd (God) and taught by 1 leader (Moshe),” states author Osher Chaim Levene.  (Jewish Wisdom in the Numbers)

Although, echad does mean singleness or singularity, it also means first, and this meaning is seen in the Bible in many verses:

“There was evening, and there was morning; the First Day [yom echad / Sunday].”  (Genesis 1:15)

The idea of first also holds a special importance in Scripture, as is seen in the sanctification of the Firstfruits (Bikkurim), which were given to the Kohen (priest), as well as the sanctification of the firstborn animal and the firstborn son.

"Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God."  (Exodus 34:26)

"Consecrate to Me every firstborn male.  The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, whether human or animal."  (Exodus 13:2)

In Exodus 4:22, Israel is referred to as God's firstborn son.

The concept of first is also emphasized in the Brit Chadashah(New Testament), where Yeshua is called the firstborn from the dead, as well as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

"Messiah has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep."

(1 Corinthians 15:20; see also Revelation 1:5 and Acts 26:23)

First relates to the beginning, which is the first word of the Bible, bereisheet (in the beginning).  The root of this word is rosh, which means head.

Just as God is the beginning and is holy, the first is related to holiness.  What comes first sets the stage or the pattern for that which follows.

Colossians 1:18 ties all of these concepts together in Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah).

"Messiah is also the head of the assembly, which is his body.  He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead.  So he is first in everything."  (Colossians 1:18)

Shnayim (שְׁנַיִם or ב / Two)

"Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit."  (2 Kings 2:9)

The Hebrew number 2, shnayim, relates to God's creation, since the Hebrew letter Bet is the first letter of the word bereisheet (in the beginning), the first word of the Torah and the creation narrative.

Bet is more than a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, it is also the number 2.  (Hebrew letters are also numbers.)

Two means union, division, and witnessing.  It is also means double and is associated with the double portion.

The first word of the Torah, framed by the Star of David, is bereisheet, which means in the beginning.

In the Bible, we see shnayim in the two tablets of the Covenant, the double portion of manna on the sixth day, and the idea of counterparts and pairs, such as God’s creation of both male and female or the sending out of the disciples in pairs (Luke 10:1). 

In Deuteronomy 19:15, the number 2 is associated with witness as in the requirement of two witnesses in legal matters.

Two is also associated with blessing since in creation itself, God poured out a bounty of blessings into the earth.  As well, creation brought about the possibility of relationship because God created man to be in relationship with Him and with each other.

We can see the possibility of union that two brings in the covenant of marriage, where two become one flesh.  (Genesis2:24)

The idea of division is also associated with two since on Day Two (Yom Sheni [Monday]) God divided the waters to form the Heavens above and the oceans below.

Indeed, two represents the possibility of separation due to conflict and sin.

The duality of union and division belonging to the number 2 is perhaps best reflected in the fact that although humankind was created to be in relationship with God, people can either be united with God through holiness or separated from Him through sin.

For a relationship to be true, there must be the freedom to choose to be in the relationship, and people can either choose to be in relationship with their Creator or to be in rebellion against Him.

Of course, sin separates all of us from God, and Yeshua makes it possible to be reconciled with our Heavenly Father.  (Ephesians 2:16) 

Moreover, He makes it possible for Believers everywhere to be in union with Him.

 "I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one; I in them and You in me; so that they may be brought to complete unity."  (John 17:22–23)

When two parties form a covenant, they are fused to become one entity.

The two tablets of the law are likened to a marriage covenant between the Israelites and God.  They contained the essential contractual terms.

 Shlosha (שְׁלוֹשָׁה or ג / Three)

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

Three connotes equilibrium or stability, continuity and permanence.  It is considered the number of Divine completeness or perfection.

This number shows up frequently in Scripture and in Jewish life.

In Exodus 34:6, God is ascribed the three attributes of channun(gracious), rachum (compassionate /merciful), and chesed (loving kindness).

The Seraphim (six-winged angelic beings) praise God with a triple invocation that emphasizes God's perfect holiness, crying "Holy, Holy, Holy."  (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8)

In the Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:24–26), God’s covenant name (YHVH) appears three times; an indication perhaps of its completeness and perfection. God is also mentioned three times in the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4–9).

The earth was separated from the waters on the Third Day (Yom Shelishi [Tuesday]).  (Genesis 1:9–13)

As a mark of stability or a perfect foundation, Israel has three founding fathers (Avos): the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The Bible specifies three Pilgrimage Festivals (Shelosh Regalim), the three times the Jewish People are obligated to go to Jerusalem bringing at least three offerings: Pesach (Passover), Shavuot(Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).

These three holidays, which commemorate the Exodus from Egypt, the giving of the Torah, and the wilderness booths and the Cloud of Glory, are more than history lessons; they bring spiritual illumination about the identity of the Messiah.

As well, these three festivals are said to relate to the perfect foundation of the Avos: Abraham to Pesach through the baking of cakes for his guests; Isaac to Pentecost through Sinai's shofar andIsaac's ram in the thicket; and Jacob to Sukkot through booths made for his flocks (Genesis 33:17).

Exodus 19 describes a terrifying scene on the third day of the third month when the Lord descended on Mount Sinai and the Israelites heard Him talking to Moses. This passage describes the sound of the shofar growing louder
as they spoke.

Three is also linked to salvation.

Abraham journeyed three days to Mount Moriah in obedience to God’s command that he sacrifice his promised son (Genesis 22:1–4). To raise the son of the widow of Zarephat (1 Kings 17:21), Elijah stretched himself out three times over the body. Jonah spent three days and nights in the belly of a whale (Jonah 1:17).

Esther fasted three days and three nights in preparation to save the Jewish People from certain annihilation.

Yeshua (Jesus) was raised from the dead on the third day.

An empty tomb cut out of the rock in Israel. 

Arba’a (אַרְבָּעָה  or ד / Four)

"After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree."  (Revelation 7:1)

The number 4 is connected to the number 2 through its basic mathematical properties: 2+2=4 and 2x2=4.  The number 4, therefore, is related to creation, the physical realm, the earth, and the four seasons.

In the Bible, we see a connection between four and the earth through the fourth commandment, which is the first commandment that mentions the earth.  As well, the fourth clause of the Lord’s Prayer is the first to mention the earth.

This number relates to the ideas of place and space, in terms of the physical.  In the Bible, four can be identified as the points on the compass: north, south, east, and west.

The connection between four and place and space is evident in Daniel 7:3, which speaks of four earthly kingdoms, and Isaiah 11:12, which promises that God will gather the dispersed of Israel from the four corners of the earth.

The Land of Israel was the Chosen People's designated place.

Redemption involves being returned to one's rightful place, and the return of the Chosen People is necessarily for redemption and fulfillment of their destiny and potential as a nation.

Four also appears in the Bible as the four rivers of Eden; the four divisions of three tribes each surrounding the Mishkan HaKodesh, the holy Tabernacle in the desert (Numbers 2:1–31); four cherubim; four living creatures surrounding the throne (Revelation 4:6, 7:11 ); and the four tassels on the corner of the garment or tallit (prayer shawl). 

As well, the Jewish People have four Mothers (Imahos): the Matriarchs Sarah, Rebekah, Leah and Rachel.

Hamisha (חֲמִשָׁה or ה / Five)

"To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, collect five shekels for each one."  (Numbers 3:46–47)

The number 5 is the number of redemption, Divine grace, and God's goodness.

In Number in Scripture, E. W. Bullinger states, “If four is the number of the world, then it represents man’s weakness, and helplessness, and vanity....  But four plus one (4+1=5) is significance of Divine strength added to and made perfect in weakness; of omnipotence combined with the impotence of earth; of Divine favour uninfluenced and invincible.”  (p. 135)

In Jewish Wisdom in Hebrew Numbers, Levene states, “The Exodus was the epitome of the redemption process. God’s appointment of Moshe to redeem the Children of Israel came when Moshe took 5 places to turn toward the 5-leaved burning bush, whose location was actually at the site of Mount Sinai, which has a total of five different names. Indeed, this set into motion the salvation of Israel in the merit of 5 people Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, and Aharon.”  (p. 89)

God did not only reveal Himself through Creation. He revealed Himself through the Word.

Therefore, in the Bible, 5 is associated with the five Books of Moses, through which God revealed His will to Israel and the world.  As well, the Ten Commandments were written on two tablets, five commandments on each tablet.

The number 5 has also been associated with sacred architecture (1 Kings 7:39, 49), as well as the miraculous feeding of the 5,000(Matthew 14:17) and grace.

Each of us have been empowered to use what we have received by grace from God and expand upon it through hard work and faith:

"The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five.  ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold.  See, I have gained five more.’  His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!’"  (Matthew 25:20–21)

Shisha (שִׁשָּׁה or ו / Six)

“Six days you shall labor and do all your work.”  (Deuteronomy 5:13)

The number 6 symbolizes the natural world, man, and the six directions of the physical realm (forward, backward, left, right, up, and down).  (Jewish Wisdom in the Numbers)

Scripture reveals that God created the natural world in six days and then rested on the seventh, so this number reflects physical completion.

In the same way that God completed His work of creation in six days,people have six days of activity in the week to leave their mark on the world, and are to rest on the seventh, in honor of the Creator of the Universe.

Six has been called the number of man, since Adam and Eve were created on the sixth day and the sixth commandment forbids murder.

The number 6 is considered as the path to the holiness represented in the number 7.  If human activities are not sanctioned by God, and not directed toward the final destination of the World to Come, then they are inconsequential.  (Jewish Wisdom, p. 106)

Sheva (שִׁבְעַה or ז / Seven)

“The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.”  (Psalm 12:6)

The number 7 is so prominent in Scripture that even scholars who do not give much weight to Biblical numerology recognize its importance.

Seven is the Divine number of completion, fullness, and spiritual perfection, typifying holiness and sanctification.

Seven is such a favorite number in Judaism, in fact, that the Midrash (Rabbinic literature) states, “All sevens are beloved.”  (Vayikra Rabbah 29:9)

Sheva shares the root (Shin-Bet-yin) with oath (shevua) and, therefore, is related to commitment.

From this same root is the word for full or complete, and a related word for satisfied.

Israeli secular school children celebrate the Jewish holiday of Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), which commemorates the harvest, the Day of the Firstfruits, and the day the Torah was traditionally revealed by God to the Israelites.
 

Seven is strongly associated with completion and rest through the Shabbat (seventh day) and other complete cycles of time.

The seventh sabbatical year or Shmita (seventh year in which the soil is allowed to rest), is still being practiced in Israel. 

Both the Shabbat and the Shmita highlight six mundane units of time follow by one holy unit of time. Both the seventh day and the seventh year are given a special sanctity.

As well, Leviticus 23:1–44 outlines seven annual holy Feasts of the Lord: Pesach, Chag HaMotzi (Feast of Unleavened Bread), Yom HaBikkurim, Shavuot, Yom Teruah (Trumpets), and Sukkot.

The holiness and perfection of the Tabernacle is reflected in its seven furnishings: the Bronze Sacrificial Altar, Bronze Laver, Golden Menorah, Golden Table of the Bread of the Presence (Showbread), Golden Altar of Incense, Ark of the Covenant, and the Mercy-seat/ Seat of Atonement.

The Temple Menorah itself had seven branches, which have a connection to the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), since in the Messianic Prophecy of Isaiah 11:2, the Light of the World, Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah), is described as having the seven gifts of the Ruach HaKodesh.

According to Rabbinic Judaism, all men are bound by the seven Noahide laws: the prohibition of idolatry, murder, theft, sexual immorality, blasphemy, eating flesh taken from an animal while it is still alive, and the requirement of maintaining courts to provide legal recourse. 

In Leviticus 26:18–27, seven is connected to the punishment of sin:

“If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over....  If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve....  If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction but continue to be hostile toward me, I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over....  If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over.”

Indeed, because of sin, the Jewish people spent 70 years as captives in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:10).

Yeshua Unveiled: The Incredible 70 Sevens

“When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.  For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.”  (Jeremiah 29:10–12)

While in Babylonian captivity, Daniel received an incredible mathematical message from the angel Gabriel that clearly identified the timing of the coming of the Messiah through a prophecy concerning 70 weeks of years—numbers which we have seen involve holiness, completion, perfection, and cycles of time.

In that passage, Daniel ponders Jeremiah’s prediction that Jerusalem would remain in ruins for 70 years; then, Gabriel appears to him.

Gabriel confirms the timing for the end of captivity in Jeremiah's prophecy, but he does not stop there.  He essentially tells Daniel that an end would come to captivity to sin:

"Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place."  (Daniel9:24) 

This prophecy not only accurately predicts the year that Yeshua’s ministry began, but also His sacrificial death for the sins of the entire world, bringing righteousness to all who follow Him.  As well, it looks forward to the end of the age when the prophetic clock begins to tick again after the re-establishment of the independent state of Israel and the final 70th week plays out.

Yeshua’s cutting off only represents 69 of the 70 weeks.  The last week (7 years) is yet to unfold with the arrival of the anti-Messiah who will make peace that holds for 3 1/2 years.  The remaining 3 1/2 years will be a time of trouble that culminates in the return of Messiah (Daniel9:27,11:31; Matthew 24:15).

The prophecy of the 70 sevens reveals that God’s hand is on historyand that we have a hope and a future.

That hope is not lost on many Jewish people who have been challenged to read the Messianic prophecy found in Daniel, as well as other Messianic prophecies.

For example, one Bibles For Israel worker said that the explanation of Daniel’s vision of the 70 weeks was instrumental in leading him to faith in Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah).

“Before I became a Believer, a good friend who was later to become my pastor, explained to me how Yeshua had to be the Messiah since He appeared in accordance with the description given by Daniel in Daniel 9,” he said. 

The Mark of a Servant of Christ

      Every believer in Christ feels and owns that it is his duty to serve. It is inseparable from the true faith of a christian. Nay, the extent and nature of his service in any line are always in keeping with the sense of the nature of his own blessing in the anointed one. In the service, whatever be the line of it, there is always an indication of the nature of the blessing known in that line, and according as the blessing is known there is devotedness. This, I feel assured, is the real cause of the varied ways of serving which we meet in one and the same line. I am not now objecting to these varieties, but I desire to suggest a few considerations, in order that some of the varieties may be subjected to the test of the word of God, with the view of helping the true hearted to see and accept the line which fully pleases the Lord.

      The one simple path for any one who would minister to the anointed one is to follow Him. "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour", John 12:26. Why do I serve and whom do I serve, ought to be my first question. I serve the lord Jesus the anointed one, whose I am. But in order to serve him, I must follow him. All attempts to serve him will be in vain, if I have not followed him; and in this passage, following Him involves death - death to nature, and this is the great mark of a true servant. If I am serving him truly in any line, I have followed him into his death, away from and outside of myself; and then my action is that of true ministry according to his mind. Where he is, I am.

      If the way by which we arrive at true service were more clearly seen and observed, there would be neither a hasty engaging in it nor an indifferent way of discharging it. What a test would it be to every servant to put to himself the question, Am I following him? It is not enough for me to do this or that, because others may approve, or because it is necessary or commendable in my own mind. I must, in order to begin according to his mind, first follow him. It is not merely that I must be converted, but I must take the same course as that which he has taken. I repeat, what a test would this be! how rebuking to those who choose a way and path or line of service of their own selection; but how cheering and consolatory to anyone whose heart desires simply to follow him, and thinks of nothing else, but who, in following, finds a line of service which he may reckon on as being the true one. For it is not a line of service that he is seeking, but to follow the anointed one, dying out of everything here, carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifest in his body; and it is in this path that service according to the mind of the anointed one is known and fulfilled by him. Nothing can be a surer mark of a true servant of the anointed one than that he follows his lord and master, dead to everything here, even as he died out of it. Is it not fit? Does it not speak to the heart and conscience that the servant of a lord and master who has died out of everything here should not only in duty but in affection follow in the same course? Nothing could be more appropriate or seemly; and assuredly it is because of weakness and unfaithfulness as to this that there is so little service now according to His mind. Let any one patiently think it over, and will he not come to the conclusion that the servant -- the fruit of the anointed one's death -- cannot live in that for which the anointed one died? The lord has died for me, and has risen out of the penalty of death resting on me, to quicken me in his own life; and shall I now, if I would serve him here, continue in that life of mine for which he died? or shall I die with him unto myself, in order that I may live with him and for him? Dear reader, let it not be difficult to you to bow to this! The question is, What is service and to whom is it rendered? Is it not to the anointed one? Surely then, if he died for me, and that because of the life that I am in as a child of Adam, is it not plainly consistent that I must no longer live in that for which he died? 

How else could I serve the One who has died for me, but by living in his own life? Could I presume to think that I could serve him at all, save as I follow him -- as I had entered into the power of his resurrection, which is death to myself? I believe that if every one zealous of serving the anointed one could but understand this first principle, this first requirement in a true servant of the anointed one, great and blessed service to him would flow from it. No matter what may be the line of my service, it is only in proportion to my following him that I am efficiently in it, according to his mind, ministering to him. Self renunciation, not merely self-denial, is the mark of a true servant. Everything connected with man as man is laid aside as dead by him. Position, a recognised status, must necessarily be refused and disallowed. But not only this, service itself bears the stamp of the servant, as I have already remarked with reference to the various modes of serving. Each indicates, where there is real heart work, how the anointed one has been received. In proportion as the service of the anointed one to myself is known and apprehended, so must be my ministration of the anointed one in any line. "I believed, and therefore have I spoken" is the joy and the strength of the true servant, and his service necessarily bears the force and depth of it. Thus it is, I believe, that we can and may account for the many varieties in serving in one and the same line.

Different apprehensions of the anointed one, as, for instance, that of a Paul or a John, would give different modes in the same line of service. But in this day it is not merely the divine varieties which we meet with, but we see believers zealous in proclaiming the gospel, and delighting in good works, who do not think it incumbent on them to die to everything here -- position, etc., and who, according to the truth I have noticed above, have not really entered on the path of a true servant, and do not carry the mark of the anointed one's ministers. What are we to think and say of them? This: that many are very true to their light, but their services as a rule are directed to man, and to his benefit as a man. Now if these earnest souls were really following the anointed one, they would not serve less zealously, but they could not have man as he is so much an object before their minds. If I, as the fruit of the anointed one's death, am really ministering to him in a world of death, it can be in no wise to maintain anything here, but on the contrary, while seeking to alleviate the misery here in every possible way, I should very distinctly pronounce that there is no remedy for it but in the life of the anointed one out of death; and this certainly cannot be pressed with any power or weight while it is not acted on in oneself.

The real reason of this failure in souls is not want of reality, but simply ignorance of their true standing, because they have only received the anointed one as conferring benefits on man, and therefore they can only follow the instinct in their hearts - true in itself -- to serve the anointed one in keeping with their own understanding of him. The instinct to serve is right, but from want of a true and full understanding of how they are placed in relation to all here by being in the anointed one, and, as the fruit of his death, above and apart from all that is of man, they engage themselves with man as of the first Adam, and as if his history were not morally at an end in the cross of the anointed one. If I know that man's history is ended there in God's sight, I can only minister the anointed one, and the grace of the anointed one as the one risen out from among the dead. Some may say, Then you give no place for good and useful works for man's benefit. Quite the contrary; I minister the only thing that can really meet man's case, but then it is not to maintain his status as man. What I press is that every service should begin with this: that if the anointed one "died for all, then were all dead". The true servant thinks of the deepest necessity first, and like a skilful physician, when the patient is suffering from a complica tion of maladies, he seeks to arrest the deadly one first, nay, his utmost attention is directed to it. But, to be this skilful physician, this true servant -- one who does not suffer personally from the malady he would relieve -- he must be one who has learned the power of the anointed one's resurrection. When a physician seeks to stay or check a mortal disease, while doing so, he thinks comparatively little of others. And just so a true servant, having found life in the anointed one, ministers of the anointed one in a dying world, not as of it himself, but as out of it, to those in it, that through grace they may receive Him who has risen out of it. He will also well and truly care for the sufferers in this scene of death -- all patients in one vast infirmary

By J.B. Stoney

Ezekiel 38 and the coming battle for Israel‏‎

“Surely the Sovereign Yehovah does nothing without

revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.”

(Amos 3:7)

End-time experts are talking a lot about the Gog-

Magog war of Ezekiel 38–39, a prophecy that predicts

a powerful confederacy, apparently led by Russia,
that is destined to someday invade Israel.  Some
think that its fulfillment is even knocking at our door.

But a lesser known prophecy is gaining momentum
and importance for our day: Psalm 83, in which a
different confederacy attempts to wipe out Israel.

This psalm seems to be addressing current issues
in the Middle East—nations conspiring to destroy
Israel.

Asaph’s Vision of a Future War

“O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear,
Do not stand aloof, O God.  See how your enemies
growl, how your foes rear their heads.” (Ps:83:1–2)

Psalm 83 is more than a prayer or a plea to God for
vengeance on Israel’s enemies; it reveals that a 10
member confederacy wants to destroy the Chosen
People and possess the Promised Land.

This psalm, however, was not written during a time
of war. It was written some 3,000 years ago by King
David’s worship leader, Asaph, during a time of great
prosperity, liberty, and peace.

King David had decisively triumphed over Israel’s
enemies, and Israel could expand freely since the
superpowers of Egypt and Assyria were both
declining. (Aish)

David’s kingdom, therefore, extended from the Red
Sea to the Euphrates.

But Asaph was not just a worshiper; according to
2 Chronicles 29:30, he was also a chozeh (seer or
prophet).

As a prophet, Asaph saw beyond this period of
peace, to a time when this confederacy would
seek the utter destruction of Israel. That time
now seems to be nearing.

“Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation,
so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.”
(Psalm 83:4)

Even though Asaph’s vision was received in a time
of peace, it must have been cause for some concern
since many named in the confederacy had previously
demonstrated their hatred.

Of course, even today, conspiring against the Jewish
People is considered nothing new. From the Philistines
to the Nazis, the Jewish People have been plotted against.

“See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their
heads. With cunning they conspire against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.”  (Psalm 83:2–3)

The Coalition’s Motive: Break the Abrahamic Covenant

“With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance

against you.”  (Psalm 83:5)

The ten-member coalition of Psalm 83 forms a covenant

with each other against not only the nation of Israel, but

the God of Israel.

The coalition is not satisfied to only destroy Israel
as a nation; they want to wipe out the memory of
the name of Israel; in effect, breaking the Abrahamic
Covenant.

In the Abrahamic covenant, God pledges that a Chosen
People will come through Abraham (Genesis 22:17–18),

through Isaac (Genesis 26:2–4), and through Jacob

(Genesis 28:14) and that God would give them the

Promised Land (Genesis 15:18; Joshua 1:4).

“The Lord appeared to Isaac and said,...  ‘For to you

and your descendants I will give all these lands and
will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.
I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars
in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through
your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.’”
(Genesis 26:2–4)

Of course, if through a human coalition the adversary
could wipe out the name of Israel, that would effectively
make the God of Israel look powerless and a liar in the
face of the entire world.

It would also nullify other promises, including the following:

Davidic Covenant / Eternal Throne (2 Samuel 7:12–13;
Isaiah 9:6–7; Luke 1:31–33)

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name
will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal
Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase
of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and
over His kingdom.”  (Isaiah 9:6–7)

New Covenant / Eternal Relationship (Jeremiah 31:33;
John 14:16–17)

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of
Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put
my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will
be their God, and they will be my people.”(Jeremiah 31:33)

The Word of God, however, is accurate and reliable
and no adversary can thwart God's plans.

His covenant with Abraham is unconditional and everlasting.
Even after Israel’s disobedience, which He foresaw, He
would bring His people home to their own land after a
period of exile.

“It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going
to do these things, but for the sake of My holy name, which
you have profaned among the nations where you have
gone.... For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather
you from all the countries and bring you back into your
own land.”(Ezekiel 36:22, 24)

And God has been fulfilling this prophecy and others like
it, much to the dismay of those seeking to wipe out the
very memory of Israel.

The Ten-Member Coalition

While Israel’s many enemies have wanted to destroy the
nation of Israel and the Jewish People, Asaph specifically
identifies ten nations / groups that unite to form a coalition
for this very purpose:

“With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance

against you; the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of
Moab and the Hagrites, Byblos [Gebal], Ammon and
Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre. Even Assyria
has joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants.”
(Psalm 83:5–8)

While these groups are no longer identifiable by their

ancient names, Bill Salus, author of Israelist and
Psalm 83: The Missing Prophecy Revealed ascertains
the modern-day equivalents / descendants of these
coalition members as the following:

Tents of Edom:  Palestinians and Southern Jordanians
Ishmaelites:  Saudis (Ishmael is the father of the Arabs)
Moab:  Palestinians and Central Jordanians
Hagrites:  Egyptians (Hagar is an Egyptian matriarch)
Gebal (Byblos):  Hezbollah and Northern Lebanese
Ammon:  Palestinians and Northern Jordanians
Amalek:  Arabs of the Sinai area
Philistia:  Hamas of the Gaza Strip
Tyre:  Hezbollah and Southern Lebanese
Assyria:  Syrians and Northern Iraqi’s

Salus has worked to identify some of these ancient groups

based upon their ancient locations and others by where

they migrated.

Author Joel Richardson has also identified each member

group, as well, basing his conclusions only on their

ancient location in 10th century BC; therefore, his locations

and conclusions differ slightly from those of Salus.

The Coalition's Goal:  Destroy Israel

While this 10-member coalition might not yet be overtly

united in an action against Israel, these nations do exists

today and are already united under the values of Islam.

Moreover, Islam is influenced by a sibling rivalry that

dates back to Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau and Jacob.

This ancient resentment against the son of promise is perhaps

fueling attacks and conspiracies against the existence of a

Jewish homeland.

Of course, these Psalm 83 countries are actively conspiring

today to either take over the land of Israel and make it their

own or to prevent Israel from being a Jewish state.  In other

words, they want to make Israel a country that cannot

protect and shelter the Jewish People from those who

hate them.

Palestinians—Tents of Edom (Esau); Moab and Ammon

(sons of Lot)

Although Israel is currently in peace negotiations with

the Palestinian Authority (PA) for a two-state solution,

on January 11, 2014, the PA president, Mahmoud Abbas,

made his intentions about Israel’s existence clear:

“We won’t recognize and accept the Jewishness of Israel.

We have many excuses and reasons that prevent us from

doing so,” Abbas said.

“We will march to Jerusalem in the millions, as free people

and heroes,” he asserted.  (JPost)

Jordanians—Tents of Edom; Moab and Ammon

Although Jordan and Israel have enjoyed a peace treaty

since 1994, on February 2, 2014, Jordan’s Foreign Minister

Nasser Judeh told his parliament that Israel should not be

recognized as a Jewish State nor should Jordan take in the

Palestinian refugees (Tents of Edom).  (ArutzSheva)

In response, on February 8, 2014, Jordan’s parliament voted

to not recognize Israel as a Jewish state.  (i24news)

Hezbollah and Lebanon—Gebal (Byblos) and Tyre

While Hezbollah, the terrorist group based in Lebanon,

has been helping Syrian President Assad wage war against

the rebels, on August 2, 2013, Hezbollah leader, Hassan

Nasrallah, came out of hiding to remind the people of

Lebanon that “Israel poses a danger on all people of this

region ... including Lebanon, and removing it is a

Lebanese national interest."  (JPost)

In February 2014, Nasrallah reinforced this idea,

deceptively telling the Lebanese people that “Israel

is still an enemy and a threat to Lebanon's people,

water, oil, security, and sovereignty.”

Hamas—Philistines

Although Gaza is officially a part of the Palestinian

Authority ruled by President Abbas, the terrorist group

Hamas (meaning “violence” in Hebrew) rules Gaza and

is ready to form a coalition with any Muslim group

willing to resist Israel.

Its charter states: “[Hamas] will only be of help to all

associations and organizations which act against the

Zionist enemy and those who revolve in its orbit.”

In January 2014, Hamas Interior Minister Fathi Hamad

said that the goal of Hamas is total destruction of Israel.

“We are coming after the Zionists with all our leaders and

soldiers,” Hamad said.  “You have only eight years on the

land of Palestine before your demise.”  (JPost)

Egyptians (or possibly Northern Jordanians)—Hagrites

or Hagarenes

A year after the Muslim Brotherhood leadership in Egypt

was overthrown in a coup, this country has been working

to undermine the power of Gaza’s Hamas. 

“We cannot get liberated from the terrorism of the

Brotherhood in Egypt without ending it in Gaza, which lies

on our borders,” an unnamed Egyptian senior security

official said.  (Reuters)

To accomplish this, Egypt has stationed thousands of

troops and equipment in the northern Sinai, well beyond

the number allowed in the 1979 peace treaty between

Egypt and Israel.  With another coup or change of heart,

Egypt is now well-positioned for a southern attack on Israel.

But at least one commentator believes that Egyptians are

not the Hagarenes.  Based on 1 Chronicles 5:10, which

Specifies a region east of Gilead, Joel Richardson believes

the Hagarenes are northern Jordanians.

If he is correct, then the peace and cooperation that Israel

is currently enjoying with Egypt might continue through

the coming war.  (wnd)

Gilead was a mountainous region east of the

Jordan River divided among the tribes of Gad

and Manasseh.  It is situated in what is today

called Jordan.

Saudis (or all Arabs)—Ishmaelites

Salus believes Saudi Arabia represents the Ishmaelite people

in Psalm 83.  Like most Arabs throughout the Middle East

and Africa, the Saudis claim to be the true chosen people

(as descendants of Ishmael).

Considering that Saudi Arabia is an ally of the US and a foe

of Iran, it may seem that it is not involved in a coalition

against Israel.

Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia voted “no” to the 1947 UN

resolution to create a Jewish state and supported the Arab

invasions of 1948, 1967 and 1973 with troops, as well as

with finances.  They do not have diplomatic relations with

Israel.

Arabs of the Sinai (or of the Negev area)—Amalek (grandson

of Esau)

Bill Salus places the Amalekites in Sinai.  He believes they

were a part of Esau’s family (the Edomites) who migrated

into the Sinai area, which is part of Egypt.

Others, however, think that the Amalekites originated near

Mecca and by the 10th century BC, migrated to the Negev

area of modern Israel (wnd).  It is possible, therefore, that

some Arab-Israelis currently enjoying citizenship within

Israel are of this group.

Indeed, some Arabs inside of Israel look for its destructionas

a Jewish state, and even have Arab representation in

the Knesset (parliament):

"Israel should be defined as a state of its own nationalities.

There are two nationalities in Israel.  One is [the] Jewish

majority, one is [the] Arab-Palestinian minority,” said the

deputy speaker of the Knesset Ahmad Tibi in January 2014.

 “Saying that Israel is the Jewish state is neglecting our

existence, our very existence and our narrative, and I will

not accept that," he added.  (CBC)

Syrians and Northern Iraqis (and possibly Turkey)—Assyria

Since the creation of both Israel and Syria in the mid-20th

century, diplomatic ties have never been established

between these two countries, which share a border.

Syria has attacked Israel in three major wars in 1948,

1967, and 1973.

The situation in Syria is incredibly volatile.  While Syria’s

President Bashar Assad shares the common hatred for

Israel with his neighbors, the U.S. is worried that if he

is defeated in his civil war, the many thousands of jihadist

rebels, including Hezbollah, will take control and eagerly

rally support for a war against Israel. (fox news)

Although the U.S. supports Israel’s defense against these

national threats, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has

unwittingly supported the ambitions of the coalition when

he said on March 13 that Israel should not require the

PA to recognize Israel as a Jewish State.

The Prophet Appeals for Victory

In Psalm 83, the prophet Asaph appeals to God, asking

Him to make the coalition members perish in disgrace

(Psalm 83:9–18).

In fact, Obadiah, Ezekiel 25–27, 37:10, and Jeremiah

49:1–6 prophesy that these coalition members will

indeed perish and be cursed as Genesis 12:3 predicts:

“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses

you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed

through you.”

These connecting prophetic verses seem to refer to

Israel’s victory in Psalm 83.

A resulting sense of regional security may make Israel ripe

for the battle of Ezekiel 38—the invasion of a nine-member

coalition whose leaders say,

“I will go up against the land of unwalled villages.  I will fall

upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them

dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates, to

seize spoil and carry off plunder...”  (Ezekiel 38:11–12)

While Israel today is indeed prospering and is a safe

country to visit, she will have incredible riches and live

in unparalleled safety after the victory of Psalm 83 is

complete.

Psalm 83: A Pending Prophecy

Some theologians have argued that the battle highlighted

in Psalm 83:5–8 was fulfilled in Israel’s 1948 War for

Independence; however, the tents (refugees or military

encampments) of Edom (Southern Jordan) only came

into existence in 1949, after the war ended.

And since Psalm 83 lists them first, Salus believes the tents

of Edom will play a key role in this coming war.

Other theologians have made the argument that the 1967

Six-Day War fulfilled this prophecy; still, only a portion

of the ten members listed were involved in that war, so

the Six Day War does not seem to be the fulfillment

of this end-time prophecy.

Since neither of these wars precisely fulfill the prophecy,

we can understand that some future war involving a

10-member coalition will fulfill it.

Today that coalition, which is united under the common

values and motives of Islam, fits the prophecy’s

requirements like no other time in history.

Therefore, many believe the war in Psalm 83 will

happen soon, before the invasion of Ezekiel 38.

In fact, none of the ten coalition members of Psalm 83

are mentioned in Ezekiel 38, though the book of Ezekiel

mentions them elsewhere.

Pitfalls in Interpreting Prophecy

"I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they

will never be silent day or night.  You who call on Yehovah,

give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He

establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the

earth."  (Isaiah 62:6–7)

There is a saying that hindsight is 20/20.  Likewise, Bible

prophecy is more easily understood in hindsight, after its

fulfillment.

Psalm 83 reminds us that we must keep a watchful

eye on the Middle East and pray for the peace of Jerusalem,

as well as diligently study God’s Word.

As we watch, pray and study, God will give us wisdom

as events unfold and the pieces of the prophetic puzzle

come into place.

And when they do, that picture will be illuminated on the

same wall where God has displayed His plan for Israel

And mankind and where the Messianic prophecies are

permanently hung.

“Israel will be saved by Yehovah with an everlasting

salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced,

to ages everlasting.”  (Isaiah 45:17)

"For I am ready to set things right, not in the distant

future,but right now!  I am ready to save Jerusalem

and show My glory to Israel."  (Isaiah 46:13)

Keep Easter, Why?

Exactly how did Easter, a holiday not found in the Bible, and never celebrated in the early Church, come to replace the 1st day of the week [Sunday] that followed the Jewish Passover, come to be observed as the day of Jesus' resurrection after 325 A.D.?

How did Easter become the popular holiday it is today? Have you ever looked into it?

Isn't it important to know the truth of the matter? Jesus, the anointed one himself, said that the truth would make us free (John 8:32). He was speaking of being free of wrong ideas that mislead, entrap, and enslave us.

If we look back in history, one key date regarding Easter is the year A.D. 325. At that time, the Roman emperor Constantine held an assembly with some 250 bishops at Nicaea, a town in what is now north-western Turkey, close to present-day Istanbul. This meeting is known in history as the Council of Nicaea.

What does this Council have to do with Easter? It actually set the stage for the removal of the 1st day of the week [Sunday] following the Jewish Passover as the day to celebrate Jesus' resurrection, and replaced it with a day not at all connected with the Jewish Passover.

Constantine and the Nicene Council rejected the 1st day of the week [Sunday] following the Jewish Passover as the day to celebrate Jesus' resurrection. 

At the Council of Nicaea, under the dominating eye of Constantine, the majority of the bishops backed replacing the Christian observance of the 1st day of the week [Sunday] following the Jewish Passover as the day to celebrate Jesus' resurrection with the day the Roman Catholic Church decided, the day they observe today called Easter.

Actually, it should be understood that while they called the new celebration of Jesus' resurrection Pascha or Passover, it was certainly not the 1st day of the week [Sunday] following the Jewish Passover, but a religious celebration derived from pagan origins. Later, it would become known as "Easter," the Germanic name for this festival and what it is commonly called today. (Other languages still call it the Passover of the Resurrection, which can cause some confusion. Some English sources refer to the true Christian Passover, a memorial of Christ's death, as Easter, but this is clearly a misnomer, as we'll see.

The dispute over this matter in the early Christian centuries is known in history as the Paschal Controversy. Regrettably, we virtually have only one side of the story. James Carroll, writing about the Nicene Council in his book Constantine's Sword, explains the Roman emperor's motives: "Immediately upon coming to power as the sole ruler of the empire [A.D. 324], but only then, Constantine asserted the right to exercise absolute authority over the entire Church. He did this even though he was not baptized, and, as was not unusual, would not be until shortly before he died" (2001, p. 188, emphasis added throughout).

After this Council, Constantine wrote a blatantly anti-Semitic letter to the churches in the Roman Empire, letting them know his thoughts about the Easter-Passover controversy.

Here is part of what he wrote as to the rationale for Christians to abandon the biblical feast of Passover, which the Jewish people had long observed in fulfillment of God's commands:

"And truly, in the first place, it seemed to everyone a most unworthy thing that we should follow the custom of the Jews in the celebration of this most holy solemnity, who, polluted wretches!, having stained their hands with a nefarious crime, are justly blinded in their minds.”

"It is fit, therefore, that, rejecting the practice of this people, we should perpetuate to all future ages the celebration of this rite in a more legitimate order ... Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.”

"We have received another method from the Saviour [???] A more lawful and proper course is open to our most holy religion ... Let us withdraw ourselves, my much honored brethren, from that most odious fellowship" (quoted by Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History, "Council of Nice," 1974, p. 52).

At first glance, it appears Constantine was attacking only Jews of the Jewish faith, but notice what Mal and Donna Broadhurst insightfully point out: "The fact that Christianity never had religious fellowship with non-Christian Jews means the Jews referred to were the Christian Jews. The reference to Jews instructing Christians how to observe the Christian Passover feast could only apply to Christian Jews, as non-Christian Jews did not tell Christians how to observe the Passover. The fellowship from which Constantine wanted the Church to withdraw was fellowship with Christian Jews" ( Passover Before Messiah and After,1987, p. 147).

In fact, the leaders of Jewish Christianity, the successors of the group that had held the prevailing beliefs for the first century after the Church was founded, were either not invited to this Council or knew better and did not appear.

As the Broadhursts point out, "Constantine apparently began his plan to unify the church by simply not inviting any Jewish Christian representatives to the Council. (It is possible that Jewish church leaders were invited and refused to come, but other facts about the Council lead to the former conclusion.) The lists of those present at the Council show them all to have had Greek names. None of those present had characteristic Jewish names. The Palestinian delegates were from the coastal cities where mainly Gentiles lived. It is known that there were Jewish bishops in Palestine at the time" (p. 146).

The sword drawn against "Fourteeners"

As emperor, Constantine tolerated no dissent. So he soon drew his sword against those not following his wishes in not conforming to the teachings of the Catholic, or universal, church. The historian Robin Lane Fox notes: "At Nicaea, the Emperor himself imposed criminal sentences of exile on the bishops who refused to sign . He also investigated other reports of heresy" ( Pagans and Christians, 1986, p. 656).

Eventually, those bishops who did not agree with the decisions made in Nicaea were exiled and their works banned. A vicious persecution against Christian Jews and others branded as heretics began. So the Catholic Church, which previously had been persecuted, became the chief persecutor of those who chose to remain true to what had been practiced by the early church, rather than follow the dictates of a deeply compromised church.

"The Paschal Controversy was 'settled' at the Council of Nicaea; not theologically, but politically," the Broadhursts further explain. "It was settled by eliminating one of the viewpoints. Church law had been laid down. No longer could any Christians celebrate [the] Christian Passover the way [the apostle] John, Philip and other [Christian] Jews had celebrated it. All were required to celebrate on the Sunday following the 14th [of the Hebrew first month of Nisan]. As a result once respected 'Quartodecimans' ["Fourteeners"] who persisted in the belief handed down to them from the Apostles, would henceforth be called heretics" (p. 148).

What was the result of this Council? Historian Jesse Hurlbut candidly describes the consequences: "But while the triumph of Christianity resulted in much that was good, inevitably the alliance of the church and state also brought in its train many evils. The ceasing of persecution was a blessing, but the establishment of Christianity as the state religion became a curse.

"Everyone sought membership in the church, and nearly everybody was accepted ... The forms and ceremonies of paganism gradually crept into the worship. Some of the old heathen feasts became church festivals with a change of name and of worship ... As a result of the church sitting in power, we do not see Christianity transforming the world to its ideal, but the world dominating the church" ( A History of the Christian Church, 1918, pp. 78-79).

A.D. 325 was the beginning of the Dark Ages

So the year 325 is crucial in the outcome of what traditional Christianity has become. "As far as [the] Christian Passover is concerned, "the Broadhursts conclude, "the beginning of the Dark Ages can be set at 325 A.D. with the Council of Nicaea. Along with turning their backs on Jewish Christians, the Gentiles turned their backs on the Jewish Scriptures [the Old Testament].

"They disallowed Jewish input to their faith, lifestyle, and worship ... It took a major reformation centuries later [in the 1500s] to begin to undo the horror and destruction the church brought on the world when the Gentiles at Nicaea formally adopted the policy of 'having nothing in common with the Jews'" (p. 149).

A few years later, in 332, Constantine again sternly rebuked those who opposed Catholic teachings with this warning and threat: "Forasmuch, then, as it is no longer possible to bear with your pernicious errors, we give warning by this present statute that none of you henceforth presume to assemble yourselves together.

"We have directed, accordingly, that you be deprived of all the houses in which you are accustomed to hold your assemblies: and [ we ] forbid the holding of your superstitious and senseless meetings, not in public merely, but in any private house or place whatsoever.

"Let those of you, therefore, who are desirous of embracing the true and pure religion, take the far better course of entering the catholic Church, and uniting with it in holy fellowship, whereby you will be enabled to arrive at the knowledge of the truth" (quoted by Eusebius, Life of Constantine, sect. 3, chap. 65).

A bloodbath eventually occurred. Those who did not conform to the Church of Rome, now united with the powerful Roman Empire, suffered implacable persecution.

Regarding the aftermath of the Council of Nicaea, famed historian Will Durant stated, "Probably more Christians were slaughtered by Christians in these two years (342-3) than by all the persecutions of Christians by pagans in the history of Rome" ( The Story of Civilization, Vol. 4: The Age of Faith, 1950, p. 8).

The Roman calendar adopted by the Roman Church

Due to the decisions of the Nicene Council, the pagan Roman calendar was adopted instead of the Jewish calendar to determine the dates of what were now deemed to be Christian festivals. Those who continued keeping the true “Christian Passover” as handed down from the apostles had to go into hiding, for they were targeted along with other "heretics" by the church under Constantine and his successors.

Church historian Henry Chadwick points out the Easter controversy: "Victor of Rome's intervention [referring to the earlier Roman bishop Victor's ruling to observe Easter instead of the Christian Passover or be excommunicated] turned out to be successful in the sense that his view was eventually to prevail. But it was a long time before those who kept Easter [i.e., the true Passover, it being misnamed here] on the fourteenth day (nicknamed Quartodecimans) died out.

"The group still existed in the ninth century despite the vigour with which church councils deplored them. It was impossible in so weighty a practical question for diversity to be allowed, but there can be little doubt that the Quartodecimans were right in thinking that they had preserved the most ancient and apostolic custom. They had become heretics simply by being behind the times" ( The Early Church, 1967, p. 85).

So from approximately 325 to 1585, a period of 1,260 years, Christians who continued to follow the Bible's instruction about Passover had to flee and hide from the vicious church and state persecutions during those ensuing centuries.

The curtain finally rises on the period of religious persecution

It was only during the time of Elizabethan England that a measure of religious tolerance was granted, and the inheritors of the legacy of those early Jewish and gentile Christians, who followed the original practices of Jesus and the apostles, could finally emerge.

In 1585, England and Spain went to war, mainly over the attempt of Spain to impose the Catholic faith on England militarily. Spain lost the war and also its famed Spanish Armada, so England was free to continue its religious tolerance, which eventually spread to its colonies abroad, including what became the United States and Canada. In large part, thanks to what happened then, we enjoy those same freedoms of worship in many nations of the world today.

The returning the lord Messiah Jesus will lead the world to keep God's festivals

Let's move forward to the 21st century. From what we have read, dare we ask if there is something better and more biblical to observe than Easter?

To answer this, just imagine in your mind the following scene: Jesus the Messiah has finally returned to rule on the earth, just as He had promised (Matthew 24:30).

And note what will happen, as foretold in Zechariah 14:3-19: "Then Yehovah will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east ... And the Lord shall be King over all the earth...

"And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles [one of God's annual festivals, listed in Leviticus 23]. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain.

"If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles."

What Easter replaced: the Christian Passover, the 1st day of the week according to the Jewish Calendar that followed Passover [Sunday]

Shortly before His death, Jesus prophesied to his disciples what feast he would keep when he returned. Again, it was not the man-made counterfeit Easter. Rather, He said, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God" (Luke 22:15-16). Clearly, one of the festivals the lord Messiah Jesus will again celebrate when He establishes His Kingdom is the Christian Passover!

Paul reminded Church members in Corinth: "Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed the anointed One, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Corinthians:5:7-8).

We can look forward to the day when Jesus Christ returns and restores all the genuine Christian feasts that were changed by deceived and deluded men in the distant past.

The good news is that we can now celebrate the resurrection of the lord Jesus on the 1st day of the week that follows the Jewish Passover and rejoice at that time [the time when under the old covenant the wave sheaf offering was presented before Yahovah, as a type of Jesus, the first-fruit of all who will be resurrected at his return ].  So on the 1st day of the week, all those in the lord Jesus can come together in wonderful fellowship and, as Jesus foretold in John 4:23-24, worship God in spirit and truth.

I think that what would be a great idea would be for the called-out Assembly of God to keep the lord’s supper at the same time that the Jews celebrate Passover and then celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on the 1st day of the week, according to the Jewish calendar that follows the Jewish Passover, which would be what we call Sunday.

Of course, we can keep the lord’s Supper at any time during the year, but to keep it on the same evening as the Jews eat their Passover meal would be a good thing to do.

Pondering the Royal Law

The superiority that has no superior; the redeemer and
instructor of souls, as it is their primal essence, is love.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) **************************
Pondering the Royal Law
A Reflective Study of James 2:8

The great English poet William Blake (1757-1827) once stated that love is "lawless, wing'd, and unconfin'd, and breaks all chains from every mind." In other words, love is liberating. Love, by its very nature, refuses to be shackled; it must be free to soar within and even beyond the hearts of those who have embraced it. To limit love by law would be criminal. Thus, it is not surprising that, after Paul informs us that the fruit of the Spirit is primarily love (and 8 other qualities inherent to the nature of love and its practical manifestation), he immediately states, "against such there is no law" (Gal. 5:23). To regulate love is to restrain love; to legislate it is to limit it. Love, in the words of Blake, must be "lawless" if it is to be genuine; it must be unconfined and given wings

. 

Therefore, it is not inaccurate, and it is certainly quite appropriate, to characterize love as a "royal" law, or a "kingly" law, or even a "sovereign" law, for it truly reigns supreme over all else, and is subservient to no other precept or principle. Paul even went so far as to declare that no matter how good we become in our daily lives, if we do not have love, all our good deeds profit us nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3). It is not the acts we perform that ultimately concern our Lord, it is whether or not we posses the proper motivation in our hearts for engaging in those acts. Jesus informed the church in Ephesus that He was aware of their many good deeds, and toil, and perseverance, but in spite of these He warned them that they were in danger of having their lampstand removed, for they had abandoned the love they had at first (Rev. 2:2-4). God is love (1 John 4:8, 16), and we are called to look like Him; we are children of the King, and we are to be kingly in our nature. Thus, we love just as He loved us and channeled that love through His Son, who, in His incarnation, became the visible reflection of that divine love. So, is it any wonder that the divine quality of LOVE should be characterized by our Lord's own brother, James, as a "royal law" (James 2:8)? He wrote, "If you are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well."

The vast majority of our English versions render the Greek phrase used by James as "royal law," although a few have opted for a somewhat different reading: "royal rule" (The Message), "law of the kingdom" (New American Bible, St. Joseph Edition), "sovereign law" (New English Bible), "supreme law" (New Jerusalem Bible), "kingly law" (New World Translation), "the most important law" (Contemporary English Version). These all suggest that our Lord's command to love one another is a true reflection of our King, as well as a fitting guiding principle for His subjects within His kingdom. Indeed, as some versions suggest, it is the king of all laws; the supreme command, subservient to no other edict. The apostle Paul declared, "The commandments, 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not covet,' and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Rom. 13:9). Yes, it is the king of all law, the kingly law, the law of the King, the law of the kingdom! In this command to love one another (as well as the other part of it: to love our God) lies the fulfillment of all other laws, as well as the teachings of the prophets and the inspired writings and directives under both covenants. For those seeking "the list" of what our God expects of His creation, here it is: Love Him and love each other. List complete!!

As James clearly states in James 2:8, if one is truly following this "royal law," then one is "doing well" (i.e., one stands approved in the sight of the Lord God). Too often the people of God want to vastly increase the particulars of God's "list" to include personal and party preferences, perceptions and practices, with fellowship and even salvation either extended or withheld based on how well one follows our list. Divine approval, however, is never tied to such a humanly deduced list. Rather, it is tied solely and simply to the "royal law" -- do this and you "do well" ... do this and ALL law (whatever it may be) is fulfilled. A reader of these Reflections wrote me the other day, saying, "Al, I appreciate your energy to challenge the patternist mentality. I have read your articles all the way through, and I think you may have left yourself open for similar criticism." His point was: I have been asking the legalistic patternists for their "list of particulars" for almost 40 years, and they refuse to provide it. This reader wrote, "Get ready for those guys to ask you." Unlike the legalists, however, I am fully ready and prepared to "provide the list." It is short and to the point: Love God and love one another. There it is! When Jesus was asked for a list, this is the one He gave. It sums up the Law and the Prophets. Paul declares all other law subservient to it, and James characterizes it "royal law" (the law of the King, kingly law, the king of all law, sovereign law, kingdom law). Brethren, here's your "list" -- if you do this, you do well (so says James, the brother of our Lord).

"God's law is the law of love; and love is kingly. The divine nature itself is the foundation of virtue; and 'God is love.' Hence the divine law is the eternal rule and final standard of rectitude. It possesses supreme excellence and supreme authority. Every other system of legislation, and all other rules of duty, ought to be subordinate to 'the royal law.' This law, we know, cannot be unjust; for it is a transcript of the moral perfection of the divine nature, and is therefore the Alpha and Omega of all law" [The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 21: James, p. 35]. What does obedience to this "royal law" look like in action? In human form? It looks just like JESUS. Thus, HE is our Pattern! He is our great example of how to evidence this "royal law" in our daily lives and in response to the daily challenges of life. To help us in that transformation into His image, God has given us His Spirit, who indwells and empowers us. As we bear the fruit of that Spirit in our lives, we show forth the evidence of this divine love to those about us, and in so doing we keep the "royal law," and we stand approved by our Father. It is truly that simple. Dr. Charles Ellicott writes, "The sovereign law of love, thus expressed by James, is one so plain that the simplest mind may be made its interpreter, and the violation of it is at once clear to the offender" [Ellicott's Commentary on the Whole Bible, vol. 8, p. 364].

"What James is implying is that obedience to the 'love commandment' fulfills the 'royal law,' which refers to the entire will of God, especially as revealed in the teaching of Jesus" [Dr. Ralph Martin, Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 48: James, p. 67]. "Jesus taught that love is at the base of every duty, whether to God or man" [Guy N. Woods, A Commentary on the Epistle of James, p. 119]. Too often we seek to make the specifics of our "duty" to God and others the particulars of some "law list." In so doing, we completely miss the point of our Lord's teaching. Particulars of compliance to the "royal law" may vary from place to place, culture to culture, or over the course of time. The "royal law," however, is eternal. To elevate the former to the level of the latter is a fatal error, and one that has led to the factional feuding we find in the church today. God's "law" is very simple; all the rest is peripheral. Notice the following story told by Guy N. Woods: "A Gentile, desiring to make fun of the tremendous mass of material assembled by the Jews in their traditions, once said to a rabbi, 'Rabbi, teach me the law, provided you can do so while standing on one foot!' The Gentile, of course, felt that the eminent scholar could not long speak in this position. The rabbi wisely answered, 'Love God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul; and your neighbor as yourself:That is all the law; the rest is mere commentary!'" [ibid, p. 120]. Similarly, Rabbi Hillel (c. 110 B.C.-10 A.D.), one of the most important religious leaders among the Jews (and who is said to have lived 120 years, just like Moses), is reported to have stated that the commands to love God and love others are "the essence of Torah; the remainder is commentary" [Dr. Ralph Martin,Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 48: James, p. 68]. Little wonder, then, that the apostle Paul should write to the Galatian brethren, "The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Gal. 5:14). It is the king of law; the sovereign law; the law of the kingdom; the "royal law."

"Being the most excellent of all laws, we may call it the sovereign principle of our conduct" [The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 21: James, p. 29]. "It is 'royal law' because it is sovereign over all other laws, and is a law of such quality that on it hang all the Law (the Torah) and the Prophets (the whole Old Testament)" [Dr. R.C.H. Lenski, The Interpretation of the Epistle of James, p. 570]. "It is called 'royal' because it is the supreme law to which all other laws governing human relationships are subordinate" [The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 12, p. 179]. "The great King, God, is love; His law is the royal law of love, and that law, like Himself, reigns supreme" [Drs. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Practical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, p. 1452]. Thus, those who "practice lawlessness," and who thereby will stand condemned at the final judgment, are those who refuse to "practice love." It is this (rather than non-compliance with a long list of legalistic, patternistic, party particulars) that constitutes "lawlessness" (contrary to what the legalists might tell you as they seek to tie "lawlessness" to such things as using multiple cups in the Lord's Supper, singing with an instrument, eating in a church building, having a Sunday School, etc.). To be lawless in the estimation of our Lord is simply to be loveless in our interactions with others! When we stand in judgment before our Father, it is how we treated others that will come up, not religious rules and regulations! This will come as a huge surprise to "the rigid religionists and legalistic patternists" at the great separation of sheep from goats! While they were busy performing their meritorious works of law, they failed to keep the "royal law." To these "lawless" ones, Jesus will say, "Depart from Me ... for I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me" (Matt. 25:41-43). All their religious exactness will profit them nothing, for they followed precisely the petty party patterns of mere men, rather than following the Pattern of the Person of Jesus Christ, the personification of the Royal Law -- LOVE. If we desire to "do well," in the words of James, we will followthis law.

Such a course through life is truly liberating. We are liberated from following the countless religious rules and regulations deduced, assumed and inferred by men, and are bound only to the "royal law" of love. "His royal law is at once a law of love and of liberty" [Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, p. 1452]. James refers to this as "the perfect law that gives freedom" (James 1:25). Therefore, we should all "speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom" (James 2:12). It is the divine standard of LOVE by which all will be measured in judgment. Those who look like Him will be approved; those who look like the world will perish along with it. Yes, when we submit to the rule of love (the royal law), we are thereby freed from bondage to all other law. As Paul told the Romans, "you are not under law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:14). In this dispensation of grace we are liberated from law and are now free to simply LOVE our God and one another as fully and freely as we desire, to His glory and their edification and our enrichment. Brethren, while I will continue to plague the patternists for their legal list of particulars, and while they will continue to refuse to provide it, let me invite you who are weary of their ways to come and embrace the "royal law" of our Lord. Together, let us simply learn to LOVE. It will be a liberating experience!!