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ArtB
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Joined: 2004/4/27
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 The Messiah

Messiah as King

"Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab."

Balaam, a gentile Prophet, was offered a great reward by the gentile king of Moab to curse Israel, whom the king (Balak) feared. King Balak
knew that whomever Balaam blessed would truly be blessed and whomever Balaam cursed would truly be cursed. Three times King Balak arranged for
Balaam to curse Israel, but Balaam was only able to speak the words God gave him to speak, and all three times Balaam blessed Israel. King Balak
was enraged that Balaam had three times blessed Israel and had not cursed Israel. Balaam responded:

"Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent me saying 'though Balak gives me his house full of silver or gold, I cannot do anything contrary to the command of the LORD, either good or bad, of my own accord, What the LORD speaks, that I will speak.

"And now behold, I am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days. ...

"The oracle of Balaam, the son of Beor, and the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the word of G-d, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down yet having his eyes uncovered.

"I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near;
A star shall come forth from Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise from Israel
and he shall crush the forehead of Moab
and tear down all the sons of Sheth."
Numbers 24: 12-17

The initial reference in this prophecy is King David, who defeated Moab and subdued the Idumeans. But as David himself points to his much greater offspring [perhaps to be discussed in a future post], so too, this Prophecy of the Star and the Scepter also points to David's promised greater offspring, the Messiah.

This Prophecy brings to mind Genesis 3:15, in that there is enmity between the offspring of the serpent and the offspring of the woman, and that the offspring of the woman will crush the head of the serpent.

'I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near;' God has a timetable to accomplish His purpose and His Messiah surely shall come as appointed. In Daniel 9:24 we are given a glimpse of this timetable, for times are set to 'seal up transgression, make and end to sin, to make atonement for iniquities, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy place.' Before this happens, the Messiah shall come and be cut off from His people (Daniel 9: 25-26).

Christians see a literal fulfillment in the Star rising from Jacob, the star of Bethlehem, which the magi followed to pay homage to Yeshua at the great event of His birth in Bethlehem. I'm sure my Jewish friends see this verse more symbolically, perhaps simply that the Messiah shall be the offspring of Jacob. Rabbi Akiba, once thought by some Jews to be the Messiah, took the name Bar Kochba that means Son of a Star.

The Scepter, the rod of the King, for who ever holds the Scepter has the right to rule. The Scepter shall be passed along to the Messiah at the appointed time.

Jacob passes over Reuben, his first born, Simeon and Levi who are his second and third sons, and picks the fourth son, Judah. Of Judah he says:

"The Scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor the Rulers Staff from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the
obedience of the peoples."

Shiloh is another name of the Messiah. The Scepter and Ruler's Staff are the symbols of government. Judah is called God's lawgiver (Psalm 60:7, Psalm 108:8) and the verse indicates that the kingly scepter and the lawgivers’ staff shall remain with the tribe of Judah till Messiah (Shiloh) comes. The Messiah shall rule all Israel and all peoples when
He comes.

As a Christian, I expect this to be completely fulfilled at Yeshua's second coming. However, at His first appearance two thousand years ago, it is to be noted that the temple, the rule of Judah, and tribal distinction all came to an end by 70 AD at the hands of the Romans. The Jews were in Diaspora. All authority passes from Judah to the Messiah, which (IMO) occurred at Yeshua’s first appearance. So, Yeshua certainly seems to fit the bill. He came as the suffering servant the first time to make atonement for iniquities, and shall come as the victorious king the second time He comes, as per Scripture.

It is worth noting at this point; that firstborn in the Tenach does not mean exactly first-born son. It means first in rank, first in priority, first in eminence. G-d calls Jacob the firstborn in Exodus 4:22-23, though Jacob was the second born of Isaac. G-d calls Ephraim firstborn (Jeremiah 31:9), though Ephraim was the second son of Joseph. In Genesis 49:2-3, Jacob Prophesies to Reuben that though Reuben is his firstborn son, that his being firstborn will not yield him the right of a firstborn to have preeminence. Jacob passed on this eminence associated with the firstborn to his fourth son - Judah (Genesis 49:8-12).




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Arthur Biele

 2004/5/11 17:22Profile
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 Re: The Messiah

Messiah as Prophet

Some scholars like to point out that the Ten Commandments overlap Hammurabi's Codem which preceded the 10 Commandments. It does not take any special insight for humankind to realize that shaming ones parents, stealing, the taking of an innocent life, coveting, etc., are causes of pain, hurt and suffering. I happen to believe that from Noah, that early civilizations consisted of rather moral people and that the growth of unethical conduct (sin) has been on the increase, more or less, ever since, tampered only by God's influence His word and His people..

Even if people credit the Hammurabi code as containing many statutes found in the later written Mosaic Law, these laws, in and of themselves, are useless in regards with respect to making people righteous.


It is my view that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments et. al. for him to give to the people of the exodus, because the people were hard hearted. God wanted them to trust not their own understanding, but to walk with Him by faith and not by sight. They did not know how to walk and live by faith; they wanted a visible clear contract so they would know exactly what God required of them in order for them to receive all of His blessings. Indeed, they received this Law most enthusiastically, declaring at least twice "All that the LORD has spoken we will do!" and entering into this covenant with God based on their pledge of full adherence to the Mosaic Law and the sprinkling of the blood of sacrificed young bulls upon them.

Ex 19:7-9

7 So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him. 8 All the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do!" And Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. 9 The LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever." Then Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
NASU

Ex 24:3-8

3 Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, " All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!" 4 Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, " All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!" 8 So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words."
NASU

The Mosaic Law was weak and useless in that it perfected no one, but rather, proved to be a source of curses for those under the Mosaic Covenant. Rather than decrease sin, the Law increased sin among the people. Every person under the Mosaic Covenant proved himself to be unrighteous, except our lord Yeshua (Jesus).

To understand more completely God's plan for offering and providing salvation and blessings to All peoples on the earth, it is important to note that there is a limited value of the Mosaic covenant between God and His chosen people Israel.


"Oh that they had such a Heart in them...”

Thus God knew from the beginning, at the very giving of the Mosaic Law, that they were incapable of keeping the Mosaic Law.

Deut 5:28-30

28 "The LORD heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the LORD said to me, 'I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They have done well in all that they have spoken. Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!"
NASU

Indeed, even after they committed themselves to keeping all the commandments of God, they repeatedly showed what little faith they had in God. All the men over twenty years of age would perish over the next 38 years, not being allowed into the promised land due to their disobedience to God's commands and their lack of faith in God.

Once again, after 40 years in the wilderness, Moses addressed all the people of the Mosaic Covenant who were going into the Promised Land and reiterated the importance of keeping the Torah, the Law, and advised them that the reward for keeping this covenant would be great blessings, and he told them specifically what these blessings would be. Deut. 28: 1-14.

Moses also informed Israel of the punishment (the curses which would befall them) for breaking the covenant between them and God, and he told them specifically what these curses would be. Deut. 28:15-68.

Though the curses included banishment from the land which God gave them and great suffering and persecution in foreign lands, restoration was also promised to Israel at the conclusion of this time of punishment, per Deuteronomy 30.

Then Moses instructed the people about the Covenant that bears his name,
"See, I have set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity. ... I call heaven and earth as a witness against you
today that I set before you life and death, blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants." Deut. 30: 15 & 19.

In hindsight, we can see that Israel had chosen death and adversity. But this was no surprise to God, for He knew even as Moses was reiterating the Covenant, that His people were incapable of keeping it and would be, in effect, choosing death and adversity.

"Then YHWH said to Moses, "Behold, the time for you to die is near, call Yeshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting so that I may commission him". ... And YHWH said to Moses, "Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the harlot with strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and will forsake me and break My covenant that I have made with them". Deut. 31:14 & 16.

So if the Mosaic Covenant is inadequate to provide Life to God's chosen, and much less so to the other peoples of the world, then what is God's plan to bless Israel and the peoples of the earth with life. (Remember, when G-d cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, He sent a cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life so that man may not eat of it and live forever).

The answer is given by Moses in Deut. 18:15-19

"YHWH your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. "This is according to all that you asked of YHWH your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, 'Let me not hear again the voice of YHWH my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.' " YHWH said to me, 'They have spoken well. 'I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command him. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words that He shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.
NASU (Caps mine).

This prophecy, along with many others to follow, focuses on that male descendant, the seed of Eve, who will crush the skull of the serpent, who will be a great blessing to Israel and the peoples of the world, the redeemer, the Saviour, the Messiah.

Who is this Prophet? That has been the big search throughout history. It is clear that ever since Moses, Israel has sought and been awaiting this Prophet. In Yeshua's day they asked him, 'Are you the Prophet whose coming is foretold?'

Yet, even in Moses day, God let it be known what the name of that Prophet is via a shadow of what was to come.

Deut 1:37-38
Not even you shall enter there. 'Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter there; encourage him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it.
NASU


The above underscores that salvation, redemption, life itself, has not been achieved through the observance and adherence to the Mosaic covenant, and seems it was not intended to be, but somehow is directly related to this expected Messiah.

Gal 3:19-29

19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith, which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.
NASU

We, who are Christians, are no longer under the Mosaic Covenant. We can still agree, as people in Hammurabi's day did also, that things like shaming ones parents, stealing, the taking of an innocent life, coveting, etc., are causes of pain, hurt and suffering. But the keeping of them is not the basis of our redemption, salvation, and righteousness. As it is written in Hebrews, Yeshua is a High Priest, not of the order of Aaron, but of Melchizedek, Where there is a change of Priesthood, there is also a change of Law. Whereas the Mosaic law was a long list of commandments and statues that we were required to keep, The laws of Christ keep us and account to us righteousness.

Heb 7:11-22

Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. For it is attested of Him,

"YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER
ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."

For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. And inasmuch as it was not without an oath (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him,

"THE LORD HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, 'YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER'");

so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
NASU


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Arthur Biele

 2004/5/11 17:36Profile
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 Re:

Messiah will be a Priest, a mediator between God and man.

Psalm 110: 4
YHWH has sworn and will not change His mind:
"Thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek".

Yochanan the immerser (John the Baptist) was considered to be a Prophet by most Jews in his day. Before he met Yeshua, some inquired of him if he was the Messiah foretold by the Tanach. Luke 3:15-16

"And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of Yochanan, whether he was the Messiah, or not; Yochanan answered, saying unto them all, I indeed immerse you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latch of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: He shall immerse you with the Ruach haKodesh [the Holy Spirit] and with fire."

Upon meeting Yeshua, Yochanan responded: "Behold the Lamb of God, Behold Him who takes away the sins of the world". In so doing, Yochanan linked Yeshua to the sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb (Exodus 12), and the Atoning sacrifice of the two rams (Leviticus 16).

The sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb, whose blood is to be painted by each household onto the head of the door and the lintels on each side of the
door, caused God's judgement to 'pass-over' that household.

Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement.

To atone for the sins of all truly repenting Israelites, the high priest removes his expensive bejeweled garments- making himself of no reputation, as it were. After properly sacrificing a Bullock for the to have his own sins removed, He goes into the Holy of Holies, he comes out and takes two goats. The high priest then kills one goat, the giving up of one life that many may be saved. This is the atonement for sin, a ransoming by a substitute.

Then, at this time, the only time in the whole year he is allowed to do so, the high priests walks into the Holy of Holies, and puts the blood onto the lid of the ark of the covenant, under the cherubim, where the seat of God Himself dwells.

Inside the Ark are the commandments of stone, which God gave Moses. God, looking down, would see the blood, covering as it were, the commandments, the sins of His people.

The High Priest goes out and takes a second goat, he confesses all of Israel's sins over this second goat. Not all Israelites will be forgiven, only those who truly rented their hearts and repented are to be forgiven. Then the High Priest leads this goat away, this goat is the escape goat.

The above foreshadows the Messiah who will come. He will be the sinbearer who will shed His blood as the unblemished lamb, who will be a substitute for sin. He will mediate between G-d and man and will take away the sins of the world.

A Yom Kippur, 30 CE (?).

There stood the beautiful Herodian Temple, more than twice the size as the one built by Ezra and the faithful remnant from Babylon. The temple served as a public gathering place for Israelites and a place where Rabbis taught. Included on the premises were vendors who sold sacrificial animals. Many Jews, including Y'shua, were indignant over the commercialization of the Holy site.

Because the Israelites were already so widely dispersed throughout the known world, the territories of Israel and the diaspora were divided into 24 sections, each of which sent two representatives to officiate at the Temple for two weeks of each year. Worship in the Herodian Temple was conducted by 24 divisions of levitical priests. More than 500 priest were employed on the Day of Atonement to assist the High Priest.

The High Priest was the leading religious and political figure in Israel at this time. Herod had taken charge of 'appointing' the High Priest, accepting bribes for the appointment. After Herod, the appointing of the high priest passed on to the Roman governors who, in the final years, permitted Agrippa II to appoint the high priest. The honor of high priest went to leading members rich families (the highest bidder would become the high priest). The Boethus family, the Phiabi family, the family of Anan, a new high priest chosen each year, mostly Sadducees who were loyal to Rome. They formed a priestly aristocracy of wealthy families who tyrannized the people.

Still, on Yom Kippur, the High Priest took his responsibilities very seriously and proceeded very carefully to perform the rituals precisely as required by the Law.

When it came time for the High Priest to face the two goats readied for him, he drew golden lots from an urn; one lot was marked 'for the Lord' and the other was marked 'for azazel'. He placed one on the head of each goat, thus sealing their fate. It was considered a good omen if the lot marked 'for the Lord' appeared in the right hand of the High Priest, but this year, and every year hence until the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 AD, it would always end up in the left hand of the High Priest. This omen filled the Israelites with the fear of impending doom.

The High Priest then tied a crimson sash around the horns of the goat that received the lot 'for azazael'.

Later, when the time came to enter the Holy of Holies, it was customary for the High Priest to proceed slowly, parting the heavy drape that separated him from the Holy of Holies, but this time that heavy drape had been ripped from top to bottom and folded back. The high priest proceeded north between the curtains, then turned south along the curtain until he was at the place where the Ark of the Covenant use to rest. The Ark was taken in the Babylonian captivity and had not been at the Temple ever since that time. All that was left was it's ancient foundation stone which stood three fingers breadths high. All that now glowed in the Holy of Holies were the glowing coals the High Priest brought in with him. Gone since the Babylonian captivity was the Shekinah presence of the LORD. So he continues, the elaborate ritual of atonement followed, in the hope that God forgives from afar. He returns to the Holy of Holies two more times, pouring the blood offerings on the stone where the mercy seat use to be directly above, as well as the great curtain.

After the third visit to the Holy of Holies, He returns to the escape goat. Laying his hands on the goat's head, he confesses the sins of - "Thy people, the house of Israel". A portion of the crimson sash was taken from the escape goat and tied to the Temple door. Then through an elaborate procedure, the escape goat was led away into the wilderness, to a cliff, where the crimson sash was removed, cut in half, with half placed back on the goat's horn and the other half tied to the cliff. The attending priest would then send the goat flying backwards over the cliff, bearing Israel's sins as it fell to it's death. The crimson sash that was placed on the Temple's door had, in previous years, always turned from red to white, signaling to the people that G-d had accepted their sacrifice and their sins have been forgiven. This year it had remained crimson, and never again did it turn white.

It was also noted by the people that the western most candle on the candlelabra, the one used to light the other candles, would not light. It was also to be noted that the temple doors would open by themselves, and Rabbis saw this as an ominous fulfillment of Zechariah 11:1,

"open thy doors, oh Lebanon, that fire may devour thy cedars."

In the year 70 AD, the temple would be completely destroyed by fire.

In that year, about six months prior to the Day of Atonment, the perfect High Priest had made the perfect sacrifice.

"Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the Prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together as a Hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling."
Yeshua


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Arthur Biele

 2004/5/11 18:53Profile
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 Re: Messiah as Bridegroom

Jesus is the Bridegroom:

John 3:25-30
Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purification. And they came to John and said to him, " Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him." John answered and said, " A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. "You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ' I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent ahead of Him.' "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. "He must increase, but I must decrease.
NASU

True Christians are the Bride. i.e.

Rev 19:7-8

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
NASU

Matt 25:1-13
"Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. "Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. "For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. "Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. "But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' "Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. "The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' "But the prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' "And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. "Later the other virgins also came, saying, ' Lord, lord, open up for us.' "But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.' " Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.
NASU

This parable of the ten virgins is difficult to understand unless you hear it with the understanding of 1st century Jews concerning their marital customs:

If the marriage was not an arranged marriage from infancy, the way for a man to obtain a bride can be done in 3 possible ways: the man's father could make arrangements for his son; an agent working on behalf of the father can make the arrangements; or the would be Bridegroom can make his own arrangements.

Once the arrangements are made with the potential bride-to-be's family, the two families gather at her father's home. The potential groom-to-be takes three things with him: a large sum of money to purchase his wife, a betrothal contract, and a skin of wine. The Bridegroom then meets with the bride's father/brothers and he shows them the betrothal contract, a glass of wine is poured out, and he then negotiates a price to be paid for the bride. If an agreement is reached, the bride is called in. The potential bridegroom drinks of the cup and offers it to her, if she agrees then she drinks of the cup of the wine, and in so doing she has made the marriage contract binding. They are legally married at this point and their union can only be dissolved by divorce. Their relationship at this point is that of betrothed, Bridegroom and Bride, yet not that of fully married.

The groom then announces that he will he will go to his father's house to prepare a place for her. He returns to his father's house to build the chamber and honeymoon bed. The room is made beautiful and provided with every comfort. If the groom is asked when the room will be ready, his answer would be "no one knows except my father." This is because by custom, the father has to be satisfied that everything was just right before he gave his permission to the son to go get his bride.

The bride, having been bought with a price and having accepted the bridegroom's offer of betrothal, must spend time preparing to live as wife. Her days in waiting for her husband are spent in learning how to please her husband.

The groom enlists two close friends to assist him in securing his bride and to assist during the actual ceremony. Jewish custom calls these two "The friends of the bridegroom". They also function as the two witnesses required for a Jewish wedding. On the day when all preparations for the ceremony are ready, one of the two 'friends of the bridegroom' is sent to assist the bride and bring her to the ceremony. The other is stationed with the bridegroom.

At the wedding ceremony, the groom and bride sign a new contract, the Ketubah, which is witnessed by his 'friends', it contains his promises to the bride.

During Passover celebration, the Jews drank of the cup of wine four times; twice before the meal and twice after the meal. During the Jewish Seder, these cups of wine symbolize the unfolding drama of G-d's redemption of His people:
Cup 1. I will bring you out of Egypt.
Cup 2. I will deliver you from Bondage.
Cup 3. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.
cup 4. I will take you to Me for my people.

Yeshua, drinking from the cup of wine the third time, indicated that He will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of G-d comes and He drinks it with us in His Fathers Kingdom. That week, on the cross with outstretched arms, He redeemed us.

Matt 26:27-29
27And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

29"But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."
NASU

IMO, It is at this time that Yeshua will drink from the fourth cup of wine, in His Father's Kingdom.

ArtB


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Arthur Biele

 2004/5/12 1:14Profile
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 Re: The Messiah

Art B wrote:
"The initial reference in this prophecy is King David, who defeated Moab and subdued the Idumeans. But as David himself points to his much greater offspring [perhaps to be discussed in a future post], so too, this Prophecy of the Star and the Scepter also points to David's promised greater offspring, the Messiah."

Does not David have a Lord? Who is it that rules over David?

In Christ
Jeff


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Jeff Marshalek

 2004/5/12 16:12Profile
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 Re:

Art B wrote:
"Even if people credit the Hammurabi code as containing many statutes found in the later written Mosaic Law, these laws, in and of themselves, are useless in regards with respect to making people righteous."

Does not the Law of God exist thoughtout time? The law is holy. Our Creator established His law before the foundations of the earth. We see Able the prophet please God through his sacrifice.

In Christ
Jeff


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Jeff Marshalek

 2004/5/12 16:16Profile
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 Re:

by rookie on 2004/5/12 16:12:07

Art B wrote:
"The initial reference in this prophecy is King David, who defeated Moab and subdued the Idumeans. But as David himself points to his much greater offspring [perhaps to be discussed in a future post], so too, this Prophecy of the Star and the Scepter also points to David's promised greater offspring, the Messiah."

Does not David have a Lord? Who is it that rules over David?

In Christ
Jeff

Hello Jeff

David does refer to Jesus as his lord in Psalm 110: "YHWH says to my Lord ..."

Ps 110
A The LORD says to my Lord:
" Sit at My right hand
Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet." The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying,
" Rule in the midst of Your enemies."

Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn,your youth are to You as the dew.

The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind,
"You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath. He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country. He will drink from the brook by the wayside; Therefore He will lift up His head.
NASU

Art


_________________
Arthur Biele

 2004/5/12 23:27Profile
ArtB
Member



Joined: 2004/4/27
Posts: 431
New York

 Re: The Laws of Christ

Art B wrote:
"Even if people credit the Hammurabi code as containing many statutes found in the later written Mosaic Law, these laws, in and of themselves, are useless in regards with respect to making people righteous."

Does not the Law of God exist thoughtout time? The law is holy. Our Creator established His law before the foundations of the earth. We see Able the prophet please God through his sacrifice.

In Christ
Jeff

If you mean the Mosaic Law then the answer is no! The Mosaic Law came into existence When God wrote it in stone and gave it to Moses. Christians are not under the Mosaic Law, non-Christians are still under the Mosaic Law.

When Moses gave The Law, written on stone, to the people, part and parcel of The Law were great blessings gauranteed by God for keeping the whole Law, and great curses, also guaranteed by God, for failing to keep the Law. As I pointed out in my post on "Messiah as Prophet", God knew from the beginning that the people would never keep The Law handed down to them by Moses, even though they eagerly accepted it and claimed: 'This we will do." Keeping that Law must have seen easy to them at the time. But God knew their hearts and that they were ordained to be recipients of the curses set forth in that Law, only.

So if God knew they would never keep The Law, why did he give The Law to them?

The answer will seem rather strange at first. The purpose of The Mosaic Law was not to eliminate sin, but to cause sin to increase. As humans struggle to keep The Law, they are humbled by their inability to keep it. It showed us just how sinful sin is and how weak we are to not sin.

The Apostle Paul uses the commandment prohibiting "Covetousness" as an example of how the Law actually works in us:

Rom 7:5-13
For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET." But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.
NASU

It is like constantly telling a child not to put beans in his ears. If he had not heard of it from us, chances are he would never thought of doing so, but with his mind constantly focused on it, the child puts beans in his ears.

When I was learning to ride a bicycle as a child, I feared I would drive into trees, telephomes or cars. No sooner would I start riding the Bicycle, I would quickly end up driving into a tree, a telephone pole, or a car. It was many years latter that I found out why. I was at a drivers Ed, course and the instructor explained that when one rides a motorcycle, where he looks is where his motorcycle goes. This was true for Bicycles also. And so it is also true for the Mosaic Law, the more one looked at it, the more likely one is likely to commit the prohibited sin. The Mosaic Law sets one's mind on sin and not directly on God.

So we ask the question once more, why did God give us the Mosaic Law if it makes us more sinful. Paul explains this quite well:


Gal 3:19-29

Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith, which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.
NASU

We are saved solely by faith, and not by works of the Law.

As you say Jeff, The Mosaic Law is indeed Holy and good, but it proved useless for me and you because it only put us under great curses and ultimately, if not for the work of Jesus on the cross, death. As Paul again writes:

Gal 3:10-14
For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM." Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us — for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE" — in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
NASU

and

Heb 7:18-22

The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:

"The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
'You are a priest forever.'"

22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
NIV


Well then, If we are not under the Mosaic Law, and we who are in Christ are certainly not, are we then without law. The answer is NO!.

Heb 7:11-12
Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.
NASU

In the New Covenant there is a change in Priesthood and a change in Law. We are under the Laws of Christ!!!

Art



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Arthur Biele

 2004/5/13 1:18Profile
rookie
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Joined: 2003/6/3
Posts: 4821
Savannah TN

 Re:

Hi Art:

For what purpose does the priestly order of Melchizedec serve prior to and during the period of the Law given on Mount Sinai?

In Christ
Jeff


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Jeff Marshalek

 2004/5/14 14:10Profile





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