Footsteps of Messiah...
In last week's issue of Footsteps, we considered how powers and principalities functioned in their tasks and how Israel is not like the other nations even though she is scattered among them. As the Footsteps of Messiah approach, even the elect must guard themselves from a particular hazard: sorcery (Re 9:21; 18:23).
The names of the Torah portions provide a unique narrative when we put them together week to week. Last week, it was Ki Teitze, "When you go out." This week, it is Ki Tavo, "When you go in." The details in the mitzvot might distract us from the spiritual inheritance for which these Torah portions prepare us: The Land of Promise, Israel, and the Garden, our original inheritance hovering just above it, waiting to be "married" to the physical territory once again.
Once the righteous are resurrected like Yeshua, once again they can navigate physical and spiritual realms as the Father designed, but they will need to have internalized the commandments that rule our exit Ki Teitze and re-entry Ki Tavo to that special place prepared for us. In preparation, Israel must study the Word so that she will not be deceived by sorcery and witchcraft, tools of the Beast. As there are holy signs and wonders, so there may be deceiving signs and wonders.
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These are the words of the covenant that the Lord commanded Moses to make with the people of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant that he had made with them at Horeb. And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: “You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders. But to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear. I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn off your feet. You have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine or strong drink, that you may know that I am the Lord your God. And when you came to this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came out against us to battle, but we defeated them. We took their land and gave it for an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites. (Dt 29:1-8)
Review these couplets/equivalencies:
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“He makes the winds (ruachot) His messengers,
- Flaming fire His ministers.” (Ps 104:4)
These flaming ministers of fire can consume, for they are “serving” the fire of Elohim’s judgment...
“His breath sets coals aglow, and a flame goes forth from his mouth.” (Job 41:21)
“Like fire that burns the forest, and like a flame that sets the mountains on fire.” (Ps 83:14)
forest=stronghold of the beast mountains=nations
“Fire goes ["walks"] before Him and burns up His enemies all around.” (Ps 97:3)
Fire also “walks,” such as the voice of Elohim walked in the Garden seeking Adam and Eve after they sinned. The enemies are saviv, encircling, as the Rivers did the Garden. The cheruvim, flaming ministers of Elohim, were placed at the entrance of the Garden with flaming swords to prevent re-entry and access to the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden. This information helps us to understand that there is proper and authoritative spiritual fires who perform the will of Adonai. The more we walk in the Ruach, the more we can differentiate between ministers of holy fire and deceivers who may appear to work wonders in fire.
Let's turn back a few lessons to re-examine Yeshua's sheep speech and how it relates to Jacob's wrestling match with the angel. Yeshua, when questioned as to whether he was the Messiah at Chanukkah, started talking about sheep knowing his voice. Tradition says that the wrestling match with Jacob and Esau’s angel began with sheep!
This is strange, but it explains Yeshua’s sheep speech as a clarification of Kislev 25 when the Mishkan (Tabernacle) to house the Divine Presence was completed in the wilderness, surrounded and covered in the "Clouds of Glory" or *Sukkot of Glory. The Feast of Dedication was Chanukkah in winter. The context s not just an allusion to the celebration of Chanukkah as a “Sukkot sheni,” like a second Passover which could be celebrated if a person were unclean or on a far journey. Chanukkah became a Sukkot sheni after it was missed due to the Greek Abomination that Causes Desolation. For the whole story, see The Seven Shepherds: Hanukkah in Prophecy.
The setting of the challenge to Yeshua was significant, for if the Mishkan were completed during Chanukkah, then as Messiah, Yeshua would be the one who would unite the twelve tribes and lead them out of the "wilderness" of exile into their inheritance, destroying all their foes. Yeshua's answer to the challenge of his authenticity was a sheep speech.
This is from the Midrash Rabbah:
The angel appeared to Jacob that night at the Jabbok stream as a shepherd and robber chief. “This one (Jacob) had sheep and that one (the angel) had sheep. The angel said to Jacob, ‘Bring across the Jabbok stream what is mine, and I will bring across what is yours. The angel brought across Jacob’s flock in the blink of an eye...” 3§6
With that illustrative story in mind, now consider Yeshua's answer:
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At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple area, in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then surrounded Him and began saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep. My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. Jesus replied to them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” The Jews answered Him, “We are not stoning You for a good work, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law: ‘I SAID, YOU ARE GODS’? If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be nullified), are you saying of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” (Jn 10:22-38)
The “blink of an eye” reference in the Midrash points to Yeshua’s “eternal life” statement. We will be resurrected to eternal life in the blink of an eye. Yeshua is the holy flame that protects the Father’s sheep so they may re-enter the Garden of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s inheritance.
The Midrash goes on to tell how Jacob kept going back across the stream, and there would be more sheep...all night long! The night is the exile. Finally, Jacob realized it was sorcery, an illusion that there were more sheep each time, and he said, “Sorcery! Sorcery! You are a sorcerer, for sorcerers are successful at night!” 3§6
Jacob’s sheep would have followed him, for they knew his voice. These other sheep were “Esau’s.” They belonged to The Red One. Once the illusion was discovered, the angel knew the day was breaking, and he revealed himself to Jacob.
Now back to Jacob’s and Messiah’s flocks, false messiahs, and sorcerous sheep:
The wilderness and the Mishkan :
- “What is this coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke perfumed with myrrh and frankincense with all the scented powders of the merchant?” (So 3:6)
It leads us back to the deception of the Beast. He appears to be able to make fire come down from Heaven. He mimics the Holy things in order to possess the holy people. It was Israel who performed the fire services in the Mishkan, assisted by holy fire that supernaturally lit the altar and stayed lit while they moved the altar...without burning its cover! They were led by the Angel of the Presence and a pillar of fire, the flaming ministers of Adonai.
At the conclusion of the night, the angel corrected Jacob’s thinking that he was dealing with a “man” all night. In fact, he was dealing with a ministering angel, a fiery minister. He sought to impress Jacob, says the Midrash 3§6: “He placed his finger on a piece of flint and the flint began seething with fire. Whereupon Jacob said to him, ‘With this fire you seek to frighten me? I am entirely from fire, as it states, ‘”The house of Jacob will be fire, the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for straw; and they will ignite them and devour them.’” (Obadiah 1:18)
Jacob was no longer deceived, and he left that legacy to his descendants, the twelve tribes and those who would join with them. Only Messiah Yeshua was the authentic fire who could lead the tribes up from the wilderness and into their inheritance. Yeshua was the whole burnt offering, entirely of holy fire, completely accepted by the Father. Holy fire is to the sorcerer’s fire as Moses’ rod was to Pharaoh’s magicians’ fiery serpents.
“You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, the great trials which your eyes have seen, those great signs and wonders.” (Dt 29:3)
הַמַּסּוֹת הַגְּדֹלֹת אֲשֶׁר רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ הָאֹתֹת וְהַמֹּפְתִים הַגְּדֹלִים הָהֵֽם
What wonders?
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“When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Work a miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, so that it may turn into a serpent.’” So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and so they did, just as the LORD had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it turned into a serpent [לְתַנִּֽין]. Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they too, the soothsayer priests of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts. For each one threw down his staff, and they turned into serpents [לְתַנִּינִם]. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs. Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had said. (Ex 7:9-13)
Two wonder-workers: Moses/Aaron vs Pharaoh's sorcerers and soothsayers.
The tanin is a crocodile or dragon, less used than nachash or seraph for a snake, but it must have been a spectacular sight, crocodiles scampering around the palace. Pharaoh desired a mofet [H4159] or wonder. Mofet is derived from yafah, for handsome, beautiful [H3302]. It can refer to the decorations of an idol (Je 10:4) or idolatry (Je 4:30) as well as the purest beauty of the King and His Bride (Ps 45:2; So 4:10 & 7:6).
The sign can often fit what the viewers would see as attractive:
When Adonai first has Moses practice the sign, the rod becomes a nachash, snake, not a tanin, crocodile.
To the Israelite elders, a nachash was more meaningful, representing victory over the serpent of the Garden.
For the Egyptians, a crocodile [tanin], which represented their god Pharaoh, was a more powerful sign.
The hand being healed from leprosy would have been a wonderful sign to both Israelite and Egyptian, for the Egyptians were characterized by disease. Even though Moses' croc gobbled up Pharaoh's crocs, Pharaoh hardened his heart, and he did not listen. This is exactly what the Israelites were accused of in the wilderness. In spite of the signs and wonders, they had not been given a heart to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear. To them, the Word was not beautiful, only their own desires.
A sign can be performed by a minister of fire, either a human being or an angel. Notice the pattern of angel-characteristics in the following Passover excerpt:
Minimal dialogue
Quick action
Single-task action
- “On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near Peter, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Put on your belt and strap on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and continued to follow, and yet he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. Now when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” (Ac 7:6-11)
This, however, is what preceded the beautiful Passover “wonder” of deliverance for Peter:
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“Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church, to do them harm. And he had James the brother of John executed with a sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter as well. (Now these were the days of Unleavened Bread.) When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, turning him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending only after the Passover to bring him before the people. So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God intensely by the church.” (Ac 1:1-5)
When the wicked seek after a sign, they can be entrapped by “eye candy.” They want beautiful, inspiring wonders that make them feel good.
This is why we must be careful about looking for “signs following.” We are not promised when a great sign will follow or when the still, small voice will direct us. Even the apostles didn’t always know when a great mofet would break out. Sometimes they were delivered from prison or death, and sometimes they died in captivity or were put to death.
Perhaps this is why Yeshua reminded the doubters of his role as Shepherd Messiah that they should judge his “works,” not necessarily the miracles. A sorcerer may produce an astounding miracle, but he cannot produce obedience in the long-term. For the wicked, obedience is not desirable or beautiful.
The angel’s identity as an esh lohet, or flaming fire of Elohim, is said to be alluded to by the word for wrestling, va-ye-avek [“he wrestled”], which is related to the word for torch, avukah. The angel tried to frighten and deceive Jacob with the fire demonstration, implying that Jacob’s children would never survive the night of exile! They would be destroyed by devouring fire.
Instead, Jacob prevailed, never losing his birthright identity, and he answers the spiritual authority of The Red One, the red dragon that gives authority to the Scarlet Beast, with the Sword of the Word. In effect, Jacob said, “No, Esau, YOU will be consumed by holy fire, for the Sons of Elohim are also elohim, judges of fire. My descendants will be redeemed and consume your house!”
The sorcery of Esau is identified by Yeshua in his sheep speech. Calling down fire is not the biggest deal. Obedience is. Jacob’s sheep, Yeshua’s sheep, know the voice of salvation walking and follow him. They follow his Word. The night robber cannot snatch them out of Yeshua’s hand.
Paul uses this example to point out the false apostles in Corinth:
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“But what I am doing I will also continue to do, so that I may eliminate the opportunity from those who want an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.” (2 Co 11:12-15)
Esau sends out false shepherds who are robbers. They may even deceive with signs and miracles, which may be why sometimes Yeshua said believe him because of the signs (which was for idolatrous people) because a wicked and foolish generation sought after the signs. In truth, Jacob’s sheep would follow the walking voice of the Word. The Messiah would be identified by his Word, the Word of the Father.
- “A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.” (Mt 16:4)
Why would Yeshua say such a thing? He’s referring to the Israelites in the wilderness, the generation of adultery from the Word that did not exit the wilderness alive:
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“Then the LORD said to Moses: ‘How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?’” (Nu 14:11)
To the wicked, signs don't necessarily work! They have an insatiable appetite for beautiful, stunning, and tasty things. Yeshua put emphasis not on the signs, but upon the truth of the Word and its works of righteousness, consistent with his Chanukkah statement of “I and the Father are One” the Judeans thought blasphemy:
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“But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.” (Jn 8:45)
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“If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” (Jn 10:37-38)
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“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.” (Jn 14:11)
The “works” of the Father Yeshua points out he’s done is in Greek ergon [G2041]: the Septuagint for פֹּעַל, עֲבֹדָה and countless times for מְלָאכָה and מַעֲשֶׂה work, i. e.
Avodah is everyday work as well as the service of the Mishkan.
Malakha is everyday work, including work not permitted on Shabbat.
Poal is a work of Adonai’s hands, particularly of justice.
Maaseh is an occupation, skill, the inscribing the Torah by the hand of Adonai
None of these uses focuses on the miraculous except by the hand of Adonai Himself. The everyday deeds we do are more believable than a miraculous sign decorated with the shiny romantic decorations of our own ideals. In other words, when someone comes along who promises us exactly what we want to hear, see, understand, or believe, we may see the exciting, beautiful wonder because we WANT to see and believe it. We turn a mere beast into a fairy tale, a golden calf. Were the sorcerers' crocodiles real? Or were they made visible by wicked expectation? By people who wanted to worship other gods? By people who wanted to keep Israel enslaved to their own principalities and powers?
The following is an excerpt from a documentary filmed in 2018. In it, the Shah of Iran's wife explains what happened in the Revolution that led to the current subjugation of Iran's people:
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“The [Iranian] government, the Shah, and his many followers were helpless in the face of the increasing acclaim for the new savior Khomeini. It was the beginning of the end. They saw Khomeini as a Che Guevara type of character who had been martyred by the Emperor. That he was forced to leave Iran and he was in exile. So there was this romance around Khomeini that obscured his own speeches and his writing. And I think it’s fair to say that many of his young supporters did not understand what he was saying. Many of them actually believed that his most famous statement, the valayat-e faqid, which develops the thesis of Islamic government, his young supporters believed that this was a forgery produced by the Shah and by SAVAK, the internal police, to discredit Khomeini. They couldn’t believe that anything so extreme could come from this grandfatherly figure. So there was a sort of willful denial. It is something we’ve seen in other revolutionary situations. You want to believe, you project your dreams and ideals onto this distant figure, and then when he steps onto this stage you you are presented with someone and something very, very different.” [from Farah Diba Pahlavi: The Last Empress. Interscience Film. 2018. France.]
A religious, political, or military figure can be seen as a savior when a people share a longing for the same deception. They project their desires onto this human being in spite of what he says or does! If anyone dare point out the truth, they don't believe it because they don't want to. They conform the beast to their own image, only to be duped into conforming to the image of the beast. By the time they realize the "wonder" was a fraud and a beautiful fairy tale, it is too late.
This is why Yeshua emphasized his "works," his daily works of obedience to the Word. His uncompromising speaking of the truth of the Father's Word. Signs and wonders can be manipulated according to the wicked generation looking for them. A deceiver can call down fire...or at least appear to...but he cannot obey the Word for very long.
The authentic Messiah Yeshua is the Word of Truth, a flaming minister of fire. Only he can resurrect us and replant us in our inheritance. Should a person want to believe differently, then he or she certainly may! There is no shortage of deceivers willing to let the unbelievers project their own hopes and dreams of power, peace, safety, and success upon them. Crocodiles are scampering all over the place, so whatever you want to believe, you will see.
But do you want to believe the truth? Do you want to believe the authority of Moses' words in the Torah?
Abraham was promised his children would be as numerous as the stars of the sky and the dust as the dust of the earth in Genesis 13:16. To Abraham, the dust was afar, like rubbish and ashes. But when refined by Isaac and then Jacob, the House of Israel was birthed as the refined, fragrant powder-dust of the merchant. It will come up from the wilderness, undeceived, skilled in following the voice of the Great Shepherd of the Sheep, and they will not follow another.
As to the sorcerers who serve the Beast?
- “And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her Child.” (Re 12:4)
Even some of the children of Abraham can be swept away with the dragon's tail. Let the Holy Spirit breath the true fire of the Word into you each day, and you will not be one of those ministers of fire who flames out in the evil day.
You will go inside those flaming swords of fire and inherit a good land. That's the real wonder.
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