HOME october 18, 2020  RAV SHAUL


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Chapter 4

Mikveh or batpism?

Introduction

Now that we have been given a look into what occurred after John “baptized” Yahusha and he fled into the desert in the last chapter, I want to explain more about what Zachariah saw in his vision:

Zechariah 3 - Clean Garments for the High Priest, Yahusha

1 Then he showed me Yahusha the high priest standing before the angel of Yahuah, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 Yahuah said to Satan, “Yahuah rebuke you, Satan! Yahuah, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” 3 Now Yahusha was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then Yahuah said to Yahusha, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”

Yahuah tells Yahusha that He has taken away Yahusha’s sin and then dresses Yahusha in the garments of the High Priest. What is going on here? Didn’t Yahusha know no sin? This is a direct reference to what had just happened to Yahusha when he was Mikveh’d by John. The ritual of Mikveh is the defined ritual in The Law of Yahuah where Yahuah cleanses a man of sin, and consecrates him as High Priest! We don’t want to acknowledge this is referring to Yahusha because we have been taught that he lived a sinless life and that he was Yahuah in the flesh or a demi-god. However, Scripture records that Yahusha was not born perfect but had to be perfected over his life through trials and tribulations. Scripture tells us that Yahusha was not always perfectly obedient but had to learn obedience through suffering. Yahusha didn’t receive his promises based on his own merit but through inheritance and obedience to The Law:

Hebrews 1:4 NKJV

4 having become so much better than the angels, as he has by (human) inheritance obtained (through bloodlines) a more excellent name than they.

 

Hebrews 5:8-9 NKJV

8 though he was a son (not God), yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered (just like all men do). 9 And having been perfected (not born perfect as a god), he became the author of Eternal Salvation to all who obey him

 

Hebrews 7:28 NKJV

28 For the Law appoints as High Priests men who have weakness (Yahusha too was appointed High Priest according to The Law from The House of Zadok), but (in addition to The Law) the Word of the Oath, which came after the Law, appoints the son (to be the Melchizedek or the Ruling Zadok) who has been perfected forever (as The Eternal High Priest).

When the Apostle Sha’ul said Yahusha “knew no sin”, he was absolutely correct.  In context, Sha’ul is saying the same thing I am. Sha’ul was a Torah Master and LAWyer; he knew exactly what happened when Yahusha was Mikveh’d and what it meant.

2 Corinthians 5:21

Yahuah made Yahusha who had no sin (in Yahuah’s eyes after his Mikveh into the office of High Priest and until his execution) to be sin for us (a sin offering), so that in (covenant with) Yahusha we might become the Righteousness of Yahuah (the blood of The Lamb covers our sin restoring us to perfection in righteousness).

What Sha’ul said above is simply explaining exactly what The Passover Lamb did for Israel every year. Sha’ul knew nothing of Yahusha’s life prior to Mikveh (it is not recorded anywhere), except that he was not born perfect and had to grow in Wisdom, grow in the Knowledge of Yahuah, increase in favor with Yahuah, and learn obedience to Yahuah as Sha’ul clearly stated.

If Yahusha had to become better than the angels, learn obedience, come to know Yahuah, increase over time in Yahuah's favor, and be perfected through suffering... that is another way of saying at some point he was not better than the angels, not highly favored by Yahuah, not perfect and not obedient. He was a man like everyone else and had to develop into a “son” over the course of his life, which is the example we are all to follow i.e. The Way:

     we must repent of our sin

     we must have Faith in Yahuah to wipe our sin away

     we must be Mikveh'd

     we must grow over time in the Knowledge of Yahuah

     we have to learn obedience to Yahuah

     we are sanctified over time and increase in the favor of Yahuah

This is what Yahusha was talking about when he said he was The Truth and the Way (his example is the true Way), and no one comes to Yahuah except through him (his example). Our misguided belief that Yahusha was somehow a man-god, requires him to be perfect… leading to false doctrine after false doctrine. Each false doctrine designed to cover the obvious "problems" with the previous one. Leading to a "web of lies" called Christianity. He was, in fact, not a man-god, but “fully human”.

Hebrews 2

17 For this reason Yahusha had to be made like them (he was made human), fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful High Priest (who are chosen from among men) in service to Yahuah

I’ll get deeper into this in later chapters of this book.

With the proper understanding of Scripture (mainly the Torah) we find there is no conflict with the vision Zechariah saw in Chapter 3, and Yahusha’s requirement to live a “spotless” life for a year “yearling” prior to his execution. From the point of Yahusha’s Mikveh, when Yahuah totally cleansed his life of sin and took away the sins of the world (dirty rags), Yahusha did just that which is what Sha’ul is teaching in his letters.

What Scripture does record, is that Yahusha fulfilled the role of “Passover Lamb”, and those lambs were “spotless yearlings”.

 

Few people realize that Yahusha’s ministry was not 3.5 years, as we are taught (there is no Scriptural support for that “tradition of men”), but rather 70 weeks or “around a year” as the Prophet Daniel so foretold. This is admitted in the Jewish Encyclopedia as well. From Yahusha’s Mikveh, when he was cleansed of sin and anointed The Messiah, he lived in perfect obedience so when he died he truly was The Passover Lamb a “spotless yearling”.  Our “understanding” has been clouded by Christianity who, having abolished The Law, knows literally nothing about what “baptism” really is supposed to be, or what it meant in the life of The Messiah. That is the purpose of this book, to define what happened to Yahusha when John “baptized him”.

The High Priest John’s role and the Nazarenes (true sons of Yahuah)

What John the High Priest was doing "in the wilderness"; the Jordan River actually, was performing the ritual of cleansing rites called Mikveh in "living water", by Torah standards, and properly teaching the Torah. He was teaching "Salvation and Repentance" like his father Zechariah had prophesied concerning John. It was John that would mentor Yahusha, and this is where Yahusha learned and grew in the Knowledge and Spirit of Yahuah. It is through Mikveh that Yahuah takes our sin away, and we become white as snow in His eyes! That is why Yahuah said to Yahusha “see I have taken away your sin” in the desert, because he had just come from being Mikveh’d by the High Priest John 40 days earlier!

As I explained earlier in this book, the rightful anointed office of High Priest before Yahuah (not Herod) went from Yahusha III to his first male heir, who was his grandson John the Baptist. Then to his great grandson, and next male heir (John's 2nd cousin), Yahusha the Messiah. John’s role as the “coming of Elijah” was to pave the way for The Messiah, and properly teach Salvation and Repentance. The people of Israel knew John was the anointed High Priest, and they went to him to be Mikveh’d (they did not go to the corrupted priests in The Temple). Those who followed John the Baptist, were known as Notsri or “Nazarenes”.

John was actively preparing Israel for the coming Messiah, which he knew was Yahusha his 2nd cousin. He also knew Yahusha was the next heir to his office of High Priest, when he became of age (30 years old, the traditional age a man was considered a Rabbi). The people knew Yahusha well, because he too was a follower of John’s; but they did not yet know he was The Messiah. Before we can come to understand what happened that day at the Jordan River when John cried out “Behold! The Passover Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” as Yahusha approached; we must know and understand what Mikveh is, and what it means, before we will ever know the real Messiah.

We also need to look closer at “baptism”, and what we have been taught by the Christian Church. In an effort to distance itself totally from all things Holy to Yahuah (His people, His Temple, His Eternal City, His Laws, His Feasts, and His Sabbath), the Church of Rome (all Christianity) turned its back on Mikveh, as well as the priesthood established by Yahuah. The pagan Roman Church created a "new" human priesthood in the form of Catholic priests, bishops, etc. and Christian pastors. They also created a "new" baptism, replacing Yahuah’s ordained Mikveh or ritual cleansing.

So, what is Mikveh and why was the High Priest John the “Baptist” performing it in the desert instead of the Temple? Let us first take a closer look at the Nazarenes to find insight.

John the Great Nazarene – The Teacher of Righteousness

In the Dead Sea Scrolls there is a figure called “The Great Notsri (Nazarene)” and “Teacher of Righteousness”. He was said to have the proper understanding of the Torah, qualified in its accurate instruction, and be the one through whom Yahuah would reveal to the community “the hidden things in which Israel had gone astray”. He would rightfully be of the House of Zadok (a true High Priest). This was Yahusha’s mentor and teacher, John the Great Notsri, who was of The House of Zadok, and the “anointed High Priest” in succession to Yahusha III.

This description of “The Great Notsri” is found in the Damascus Document of the Dead Sea Scroll, which carbon dating has placed about +/- 44 BC, that would be around the time John was acting as High Priest in the wilderness. John was prophesied to fulfill this very role by his father Zechariah:

Luke 1:76-80 - Zechariah’s song

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before Yahuah to prepare the way for him (Yahusha), 77 to give his people the Knowledge of Salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven (reference to fulfilling The Heavenly Scroll) 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of Peace (as a Zadok High Priest, John too was mediator of the covenant of peace).” 80 And the child grew and became strong in Spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel (as High Priest).

The Great Notsri, founder of the Nazarenes, at that time, was undoubtedly John the Baptist; who was the rightful High Priest from the House of Zadok.

Although there is a “debate” about who this Great Notsri was among current scholars, there should be no doubt. Yahusha told us exactly who this great Teacher of Righteousness among the Nazarenes and Essences was, it was his own mentor!

Matthew 11:11

“I tell you the truth, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist.

If there was no one greater than John (ever born of a woman, that includes all men), then he is The Great Notsri. So much for that debate, Yahusha settled it. So, we have John "the prophesied Great Notsri" and "Teacher of Righteousness (Torah)" of the Nazarenes, mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and identified by The Messiah; consecrating Yahusha the Nazarene through Mikveh (defined in the Torah, whereby the Righteous requirements of The Law are fulfilled in the one being immersed). This significance cannot be overstated. This is “when and how” Yahusha “fulfilled The Law”!  It is also “when” he embodied the fullness of deity in human form!

Matthew 3

…14 But John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 “Let it be so now, Yahusha replied. “It is fitting for us (everyone) to fulfill all Righteousness” in this way (we have our sin washed away and brought to perfect obedience). Then John permitted him (to be Mikveh’d).  16 As soon as Yahusha was Mikveh’d, he went up out of the living water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of Yahuah descending like a dove and resting in him (Yahusha was filled with the Ruach and embodied the fullness of Deity Colossians 2:9).

Yahusha the Nazarene – follower of John

Nazarenes were a sect (among the Jews in Israel) who followed John the Baptist (at the time Yahusha lived). Under John’s direction, the Nazarenes, knowing the prophecies of Daniel concerning the timing of the Messiah’s coming, bathed in the Mikveh daily in expectation of the Messiah’s arrival.

Yahusha and many of his disciples were first followers of John the Baptist, and were all Nazarenes. When John consecrated Yahusha as his successor, his followers then followed Yahusha “the Nazarene”, and accepted him as The Messiah.

Nazarenes were spoken of as guardians of the Torah, Prophets, and Messiah. It is a mistranslation in our Bibles where it says “Jesus of Nazareth”. Not only is his name not Jesus, not only did the town of Nazareth not exist then, but the terms "sect of the Nazarenes" and "Yahusha of Nazareth" are the same. They both employ the adjective nasraya (Notsri) meaning branch, which is referring to the prophecy in Isaiah concerning The Branch, and the prophecy of Zechariah concerning The Branch. The English word “Nazarene” (Greek “Nazaraios,” Aramaic “Natsraya,” or Hebrew “Notsri”) comes from the Hebrew word netser (branch), which itself is derived from the verb natsar which means “to guard, watch, keep, or preserve”; in context speaking of the Torah. Yahusha was indeed a Notsri and keeper of the Torah. That is why he was called Yahusha the Notsri (mistranslated as Jesus of Nazareth), keeper and Guardian of the Torah.  He most certainly did not come to “do away with The Law” as the false religion would have you believe.

The Apostle Sha’ul – Leader of the Nazarenes, follower of Yahusha

The Apostle Sha’ul, too, was a Nazarene or Notsri. After Sha’ul was arrested in Jerusalem, he was escorted to Caesarea to appear before the governor Felix. Under the authority of Ananias, the “unauthorized” high priest, Tertullus brought the charges before Felix. Sha’ul gave his life for the cause and beliefs of the Nazarenes.  Notice his accusation:

Acts 24:5-6

“For we have found this man a pestilent fellow [a plague], and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law”.



The Righteous Requirements and Meaning of the Mikveh

John the Baptist, Yahusha, Sha’ul, all of the disciples, and all of the apostles, (and all of what we call the “early Church for 300 years after the Messiah’s death) were all Notsri or Nazarenes “keepers of the Torah”. We must now look to the Torah to understand what John was doing “baptizing” Jews in the Jordan River. He was not creating a “new” institution or ritual called “baptism”, he was performing the Mikveh in living water as their High Priest (anointed by Yahuah as a Zadok Priest… NOT Rome). Mikveh is the process of total immersion in "living" (or flowing water not stagnant water) to ritually cleanse a person for various reasons; such as sickness, sin, consecration of a priest, anointing of a King etc. To understand the significance of John, the Nazarene Zadok High Priest, Mikveh’ing the Nazarene Zadok High Priest Yahusha in the desert, we must know the reason behind the Mikveh ritual as defined in the Torah not the Christian Church! None of them were Christians, not one.

After Herod killed the High Priest Yahusha III, and appointed another High Priest; John lived an excluded Essene lifestyle in the wilderness (probably avoiding Herod), and had disavowed the corrupt temple priestly system in Jerusalem. John was sent to be trained as a Zadok High Priest by the Essenes who had a Temple “in the wilderness”.  The same path Yahusha would later take as a follower of John. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls indicates many of Yahusha's teachings were inspired by John, the "Essene Teacher of Righteousness". No wonder Yahusha gave John such high accolades as:

Matthew 11:11

I tell you the truth, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist.

In the face of Yahuah’s chosen lineage of High Priests, Herod had “chosen” his own, and those Temple Priests had stopped honoring the Torah requirements of laying on of hands at Mikveh!  This is just one of the things that drove John into the wilderness to serve the people as High Priest. Yahusha had to have all the Aaronic Priestly Authority transferred to him as THE RIGHTEOUS HIGH PRIEST/KING (Melchizedek), by the process of Mikveh and laying on of hands by Yahuah’s chosen High Priest. Yahusha had to be cleansed of sin and consecrated, by Mikveh, to "fulfill all Righteousness". Remember, Righteousness is obedience to The Law. What Yahusha was saying to John was that he had to be Mikveh'd to fulfill The Law and become high priest.

Matthew 3

13 Then Yahusha came from Galilee to the Jordan to be Mikveh'd by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be Mikveh'd by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Yahusha replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all requirements in The Law.” Then John consented.

Yahusha could not be Mikveh’d by just any other High Priest; it had to be John who was prophesied to do just that:

Malachi 3:1

“I will send My Messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then suddenly Yahuah (whom) you are seeking will come to his (true) Temple (the human body of His sons); the Messenger of the Covenant (of Peace; the Messiah), whom you desire, will come (and lay down his life as the Chief Cornerstone of that Spiritual Temple),” says Yahuah Almighty.

Yahusha said Malachi and Isaiah were speaking of John:

Matthew 17:11-13

"Yahusha replied, ‘To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist"

Everything mentioned in the vision of Zechariah 3, concerning The High Priest Yahusha, has come to pass in the life of The Messiah. The doctrine of Yahusha's Mikveh by John is so paramount; it is THE ELEMENTARY teaching, without which, you cannot progress in Knowledge of the Messiah.

Apostle Sha’ul’s teaching Yahusha’s Mikveh as “elementary”

Below is what Sha’ul wrote concerning the elementary teaching about Yahusha's Mikveh:

Hebrews 6

1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about The Messiah and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again (now Sha’ul lists the fundamental teaching about Yahusha) the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of Faith in Yahuah, 2 instruction (Torah requirements) about cleansing rites (Mikveh) and (instruction or Torah requirements concerning) washing of hands, (and Torah requirements concerning) the laying on of hands (to transfer the sins onto The Passover Lamb), the resurrection of the dead, and Eternal Judgment. 3 And Yahuah permitting (us to mature), we will do so (but only if we understand Yahusha's Mikveh).

So, let me make what Sha’ul is saying crystal clear. In vs. 1 he states these are teachings "about Yahusha", then lists each critical teaching about Yahusha. In vs. 2 he mentions "instructions" which in Hebrew is the word "Torah" concerning "cleansing rites" which is Mikveh.

Allow me restate ‘more clearly’ below how Hebrews 6 should read Remember Sha’ul was a Nazarene, keeper of the Torah:

Hebrews 6

1 Therefore let us move forward and mature in our understanding about the things concerning Yahusha, not laying again (having to relearn over and over) the basic teaching about Yahusha (everything mentioned below is talking “about Yahusha”):

  - About Yahusha's foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death (referring to Yahusha’s Mikveh for repentance by John)

  - and of Yahusha's Faith in Yahuah (to wipe away his sin through Mikveh)

  - 2 "instructions" about "cleansing rites" (i.e. we must know Torah requirements concerning Mikveh to know the significance of what was happening to Yahusha)

  - and (Torah requirements) of washing and the laying on of hands (at Yahusha's Mikveh, the ritual to transfer priestly authority and pass the sins of the world on to Yahusha as The Passover Lamb)

  - How Yahusha was resurrected from the dead by Yahuah who heard his cries because of his piety in life (Hebrews 5:7)

  - and how Yahusha now reigns as Eternal Judge over the House of Yahuah (Zechariah 3:7)

3 And Yahuah will only permit us to move on to maturity (concerning Yahusha) once we lay this foundation firmly.

The Apostle Sha’ul is teaching us the importance of Yahusha’s Mikveh. Yahuah will not permit us to move on and mature in Spiritual Knowledge, until we understand what happened when John cried out “Behold! The Passover Lamb of God” and then Mikveh’d Yahusha. We will remain "children" in Yahuah and never progress to full maturity, until we understand the concept I am explaining in this book about Yahusha. Sha’ul stressed this very well and after trying to explain everything I am in this book about Yahusha as Melchizedek he finally "seemingly" through his arms up in frustration and said:

Hebrews 5

11 We have much to say about this (in context he was talking about Yahusha as the Ruling Zadok), but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers (of the Torah, there was no NT for another 300 years), you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of Yahuah’s Word (the Torah) all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about Righteousness (again the Torah). 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use (obedience to the Torah) have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (which is what The Law was given for).

That concept summarized so eloquently in Hebrews 6:1 by the Apostle Sha’ul, was exactly what Zechariah saw in a vision from Yahuah in Zechariah Chapter 3. Sha’ul understood everything I am explaining here. He listed baptism or ritual cleansing (Mikveh) and the laying on of hands in context of Yahusha, as so fundamental to our growth in Yahuah, that if we do not understand these doctrines... Yahuah will stunt our growth in Him. Yahusha's Mikveh is THE starting point (and pivotal moment) when Yahusha became The Messiah, The Eternal High Priest Melchizedek, and Passover Lamb of God all given Yahusha through inheritance (bloodlines).

Let me summarize Hebrews 6:1 again so we are clear. Sha’ul says these are "elementary teachings about Yahusha". Yes, everything Sha’ul listed in Hebrews 6:1 were concerning Yahusha and referring to his Mikveh:

      Repentance from acts that lead to death - Yahusha repented of any acts that lead to death by going to John to be Mikveh'd. We don't know "what", because his life prior to that point was not documented for a reason (it doesn’t matter to Yahuah), they were not just "missing". They no longer "counted" in the eyes of Yahuah, because Yahusha had repented and been Mikveh'd. This is probably why his documented life begins with his Mikveh; his previous life simply had no relevance to Yahusha's state of perfection from then on.

      Laying on of Hands - It was at Yahusha’s Mikveh that John laid hands on Yahusha, he was ritually cleansed through Mikveh, and the sins of the world were transferred onto Yahusha's shoulder as The Passover Lamb. That is the role of The High Priest each year to lay hands on the lamb and transfer the sins of Israel.

      Instructions about cleansing rites - Torah is Hebrew for "instructions" and cleansing rites is Mikveh. So this literally says "know the Torah concerning Mikveh"! On the day of his Mikveh, Yahusha was forgiven by Yahuah, cleansed, and consecrated a High Priest per Torah requirements (exactly as portrayed in Zechariah's vision).

      Exercising faith toward Yahuah – Yahusha exercised his faith at his Mikveh, that Yahuah would “wipe away his sin” as He promised in the Torah (instructions about cleansing rites), and confirmed in the desert (Zachariah 3).

      Resurrected from the dead - The Word says Yahuah "heard Yahusha's cry to deliver him from death" BECAUSE of Yahusha's piety Hebrews 5:7. Just like Zechariah's vision shows.

      Eternal Judgment - As Yahuah promised The High Priest Yahusha in Zechariah's vision, IF Yahusha would obey His Commandments and demonstrate his piety toward Yahuah (Hebrews 5:7), THEN Yahusha would "govern" the House of Yahuah, and be in charge of His "Courts". Yahuah would also forgive the sins of the world in one day (the Passover execution of Yahusha). Yahusha was given a name above every name and seated at Yahuah’s right hand. Just like Zechariah's vision showed us, Yahusha was made King and he “governs the House of Yahuah”, and Eternal Judge taking over Yahuah's Courts. This too was prophesied in Isaiah 9:6 "and the GOVERNMENT shall be on his shoulders". Yahusha now reigns as the Eternal King/Judge/High Priest.


 

Sha’ul understood "Melchi Tzedek"

What else did Sha’ul know (besides the truth of Yahusha’s Mikveh), being a Pharisee, master in the Torah, Nazarene and teacher of The Law and Prophets? He knew the Plan of Yahuah was to send a Zadok High Priest to offer the final Sacrifice of the Passover Lamb, and to govern as the “Eternal Ruling Zadok”! Sha’ul understood what happened when John laid hands on Yahusha, and Mikveh'd him, consecrating Yahusha as High Priest; transferring all authority to him, and also transferring all sins of the world onto The Passover Lamb. Sha’ul also understood the Blood of the Passover Lamb would cover the DECREES against us (found in the Law), leading to Grace thereby making “whole the Law”.  The Law was made weak by sinful flesh, and made whole by putting to death sin in the flesh.  See my book The Yahushaic Covenant Volume 1 – The Mediator for a detailed discussion on how The Law was made complete through Grace. Available on Amazon Books, or www.sabbathcovenatn.com


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Sha’ul’s teachings have been grossly mistranslated, then mis-taught by the pagan Roman religion we call Christianity. Having abolished the Law, Christianity has no understanding of what Sha’ul is talking about in his letters.

 

Now, let us explore Sha’ul's writings, and confirm that Sha’ul knew exactly what had transpired when John Mikveh'd Yahusha.

The Perfected High Priest Melchi Tzedek

Sha’ul knew that Yahusha was the chosen Ruling Zadok. Sha’ul knew Yahusha was perfected in obedience by Yahuah (through suffering discipline for disobedience), forgiven by Yahuah, and consecrated as High Priest through Mikveh. Sha’ul knew Yahusha was heard by Yahuah because of his piety not because Yahusha was a demi-god. It is for that reason (his piety), that Yahusha became the source (Passover Lamb) of Salvation (for shouldering the sins of the world.) Sha’ul also, as do I, found this hard to explain, because everyone has become dull of hearing having come to believe “tradition” and Babylonian legend that Yahusha was “Yahuah in the flesh”. Below we see Sha’ul teaching this very truth clearly:

Hebrews 5 - The Perfected High Priest

1 For every High Priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to Yahuah, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2 he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3 and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4 And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by Yahuah, even as Aaron was. 5 So also Yahusha did not Glorify himself so as to become a High Priest, but (it was) Yahuah who (in addition to being High Priest) said to Yahusha

 

"YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY (the day of his resurrection) I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU";

 

6 just as Yahuah says also in another passage (choosing Yahusha among men as High Priest from the House of Zadok), "YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."

 

7 In the days of Yahusha’s flesh (when he was human), Yahusha offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One (Yahuah) able to save Yahusha from death, and Yahusha was heard (by Yahuah) because of his piety (NOT because he was a god). 8 Although Yahusha was a son, Yahusha had to learn obedience (to Yahuah) from the things (discipline) which Yahusha suffered (for disobedience). 9 And having been perfected (Yahusha was not born perfect being simply a man, but had to be perfected), Yahusha became (he was not always, he BECAME after his Mikveh and submission and death on Passover) to all those who obey him the source (example or The Way) of Eternal Salvation (the sin offering), 10 being designated by Yahuah as a High Priest (chosen from among men verse 1) according to the order of Melchizedek (he was by inheritance or lineage a King of the House of David and High Priest of the House of Zadok i.e. Ruling Zadok). 11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

Sha’ul Knew What Happened in the Desert!

We see below, Sha’ul understood exactly what happened when John Mikveh'd Yahusha. Sha’ul tells us clearly that the priestly office was transferred to Melchizedek. Sha’ul also explains that The Law was transferred over to serve the new Eternal High Priest.  The Law was transposed to Spirit (written on our hearts) as Yahuah declared it would be. “The New Covenant” is defined by The Law being elevated not abolished.

Jeremiah 31:31-35

31 “The days are coming,” declares Yahuah, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt (written in stone), because they broke My Covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares Yahuah.  33 “This is the Covenant I will make with the people of Israel (yes the people of Israel… the House of Israel and The House of Judah not the pagan Romans) after that time,” declares Yahuah.  “I will put My Law in their minds and write it on their hearts”

Knowing the Law was not abolished, but “transposed” to Spiritual intent of the heart, Sha’ul says:

Hebrews 7:12

"for when there is a transfer of the priestly office (to the Eternal Melchi Tsedek), out of necessity there is ALSO A TRANSFER OF THE LAW of the priesthood (by which the Priesthood has authority)"

If the Law was abolished, Yahusha would have no authority to serve as High Priest or make Atonement.

Sha’ul Knew it was not The Law Nailed to the Stake, but only the Decrees within it!

Below is just a very cursory introduction to my book The Kingdom of Yahuah.


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The Kingdom of Yahuah was revealed to mankind through transposition (transfer of position); from oral to written to Spiritual. This truth was not lost on the Apostle Sha’ul.

Being a Torah expert, Sha’ul knew The Law contained 3 elements communicated from Adam through Moses verbally. The Law was then written down at the time of Moses “in stone”. We see below, that Sha’ul was well aware that The Law (in all aspects) was not just given to Moses, but also Abraham and Jacob verbally.  The Law was a vital part of every covenant Yahuah made with mankind (Edenic, Adamic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and Yahushaic):

Deuteronomy 5

30 "Go, tell them to return to their tents. 31 But you stay here with Me so that I may give you all the Commands, Decrees and Laws you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess."

 

Genesis 26:5 - KJV

5 Because that Abraham obeyed My Voice, and kept My Charge, My Commandments, My Statutes, and My Laws.

 

Psalms 147:19-148:1 - KJV

19 He sheweth His Word unto Jacob, His Statutes (Commands and Laws) and His Judgments (Decrees) unto Israel. 20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for His Judgments, they have not known them. Praise Yahuah.

Sha’ul was well aware of the following 3 elements that together are called The Law:

     His Commandments (10 Commandments)

     His Laws (Dietary, Priestly, Sacrificial, Ritual Purity, Judicial, Moral, Agricultural, Business, Sabbatical, Community, Prohibition, Tithes/Offerings, etc.)

     His Decrees (Judicial Judgments amounting to a Certificate of Debt against us for our disobedience to His Commandments and His Laws)

Now that we understand that the "decrees" are only a part of The Law. The part where judgment is pronounced by Yahuah for our disobedience to His Commandments and Laws, it becomes obvious what Sha’ul said was nailed to the stake... THE DECREES AGAINST US:

Colossians 2:14-16

"Having canceled out the Certificate of Debt (levied against humanity) consisting of Decrees (penalties for transgressing His Commands and His Laws) against us and which (these Decrees which amounted to a Certificate of Debt) was hostile to us (because we did not keep His Commandments); and Yahuah has taken it (the Certificate of Debt which are the Decrees only not The Law) out of the way (sacrificing His Passover Lamb to cover us), having nailed it (the “Certificate of Debt” which are the Decrees only not the entire Law) to the stake.

So Sha’ul clearly said only the Decrees levied against us (that are hostile to us) are what Yahuah has taken out of the way, nailing them to the stake with Yahusha. Yahusha's blood covered the Decrees pronounced against us for our sin against Yahuah and our disobedience to the Torah. In this way, the sin of the world died with Yahusha the Passover Lamb. Sha’ul calls this covering of the Decrees in The Law "grace".

Again, I cover this topic in much greater detail in my book “The Yahushaic Covenant Volume 1 – The Mediator”, as Yahusha did not come to abolish The Law, but bring it to perfection covering the Decrees against us. Sha’ul is clearly defining the difference between The Law of Sin and Death and The Law of Spirit of Life … that difference is the Decrees in The Law are covered by the Blood of the lamb.


 

The Law of Sin and Death vs. The Law of the Spirit of Life

What the Apostle Sha’ul was explaining is that the “Decrees” found within The Law are covered by the Blood of The Passover Lamb making whole The Law. So what we have is:

The Law of Sin and Death

This is The Law which is “weakened by our flesh”. Our flesh is hostile to The Law making active the “Decree” against us for transgressing it. So, The Law of Sin and Death (sin and you die by decree) is The Law with active decrees prior to Yahusha’s blood covering them. We were being held captive to sin and death by the decrees.

The Law of the Spirit of Life

This is The Law with the Decrees covered by the Blood of the Lamb making The Law whole again not abolished in any way. The weakness in The Law (our flesh) has been accounted for and we through the Blood of the lamb are restored to perfect obedience to The Law. We, therefore, are heir to the promises of The Law for perfect obedience… that promise is Eternal Life. So The Law of the Spirit which leads to Life is The Law with the Decrees “nailed to the stake”.

Sha’ul explains this further in the Book of Romans:

Romans 8:1-8 Life through the Spirit

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation (no active Decrees in The Law) for those who are in (Covenant with) Yahusha the Messiah, 2 because through Yahusha the Law of the Spirit who gives Life (The Law with the Decrees nailed to the stake) has set you free from the Law of sin and death (The Law of Sin and you Die by Divine Decree). 3 For what theLaw was powerless to do (give life for obedience) because it was weakened by the flesh (which is against The Law of Yahuah and we transgress it), Yahuah did by sending His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh (as a human) to be a sin offering (the scapegoat / Passover Lamb). And so he condemned sin in the flesh (by dying without sin through Mikveh), 4 in order that the Righteous requirement of the Law (it has not been abolished, Righteousness is still obedience to The Law) might be fully met in us (we would be restored to perfection through Mikveh), who do not live according to the flesh (which is hostile to The Law) but according to the Spirit (whose mind is set on The Law as we obey it in love not obligation the INTENT of The Law).

5 Those who live according to the flesh (transgress The Law) have their minds set on what the flesh desires (weakening the power of The Law to grant Eternal Life); but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds (Law is written on our minds and heart) set on what the Spirit desires (defined in The Law where Eternal Life is promised for perfect obedience). 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death (the penalty levied by the Decrees in The Law for transgressing it), but the mind governed by the Spirit (of loving obedience Ezekiel 36) is Life and Peace (the promise in The Law for obedience). 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to Yahuah; (because) it does not submit to Yahuah’s Law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please Yahuah (because pleasing Yahuah is defined as obedience to His Law Hebrews 2:13 i.e. Righteousness or right standing or pleasing Yahuah is keeping The Law)

What Sha’ul is describing is what he called a “two-edged sword” in

Hebrews 4

12 For the Word of Yahuah (the Torah, there was no NT until 300 years later) is alive and active (in no way abolished). Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul (what you want to believe) and Spirit (of Truth).

The two edges of this “sword” are:

1. You transgress His Law and you die

2. You Faithfully (in covenant with Yahusha) obey it and you live.

One side is The Law with active decrees “Law of Sin and Death”. The other side is The Law with the Decrees nailed to the stake “Law of Spirit of Life


 

 

Mikveh to Ritually Cleanse

Mikveh is the process whereby we fulfill the Righteous requirements of The Law. This is why Yahusha demanded John go forward with the Mikveh, even though John recognized Yahusha's authority over him as the Ruling Zadok. Yahusha being Melchizedek, there simply was no human above him qualified to Mikveh Yahusha except John. It was John who Yahuah prophesied and gave the authority to do so as “Elijah”, the anointed High Priest and mentor of Yahusha.

Mikveh was established by Yahuah in The Law for many reasons, but the one important to this chapter is the Consecration of Priests, for more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikveh

Yahusha's ministry as High Priest (who would later offer the final Passover Sacrifice), began with his Consecration (Mikveh) by the ordained High Priest John (who preceded him in the House of Zadok). John laid hands on Yahusha's head, transferred all authority of the Priesthood to the Zadok High Priest Yahusha, then immersed him in living water, making him ritually clean of all sin before Yahuah. Just as we see in the vision of Zechariah 3 “see High Priest Yahusha, I have forgiven your sin” says Yahuah! Now, Yahusha was ready to begin his ministry as The Messiah, and was prepped as The Passover Lamb having the sins of the world transferred on his shoulders by the High Priest John, making Yahusha the “scapegoat” or “sin offering”.

We see in The Jewish Encyclopedia that an Aaronic High Priest was required to lay hands on the "scapegoat", thereby transferring the sins of the people onto the spotless lamb on Passover and the goat on the Day of Atonement.

"When the offering, if a quadruped, had been brought witprecincts of the sanctuary, and after examination had been found qualified, the offerer laid one hand upon the victim's head (Lev. i. 4; iii. 2, 8, 13; iv. 5, 15). On the scape-goat, the High Priest laid both of his hands (ib. xvi. 21). This "laying on of hands" ("semikah") might not be performed by a substitute. Read more: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=35&letter=S#ixzz1alhnHOY8

No wonder Yahusha "ran off into the desert" just like the scapegoats did! What would you do if the sins of the entire world were just placed on YOUR shoulders and you were made the “scapegoat/sin offering” for the entire human race? I know I would do the same thing, and seek the face of Yahuah in the process just like Yahusha did. I would not come out of that desert until I was reassured by Yahuah that I was in fact The Messiah! That is exactly what Yahusha did, and it took 40 days/nights to get that assurance (I would probably only last about 24 hours). We see what happened in that desert in Zechariah Chapter 3 in detail. Yahuah dressed Yahusha as High Priest, and brought forth out of that desert The Branch or “Notsri”… Yahusha the Nazarene, now leaving that desert as the reigning High Priest and King of Israel by blood through inheritance with the full assurance from Yahuah Himself that he was The Prophesied Branch!

We must understand, that it is recorded in the days of Malachi that the High Priests in the Temple had stopped the process of laying on of hands. To restore this Righteous process, the High Priest John (the “Baptist”) had to withdraw into the desert to the Jordan River, to sanctify himself from the general population and properly serve as a High Priest. This was necessary to restore the role of the High Priest by Torah Standards. Yahusha could not go to the Temple for Consecration or preparation as the Passover Lamb, because that system had been corrupted. Yahusha went to John, who was ordained by Yahuah, to Consecrate and prepare him as High Priest and Passover Lamb. John knew that was his job as well as it had been prophesied by his father Zechariah, and as soon as he saw Yahusha, he just couldn't contain himself any longer and belted out to all the Nazarenes following him:

"Behold! The Lamb who will take away the sin of the world!"

 

Exactly John... Exactly how I feel. Behold... my King, my Passover Lamb, my Yom Kippur, my High Priest, my brother... Yahusha who is my Messiah! HalleluYahuah! Yahuah’s prophetic "word/debar" or Predestined Plan written in the stars (The Heavenly Scroll) had become "flesh"... Yahuah had fulfilled His promise in Yahusha to send us a human Messiah to take away our sin, and fulfill the metaphor of Abraham sacrificing Isaac; Isaac being spared by a substitute lamb. Yahusha as The Eternal High Priest from the House of Zadok would sacrifice himself, the first born son of Yahuah, to put an end to the yearly substitute of a lamb on Passover. That is why his sacrifice was once for all time. We no longer need a yearly substitute. The life of the first born has satisfied the penalty of sin… DEATH on Mt. Mariah!

Death cannot hold an “innocent man”, so it could not hold Yahusha. I am in Covenant with Yahuah through the Blood of Yahusha; and through his sacrifice death will not hold me either, I will defeat death by following The Way of Mikveh, Circumcision, and Offering.  I am restored to perfect obedience through Mikveh and found innocent as well. The Divine Decrees within The Law that would have condemned me, have been satisfied by Yahusha’s death, and I will inherit the promises found in The Law for obedience… all of them.  For more information, see my book The Narrow Gate.


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The Righteous Requirement of Ritual Cleansing before Building the Temple of Yahuah

Yahusha is the chief architect and corner stone of the Temple. In that role, he must be Mikveh'd to be ritually clean. Yahuah made the High Priest Yahusha III the High Priest (who watched over the construction of the Second Temple) a foreshadowing of Yahusha the Messiah - It would be his great grandson, Yahusha the Messiah, who would be the Chief Architect and cornerstone of the 3rd and final Temple of Yahuah.

Just like Yahusha son of Nun was chosen by Yahuah to take over for Moses and lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land, the entire nation of Israel had to be Mikveh'd in the Red Sea crossing.  And the Earth had to be Mikveh’d in a great flood to cleanse it from sin.  All these are types and shadows of the coming Messiah and purpose of Mikveh.


 

 

Yahusha, the Living Water

Yahusha spoke some very specific words on the last day during the Feast of Succoth that sent shockwaves thru the Temple courts. The verse John 7:37 reads: “In the last day, that great day of the feast (of Succoth), Yahusha stood and cried out in a loud voice, saying, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”  Can you imagine a man standing up in the midst of the Temple on Succoth and yelling THAT, just as the High Priest was drawing water from a well? Yahusha knew he was the anointed High Priest and rightful heir of Yahusha III, not those “appointed by Herod”, who were imposters in the office of High Priest. There was a water ceremony done on the Altar that day Yahusha spoke these words. Do you know the significance of this ceremony? Do you know from which well in Jerusalem they would get the water from? Did you know that the waters of the well had a name? Which Psalms were sung during this Temple service Ritual? Did you know, the Water Ceremony on The Temple was a moedim celebrating the Kingdom on Earth which begins at the transition from this age (Pisces) to the Age of Aquarius… THE WATER BEARER WHO POURS LIVING WATER OVER THE EARTH TO MIKVEH IT BEFORE THE KINGDOM IS ESTABLISHED?  Probably not.  Please read my book Creation Cries Out!


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Christian Baptism

In the Christian Church, the entire concept was taken from pagan rituals. There is but a small mention of the Mikveh, and not one word of the reasoning behind Yahusha's Mikveh when you research “baptism”. It is taught as a "new rite" establishes by "John/Jesus" and they call it a "sacrament" or "religious rite of Jesus Christ". The false church, with its false messiah, has literally hijacked every critical component of Yahuah’s Plan of Salvation, and replaced it with pagan rites. No, Yahusha did not institute a "new rite". This could not be further from the truth, and Yahusha admitted it when he said he had to do it to fulfill all Righteousness which is the Torah. It was not “new”, and Yahusha did not establish anything that was not already defined in the Torah by Yahuah. From Christian Baptism candidates being tapped 3 times (to represent their God, the pagan Trinity) on the forehead with water… to infants being "sprinkled" and given a name... it is all taken from paganism. True to Christian form, as with all their doctrines, the doctrine of baptism is a constant source of confusion and bickering between denominations. Remember, who is the author of "confusion"? Exactly. There is NO confusion unless you "abolish The Law of Yahuah".

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptism you see one small confusing paragraph about the "Jewish Ritual" of Mikveh lost in a sea of human tradition. Mikveh isn’t even a "Jewish Ritual" at all. They say that because Christianity has done all it can do to convince us not to be “Judaised”, but it is actually a Hebrew Ritual of Yahuah given to Moses who was not even a Jew! In fact, Mikveh goes all the way back to Noah when the Earth was Mikveh'd. It is a promise found in The Heavenly Scroll (AQUARIUS) dating back to creation!


 

Summary

Now that we have established what really happened when John performed the Mikveh consecrating Yahusha as High Priest in succession to him and transferred the sin of the world onto Yahusha making him the Passover Lamb. Let us now look closer at The Passover Lamb and the Daily Sacrifices that are required of The High Priest Yahusha.

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