Excerpt from The Yahushaic Covenant Volume 1 by Rav Sha'ul Yahusha’s role and responsibilities defined by Rav Sha'ul   The reason behind the first coming of the Messiah was for Yahusha to be consecrated as High Priest of Israel then fulfill the Spring Festivals.  Yahusha was the rightful High Priest of Israel who offered the final sacrifice of The Passover Lamb. High Priests of Israel were consecrated through what is called the Mikveh (what we think of as baptism).  It was the role of the “outgoing High Priest” to Mikveh and lay hands on the incoming High Priest.  I explain all of this in my book Melchizedek and The Passover Lamb.    A short history lesson John was the reigning High Priest of Israel being the first male heir to the Zadok High Priest Yahusha III who was killed by Herod.  John then as High Priest exercised Righteous Judgment over Herod’s life.  Herod then had John killed.  Yahusha was next in line of ascension being the next male heir of Yahusha III after John.  That is why Herod was trying to kill Yahusha.  Herod thought he had put an end to Yahuah’s line of Zadok High Priests by killing Yahusha III.  Herod didn’t realize Yahusha III had made prior arrangements to marry his 3 daughters into the line of David.  Once Herod discovered John was the Zadok High Priest he had John killed.  Again thinking he had put an end to the “House of Zadok” Herod discovered Yahusha was next in line.  Herod actually thought Yahusha was John who had come back from the dead: Matthew 14 1 At that time Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard the reports about Yahusha. 2 So he said to his servants, “Yahusha is John the Baptist, who has risen from the dead.” John being the reigning High Priest of Israel is why Yahusha went to John to be “baptized” to “fulfill all righteousness”.  Yahusha had to be Mikveh’d by John; there was no way around it if Yahusha was to be High Priest of Israel.   John objected to doing the Mikveh at first because Yahusha was greater than he was in the Plan of Yahuah.  Yahusha, however, encouraged John because it was necessary to fulfill Torah requirements for him to take the office of High Priest. Matthew 3:13-17 13 Then Yahusha arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John (his cousin, the High Priest of Israel, the teacher of righteousness, and his mentor.  The one whom Yahusha declared the greatest man ever to have been born Luke 7:28), to be Mikveh’d by him. 14 But John tried to prevent him, saying, “I have need to be Mikveh’d by you, why do you come to me?” 15 But Yahusha answered and said to him, “Permit my Mikveh at this time; for in this way (I will be consecrated by you as the next High Priest) it is fitting for us (it had to be done by John as John was the High Priest and was sent by Yahuah for this purpose) to fulfill all righteousness (Torah requirements).” Then John (understanding the Torah requirement of Mikveh to ritually clean the High Priest) permitted Yahusha’s request. 16 After being Mikveh’d by John, Yahusha came up immediately from the water (being ritually clean before Yahuah); and behold, the heavens were opened, and John (in the spirit) saw the Spirit of Yahuah descending as a dove and lighting (metaphors) on Yahusha, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”   Yahuah anoints The Eternal High Priest Once Yahusha was Mikveh’d by John as the final Zadok High Priest, Yahusha then fled into the desert to seek Yahuah’s anointing.  Matthew 4 4 Then Yahusha was led up by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil (as a brand being put in the fire Jeremiah 3:2). 2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to Him… 8 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Yahusha said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship Yahuah your God, and serve Him only (Yahusha quoted the Shema).’” 11 Then the devil stopped tempting Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.” It is at this point that the story is picked up in Zachariah as scripture always defines scripture.  It was there in the desert that Yahuah came to Yahusha and gave His anointing and made Yahusha the eternal High Priest of Israel.  It was there in the desert Yahuah promised Yahusha to forgive the sins of the world in one day.  It was there in the desert Yahuah confirmed to Yahusha that he was the Messiah.  It was there in the desert that Yahuah promised to make Yahusha King and Righteous Judge.  We were given a vision of that event in the desert by Zachariah who foresaw what transpired in that desert between Yahusha and Yahuah.  Below is what took place in the desert, I explain in blue parenthesis.  This prophecy is paramount the first and second comings of The Messiah as I will explain: Zechariah 3 Vision of Yahusha after spending 40 days in the desert seeking Yahuah’s anointing 1 Then Yahuah showed Zachariah in a vision Yahusha the high priest (Yahusha had just been consecrated by John through Mikveh as High Priest of Israel 40 days prior) standing before the Angel of Yahuah (came to minister to Yahusha Matthew 4:11), and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose Yahusha (this is where Matthew leaves off, because Yahusha had just rejected Satan’s offer to take Jerusalem by force). 2 And Yahuah said to Satan, “Yahuah rebuke you, Satan! Yahuah who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this (man) not a brand plucked from the fire (Yahuah had just put Yahusha through a major test in the hot son of the desert as a brand placed in the fire that almost killed Yahusha of starvation and dehydration)?” Next, Yahuah forgives the “sin of Yahusha” through Mikveh as promised.  Through Mikveh the High Priest is ritually cleansed of sin and washed white as snow in the eyes of Yahuah 3 Now Yahusha was clothed with filthy garments (a metaphor of sin Isaiah 64:6), and was standing before the Angel. 4 Then Yahuah answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments (sin) from Yahusha.” And Yahuah said to Yahusha, “See, I have removed your iniquity (filthy garments) from you (as I promised through Mikveh), and I will clothe you with rich robes (a metaphorical white robe of perfection).” Next, Yahuah anoints Yahusha as THE Eternal High Priest of The House of Zadok i.e. Melchizedek 5 And Yahuah said, “Let them put a clean turban (of The High Priest) on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes (of the High Priest) on him. And the Angel of Yahuah stood by. (this is a “vision”, Yahuah didn’t physically put the garments of the High Priest on Yahusha in the desert, this is a metaphor of Yahuah anointing Yahusha as High Priest spiritually.) Next Yahuah promises Yahusha that if he fulfills the role of The Messiah and walks in Yahuah’s Will, and keeps Yahuah’s commandments THEN after he has completed the responsibilities of Messiah ben Joseph he will be resurrected and given all power and authority and seated as King and Righteous Judge: 6 Then the Angel of Yahuah admonished Yahusha, saying, 7 “Thus says Yahuah of hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, And if you will keep My command, Then you shall also judge The House of Yahuah (all the sons of Yahuah), And likewise have charge of My courts (be the Eternal Righteous Judge); I will give you places to walk Among these who stand here. Next YHVH prepares Yahusha as The Branch and confirms that he is The Messiah: 8 ‘Hear, O Yahusha, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing (you) forth (as) My Servant the BRANCH. Yahuah ends Yahusha consecration with the promise that if Yahusha is obedient unto death as The Passover Lamb, Yahuah will accept his sacrifice and Yahuah will forgive the sins of the world on that day. 9 For behold, the stone That I have laid before Yahusha: Upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ Says Yahuah of hosts, ‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. 10 In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Everyone will invite his neighbor Under his vine and under his fig tree.’” What we are witnessing in this vision is the consecration and anointing of Yahusha as the Eternal Zadok Priest as required to fulfill all righteousness (The Law).   Below is the righteous process of the Mikveh, the putting on of the garments of the High Priest, exactly what happened to Yahusha: Exodus 29 4 Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water (Mikveh). 5 Take the garments and dress Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself and the breastpiece. Fasten the ephod on him by its skillfully woven waistband. 6 Put the turban on his head and attach the sacred emblem to the turban. 7 Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head. 8 Bring his sons and dress them in tunics 9 and fasten caps on them. Then tie sashes on Aaron and his sons. The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance. Yahusha had to first come into this world fully human to be consecrated as the eternal Zadok High Priest which would give him the authority to offer himself as the final Passover Lamb.  Only then once that mission is accomplished which culminated in Yahusha’s death; would Yahusha be seated as proxy King over the Kingdom of Yahuah.  Yahusha, after his death, was given charge of Yahuah’s courts as Righteous Judge, and rule over The House of Yahuah as their judge and King.  Yahusha had to come twice because he had to come the first time to be consecrated High Priest and die as The Passover Lamb.  He then returns with all the authority and power and honor and glory bestowed upon him by Yahuah as King to reclaim his inheritance. Next: Yahusha's consecration as Melchizedek

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