Footsteps of Messiah
The Sharp Sickle
In the last newsletter, we saw that the shoresh ram, which means lifted up, high, is used twice in Psalm 27:5-6. He sets me UP [yeromemeni] on a rock and will LIFT [yarum] my head above my enemies. What you hear in the wordplay is a beast kingdom that had not yet arisen, but which would arise and lift itself above the Temple and its people: Rome.
Although the red beast Rome destroyed the daily sacrifice, it cannot destroy the sacrifices in the highest place, the Kingdom just above Mount Zion. Now let's investigate the image of the beast, its last kingdom Rome, and red Rome's daughters. This will help us to understand Revelation Fourteen, the one like the Son of Man with a sickle, and then the angel with the sharp sickle who follows him.
The “Footsteps” working text is found here in the Song of Songs:
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Until the cool of the day, when the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of Bether. (So 2:17)
“The mountains” in the corresponding midrashic thread allude to the powerful kingdoms that have subdued Israel, and specifically Rome, the largest and most powerful kingdom, whose “feet” are still mingled with the governments of the kingdoms of the earth. The mountains of Bether (Beitar) are an unusually specific reference to a place that had no historical significance until hundreds of years later when the Romans destroyed the last of the Jews there who followed the false messiah Bar Kokhba.
There is a strange coincidence of the recorded history of Beitar in the Talmud and what John predicted in Revelation. Here is a summary of what happened in Beitar in Gittin 57a-58a:
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"The brains of three-hundred children were found upon one stone, along with three-hundred baskets of what remained of phylacteries (Hebrew: tefillin) were found in Betar, each and every one of which had the capacity to hold three measures (three seahs, or what is equivalent to about 28 liters). If you should come to take [all of them] into account, you would find that they amounted to three-hundred measures." Rabban [Shimon] Gamliel said: "Five-hundred schools were in Betar, while the smallest of them wasn't less than three-hundred children. They used to say, 'If the enemy should ever come upon us, with these styli [used in pointing at the letters of sacred writ] we'll go forth and stab them.' But since iniquities had caused [their fall], the enemy came in and wrapped up each and every child in his own book and burnt them together, and no one remained except me."
The Mishnah and Talmud are written cryptically, not with the expectation that they will be read in isolation from the teaching methods, symbolic language, formulaic structure, or a personal teacher. In fact, in the Avot, we are cautioned, “Make a teacher for yourself...”
With that in mind, we want to consider the history recorded above, which may also be written in symbolic language, primarily of “threes,” and compare it to the following passage of the Mishnah, which describes the reaping of the sheaves of barley for the omer offering. The writer went on to describe the blood of Beitar as running all the way up to the Roman cavalry's horses' bridles. With the tools of history and Temple practice in hand, then we will re-read Revelation Fourteen’s description of the reaping of the earth.
Our interest is in the omer offering of the firstfruits of the barley. It was barley bread that rolled into the Midianite camp and portended Gideon’s “resurrection” victory over Midian and Amalek with his three divisions of 300 men. The story of Gideon, like that of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, has Passover/Unleavened symbols, suggesting we study those sources for prophecies of destruction associated with Passover. If the days are “shortened” for the elect’s sake, then we look to the Pesach week for first clues as to how that happens:
Kodashim Vol 1b Menachot 10 gives some important specifics concerning Temple practice:
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“And the Rabbis say: Both on Shabbat and during the week, the omer offering would come from three se’a of reaped barley... Both on Shabbat and during the week, it was reaped by three people with three baskets and with three sickles...The mitzvah of the omer is to bring the barley reaped for the meal offering from fields proximate to Jerusalem. If the barley did not ripen in the fields proximate to Jerusalem, one brings it from any place in Eretz Yisrael.”
The omer of barley is sought closest to Jerusalem and the Temple, which is meant to adhere to the concept of “Ain ma-avirin al ha-mitvot,” or “We do not pass over a mitzvah.” This means that we perform a mitzvah as quickly as possible and do not let the opportunity pass lest we become distracted or the adversary attacks, and we fail to perform it within its time period.
In atypical circumstances, the barley may be sought in the far reaches of the Land, but barley is always sought first close to the Temple for obedience-speed and so that it is very green and moist, not dry from the journey. This reminds us of Moses, whose “moisture” never diminished and the dew on thirsty vegetation, the Song of Moses falling in the hearing of Israel (Haazinu). “Hearers” of the mitzvot are sought for firstfruits.
The historian’s account of three seahs and the response of “Yes, Yes, Yes” in the passage below as it concerns to the three Temple reapers reminds us of the omer offering, as if Beitar is part of a contranym:
Three seahs for the omer of firstfruits
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Three seahs of Israel reaped by the red beast of Rome for their iniquity in a false messiah
The baskets, which symbolize people, hold tefillin, also a contranym. If you're not familiar with the principle of the Word without the Spirit vs the Word with the Spirit that is symbolized by the two letter shins on tefillin, you may view the YouTube videos of "What's Inside That Box? 666 and the Grace We Missed Part One and Part Two or review it in our newsletter archive. With the symbolism of the three seahs of tefillin taken from the slain of Beitar, the destruction there foreshadowed a similar event prophesied by John in Revelation:
Commandments obeyed with the Spirit
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Mark of the beast on hand and forehead
Barley is generally considered to be a grain fit for livestock, as opposed to wheat, which is considered fit for humans. Thus, commentaries explain that we aren’t just counting the days from the Exodus until the day we were given the Torah; rather, these are meant to be days of refinement....
- Thus, we are commanded to start counting and refining ourselves from when the offering consisting of barley was brought. For at the onset of this spiritual journey, we are coarse and similar to an animal. But by the end of our spiritual journey, we have refined ourselves and we are ready to bring an offering consisting of wheat, the food staple of mankind. [Pesachim 3b; Likkutei Torah, Emor 35b-d; Likkutei Sichot, vol. 7, p. 282; see also Aruch Hashulchan 489:3.]
The spiritual man of Shavuot is refined from Passover, and he receives the Torah with the affirmation, "We will do and we will hear." The following details of Temple practice will now help us to understand Revelation Fourteen's call to those holding the sickles, for it details how the barley is reaped in the first watch of the night, just like the lamb was eaten in the first watch of the night:
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“How would they perform the rite of the harvest of the omer? Emissaries of the court would emerge on the eve of the festival of Passover and fashion the stalks of barley into sheaves while the stalks were still attached to the ground, so that it would be convenient to reap them. The residents of all the towns adjacent to the site of the harvest would assemble there, so that it would be harvested with great fanfare. Once it grew dark, the court emissary says to those assembled: Did the sun set? The assembly says in response: Yes. The emissary repeats: Did the sun set? They again say: Yes. The court emissary next says to those assembled: Shall I reap the sheaves with this sickle? The assembly says in response: Yes. The emissary repeats: With this sickle? The assembly says: Yes. The court emissary then says to those assembled: Shall I place the gathered sheaves in this basket? The assembly says in response: Yes. The emissary repeats: In this basket? The assembly says: Yes. If the sixteenth of Nisan occurs on Shabbat, the court emissary says to the assembled: Shall I cut the sheaves on this Shabbat? The assembly says in response: Yes. The emissary repeats: On this Shabbat? The assembly says: Yes. The court emissary says to those assembled: Shall I reap the sheaves? And they say to him in response: Reap. The emissary repeats: Shall I reap the sheaves? And they say to him: Reap. The emissary asks three times with regard to each and every matter, and the assembly says to him: Yes, yes, yes.” [Mishnah Menachot 10]
The reason, the rabbis said, that the response to last question, "Shall I reap?" is different from the other questions is because it was a signal to hurry. Instead of answering yes, the witnesses said, "Reap!" In other words, don't delay; do it now!
Now we have more hints to the “hurrying” aspect of the half-a-time of the Footsteps apportioned to the righteous firstfruits.
- The field of barley is selected so that the offering may hurry in its performance.
- Rabbinic commentary says that the reason the witnesses say “Reap” instead of “Yes” to the final question is “to indicate that he should begin immediately,” or hurry.
- Chametz is “sour,” a mitzvah left undone so that matza is equivalent to mitzvah, performing the commandment in a hurry.
Revelation Fourteen was written before the fall of Beitar and the false messiah, who it is said was judged because he killed his own (innocent) maternal uncle as a Roman collaborator. If you will take time to read Revelation Fourteen in your Bible, write down anything that strikes you as a parallel idea to the Talmudic account of the massacre of Beitar:
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“Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads...Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God...’” (Re 14:1; 9-10)
This suggests that if one wears tefillin, he should be very careful not to worship the beast and his image, for there is a special wrath of blending the commandments of life without the Spirit, or four-pronged shin. The Spirit infuses life to the three-pronged shin of El Shaddai. Add the three prongs of the shin to the four prongs of the "spiritual shin," and it adds up to seven, the number of perfection. Shaddai is the name on the forehead of the firstfruits of “barley” redeemed from the earth.
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“Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ‘Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.” (Re 14:14-16)
Yeshua is the one with the sickle in the Cloud. He sits, or in Hebrew, "dwells" there. The same Hebrew word, yashav, means to sit or dwell. Yeshua harvests his firstfruits with the message, “Reap,” and he hurries to reap the Father’s firstfruits. In this instance, he reaps the standing sheaves all the way to the end of the earth. He hurries to perform the mitzvah and doesn't let it age or sour.
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And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trampled outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of 1,600 stadia. (Re 14:17-20)
Yeshua harvests for Firstfruits of the Barley and Shavuot, the conclusion of human “wheat.” As with Sodom and Gomorrah, an angel of fire follows him. What was Good News on the mountains to Abraham and Sarah turned to destruction on the wicked. The angel of fire harvests the unrepentant from the Vineyard as well as the vineyard of the whole earth to throw them into the winepress of Sukkot, when the decrees of Rosh HaShanah (Feast of Trumpets) are executed upon the whole world.
The harvesting angel does not use a pruning knife for the grapes, but the blunt sickle of the grain harvests. Like Gideon returned to discipline the elders of Sukkot with thorns and briers, so the joy of the 300 warriors and Israel was at the same time a punishment to those who stood aloof in the battle.
Next week, we’ll take the Red Beast study a step farther and see how the “times of the Gentiles” relate to the prophecy.
We plan to live stream at the regular time on YouTube on Shabbat. B'azrat HaShem, we'll see you at approximately 4:00 pm Eastern.
The Sukkot tour is full, but...
Scroll all the way down to read more about the waiting list with Blossoming Rose. Kisha and I are also planning a limited mobility tour in late November 28th-December 8th. There are some intriguing new sites on the limited mobility itinerary, which should be available within a few days.
SHABBAT SHALOM!
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Recommendations of the Week: Torah Portions!
Intermediate to Advanced Students:
Bamidbar pulls the threads from the Rivers of Eden through the Torah portions. The first lesson explains how the Levitical tribes' encampments are based on the pattern of sevens: Days of Creation, Spirit of Adonai, Feasts, and Assemblies. Lessons continue with in-depth analysis of the Mishkan and its travels in the wilderness, including: stewardship vs ownership, role of vows and the trial of sotah, the importance of the shadows to the reality, the fallacy of truth vs tradition, using spiritual authority, salvation of the soul (nefesh), the apocalyptic symbology of the clouds, the spirit of fear vs the Spirit of Power, preparation and placement of "word packages," spiritual warfare, three central messages of the red heifer and the contranym of the Red One, self-deception leading to disobedience and sorcery, jealous vs zealous, and power leadership.
For the Beginner:
by Timothy Herron
Torah introduction covering all 54 Torah Portions. Each chapter emphasizes basic concepts found in Scripture beginning in the Torah.
Preparing the Soil is a wonderful way to introduce the Torah portion as an ancient framework for study that underpins the rest of Scripture.
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LIVE STREAM THIS SHABBAT !
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Join us for Elul New Moon Aug. 26th- 28th. Discount Registration is only during the month of March.
Registration is now open online. We will be gathering at the beautiful Lake Junaluska Conference Center in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. This is a destination venue with a variety of great recreational opportunities. All five meals are included in the Women of Valor registration fee. Please follow the link on the website to reserve your hotel room accommodations with our group discount.
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The Creation Gospel
Trainer Retreat
July 6-8, 2022
If you are a current Creation Gospel trainer, a potential trainer, or you just want extra tutoring before deciding to take the plunge, this is CG immersion! For those who want to go through the material rather than test, sessions will be provided.
Join Dr. Hollisa Alewine and Kisha Gallagher in the majestic Smoky Mountains on July 6-8, 2022, for a retreat especially for Creation Gospel Trainers! Those who would rather cover the material without testing are welcome, too. In this relaxed atmosphere, you can take advantage of classes and informal interactions with trainers and other students.
Click Trainer to read more or register.
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Potential trainers will test with Dr. Alewine for certification, current trainers will be able to meet and learn from one another, and all will benefit from Dr. Alewine's sessions including:
- Teaching Basics for Trainers
- Chiastic Structure in the Rivers of Eden
- The Seven Assemblies in Light of Current Events
Certified trainers will offer classes for those just wanting to cover the material in CG Workbook One without testing.
We will be staying at the Luxury Lodge in Sherwood Forest Resort in Pigeon Forge, TN. This is a new luxury cabin with beautiful, scenic views of the Smoky Mountains. On the lower level, there is an indoor pool with huge picture windows, framing the Smokies - a perfect place to decompress in your downtime. Or, relax in the steamy hot tub. In the morning, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the early mountain air on one of the many deck loungers. Couches abound on every level to sit and chat with fellow CG trainers.
For questions, email Kisha Gallagher at:
kisha@graceintorah.net
* Potential trainers: a testing day is still planned after Women of Valor on Sunday August 28th, 2022 at Lake Junaluska Conference Center.
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You can now register for
When Our Community Goes from ME to WE
FRANKLIN MARRIOTT COOL SPRINGS
700 Cool Springs Blvd, Franklin, TN 37067
It's a little later this year, but we're excited to see you all again at REVIVE!
There will also be a pre-REVIVE Leadership Training this year. Join Pastors Bill & Beth Cloud, Pastors Mark & Tammy McLendon and Dr. Hollisa Alewine for a 2 day seminar prior to REVIVE 2022 at the Marriott Cool Springs Hotel in Franklin, TN for the LEADERSHIP TRAINING 2022. These leaders bring to the table years of experience in a variety of areas as it pertains to the faith walk and serving others.
This seminar is designed to encourage and assist those who are either leading a congregation or who feel called to begin a local congregation. With the great need that there is for healthy communities to be established in order that we may gather together with like-kind and like-mind, it is our desire to help equip the body of Messiah with the tools they need to be a part of building up the body of Messiah.
We look forward to joining you for this time of learning about the joy of being a part of a community of believers.
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Your continual prayers for the children of LaMalah and our brothers and sisters in Kenya are so much appreciated. The transportation van purchase has been finalized, Baruch HaShem, and Brother Peter reports a joyous Feast of Unleavened Bread in Limuru. He has been making inquiries as to the cost of drilling a well on the new orphanage property with a solar pump, which is expensive, but will provide a free water supply indefinitely. Because of the expense involved, they will proceed with a geological survey first, then if the water table is suitable, we'll proceed in stages as funds come in:
Shalom my Sister,
We too had a most wonderful feast of Uneavened Bread.We are most grateful to Abba.
Our (new) physical location is MaaiMahiu.
The estimated fees for the boy joining High school is ksh.31000. Due to the covid thing, a whole academic year was lost. There is a crash programme whereby the normal academic year will only resume next year. So the two boys who are already in high school are entering the 2nd year later today (Its now 4 am this end) and the year will end in December. Come January next year they will enter the 3rd year. So it's first term of 2nd year and each needs like ksh. 21,000. The tuition fees is ksh.17,700. They need things like soap , toiletries and a little pocket money too.
We will do the geological survey. Hopefully by end of the week. We pray Our Heavenly Father will provide as this will be a great plus!
We now have identified a good van .We will send the pictures also before the close of the week. The mechanic has approved it .The owner works in a far location and will come from tomorrow to sign the documentation.It's a good one!
Once again, accept our heartfelt gratitude as we relocate. The children are full of joy.
Blessing to all household of faith wherever we are at this time
Shalom.
Peter
If you feel led to help with the operating expenses of LaMalah or would like to fund two additional greenhouses, you can always use the donate button below or send a check by snail mail to:
The Creation Gospel
PO Box 846
East Bernstadt, KY 40729
Creation Gospel Workbook sales go to the ministry, so take a moment and shop our webpage or Amazon. You can also sign up on Amazon Smile by selecting "The Olive Branch Messianic Congregation, Inc.," as your designated charity, which is the umbrella organization for The Creation Gospel.
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You can listen to the live streams of our podcasts on Podbean by clicking on the link below. Soon we'll be adding Torah portions.
We are transferring most of our YouTube videos to Odysee, which will eliminate those pesty ads. All this takes time and money, so it won't happen tomorrow, but it is something to look forward to soon. You can see what has been posted so far on The Creation Gospel at Odysee. The videos will remain on YouTube as well.
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Thursdays: 9-10 am & 10-11 p.m.
Mondays: 4-5 am & 2-3 p.m.
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Come home with joy.
October 6-18, 2022
The Sukkot tour is full!
If you would like to be put on the waiting list, we will contact you if anyone withdraws. Also, if a limited mobility tour interests you (slower pace, accessible transportation and hotels, and easier site access), the dates of the limited mobility tour are November 28th through December 8th. Registration will be posted on Blossoming Rose within a few days.
Click on the gates to see the Sukkot itinerary.
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