Are You The Messiah?  the death

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         The 10th day of Abib/Nisan, was a Sunday, it was the day Jews are required to carefully choose and set aside their male lamb - without blemish - for the Passover sacrifice (Exo.12:5-6).  Let us remember, on average high Holy Day, Jerusalem swelled to nearly five times its normal population of 125,000.  Some Roman records show up to 1,250,000 people would come to the city for Passover.  The city was crowded with visitors who would witness the unfolding events that the holy week would bring.   

            On this day, what Christians today call Palm Sunday, Yahshua presented himself to the Jews as the Messiah.  His doctrine, that every life was precious, in an empire where human life was held so trivial, was a powerful idea and a welcomed message.  

            Just as the Prophets foretold, Yahshua rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Mat.21:1-11; Zec.9:9).  As He rode in, the people called out “Hosanna,” meaning in Hebrew, “save us.”  The people of Jerusalem thought that He would deliver them from the cruelty of Roman bondage.  They shouted praises to YAHWEH for the miracles they had seen Yahshua do.  They treated Him like a conquering king.  He spent His last days busy teaching the ways of the Messianic Kingdom of YAHWEH.   

            Here is a great example missed by many, the Jews were required to sacrifice a lamb without blemish, this would require very close and careful examination - to be sure of its quality.  By analogy the followers of Yahshua were to examine His teachings of the Messianic Kingdom of YAHWEH very carefully - to be sure of the quality of its truth.  In these days, He presented His most controversial and challenging teachings, which immediately began ringing the alarm bells at the halls of the ruling religious elites.  

            The religious authorities questioned His authority . . ..  They asked Him trick questions . . ., hoping He would somehow give the wrong answers.  They pointed an accusing finger . . ..  They wanted to discredit Him . . ..  But Yahshua responded perfectly, they could find no fault in Him (Mat.21:23-27, ch.23). 

       On the 14th day of Abib/Nisan, at dusk or twilight, began the Biblically correct Passover, “the night to be much observed” (Exo.12:42).  It was the beginning of the Roman Wednesday evening (but considered the beginning of Thursday in the Biblical calendar).  

          All week Yahshua was deliberately arranging His activities around the events associated with the selection, testing and death of the Passover lamb.  The Essenes, and the Disciples knew the spiritual symbolism of the coming Holy Days - they were getting a bad feeling.  Yahshua even warned them two days before that He was to be crucified - they were not happy (Mat.26:2).   

         They knew the writings of the Prophets all too well, they had heard Isaiah’s prophecy of the suffering Messiah (ch.53) many times - “. . . He is despised and rejected by men . . ., He was wounded . . ., He was bruised . . ., He opened not His mouth . . ., He was led as a lamb to slaughter . . ., He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken . . ., His grave with the wicked . . .,” - they were worried.   

          In an effort to save space I will take it for granted that almost everyone has seen the movie classic King of Kings or something similar.  It was late that evening, and after sharing His last Passover meal with His Disciples, Yahshua was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.  There by the kiss of death, He was betrayed by Judas, His own Disciple, (he committed suicide a short time later Act.1:15-26). 

          Yahshua was arrested by the Temple police, and immediately taken to trial at the Sanhedrin.  He was subjected to false accusations before the high priest and the Bible tells the story in Matthew ch.26, Mark ch.14, John ch.18.  Remember these men were not true rabbis, they were political-priests, cronies for the Roman government.  The Jewish religious hierarchy did not want to lose their well paying political positions with the Romans.  They feared Yahshua’s story of a coming new Kingdom would cost them their jobs.  So they concocted some clever charges and held an illegal - middle of the night - trial. 

          The Jewish kangaroo court found Him guilty and they immediately handed Him over to the Romans.  They charged that Yahshua claimed to be King of the Jews, they knew that Pontius Pilate would not have another king in his country, and such a claim would mean an immediate death sentence.   

          The curious prophetic words of John the Baptist when he first greeted Yahshua are about to be realized: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” John 1:29.  True to the symbolism of a sacrificial lamb, which makes no noise when being led to slaughter, Yahshua, the innocent victim, gave no defense at his trial (Isa.53:7).  The ruling establishment raised public opinion against Him, and the Romans crucified Him around 9:00 a.m. the following morning for crimes against the Roman state.   

          Crucifixion along the roadside, was a torturous slow-death, it normally took up to three days to die in such a manner.  It was specifically designed this way to terrorize an occupied population.  All the victims’ friends would pass by during the days’ routine and witness the slow and painful death.   

          Many theologians still debate if the cross Yahshua was nailed to was really a cross, a T shape, or just a straight stake.  The Romans probably used all three styles, but for Yahshua who was the “King of the Jews,” He received the deluxe treatment.  The cross style was needed for the plaque over His head and it was the heaviest for Him to carry.   

         While Yahshua was hanging on the cross, not too far away at the Temple, the Jews were killing their Passover lambs. (In error, mainstream Judaism keeps Passover on the fifteenth night.)  They killed about 300,000 lambs for a normal Passover and they started early.  It went on all day and it was not a pretty sight.  At exactly the same time, Yahshua was slowly dying from His crucifixion - the spiritual symmetry could not have been more perfect.   

          Amazingly, Yahshua died around 3:00 P.M. later that day (Mar.15:33-37), and that was odd.  He was on the cross for about six hours.  Most men would have lived at least for a day or two on the cross.  To hasten death, the Roman soldiers would break their legs so their sagging bodies would eventually restrict their airway, causing the victim to suffocate.  The soldiers broke the legs of the other two thieves crucified with Yahshua, but when they came to Him, they saw that He was already dead.  As would happen many times, by not breaking His legs, a gentile - who could care less about the Jews - unknowingly fulfilled Hebrew prophecy (Joh.19:31-36; Ps.34:20).  Yahshua was placed in a tomb before sundown (Luk.23:54-55).  

          Just claiming to be a peaceful messiah did not always guarantee a death sentence, the Judean hills were full of messiahs.  Yet this innocent Prophet was given a torturous death penalty by a hastily convened illegal court - a spectacle that has yet to be equaled.  Make no mistake, they (the religious rulers) killed Him because they were afraid of Him!  

           Sadly, many people misunderstood the Messiah’s simple Kingdom lessons.  Generally, the people did not understand why He allowed Himself to be arrested, tried and crucified on a cursed cross.  When that happened, most of the people lost faith in.  Him as the promised Messiah, because His Kingdom did not overthrow Rome and did not restore Israel.  Unfortunately, because of this most rejected their promised “suffering Messiah.” 

          Today: There is a small list of names growing.  They are the names of Biblical characters actually qualified by archaeology.  Recently another name has been added.  Discovered in Jerusalem, near the Temple Mount, is the burial cave of the Caiaphas family.  One member of this family presided as the high priest at Yahshua’s trial (Mat.26:57).  His name has been found on two ossuaries or bone boxes in the burial cave.   

         The burial tradition of the aristocrats during this time would be to bury the body.  Around a year, later after the body decayed, the family members would dig up the body and place the bones in a box called an ossuary, for permanent protection against the elements.  Then the ossuary would be buried.  Scholars are certain of the dating because of coins dated to 16 C.E. placed in the ossuaries with the bones.  

          In the catacombs of tombs, other ossuaries have been found. Many are ossuaries with Hebrew names and marked with the Christian cross next to their names.  This archaeological find proves Jewish-Christians existed in the first century.  Some have argued that the symbols of the cross started later during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine, and it represents Greco-Roman Christianity.  But, this discovery also proves that the sign of the cross was used by the first century Jewish-Christians.  Other family ossuaries found correspond with New Testament names are Lazarus, Mary and Martha, all with the sign of the cross near their names.  There is little chance that there is another family with the same three names of these Biblical characters.  

           Another name of a New Testament personality was found in the city of Caesarea, it was a stone with the name “Pontius Pilate prelate of Judea.” 

         On the 15th day, the Roman Thursday early evening, begins the first day of Unleavened Bread (Lev.23:6-8).  Yahshua - the “Bread of Life,” who was born in Bethlehem, which in Hebrew means “The House of Bread” - was wrapped in linen cloth and was laid in a tomb just before this Holy Day of Unleavened Bread began. 

            After His death Yahshua descended to Hades, for three days, to minister to the lost souls in the discomfort side (Act.2:27; 1Pet.3:19).  He told them of the hope of salvation at the Great White Judgment and how it is best to survive the discomfort of their confinement.   

           Then He went and told the comfort side of Hades, “. . . come it is time for you to inherit the Kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world . . .,” Matthew 25:31-34.  He then took the comfort side - the saved souls of the Old Testament times - of Hades, to the third Heaven, (Eph.4:8-10; 2Cor.12:2).  

        On the 17th day, three days after His crucifixion, the first Sunday after Passover, is the Biblical Holy Day called Firstfruits, the Christians call it Resurrection Sunday, or Easter.  The Temple symbolism is of a farmer giving a thanksgiving offering from the small early harvest (Lev.23:9-14).   

          The spiritual reality of the Holy Day pictures the Messiah as a harvester of souls.  In the Great White Heavenly Throne Room, YAHWEH was presented a major victory in the Spiritual war, as Yahshua presented HIM the first graduates of the Jerusalem School of Higher Learning; or souls of the true Believers of the Old Testament Church, as the Firstfruits harvest of the righteous souls of the Earth (1Cor.15:22-23).  The verse says, “Each in his own time . . .,” and that means if these are the Firstfruits, then it stands to reason that there will be a second and a third, etc. 

          In the Great White Throne Room they had a great parade of triumph for Yahshua.  The arrival of the long awaited Messiah was truly one of those magic moments in the Kingdom.  All the angels of Heaven, all the living creatures, and all the elders came out to see Him (Rev.5:11-12).   

          They were cheering Yahshua as He entered the Throne Room, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. To receive power and riches and wisdom. And strength and honor and glory and blessing,” Revelation 5:12.  He was making His way through all the well wishers when suddenly a hush fell over the Throne Room, as all eyes turned to the Throne.  

"To stand before men on behalf of God is one thing. 

To stand before God on behalf of men 

is something entirely different."

- Leonard Ravenhill

          YAHWEH the FATHER was standing up to make a pronouncement, HIS voice thunders through the Kingdom, as HE announces to all in the Universe, that HE now gives Yahshua His reward for faithful service, a highly exalted position in the Kingdom.  Yahshua kneels, and YAHWEH bestows a triple anointing: He is a Prophet (Deu.18:18), He is a High Priest (Heb.ch.7-8), and He is King (Ps.45:6-8).  YAHWEH now gives Him a Name above any other, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.  YAHWEH hath put all things under His feet, and made it known that at every knee should bend, of those in Heaven, and those of the Earth, and of those under the Earth, and that every tongue should confess that Yahshua is the Messiah, to the glory of YAHWEH the FATHER (Phi.2:9-11; Eph.1:22-23). 

          Yahshua rises, and YAHWEH hands Him the keys to death and hades (Rev.1:18).  Yahshua then takes His seat, at the right hand of YAHWEH (Mar.16:19; Luk.22:69).  As the trumpets mark the event, praise and cheer erupts from the Throne Room, on this day of Firstfruits, it was one of those most-excellent moments in the Kingdom.  All is well in the Universe!!!  

          The Immortal Spirit Body is how the Jerusalem Church will be outfitted for eternal life.  After the ceremonies in the Great White Throne Room, Yahshua returned to Earth and made His first resurrected public appearance.  Here the immortal spirit body was shown to the Believers while Yahshua stayed on Earth for about forty days counseling His Disciples (Mat.28:1-10; Mar.16:1-18; Luk.24:1-43; Jon.20:1-10).  The Disciples gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb, and He took it and ate in their presence (Luk.24:42-43).  In John 21:9-13, He fixed breakfast for His Disciples, yet He could walk through a door (Luk.20:26).  He is able to subdue all things to Himself (Phi.3:20-21). 

           An immortal body is real, and occupies time and space, yet the body can pass through an object or pick up the object.  Although transformed, people retain the unique characteristics and features they had in their early human life, but without any of the birth defects or deformities. 

           From the Believers follow great signs and wonders category, there is also another odd story that goes with the resurrection.  Writings collected in the Ante-Nicene Library (a large volume of books containing the writing of the first and second century church), describe that more then twelve thousand of the Old Testament Assembly walked thru Galilee for forty days (Mat.27:52-54).  Just think of it, these are dead people resurrected to life, that the living people recognized.  Most Bible teachers skip over this passage because the account of this amazing supernatural event seems so bizarre.    

           After the forty days they were taken to a holding place in YAHWEH’S Third Heaven, and are now asleep with the righteous dead that have died since that event (2Cor.5:8).  They are awaiting their immortal bodies, given when Yahshua calls them near the end of the Age of Grace. 

 . . . and the universe awaits

for the revealing of the Children of YAHWEH

from New Earth . . .

 

From the book  The Mystical Rites of our CREATOR  ISBN 0-9675266-0-4

 

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Last modified: May 28, 2013