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What Is “The Everlasting Covenant”
The All Encompassing Answer!
Jeremiah 31 & Ezekiel 37—The Heart of Bible Prophecy
Lonnie Martin, lonwmartin@yahoo.com
My April 11, 2004 Chapter is now being vastly expanded/reshuffled (May-July so far 2025), to include “The Rest of the Story”—the many forgotten prophetic texts from the “Old Testament” The point is to prove that no covenant has ever or will ever be terminated! I am adding most of the texts from the entire Bible that contains the word covenant”—in meticulous context—other than the massive number of references to “Ark of the Covenant”, which in itself alludes to the importance of the Everlasting Covenant, as well as not mentioning any of the several person to person covenants. There is a thread that connects all of Yehovah’s “covenant” references that is about to shock the world when all of the implications unfold on the planet! Christians have not taken the New Covenant from Israel—when detailed conditions actually happen Christians will be added to the Covenant, sort of grafted into it! Each Biblical covenant builds on the oprvious version by adding more blessings. The Jeremiah 31 “New Covenant” has never been fulfilled, it’s just that Yeshua’s “New Covenant” will add eternal life to the mix! Jeremiah never said anything about the Covenant being more than blessings within the physical realm. Yeshua’s statements explain how an Everlasting Covenant is not just one that covers an ever-changing generational continuity; it is an Everlasting Covenant for everyone who overcomes evil, that can enjoy forever!
Perhaps you, the 'chosen ones' (saints), have the “hope” of serving Him in a much higher capacity when Yehovah is ruling over Israel. Matthew also spoke of literally ruling in the Kingdom:
Matthew 19:28 Yeshua told them, “I assure you that when the Human Son sits on His magnificent throne on the Renewed Earth, those of you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, presiding over the twelve tribes of Israel.—The Gabriel Bible
We will serve under the envoys (apostles) in the Everlasting Kingdom:
Revelation 1:6-7 and has made us a priestly kingdom [Aramaic Malkutho koknoitho] for Aloha and His Father. To Them belongs praise and power, forever and ever. Aw-main' 7 He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Yes, Aw-main'. [4]
[4] The Aramaic word for “suffering” can also imply “patience”, which is how the Greek translator translated it. But the tribulation (pain) and suffering that John said he was to experience go hand in hand.
“Service” in the spirit realm will be “much more brilliant”. The New Covenant is something that we should have “such a HOPE” for. Serving in the Kingdom of Yehovah is the destiny of all of Yeshua’s (presently human) servants:
2 Corinthians 3:4-14 This is the kind of confidence that we have in the Messiah towards Yehovah. 5 Not that we have sufficient ability to think anything of ourselves, but our competency is from Yehovah, 6 who has qualified us to be ministers of the New covenant [1], not in the letter, but in the Spirit, because the letter kills, but the spirit produces life.
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, that was engraved in letters on stone, was so brilliant that Israel’s descendants couldn’t even gaze at Moses’ face [Exodus 34:29] due to the remaining brilliance on his face, 8 then won’t the ministry that brings the spirit be even more brilliant? 9 If there is brilliance in the ministry ‘that pronounces’ condemnation, how much more does the ministry of justification exceed it in brilliance? 10 For what was adorned in luster had no luster in this regard, in comparison with this that excels in brightness. 11 If what is being inactivated [condemnation, v.11] is brilliant, how much more brilliant must 'redemption' be that lasts forever? 12 So because we have this hope, we speak without any reservations.
13 We aren’t like Moses who threw a veil over his face, so that Israel’s descendants couldn’t even gaze at the remnant of the glow that ended. 14 But they’ve been blinded [2] in their understanding to this very day, when the Ancient covenant [“Old Covenant”] [3] is read, because their veil hasn’t been lifted, nor is it apparent to them that the veil was severed [Matthew 27:51] by the Messiah.
[1] In the Kingdom when our “metamorphosis” (v.18) is complete, we will minister the New covenant to those who survive the end of the age, whose minds are “veiled” (v.15). In the “fine print” of the New Covenant contract (Jeremiah 30-31), in the verse immediately following the promise to Israel & Judah of a “new heart” (31:33), it promises that no ones minds will be confused (veiled) about Yehovah “Because they’ll all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.” [2] How did the KJV and the Webster translations come up with the Aramaic ‘blind’, instead of the Greek ‘hardened’ here and in Matthew 1:7? [3] The “Ancient (Old) Covenant” is found in Exodus 20-23. In Exodus 24:3 “Ancient Israel” accepted it.
Was The Old Covenant Fulfilled?
After Israel went into exile, Jeremiah still represented Yehovah as saying that the First Covenant needed to be observed by the remnant of Israel (until the New Covenant is enacted).
Jeremiah 11:1-10 This is the 'message' that came to Jeremiah from Yehovah: 2 “Listen to the terms of this covenant, and inform the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. 3 Tell them, ‘Yehovah, the Elohim of Israel says that anyone who doesn’t obey the terms of this covenant is cursed. 4 I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace: ‘Listen to Me and do everything I command you, so you can be My people and I can be your Elohim, 5 so I can fulfill the oath that I swore to your ancestors, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is today.’”
Then I answered, “Aw-main', Yehovah.” 6 Yehovah told me, “Proclaim this entire 'message' in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, say: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and do them. 7 I warned your ancestors when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this very day, saying 'again and again', “Obey what I 'said'.” 8 But they didn’t obey or 'listen'. Instead, everyone stubbornly 'pursued' their evil thoughts. So I enforced on them all the terms [consequences] of this covenant that I commanded them to do, since they hadn’t done them.’”
9 Yehovah told me, “I have discovered a conspiracy among the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem. 10 They have returned to the sins of their ancestors who refused to hear My words, and have pursued other gods to serve them. The House of Israel and the House of Judah have broken the covenant that I made with their ancestors.
Any remnants of the old covenant that Paul said was “vanishing away” was certainly gone by 70 AD when the Temple and so many of the Jews were destroyed. But there will be more to that story very soon:
Matthew 24:15-22 When you see the sign of the detestable desolation mentioned by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Cherished Place—may the reader discern!— [2] [3] 16 then those of you who are in Judea should escape to the mountain/s! 17 No one on the roof should come down to get anything out of their houses, 18 and no one in the fields should return to get their clothing. 19 But I pity pregnant and nursing mothers in those days. 20 Pray that your flight won’t be during the winter [rainy weather] or on the Sabbath. 21 There will be Great Tribulation then, such as has never occurred from the beginning of the world until now, and will by no means ever happen again. 22 If it weren’t for those days being terminated, no one would survive. But for the sake of the select those days will be terminated [4].
[2] This is reminiscent of Matthew 28:16. [3] See my All Sources Disclaimer. [4] Matthew 24 describes the exact same events that Daniel 12:11-12 does, and as Daniel explained, the events will be totally “terminated” after 1,335 days. Here ia a good explanation, (other than the rapture!)
(This will be the new Third Temple. The 'special' Place” is mentioned 56 times in the Tanak {Hebrew Scriptures} in reference to the Temple.)
Daniel mentioned this event three other times, so that you wouldn’t miss it!
Daniel 8:11 It became arrogant and powerful, and even challenged the Commander of heaven’s army, and it took away from him the continual burnt zebakim [sacrifices], and the 'special' place was overthrown.
The Beast will not throw temple services to the ground when he sets foot in the 'special' Place, he will throw the “TRUTH down to the Ground”.
Daniel 8:12-13 Because of the rebellion, the army [of the 'chosen' ones: saints] were given over to it, along with the daily burnt offerings, and it threw truth to the ground, and 'the horn' did whatever it wanted to and prospered.”
13 Then I heard a 'special' one speaking, and another 'special' one asked the one who was speaking, “How long is the prophecy [vision] about the continual burnt offerings and the desolating transgression [ravaging of the city] going to last—the surrender of the 'special' place [Temple] and its army being trampled?
We have not seen the last of Yehovah’s First “Covenant”. Don’t assume that the Romans put an end to it. As soon as the Third Temple is constructed the “Covenant” will kick in again—complete with “the continual burnt zebakim”!
Daniel 11:28-35 Then he [Antiochus] will turn back toward his homeland with a lot of plunder, but then he’ll decide to take action against the 'cherished' covenant, and he’ll do that before returning 'home'. 29 “At the specified time he’ll return, and invade the south, but this time it won’t turn out the way it did before. 30 Ships from Kittim will come against him; he’ll be discouraged and turn back, venting his anger against the 'cherished' covenant and take action. He’ll even return and collaborate with those who abandon the 'cherished' covenant.
31 Armed forces will rise up and defile the 'Temple' refuge and put a stop to the daily burnt zebakim [sacrifices], and they’ll set up an appalling detestable idol [KJV, abomination of desolation]. 32 With slick talk he [Antiochus] will corrupt [win over] the wicked who violate the covenant [“with many”]. But the people who know their Elohim will be strong and take action.
33 Their wise people will share their understanding with many, yet they’ll be defeated by swords and flames. They’ll be captured and plundered for many days. 34 When they fall, they’ll be given a little help, but many who become allies with them will not be sincere. 35 Some of the wise will fall away to refine them and to purify them and make them white all the way to the time of the end, but it will still happen at the appointed time.
The First Covenant is valid until the time when “things are completely straightened out!”
Hebrews 9:6-10 The priests continually enter the outer tabernacle to perform their services [4]. 7 The high priest enters the inner part of the tabernacle only once a year, alone, and with the blood that he offers for himself and the sins of the people. 8 By this the 'special' spirit indicates that the way into the Most Special' Place was hidden, as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 This is an illustration for today, when both the meal offerings and zebakim being offered are unable to 'clear' the conscience of those who are offering them. 10 These things only deal with food and drink and various kinds of washings that are mortal regulations, set up until the time when things are set right.
[4] The ark of the covenant and many other artifacts were lost/hidden when the first Temple was destroyed. The second Temple, then in use, made do without some of these things, or made replacements.
In fact the Great Tribulation will devastate the land because we have been trampling Yehovah’s Torah (Law), and are still breaking the “Everlasting Covenant”!
Isaiah 24:3-6 The earth will be completely emptied and completely spoiled because Yehovah has spoken this 'message'. 4 The earth mourns and withers. The world decays and fades away. The prominent leaders of the earth will be helpless. 5 The earth is polluted by its inhabitants because they transgressed the Torah, violated the unchanging rulings and broke the EVERLASTING COVENANT. 6 So a curse devours the earth, and those who live there are found guilty. The earth’s inhabitants are burned up.
The New and Everlasting Covenant
Ezekiel also spoke about the New Covenant, and tho he did not use the word “New” as Jeremiah did, it is nonetheless the same covenant. What other covenant could this possibly refer to? In fact the term “Everlasting” is a better description of what Yehovah has in mind. Yehovah contrasted the coming “Everlasting Covenant” with the covenant that Israel broke “in the days of your youth”.
Isaiah 61
Two Jubilee Years Announced!
Isaiah 61:1 The Sovereign Yehovah’s spirit overlooks Me, because Yehovah has anointed Me to bring Good News to the afflicted. He has sent Me to relieve the grief stricken, to proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight for the blind [1] and to set the oppressed free; 2 to proclaim the Acceptable Year of Yehovah [Jubilee] [Yeshua stopped quoting here. The rest is yet to happen], AND THE DAY OF VENGEANCE of our Elohim, [Jubilee, 2032/2033 AD!] and to comfort everyone who mourns [due to the end time calamity]; [2] 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them crowns instead of ashes on their heads, the oil of joy instead of mourning, clothing of praise instead of a spirit of weakness, so that they can be called ‘terebinth trees of righteousness’, ‘a cluster planted by Yehovah’, so that they can display His splendor.
4 They’ll rebuild places desolate since antiquity, they’ll rebuild the ancestral places and places now wasted and deserted, and they’ll restore cities parched from heat, and places deserted for many generations. 5 Foreigners will tend your flocks; they’ll farm your land and work your vineyards. 6 And you’ll be called the priests of Yehovah, people will call you the ministers of our Elohim. You’ll savor the wealth of the nations. You’ll change places with them. 7 Your shame will be replaced with a double inheritance, and instead of humiliation you’ll shout for joy over your territory. So in your land you’ll own twice as much as the other nations. You’ll have everlasting joy.
8 “Because I, Yehovah, love justice. I hate robbery and injustice. I’ll certainly give you your compensation, and I’ll make an EVERLASTING COVENANT [i.e. The New Covenant] with you. 9 Your descendants will be revealed [3] among the nations, and their descendants among all ethnicities. Everyone who sees them will acknowledge that they are the descendants of the people who Yehovah has blessed.” [Today His people are scorned by the nations].”
10 I will greatly rejoice in Yehovah, I’ll be joyful in my Elohim, because He has clothed me with the clothing of deliverance, He has covered me with a robe of righteousness like a bridegroom [4] serving as a priest wearing a crown, and like a bride [“your descendants”] adorns herself with her jewels. 11 Like the soil pushing up sprouts, and like a garden enabling things that are sown in it to spring up, so the Sovereign Yehovah [“Yeshua”] will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
[1] The phrase about blindness that Yeshua quoted in Luke 4:18 was deleted by the Masorites. [2] Compare to Isaiah 34:8 & Isaiah 63:4. [3] Today even most of Judah needs the “lost” tribes of Israel to be revealed to them! [4] At the end of the age, His people will either be figuratively part of Yeshua’s bride or part of the Bridegroom Himself—part of the “one new man”, part of the figurative male “body of Messiah.” There is no word “a” in Hebrew, they are all added in English contextually.Jeremiah 11
The Covenant Has Consequences
Jeremiah 11:1-19 This is the 'message' that came to Jeremiah from Yehovah: 2 “Listen to the terms of this covenant, and inform the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. 3 Tell them, ‘Yehovah, the Elohim of Israel says that anyone who doesn’t obey the terms of this covenant is cursed. 4 I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace: ‘Listen to Me and do everything I command you, so you can be My people and I can be your Elohim, 5 so I can fulfill the oath that I swore to your ancestors, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is today.’” Then I answered, “Aw-main', Yehovah.”
6 Yehovah told me, “Proclaim this entire 'message' in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, say: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and do them. 7 I warned your ancestors when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this very day, saying 'again and again', “Obey what I 'said'.” 8 But they didn’t obey or 'listen'. Instead, everyone stubbornly 'pursued' their evil thoughts. So I enforced on them all the terms [consequences] of this covenant that I commanded them to do, since they hadn’t done them.’” 9 Yehovah told me, “I have discovered a conspiracy among the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem. 10 They have returned to the sins of their ancestors who refused to hear My words, and have pursued other gods to serve them. The House of Israel and the House of Judah have broken the covenant that I made with their ancestors.
Jeremiah 14
Prophets For Profit
Jeremiah 14:13-22 Then I said, “Oh Sovereign Yehovah, the prophets are telling them, ‘You won’t see the 'war', and you won’t experience famine, but I’ll give you assured peace in this place.’” 14 Then Yehovah told me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name, I didn’t send them out or commission them, I didn’t even speak to them, they prophesy fraudulent visions to you, divinations, absolutely worthless gods, delusions of their own minds. 15 So this is what Yehovah says about the 'self appointed' prophets who are prophesying in My name and saying: There won’t be any 'warfare' and famine in this land.’ ‘Those prophets will be consumed by 'warfare' and famine!’ 16 The people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, faced with famine and swords. There will be no one left to bury them, their wives, their sons and their daughters. I’ll pour their own wickedness on them.’”
17 You’ll tell them this: “My eyes will flow with tears night and day without ceasing, because the virgin maiden, My people, are crippled with a great fracture, with a very sickening wound. 18 If I go out into the fields, I see those killed 'in the invasion'! And if I enter the city, then I see those who are sick due to famine! Both prophets and priests ply their trade thruout the land, and they don’t know anything.” 19 Have you completely rejected Judah? Do you really hate Zion? Why have you struck us so hard that we can’t be healed? We awaited peace, but no good came, and for a time of healing, but there’s only terror! 20 Yehovah, we acknowledge our wickedness, as well as the wickedness of our ancestors. We have all sinned against You. 21 For the sake of Your name, don’t despise us. Don’t dishonor Your splendid throne. Remember Your covenant with us, don’t break it. 22 Can any of the hazy gods of the nations make it rain? Can the sky provide showers by itself? No, You are the One, Yehovah our Elohim. So we’ll wait for You, because You can do anything.
Jeremiah 22
Warning of Jerusalem’s Fall
Jeremiah 22:1-8 This is what Yehovah says: “Go down to the 'palace' of the King of Judah and announce this message there: 2 ‘Listen to the Word of Yehovah, King of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne, you and your 'officials', and your people who enter these gates. 3 This is what Yehovah says: “Do what is just and right and rescue the victims of robbery from the clutches of their oppressors and do no wrong. Don’t mistreat or brutalize foreigners, orphans, or widows, or shed innocent blood in this place. 4 If you conscientiously carry out these commands, then kings will enter the gates of this 'palace' riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people. 5 But if you won’t heed these words, I swear by Myself,’ says Yehovah, ‘that this 'palace' will become a ruin.’”
6 This is what Yehovah says about the 'palace' of the King of Judah: “You’re like Gilead to me, or the summit of Lebanon. Yet I’ll most assuredly make you a desert, like cities where no one lives. 7 I’ll send people to destroy you, each with his weapons. They’ll cut down your choice cedars and toss them on the fire. 8 “People from many nations will pass by this city; and they’ll ask each other, ‘Why has Yehovah done this to this great city?’ 9 Then they’ll answer, ‘Because they abandoned the covenant of Y
A Second Exodus
Jeremiah 30: All 1:Psalm 1:___This is the message that came to Jeremiah from Yehovah, He said: 2 “This is what Yehovah, the Elohim [God is a generic title] of Israel says; ‘Write 'everything' that I’ve spoken to you in a book. 3 The time is coming when I’ll bring My people Israel and Judah [1] back from captivity. I’ll bring them to the land that I gave to their ancestors, and they’ll take possession of it,’” says Yehovah.
4 This is the message that Yehovah revealed about Israel and Judah: 5 This is what Yehovah says: ‘We have heard cries of fear and panic, not peace. 6 Now I ask: Can you see a man having labor pains? So why do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor. Why have all their faces turned pale? 7 That day will be terrible! There will never be another like it. It’s the time of Jacob’s trouble [with 3 minute this caveat], but he’ll be saved out of it [have survivors].”
8 When That Day Comes*,” Commander Yehovah says, “I’ll break the yoke from your neck, and snap your chains. Foreigners will no longer enslave you. 9 They will serve Yehovah their Elohim, and David their king who I’ll raise up for them.
10 “So don’t be afraid, Jacob, My servant; Yehovah says. Don’t be dismayed, Israel. “I’ll rescue you from distant lands, and your posterity from the land of captivity. Jacob [2] will return, and have peace and security, and no one will frighten him. 11 I’m with you to save you,” Yehovah says. “I’ll completely destroy all the nations where I had you 'exiled', but I won’t completely destroy you. I’ll discipline you in just measure, but I can’t let you go unpunished.”
12 This is what Yehovah says: “Your wound is incurable, and your sickness is getting worse. 13 There is no one to plead your cause, no one to heal you, you have no healing medicines. 14 All your lovers [allies] have forgotten you. They don’t care about you because I’ve wounded you like an enemy would wound you. I’ve punished you like a cruel person would, because of your need for punishment, and your numerous sins. 15 Why do you cry over your wound? Your pain is incurable because you need to be punished. Because of your numerous sins, I’ve done these things to you.
16 “But everyone who devours you will be devoured, and all your adversaries, everyone of them, will go into captivity. Those who plunder you will be plundered. I’ll cause anyone who pillages you to be pillaged. 17 I’ll restore you to health, and I’ll heal all of your wounds,” Yehovah says. “They’ve called you an outcast, they say “No one cares about Zion.’”
18 This is what Yehovah says:
“I’m going to bring the captives back to Jacob’s tents, and have compassion on his dwellings. The city will be rebuilt on its ruins, and the citadel will stand where it used to be! 19 They’ll 'exude' songs of thanksgiving—jubilant sounds from those who celebrate, and I’ll increase their population, and they won’t be few. I’ll bring them honor, and they won’t be insignificant. 20 Their children will be like they were long ago, and their assembly will be established in My presence, and I’ll punish all their oppressors. 21 Their 'king' will be one of their own, and their ruler will come from among them [native born]. I’ll bring him near, and he’ll approach Me. Who would risk his life to approach Me otherwise?’ says Yehovah. 22 “You’ll be My people, and I’ll be your Elohim.”
23 Yehovah’s wrath will come like a whirlwind, it will swirl down on the heads of the wicked! 24 The fierce anger of Yehovah won’t turn away until He has completely carried out everything He has mind. In the last days you’ll understand this.
[1] “bring again ... captivity of ... Israel and Judah—the restoration not merely of the Jews, but also the ten tribes together forming the whole nation (Jer 30:18; Jer 32:44; Eze 39:25; Amos 9:14, 15). ‘Israel’ is mentioned first because its exile was longer than that of Judah. Some captives of the Israelite ten tribes returned with those of Judah (Luke 2:36; ‘Asher’ is mentioned). But these are only a pledge of the full restoration hereafter (Rom 11:26, ‘All Israel’). Compare Jer 16:15. This third verse is a brief statement of the subject before the prophecy itself is given”—JFB [2] Again, the “lost 10 tribes” as distinct from the Jews, or collectively “Israel”: Lamentations 2:2; Hosea 10:11; Hosea 12:2; Micah 1:5.
Just for curiosity, I checked with Jews for Judaism to see what the average religious Jew thinks about the New Covenant. I gather that they expect a messiah, like another Moses to come along and cause a lot more Jews to live life in compliance with the Torah—with little thought of eternal life, since the only detailed account of the New Covenant is silent on the topic. But Yeshua’s account took nothing away from Jeremiah’s New Covenant—every detail of that is yet to happen. Yeshua simply added some very pertinent information, keeping the best for last! The Jewish view is similar to that of the Messianic Christian’s view. I spent a decade with Messianics who virtually never mentioned eternal life, but spoke often of moving to Israel ASAP. For that matter, I have no idea if the typical Messianic Christian of Jew plans on going to heaven or not (not that I’m planning on it.)
A Perpetual Covenant with Israel AND Judah!
Jeremiah 31: All 1 “When That Day Comes*,” declares Yehovah, “I’ll be the Elohim of all the families of Israel, and they’ll be My people.” 2 This is what Yehovah says:
“The people who survive the 'war' will find favor in the wilderness. I’ll give rest to the people of Israel.”
3 Yehovah appeared to us long ago and said: “I’ve loved you with an everlasting love, so with faithful love. I’ve drawn you out. 4 I’ll rebuild you, and you’ll be rebuilt, virgin Israel. Again you’ll take up your tambourines and go out dancing joyfully. 5 Once again you’ll plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria. Those who plant them will enjoy the fruit. 6 There will be a day when the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim will cry, ‘Get up, let’s go up to Zion, to Yehovah our Elohim.’”
7 This is what Yehovah says:
“Sing with joy for Jacob, and shout among the major nations, shout praises and say, ‘Yehovah, save Your people, the survivors of Israel.’ 8 I’ll bring them from the North Country, and gather them from the remotest parts of the earth. Blind and lame people will return as well as expectant mothers and women in labor. A huge crowd will return here. 9 They’ll come with tears of joy, praying as I bring them back. I’ll lead them beside streams of water in a straight path, so they won’t stumble, because I’m a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn.
10 “You nations, hear the Word of Yehovah, and announce it in the distant lands beyond the oceans! [Commentary]. Proclaim: The One who scattered Israel will regather him, and protect him like a shepherd does his flock. 11 Yehovah has paid the ransom for Jacob, and reclaimed him from those too strong for him. 12 They’ll come and shout for joy in the elevated place [or height] of Zion. They’ll be beaming over the goodness of Yehovah, over the grain, the new wine, the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd. Their lives will be like well watered gardens, and they won’t ever be sorrowful again. 13 Then the virgins will celebrate and dance along with young men and the old. I’ll turn their mourning into rejoicing, and comfort them and exchange their sorrow with happiness. 14 I’ll satisfy the priests with abundance, and My people will be satisfied with My goodness,” says Yehovah.
15 This is what Yehovah says:
“A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter crying, Rachel crying for her children. She refuses to be comforted for her children, because they no longer exist.”
16 This is what Yehovah says:
“Stop crying out, and 'shedding' tears because your work will be rewarded,” says Yehovah. “They’ll return from the land of the enemy. 17 There is hope in your future,” Yehovah says. “Your children will return to their own territory.
18 I’ve surely heard Ephraim moaning to himself, ‘You’ve disciplined me! I was disciplined like a calf unaccustomed to a yoke. Bring me back and restore me, because you are Yehovah my Elohim. 19 After I strayed, I changed the way I thought and acted [repented], and after I was instructed, I 'slapped' my 'butt'. I was ashamed and humiliated because I carried the shame of my youth.’ 20 “Is Ephraim [representative of the ten non-Jewish tribes] My dear son? Is he a pleasant child? As often as I speak against him, I still remember him and passionately yearn for him. I’ll surely have mercy on him,” says Yehovah.
21 Set up road signs, make guideposts. Start thinking about the highway, the same direction that you left from. Return, virgin Israel, return to your cities. 22 How long will you wander from here and there, you apostate daughter? Yehovah has created a new thing in the land, a weak woman will 'overpower' [Clarke’s]
a strong man.”23 This is what Commander Yehovah, the Elohim of Israel, says: “After I return them from captivity they’ll once again repeat these words in the land of Judah and in its cities, ‘Yehovah bless you, home of righteousness, 'special' mountain.’ 24 Judah and all its cities will live there together, along with homesteaders and those who follow their flocks. 25 I satisfy those who are weary, and I refresh everyone who is faint.”
26 At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasing.
27 “In days to come,” Yehovah says, “I’ll repopulate [sow] the House of Israel [the “Lost” 10 Tribes] AND the House of Judah with people and animals. 28 Once I oversaw their uprooting and tearing down, their overthrow, destruction and disaster. Now I’ll oversee their building and planting,” says Yehovah. 29 “In those days they’ll no longer say, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and their children’s teeth are set on edge.’
30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sins, everyone who eats the sour grapes will have their own teeth set on edge.”
31 Yehovah says: “The time is coming [1]
when I’ll make a New [marriage] covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. 32 It won’t be like the [marriage] covenant that I made with their ancestors during the time when I took them by the hand led them out of the land of Egypt, since they broke My Covenant, tho I was their Husband,” says Yehovah. 33 “In this [marriage] covenant that I’ll make with the House of Israel after those days,” Yehovah says, “I’ll put My Torah in their minds and write it on their hearts. I’ll be their Elohim, and they’ll be My people. 34 People will no longer teach their neighbors or their relatives, or ask, ‘Do you know Yehovah’ [the Lord], because they’ll all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” says Yehovah. [No more evangelism!] “I’ll forgive their wickedness, and I’ll never again remember their sins.”35 Yehovah says that He provides the sun to light the day and the 'orderly succession' of the moon and stars to light the night, and He instantaneously calms [U]
the raging waves of the sea—Commander Yehovah is His name: 36 “If these fixed conditions ever fail in My presence,” Yehovah says, “then the Israelites will cease to be a nation in My presence forever.”37 This is what Yehovah says:
“If the heavens above can ever be measured, and if the foundation of the earth beneath is ever found, then I would reject all the Israelites for what they’ve done,” says Yehovah.
38 “The time is coming,” Yehovah says, “when the city will be rebuilt for Yehovah from the Hananel Tower to the Corner Gate. 39 The measuring line will stretch from there straight to Gareb Hill, and then turn toward Goah. 40 The whole valley that was covered with dead bodies and ashes, and all of the fields as far as the Kidron Valley, as far as the corner of Horse Gate toward the east, will be 'special' to Yehovah, it will never be uprooted or overthrown again.”
[1] Jeremiah 30 and 31 are one long prophetic monologue about the events to occur as a result of the Second Exodus (Jeremiah 23:7-8), when all twelve tribes of Israel return to the land (not just the Jews!) AND The Time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7)—better known as the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:1-22). Not one verse of this 2 chapter prophecy has been fulfilled, and the Torah is only written on a few scattered hearts. So why single verse 33 out of all this immense futuristic context?
An Everlasting Covenant Is Coming
Jeremiah 32:37-42 I’m going to gather them out of all the countries where I banished them in My anger, fury, and terrifying wrath. I’ll bring them back to this location and allow them to live here in safety. 38 They’ll be My people, and I’ll be their Elohim. 39 I’ll give them a single-minded purpose, so that they’ll revere Me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants. 40 I’ll make an EVERLASTING COVENANT with them. I’ll never stop doing good for them. I’ll put the reverence of 'Elohim' in them so they’ll never turn away from Me again. 41 I’ll enjoy blessing them, and I’ll definitely replant them in this land, with all My purpose and with all My being.’ 42 “This is what Yehovah says: ‘I 'surely' brought this entire great disaster on these people, 'and just as surely' I’ll bring on them all the good that I’ve promised them.
Restoration of Judah AND Israel
“The term ‘house of Israel’ is used in Exodus 16:31; 40:38, Leviticus 17:3, 8, 10; 22:18, Numbers 20:29, Joshua 21:45, and Ruth 4:11. In these instances, it refers to all the tribes of Israel. But, by the time of King Saul, God begins to distinguish ‘Israel’ [the now divided kingdom] from ‘Judah.’” Evidenced by 1 Samuel 11:7-8
Jeremiah 33: All The Word of Yehovah came to Jeremiah a second time while he was still confined in the guard’s courtyard, He said: 2 “This is what Yehovah says who made you [Targum], Yehovah who formed it [His Covenant] [1] to establish it, whose name is Yehovah: 3 Call to Me, and I’ll answer you, and show you great and amazing things that you’re unaware of. 4 This is what Yehovah, the Elohim of Israel says about the houses in this city and the 'palaces' of the kings of Judah that have been torn down in defense against the siege ramps of 'war'. 5 ‘The Chaldeans are coming to fill the houses with the corpses of people I’ve killed in My anger and in My wrath, and I’ve hidden My face from this city because of all their wickedness.
6 “I’ll restore it [Jerusalem] to health and healing, and I’ll heal the 'people', and I’ll expose them to an abundance of peace and truth! 7 I’ll bring Judah back from captivity,’ [not “restore their fortunes”] AND bring back the captives of Israel, and rebuild them as they were in the beginning [2]. 8 I’ll cleanse them from all the wickedness they’ve committed against Me, and I’ll pardon all the sins they’ve committed against Me—their rebellion against Me. 9 This city will bring renown, praise and splendor to My name. All the nations on earth will hear of all the good that I do for it, and fear and tremble because of all the good and all and prosperity I provide for it.
10 “This is what Yehovah says: You say that this is, ‘a desolate waste, without people or animals.’ Yet in these deserted cities of Judah and streets of Jerusalem, devoid of people and animals, 11 the sounds of joy and happiness will be heard again, the sounds of bridegrooms and brides, and the sounds of those saying, ‘Give thanks to Commander Yehovah, because Yehovah is good and His faithful love. endures forever’ as they bring zebakim [sacrifices] of thanksgiving into Yehovah’s 'Temple'. Because I’ll bring back the captives to the land as in the past,’ says Yehovah.
12 “This is what Commander Yehovah says: ‘This deserted land, a place without people or animals in all its cities will once again be a habitat where shepherds rest their flocks. 13 Flocks will once again pass under the hand of the 'shepherds' who count them in the cities of the highlands, in the cities of the western lowlands, in the cities to the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the vicinity of Jerusalem and in the cities of Judah’, says Yehovah.
14 “The time is coming,” Yehovah says, “when I’ll fulfill the wonderful things that I promised to the House of Israel and the House of Judah.
15 “In those days, and at that time, I’ll cause a righteous Branch to sprout for David. He’ll do what is fair and right in the land. 16 When That Day Comes* Judah will be rescued and Jerusalem will 'rest' securely, and this is what 'Jerusalem' will be called: ‘Yehovah Our Righteousness.’
17 This is what Yehovah says: ‘David will never fail to have a son sitting on the throne of the House of Israel [3], 18 and the Levitical priests will never fail to have a son in My presence offering burnt offerings and burning grain offerings and presenting zebakim every day.’”
19 The Word of Yehovah came to Jeremiah and said, 20 “This is what Yehovah says: If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that day and night won’t occur at the usual times, 21 then My covenant with My servant David can also be broken, so that he won’t have a son to reign on his throne. That also goes for the Levitical priests, My ministers. 22 As the host [stars] of the heavens can’t be counted, and the grains of sand of the sea can’t be enumerated, so too I’ll multiply the descendants of My servant David and the Levites who serve Me.”
23 The Word of Yehovah came to Jeremiah, and said, 24 “Have you noticed what people are saying?, ‘Yehovah has abandoned the two families that He chose’! So they despise My people and no longer consider them a nation. 25 This is what Yehovah says: “If I fail to keep My covenant with day and night and maintain the fixed laws of heaven and earth, 26 only then would I abandon the descendants of Jacob, and David My servant, and not make his descendants rulers over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I’ll return the captives to their land and have mercy on them.”
[1] The word that virtually every modern version inserts here is “earth” (from the Septuagint {Greek} and Arabic versions), but the context of chapters 30-33 is about the New Covenant with Judah and Israel. [2] “The specification, both of ‘Judah’ and ‘Israel’ can only apply fully to the future restoration.”—JFB Commentary (Also see verses 25-26.) [3] This whole segment of Jeremiah, Chapters 30-33 is firmly established as futuristic. It’s after Jerusalem is resting peacefully, not in a constant war mode. While David has had descendants sitting on his throne for a very long time, this is not a proof text of that—Psalm 89 is, it completely covers the past, present and future of David’s dynasty! Historically the various tribes of Israel have had multiple kings/leaders simultaneously ruling, like the royal families of Europe. Or take the US for example. It is just as apparent that Jerusalem has not had a 'Temple' for the Levitical priests,” v.12! But Ezekiel chapters 40-48 vividly describes the time when it will! All twelve tribal distinctions are intact even tho few people attempt to find where they are.Jeremiah 50:4-7 “In those days during that time,” Yehovah says, “the people of Israel will return as well as the people of Judah. [3] They’ll come crying as they arrive, and seeking Yehovah their Elohim. 5 They’ll ask the way to Zion, turning to face that direction. They’ll come and bind themselves to Yehovah in an EVERLASTING COVENANT that will never be forgotten. [4] 6 “My people are lost sheep. Their [political and religious] shepherds have led them astray and turned them loose on the mountains. They wandered from mountain to hill, and forgot their resting place. 7 Anyone who finds them eats them. Their adversaries say, ‘We’re not guilty because they’ve sinned against Yehovah, His righteous dwelling, Yehovah, the hope of their ancestors.’
[3] This has obviously never happened. In 1948 the tribe of Judah did get the ball rolling. Prepare for Scene 2—The Second Exodus [4] The EVERLASTING “Dry Bones” New Covenant: Soon to Arrive! (Ezekiel 37)Israel’s Marriage Covenant Broken
Ezekiel 16:8-16...60-63 I passed by you again, and I saw that you were old enough for love! I spread My robe over you and covered your naked body. I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah, “and you [Israel] became Mine.
9 “Then I washed you with water I rinsed off your blood and anointed you with oil. 10 I also clothed you with embroidered cloth and provided you with leather sandals. I wrapped you with fine linen, and covered you with expensive fabric. 11 I adorned you with jewelry and put bracelets on your wrists and a necklace around your neck.59-63 This is what the Sovereign Yehovah says: I’ll cause what you’ve 'effected'. You 'trashed' your oath in breaking your marriage vows [covenant]... 60 But I’ll remember the marriage vow I made with you in the days of your youth [the “Old Covenant”], and I’ll
establish a [New] Everlasting COVENANT with you. 61 Then you’ll remember the way you lived and be ashamed when I return your older and younger sisters to you, and I’ll give them to you as daughters, but not due to My covenant with you. 62 Then I’ll affirm My [marriage] covenant with you, and you’ll realize that I am Yehovah. 63 Then you’ll understand be ashamed, and never 'talk back' again due to your shame, when I’ve forgiven you for everything you’ve done,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah. [3] [3] More on this universe changing Messianic marriage is best found in Ezekiel 20 and Jeremiah 31.The promise of the Everlasting Covenant began with Abraham. When the New Covenant is in force, it will become exactly what it was originally meant to be.
Israel’s Coming Shotgun Wedding
Ezekiel 20:33-38 As surely as I live,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah, “I’ll rule you with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I will be your King! 34 I’ll bring you out of the nations and gather you out of the countries where you were scattered with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out [1]. 35 I’ll bring you into the wilderness of the people [Isaiah 1, Hosea 2:14], and I’ll judge you there face to face, 36 just like when I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, that’s how I’ll judge you, declares the Sovereign Yehovah. 37 I’ll make you pass under the shepherd’s rod, and I’ll bind you in a [Kimchi]
[New] Covenant, 38 and I’ll purge out the rebels from among you and those who disobey Me. I’ll bring them out of the land where they were living, but they won’t enter the land of Israel. Then you’ll realize that I am Yehovah.[1] More on this shotgun marriage is found in Ezekiel 16:59-63 and Jeremiah 31. But in this wedding, anyone opposed to the ceremony is under the gun!
If you believe that the current secular Jewish state is the fulfillment of prophecy, then I ask: has any of this happened?
Ezekiel 34:25-31“I’ll initiate a covenant of peace with them and eliminate dangerous animals from the land, so that they can live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests safely. 26 I’ll make them and the area around My hill a blessing: I’ll send the rain in the right season; there will be showers of blessing. 27 The trees in the orchards will yield their fruit, and the land will yield its crops when the people live securely in their land. They’ll realize that I am Yehovah once I’ve broken the bars of their yoke, and rescued them from the grasp of those who enslaved them. 28 They’ll no longer be devastated by the nations. Predators of the land won’t ravage them. They’ll live securely and nothing will frighten them.
29 “I’ll make their farmlands surpass all others. They’ll never be victims of famine in the land or endure the insults of the nations. 30 Then they’ll realize that I, Yehovah their Elohim, am with them, and that they, the House of Israel are My people,’ declares the Sovereign Yehovah. 31 You’re My flock, the sheep of My pasture, you’re My people and I’m your Elohim,’ declares the Sovereign Yehovah.”
Ezekiel 37:24-28 His servant David will be their king, and all of them will have one Shepherd [John 10:11]. They’ll 'live by' His regulations and carefully obey His unchanging tenets. [2] 25 They’ll live in the land that He gave to His servant Jacob, where their ancestors lived. They and their children and their grandchildren will live there forever, and His servant David will be their prince forever. 26 He’ll make a [New] covenant of peace with them. It will be an EVERLASTING COVENANT [3] with them, and He’ll establish them and increase their numbers, and set His 'special' place among them forever. 27 His home [New Jerusalem] will also be ABOVE them. He’ll be their Elohim, and they’ll be His people. 28 The nations will know that Yehovah made Israel 'special', when His 'special' place [an earthly 'Temple'] is among them forever.
[2] My favorite Jewish website carefully explains that the “Whole House of Israel” does not include any Jews, because they are the House of Judah! This is almost universally misunderstood by Christians. But it will include a lot of Christians, among others! [3] Fig tree Nation or Fig tree Generation? Aside from the years/dates mentioned, this is the best explanation I know of about what the fig tree represents—the dry bones!Ezekiel chapters 40-48 is actually a glimpse into the future about life in the vicinity of the “Ezekiel Temple” under the New Covenant. None of the prophecies in these nine chapters have ever even remotely been fulfilled. These nine chapters are the most extremely misunderstood, maligned, neglected or simply rejected chapters in the entire Bible. The primary reason for these nine chapters being so controversial is that they simply don’t to fit into anyone’s expectations of the New Covenant era. Here is a link to an article that contains a good bit of factual information about this fourth (millennial) Temple. As usual there are plenty of rabbit trails mentioned that I take exception to, such as John Darby’s 1830 rapture theory. Here is another: “The Feast of Pentecost is omitted as well as the great Day of Atonement”. What? Only a miniscule number of nine chapter stretches of the Bible mention those Feast Days. Another is the idea that the ‘sacrificial’ system is some sort of a memorial. Still, there is a lot there to consider. The sheer enormity of the Temple grounds covering perhaps 2,500 square miles are discussed in articles such as this. As always, recommended with my disclaimer.
What does salvation even look like in the millennium? No one will be called out of the world to train to be spirit-born (spirit composed immortal) millennial priests and kings. All of those positions will already be filled. No one will have to contend with Satan or even an evil society. Peer pressure will be for doing the right things. No one will even participate in what Christians call the sacriments: the bread, wine and footwashing of Yeshua’s Supper described in 1 Corinthians 11:26 (tho Passover will be celebrated: Ezekiel 45:21). Could it be that Yeshua’s zebak (sacrifice) for sins stops when He and His Father return? Might the Fourth Temple (literally resting in New Jerusalem above all of the mountains in the Middle East) be primarily operated by the descendants of Zadoc?:
Ezekiel 43:5-11 The spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and I saw the splendor of Yehovah filling the 'Temple'. 6 I heard someone speaking to me from inside the 'Temple' while the man was standing. 7 He said, “Human son, this is the place for My throne and the place for the soles of My feet, where I’ll live among the Israelites forever. The House of Israel and their kings will never again defile My 'special' name by their prostitution or with the dead bodies of their kings in their high places of worship. 8 'They' set their idol threshold by My threshold, and their doorposts by My doorposts, with only a wall between Me and them. They’ve defiled My 'special' name by their highly detestable things, so I destroyed them in My anger. 9 They should 'stop' their prostitution and get the dead bodies of their kings far away from Me, and I’ll live among them forever.
10 “Human son, describe the 'Temple' to the House of Israel so that they’ll be ashamed of their wickedness. May they measure accurately, 11 and if they are ashamed of everything they’ve done, then elaborate on the design of the 'Temple', its arrangements, its exits and entrances, the entire design with all its regulations and regulations, and write it in plain sight so that they can accurately view its design and all its unchanging rulings and implement them.
These all refer to the same FUTURE EVENT! In 2 Samuel 23:5, David essentially explained that the entire plan of the Bible as given to Abraham—and that David had inherited—was yet to be realized! Yeshua was actually crucified and resurrected to ensure the fulfilment of the Everlasting Covenant, and now it is about to actually happen: Hebrews 13:20Temple Practices Reintroduced!
Ezekiel 44:1-17 Then he brought me back to the outer gateway of the 'special' place that faces east, and it was shut. 2 Yehovah told me, “This gate must remain closed,[1] it will never be opened. No one will enter thru it because Yehovah, the Elohim of Israel, has entered thru it, so it must remain shut. 3 Only the Prince can be seated there. As Prince, He can eat food in Yehovah’s presence [and survive!]. [2] Only He can enter thru the entrance hall and leave by the same way.”
4 Then He brought me in thru the north gateway to the front of the 'Temple'. I looked around and saw the splendor of Yehovah filling the 'Temple' of Yehovah, and I fell facedown.
5 Yehovah told me, “Human son, carefully notice what you see with your eyes and hear with your ears, everything that I reveal to you about the unchanging rulings of the 'Temple' of Yehovah and all its laws. Particularly notice the entrance to the 'Temple' and all the exits from the 'Temple'. 6 Tell the rebellious House of Israel, ‘The Sovereign Yehovah [“Yeshua”] says: House of Israel, “I’ve had enough of your many highly detestable things! 7 You’ve brought in foreigners with uncircumcised hearts and uncircumcised flesh into My 'special' place, violating the honor of My very 'Temple' by your offering My bread, the fat and the blood. You’ve broken My covenant in addition to all your other highly detestable things. 8 You haven’t carried out your duty regarding My 'special' things, instead you’ve put foreigners in charge of My 'special' place. 9 The Sovereign Yehovah says: No foreigner with an uncircumcised heart or uncircumcised flesh will enter My 'Temple', including foreigners who live in Israel.
10 “The Levites who strayed far from Me when Israel went astray, who strayed from Me, preferring their idols will bear the consequences of their sins. 11 Yet they’ll be ministers in My 'special' place and have oversight at the gates of the 'Temple' and serve in the 'Temple'. They’ll slay the burnt offering and zebakim [sacrifices] for the people, and they’ll stand before them and serve them. 12 Because they served the people standing in front of their idols, and caused the House of Israel to 'falter', I’ve sworn that they’ll bear the consequences of their wickedness,’ declares the Sovereign Yehovah. 13 They are not to approach Me serving as My priests or get near any of My 'special' things or My very 'special' things. They must bear the shame of the highly detestable things they’ve committed. 14 Yet I’ll entrust them to perform the other duties of the 'Temple', all its maintenance work, and everything else that needs to be done there.
15 “But the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok who continued to perform the duties of My 'special' place when the Israelites strayed from Me will approach Me and serve Me, and stand in My presence and offer Me the fat and the blood,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah. 16 They alone can enter My 'special' place, approach My table to serve Me, and perform My requirements. 17 “When they enter the gates of the inner courtyard, they must be wearing linen clothing. They must not wear wool clothing while serving within the gates of the inner courtyard or inside the 'Temple'.
[1] The Eastern Gate was sealed shut in AD 1540–41 by order of Suleiman the Magnificent, a sultan of the Ottoman Empire. It’s believed that the reason for the closing of the Eastern Gate was to prevent the Jewish Messiah from gaining entrance to Jerusalem. Jewish tradition states that the Messiah will pass through the Eastern Gate when He comes to rule. The Muslim Suleiman was attempting to thwart the Messiah’s plans with sixteen feet of cement. The Eastern Gate has remained sealed for nearly the past 500 years. [2]Who is the prince? It would appear that he is a decendant of David who survives the Great Tribulation and is converted along with many other survivors from the twelve tribes of Israel (Romans 11:26). Tho a prince, he and his descendants will never become kings. Others contend that Yeshua is the prince.Ezekiel 45:2,9-16,23-24 In this area there will be a section for the 'special' place measuring five hundred by five hundred cubits square, with fifty cubits of open space all around it. 3 From this area measure off an area twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand cubits wide. In it will be the 'special' place [miqdash], an extremely 'special' [kodeshim] place. 4 This 'special' portion of the land will be for the priests, the ministers of the 'special' place who approach Yehovah to serve. It will be a place for their homes, an extremely 'special' place. 5 An area twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width will be for the Levites, the ministers of the 'special' place, as property to live on, twenty chambers.
6 “You must designate an area of the city five thousand cubits wide and twenty-five thousand cubits long, alongside the allotment of the 'special' area, it will be for the whole House of Israel. 7 “The Prince [One lifted up"] will have land on both sides of the 'special' property extending toward the west on the western side [to the Mediterranean] and toward to the east on the eastern side [to the Jordan River]. Its length will be as long as one of the tribal territories from the western border to the eastern border. 8 This land will be His property in Israel. My governors will no longer oppress My people. Instead, they’ll assign the rest of the land to the House of Israel according to their tribes.
9 “The Sovereign Yehovah says, ‘Enough you governors of Israel! Stop the violence and destruction, and do what is just and right. Stop evicting My people,’ declares the Sovereign Yehovah. 10 You must have honest scales. Have a fair ephah [dry measure] and a fair bath [liquid measure]. 11 The ephah and the bath will be uniform, so that the bath and the ephah will contain a tenth of a homer. The homer will be the standard measure. 12 A shekel must weigh twenty gerahs, and 'sixty' shekels will be equal to a mina.
13 “This is the offering you must give: a sixth of an ephah from a homer of wheat, and a sixth of an ephah from a homer of barley, 14 and the quota of olive oil (namely, a bath of oil), a tenth of a bath from each kor, (which consists of ten baths or one homer, since ten baths are equivalent to a homer); 15 and one sheep for every two hundred in your flocks, from the well watered pastures of Israel as a grain offering, and for a burnt offering, and for fellowship zebakim, to make atonement for the people,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah. 16 All the people of the land must contribute to this offering for the Prince in Israel... 23 On the seven days of the Feast he’ll provide a burnt offering to Yehovah of seven blemish free bulls and seven blemish free rams each day thruout the seven days, as well as a male goat each day as a sin offering. 24 He must also provide a grain offering, an ephah for each bull, an ephah for each ram and a hin of olive oil for each ephah of grain.
So it looks like even when the Tribulation Temple is set up, that it is defiled from within even before the Beast defiles it. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4)
Chances are very good that you’ve heard someone urging you to put money in an “offering plate” saying: ”Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple.” But have you ever heard the context? It’s about Yeshua (the Messenger of the [New] Covenant) returning to His Temple. It’s about Judgment Day; things will be ”as in the old days” and there will be plenty of meat from the zebakim for the priests to eat. Surely they explained that?
Yeshua’s Unfaithful Bride
Hosea 2:1-4 “Call your brothers, ‘My people’, and call your sisters, ‘Shown Mercy’! 2 “Contend with your mother! Contend, because she isn’t My wife and I’m not her husband. She should remove the prostitute’s makeup from her face and stop soliciting adultery by wearing jewelry between her breasts. 3 Otherwise I’ll strip her as naked as she was on the day she was born. I’ll turn her into a wilderness, like a desert, and I’ll let her die of thirst. 4 I won’t love her children because they’re children conceived in prostitution...
Israel beomes the Bride—Again! (There Will Only Be One Bride!)
Hosea 2:14-23 “But I’m going to allure her back. I’ll bring her into the wilderness [Ezekiel 20:35] and speak tenderly to her there. 15 I’ll give her back her vineyards beginning there and the Valley of Achor [trouble] into a door of hope. She’ll respond there as in the days of her youth, just like when she came out of the land of Egypt.” 16 Yehovah says: “When That Day Comes* you’ll call Me ‘Husband’ [Ishi] and you’ll never again call Me ‘Lord’ [Baali]. 17 I’ll remove the names of the Baals from your mouths, and you will never mention them again. 18 When That Day Comes I’ll make a covenant with all the wild animals of the plains, the birds from the air and the animals that move around on the ground. I’ll abolish bows and swords and weapons of war from the land, so that everyone can live in peace. [3] 19 I’ll be betrothed [4] to you forever. Yes, you’ll be betrothed to Me in righteousness and in justice, in faithful love and compassion. 20 I’ll be faithful to you, and you’ll finally know Yehovah.
21 “When That Day Comes, I’ll respond,” Yehovah says, “I’ll respond to the heavens and they’ll respond to the earth. 22 Then the land of Israel [eretz] will respond to the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, and they’ll respond to what happened in Jezreel [Hosea 1:5,11]. 23 I’ll plant 'Israel' in the land for Myself. I’ll show love to those I called ‘Not loved’ and I’ll tell those who were not My people: ‘You are My people’, and they’ll say, ‘My Elohim’!”
[3] After Israel, the bride, has returned to her greatly enlarged land (Ezekiel 47:14-23), she will be totally dependent on her Husband for defence, (no Iron Dome). And just as the story of the first Passover is intricately woven into the destruction of Egypt (Exodus chapters 2 thru chapter 13 in particular), the Feast of Tabernacles is interwoven into “Armageddon” (Zechariah 14)—the destruction of the ten nearby enemy nations! (Psalm 23)
[4] Betroth literally means: “a fine, literally pay the price, and gain the right of possession.” Yeshua paid the price. So when does He take possession? And Who is the Messiah’s Bride?Hosea 4
A Lack of Knowledge
Hosea 4:1-6, 16-19 Hear the Word of Yehovah, people of Israel. Yehovah has a covenantal lawsuit against the inhabitants of the land: “There is no truth, loyalty or knowledge of Elohim in the land. 2 There is only cursing, lying, murder, theft and adultery. They resort to violence and bloodshed. 3 So the land is in mourning, and everyone who lives there is wasting away, along with the wild animals and the birds from the air. Even the fish of the sea are disappearing. 4 “Yet no one should find fault or bring charges against them. My case is against you priests. 5 During the day you stumble, and during the night the prophets stumble with you. So I’ll destroy [the nation of Israel] your mother. 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.“Because you’ve rejected knowledge, I also reject you as My priests. Since you’ve ignored your Elohim’s Torah, I’ll ignore your children...15 Tho you, Israel, are a whore, may Judah not become guilty. Don’t go to Gilgal or Beth Aven, or swear, “As Yehovah lives!” 16 Since Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer, how can Yehovah feed them like lambs in a broad meadow. 17 Ephraim is attached to idols. Leave him alone! 18 When the liquor is gone, off they go to find some prostitutes. Her leaders dearly love their shame. 19 The wind wraps them in its wings, and they’ll be ashamed of their zebakim.
Three Millennial Days
Hosea 6: “So come, let’s return to Yehovah. He has torn us to pieces but He’ll heal us. He’s wounded us but He’ll bandage our wounds. 2 He’ll revive US after two days. On the third [millennial] day He’ll raise US up so WE can live in His presence! [1] 3 We should acknowledge Yehovah. We must press on to know Him. As surely as the sun rises, His [Yehovah’s] timetable is firmly established. He’ll come to us like the rain, like the 'spring rains' that water the earth.” [2]
4 Ephraim, what am I going to do with you? Judah, what am I going to do with you? Your 'loyalty' is like the morning mist, it vanishes like the morning dew. 5 So I’ve cut them to pieces by the prophets, I killed them with the words I 'spoke'. Judgments against you flash like lightning. 6 I want your loyalty, not your zebakim, and the knowledge of Elohim rather than burnt offerings. 7 But like Adam they have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to Me.
8 Gilead is a city of wicked people, stained with bloody footprints. 9 Rings of priests like gangs of robbers lie in wait to murder on the way to Shechem, committing shameful crimes. 10 In the House of Israel I’ve seen a horrible thing. There is prostitution in Ephraim, and Israel is defiled. 11 Yet Judah, a harvest awaits you when I bring My people back from captivity.
[1] Check out this heading: “When Specifically is the First Resurrection?” on this link [2] This is uncommon knowledge: Benson commentary: ...As the latter and former rain— Or, as the words should rather be rendered, the harvest rain, and the rain of seed-time: see notes on Deuteronomy 11:14, and Proverbs 16:15. For, as Bishop Horsley justly observes, the Hebrew words here used have nothing of latter or former implied in their meaning. And these expressions convey a notion just the reverse of the truth to the English reader. For what our translation here terms the latter rain, [Hebrew word] is literally, as the bishop terms it, the crop rain, which fell just before the season of the harvest, to plump the grain before it was severed: that is, it fell in what we term the spring, and consider as the former part of the year; for the harvest in Judea began about the middle of our March, according to the old style ...Malachi 3:1-10 Watch out! I’m sending My messenger [Elijah Ch 4:5], and He’ll prepare the way before Me, and the Sovereign who you’re looking for will suddenly come to His 'Temple', the Messenger of the [New] covenant who you desire. He’s coming, says Commander Yehovah. 2 But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can 'survive' when He appears? He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderer’s soap, 3 And He’ll sit like a refiner and purifier of silver. He’ll purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they’ll bring Yehovah offerings in righteousness. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to Yehovah as in the old days and as in previous years.
5 I’ll come to judge you. I’ll be quick to witness against sorcerers and adulterers, against perjurers and those who cheat wage earners out of their wages, and cheat widows and orphans, and those who deprive foreigners of their rights and don’t revere Me,” says Commander Yehovah. 6 Because I, Yehovah, don’t change. That’s why you descendants of Jacob haven’t been destroyed. 7 “From the days of your ancestors you’ve turned away from My regulations and haven’t obeyed them. Return to Me and I’ll return to you,” Commander Yehovah says.
“But you ask, ‘How can we return?’ 8 Can a person rob Elohim? Yet you are robbing Me! But you ask, ‘How have we robbed You?’ With tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse because this entire nation is robbing Me. 10 Bring the entire tithe into the treasury so that there will be 'food' [for those who serve-Targum] in My 'Temple', and test Me now in this,” says Commander Yehovah.”See if I won’t open the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing on you until there isn’t room enough for more!
This nine chapter prophecy ends with the river of life cleansing the earth, and trees of life bearing fruit each month.
Ezekiel 47:12 On the river banks, along both sides, every kind of crop bearing tree will grow. The leaves won’t wither or fail to produce fruit, they will produce a new crop every lunation, because of the water that flows from the Temple. The fruit will be for food, and the leaves will be used for healing.
This is when the twelve tribes of Israel again take back their land—now truly a “'Special' Land” again, because Yehovah is there! (all of Ezekiel 48).
Zechariah 2:10-13 Sing and celebrate, maiden Zion, because I’m going to come and live with you,” says Yehovah. 11 Many nations will side with Yehovah When That Day Comes* and become My people. I’ll live among you, and you’ll know that Commander Yehovah has sent Me to you. 12 Yehovah will inherit Judah as His legacy in the 'special' land and choose Jerusalem again. 13 Be silent 'everyone' in the presence of Yehovah, because He is 'springing into action' from His 'special', abode!
If you read these nine chapters you cannot help but ask why there is all of the emphasis on ze’bakim [sacrifices]. Indeed why is there any mention of zebakim in the Everlasting Kingdom? Did Yeshua (Jesus) actually end the Levitical zebak system? Here is an entire website concerned with the issues of the Torah (Law), and what happened to it after Yeshua was crucified: Paul, the Temple & New Covenant Sacrifices. While the web host most likely has a traditional view of the New Covenant, he sees a big problem with what is taught about the Levitical Priesthood “having been abolished”. This too has been misrepresented by the Churches. Better still, find a copy of The Coming Last Days Temple. It is out of print, but new and used copies are still available from various web sources.
Mediation by Crucifixion!
Is Yeshua presently acting as a mediator for the 'chosen ones'? I was taught that “Jesus has to mediate for the saints daily to the Father”, that is, He has to continually remind Yehovah, His Father not to squash the mere humans, since after all, only He could relate to what it is like being human. However, once we know what the New Covenant is, we should further understand that Yeshua completed the active mediation when He died! Three of the six references to “mediator” in the Testimony of Yeshua, mistakenly called the “New Testament”, concern the time of the future New Covenant. Hebrews 9:15 says that the mediation was performed “by means of death”. So the role of mediator was performed by a physical Yeshua, not the resurrected One. When the New Covenant is actually fulfilled by Yehovah and His Messiah (the Lord and His Christ), no additional mediation will have been needed. The New Covenant was ratified with the blood of Yeshua and now awaits the end of this present evil age.
Notice the statement that Yeshua, the human Son (Greek: anthropos), was the mediator.
1 Timothy 2:5 Yehovah is One [1], and there is one Mediator between Yehovah and humanity, namely the man Yeshua Messiah,
[1] The Aramaic explains the relationship between Yeshua and His Father. The Greek says “one Theos”, rather than “one.”
Yeshua “has [now] obtained a more excellent ministry”. The first definition used for “ministry” in the Online Bible Greek Lexicon is: “a public office which a citizen undertakes to administer at his own expense”. There could be no higher expense!
Hebrews 8:6-8 But now, Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah has been given a superior ministry since He is also the Mediator of an improved covenant, one that was founded on better promises than the original. 8 But denouncing THEM He said, “The time is coming, says Yehovah, when I will complete the terms of the New marriage covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah!
Hebrews 9:15 This is the reason He became the Mediator of the New covenant—so that by means of death He could become the ransom payment for those who are breaking [1b] the first [original] covenant, so that those who are called to the eternal inheritance can receive the promise.
[1] Sins (transgressions) prior to the coming New Covenant with Israel will be retroactively redeemed, their sins blotted out by Yeshua, their mediator. Resumption of animal zebakim [sacrifices], once the New Covenant is in effect will apparently be a different story.
Here again, the Mediation was accomplished by Yeshua’s blood.
Hebrews 12:24 and to Yeshua, the Mediator of the New covenant, and to the sprinkling of His blood that reveals better things than 'the blood' of Abel.
Paul also prophesied about the coming New Covenant and people are still ignorant of this “hidden mystery”:
Romans 11:25-27 Friends, so that you won’t be presumptuous, I want you to know of this hidden mystery—that a degree of spiritual blindness has overtaken Israel until the full complement of nations can come in, 26 and then all of Israel will be saved [alive]. As the Scriptures declare, “A Savior will come from Zion and turn Jacob [the “lost” ten tribes] from sinfulness.” 27 “And THEN [4] they will have My [NEW] COVENANT, after I have forgiven their sins.
[4] The house of Israel and the house of Judah have not lived under a Covenant since the ancient captivity, but that is about to change (Jeremiah 31:31-34)! The Greek totally obscures the matter of timing by substituting “this” for “then”! See The New Covenant—Soon to be Implemented!To say that Yeshua must keep on mediating is tantamount to saying that He must keep on dying—a shameful concept!
Hebrews 6:4-6 But those who have already descended into immersion [1] and have savored the gift from the Heavenly realm, and have received the 'special' spirit, 5 and have experienced the wonderful Word of Aloha and the powers of the age to come— 6 and then fell away [2] can’t be renewed a second time to a changed mind. That is like PERSONALLY crucifying Aloha’s Son all over again, and exposing Him to open shame.
[1] The Greek says, “Those who have once been enlightened”, instead of “Those who have already descended into immersion.” This corruption greatly diminishes the importance of immersion, just as was brazenly done in chapter 10:32. [2] Falling away “means apostasy. It doesn’t take place suddenly & unexpectedly. Rather, it is part of a gradual process, a decline that leads from unbelief, to disobedience, to apostasy”, (frequently quoted online). This does not apply to falling away from false religion!
The Original Part 3, (2004)
The Rest of the Story Is in the Works
There is very little commentary below yet.
The Covenant with Adam: While this is not termed as a “covenant” in Genesis, it does meet all of the prerequisites of one, and Hosea made the point!—“a thousand generations”. In short, once a person is able to distinguish between good and evil, it becomes a life and death issue from then on for that person. The first covenant began in Eden and will remain in effect as long as there are humans. One variable is how much truth a person is exposed to. As in the Second Exodus, the surviving Israelites, having returned to the Promised Land will become the Bride again! As in English, a secondary definition of married is “2: united, joined”. Israelites will be re-united with their land for the rest of a thousand generations (maybe 50,000 years total): Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 105:8 and 1 Chronicles 16:15. All three of these references specify that the 1,000 generations are a covenantal oath! The other nations will learn from Israel (Zechariah 14:16-20).
Hosea 6:7 But like Adam they have broken the covenant.
The covenant with Noah: Genesis 6:17-22 “I am going to bring a flood on the earth to destroy every living thing that breathes under the sky. Everything on earth will die. 18 But I’ll establish My covenant with you. You’ll go into the ark together with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives. 19 Bring pairs of every kind of bird and every kind of animal and every kind of small animal, and every kind of crawling animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. 20 Of each kind of bird, each kind of livestock and each kind of every creature that crawls on the ground—a pair from each will go in with you to stay alive. 21 Gather some from every kind of edible food and store it as food for you and for them.” 22 So Noah did everything exactly as Elohim had commanded him to do.
The Flood Recedes
Genesis 8:14-22 By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry. 15 Then Elohim said to Noah: 16 “Leave the ark, you and your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Release all the animals—birds, livestock, and everything that scurries along the ground—so they can be fertile and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah came out along with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. 19 Every animal, every scurrying thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth went out by their kind from the ark. 20 Noah built an altar to Yehovah, and took some of every clean animal and every clean bird and offered burned offerings on the altar. 21 Yehovah smelled the pleasing aroma. Yehovah told Himself, “I’ll never again curse the ground because of human beings since their thoughts are evil from their youth, and I will never again destroy every living thing as I’ve done. [1] 22 As long as the earth exists, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” [1] The earth will take another pummeling soon, but it won’t be as destructive to life as the great flood!
The Rainbow Covenant
Genesis 6:17-18 I am going to bring a flood on the earth to destroy every living thing that breathes under the sky. Everything on earth will die. 18 But I’ll establish My covenant with you. You’ll go into the ark together with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives.
Genesis 9:8-17 Elohim spoke to Noah and to his sons who were with him, 9 “I am now establishing My covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that accompanied you, the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals of the earth leaving the ark with you, every animal on earth. 11 I confirm My covenant with you: I will never again destroy all living things by a flood; never again will a flood destroy the earth.” 12 Elohim said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I’m making between Me and you and every living creature that’s with you for PERPETUAL GENERATIONS! 13 I have placed my rainbow in the clouds; and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and a rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I’ll remember My covenant between Me and you and every living creature 'made of' flesh. Never again will the flood water destroy all life. 16 When a rainbow appears in the clouds, I’ll see it and remember the everlasting covenant between Elohim and every living creature of every 'kind' on earth.” 17 Elohim said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I’ve established between Me and all the flesh on earth.”
Genesis 15:18 On that same day Yehovah made a covenant with Abram and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, from the [Nile] River of Egypt to the great Euphrates River:
The Covenant of Circumcision
Genesis 17:1-10 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yehovah appeared to Abram, and told him, “I’m the Conqueror. Come into My presence and be blameless. 2 I’ll establish My covenant between Me and you, and increase your numbers greatly”. 3 Abram fell facedown, and Elohim told him, 4 “As for Me, My covenant is with you! You’ll be the father of very many nations. 5 You’ll no longer be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, because I’ve made you the father of very many nations. 6 I’ll make you exceedingly fruitful. Your descendants will establish many nations. Kings will be descended from you. 7 I’ll establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, thruout their generations for an Everlasting Covenant, to be your Elohim and the Elohim of your descendants after you. 8 I’ll give you and your descendants after you the land where you are living, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I’ll be their Elohim.” 9 Elohim said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to preserve My covenant, you and your descendants after you thruout their generations. 10 This is the covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, that you are to preserve: Every male among you is to be circumcised. 11 You must be circumcised. It will be a token of the covenant between Me and you. 12 Every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised thruout your generations, including servants, whether 'they’re' born in your house or purchased with silver from a foreigner who’s not 'related' to you. 13 A servant who is born in your house or purchased with your silver must be circumcised; so My covenant will be evident in your flesh as an everlasting covenant. 14 Any male who fails to be circumcised must be removed from his people. He has broken My covenant.” 15 Then Elohim said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, you are no longer to call her Sarai, her name is to be Sarah [Princess]. 16 I’ll bless her, and furthermore I’ll give you a son by her. Yes, I’ll bless her, and she’ll be the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be descended from her.” 17 Then Abraham fell facedown and laughed and thought to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Could Sarah bear a child at ninety years old?” 18 Abraham said to Elohim, “Why not have Ishmael live in Your sight!” 19 Elohim said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac [laugher]. I’ll 'extend' My covenant with him and his descendants as an Everlasting Covenant. 20 As for Ishmael, I’ve heard you. I’ll bless him and give him many 'descendants'. He’ll become the father of twelve tribal leaders, and I’ll make him into a great nation! 21 But I will confirm My covenant with Isaac. Sarah will give birth to him at this specified time next year.”
Exodus 2:23-24 After a long period of time the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under the burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cries ascended to Elohim because of their slavery. 24 Elohim heard their cries of grief, and Elohim was mindful of His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.
Exodus 6:2-6 Elohim spoke to Moses, and told him, “I am Yehovah. 3 I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as the Conqueror [El-Shaddai], but I did not reveal My name Yehovah to them. 4 I also established My covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land they lived in as foreigners. 5 I’ve heard the groaning of the Israelites who are now slaves to the Egyptians, and I’ve remembered My covenant. 6 “So tell the Israelites:, ‘I am Yehovah, and I’ll bring you out from under the oppression of the Egyptians. I’ll free you from their slavery, and I’ll redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with mighty acts of judgment
Exodus 19:4-6 ‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to the Egyptians, and how I lifted you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Me. 5 So if you’ll diligently obey My voice, and obey My Covenant, then you’ll be My treasured possession out of all the nations, tho the entire earth is Mine, 6 and you’ll be My Kingdom of priests, and a 'chosen' nation.’ This is what you’ll say to the Israelites.”
Exodus 24:3-8 Moses went and told the people everything what Yehovah had said, and all the regulations, and all the people answered in 'unison', “We will do everything Yehovah has said.” 4 Moses wrote down all of Yehovah’s words. He got up early in the morning and built an altar at the ‘foot’ of the mountain with twelve pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 He sent young Israelite men who offered zebakim [sacrifices] and made fellowship zebakim of bulls to Yehovah. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and he sprinkled the other half of the blood on the altar. 7 He took the Book of the covenant and read it aloud to the people, and they said, “We will do everything Yehovah has said, and we will be obedient.” 8 Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that Yehovah has made with you based on everything you just heard!”
Exodus 31:13-18 “Tell the Israelites: ‘Most certainly you must celebrate My Sabbaths, because it’s a sign between Me and you thruout your generations, so that you’ll know that I am Yehovah who makes you special. 14 “You must celebrate the Sabbath, because it’s special for you. Everyone who violates 'the Sabbath' must surely be put to death; anyone who works on it will be cut off from the assembly. 15 Work can be done for six days, but on the seventh day there is a Sabbath of complete rest, 'blessed' by Yehovah. Whoever works on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death. 16 The Israelites must observe the Sabbath day, 'celebrating' the Sabbath thruout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It’s a sign between Me and the Israelites forever, because Yehovah made heaven and earth in six days, and on the seventh day He stopped working and was refreshed.” 18 When He finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two Tablets of the Testimony, stone tablets inscribed by the finger of Elohim.
The Covenant Re-established
Exodus 24:10-27 Yehovah said, “I’m making a covenant with you in the presence of all your people. I’ll do 'miracles' such as have never been done anywhere on earth in any nation, and all the people around you will see the work of Yehovah, because it’s an awesome thing that I’ll do with you! 11 Be sure to comply with what I am commanding you today. I’ll drive the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and the Jebusites away from you! 12 Be careful never to make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, or it will become a trap for you. 13 Instead, tear down their altars, smash their sacred trees and cut down their Asherah poles. 14 Never serve another elohim, because Yehovah, whose name is Jealous is a jealous Elohim. [Large Resh] 15 “Don’t make any treaties with the inhabitants of the land. They prostitute themselves to their gods and ze’bak [sacrifice] to their gods. Some will even invite you eat their zebakim. 16 Then you will end up choosing some of their daughters as wives for your sons. And their daughters who prostitute themselves to their gods will seduce your sons to prostitute themselves to their gods. 17 Never make any gods of cast metal for yourselves. 18 “You must celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days you must eat unleavened bread as I commanded you, at the specified time in the month of the Aviv, because in the month of the Aviv you came out of Egypt. 19 “The firstborn from every womb belongs to Me, including the firstborn males from your herds of cattle and your flocks of sheep and goats. 20 You can redeem the firstborn of your donkeys with a lamb; and if you don’t buy it back, then you must break its neck. However, you must buy back every firstborn son. “No one is to appear before Me empty-handed. 21 “You have six days to work, but on the seventh day you must rest, even during harrowing [3] time and harvest you must rest. 22 “You must celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Harvest Feast annually at the end of the tekufat (the autumnal equinox) [a “season of the year”]: [4]. 23 Three times each year all your males must appear before the Sovereign Yehovah [“Yeshua”], the Elohim of Israel. 24 I’ll drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before Yehovah, your Elohim. 25 “You must not offer the blood of My zebak with leavened bread, and none of the ‘meat’ of the Feast of the Passover can be kept until morning. 26 “Bring the very first of the firstfruits of your ground to Yehovah your Elohim’s 'Temple'. “You must never boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.” 27 Yehovah said to Moses, “Write down these instructions, because with these words I’ve made a covenant with you and with Israel.”
Leviticus 24:8-9 Every Sabbath day he must arrange the 'bread' before Yehovah continually. It’s an everlasting covenant for the Israelites. 9 It will be for Aaron and his sons, and they’ll eat it in a 'special' place, because it’s the very special portion of Yehovah’s offerings by fire; a permanent rule.
Leviticus 26:6-13 “I’ll grant peace in the land, and you’ll lie down, and no one will frighten you. I’ll remove wild animals from the land, and 'warfare' will never traverse your land. 7 You’ll chase your enemies, and they’ll 'die' before you 'in conflict'. 8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall beneath your sword. 9 “I’ll 'look favorably' toward you, and make you fertile and multiply you, and I will keep My covenant with you. 10 You’ll still be eating last year’s harvest and clear out the old 'to make room' for the new. 11 I’ll move My 'dwelling place' among you, and 'I' won’t reject you. 12 I’ll walk among you [Genesis 3:8], and be your Elohim, and you’ll be My people. 13 I am Yehovah your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you wouldn’t be their slaves. I’ve broken the bars of your yoke and made you 'stand tall'. 14 “But if you don’t heed Me or obey all these Commandments, 15 and if you reject My unchanging tenets and despise My regulations and fail to obey all My Commandments and violate My covenant, 16 then I will do this to you: I will bring sudden terror on you, wasting diseases and fevers that will cause your eyes to fail and your life will ebb away. You’ll sow your seeds in vain because your enemies will eat 'what you plant'. 17 I’ll 'turn' against you, and you’ll be defeated before your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you’ll flee when no one is pursuing you. 18 “If you, in spite of these things, won’t obey Me, then I’ll punish you seven times more for your sins. 19 I’ll break the pride of your power, and I’ll make your sky like iron and your ground like bronze... 42 then I’ll remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham, and I’ll remember the land. 43 The land will be abandoned by them, and will delight in its Sabbaths while it lies devastated without them [1]. At last the people will be punished for their sins, because they rejected My regulations, and they abhorred My unchanging tenets. 44 Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I won’t reject them or hate them so much that I exterminate them and break My covenant with them, since I am Yehovah their Elohim, 45 But for their sake I will remember My covenant with their ancestors who I brought out of the land of Egypt within eyesight of the nations, so that I could be their Elohim. I am Yehovah.”
46 These are the unchanging tenets, regulations and laws that Yehovah made between Him and the Israelites on Mount Sinai by Moses.
Numbers 18:19 Anything the Israelites present as 'dedicated' gifts to Yehovah, I’ll give to you, your sons and daughters as your perpetual allotment. It’s a perpetual covenant of salt forever before Yehovah to you and to your descendants with you.”
Numbers 25:12-13 So tell him I’m giving him My covenant of peace. 13 It will be for him and his descendants a perpetual covenant of priesthood, because he was zealous for his Elohim, and made atonement for the Israelites.”
Deuteronomy 4:10-16 Remember the day you stood before Yehovah your Elohim in Horeb, when Yehovah told me, “Gather My people so that I can allow them to listen to My words, so that they learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and so they can teach their children.” 11 You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire clear into the sky, amid thick clouds and intense darkness. 12 Then Yehovah spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words, but you didn’t see His form; just a voice. 13 He proclaimed His covenant to you, the Ten Commandments, that He commanded you to obey, and He wrote them on two stone tablets. 14 It was at that time that Yehovah commanded me to teach you the unchanging tenets and regulations that you’re to follow in the land you’re about to cross over into and take possession of. 15 “You should be cautious, since you didn’t see any kind of form the day that Yehovah spoke to you out of the fire at Horeb, 16 otherwise you could act corruptly and make a carved image for yourselves in the shape of any figure: a male or female form,
The Ten Commandments Repeated
Deuteronomy 5:1-8 Then Moses summoned all of Israel and said to them: “Israel, listen to the unchanging tenets and the regulations I am proclaiming as you hear them today. Learn and follow them carefully. 2 Yehovah our Elohim made a covenant with us at Horeb. 3 Yehovah didn’t make this promise with our ancestors, but with those of us who are alive here and now. 4 Yehovah spoke to you face to face on the mountain from the fire. 5 (I stood between Yehovah and you at that time, to show you the Word of Yehovah, because you were afraid of the fire, and didn’t go up the mountain.) He said: 6 “I am Yehovah your Elohim who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the 'land' of slavery. 7 “You must never have any other Elohim other than Me. 8 You must never make an idol for yourself resembling anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the water under the earth...
Deuteronomy 7:9-13 So remember that Yehovah your Elohim is the only Elohim, the faithful Elohim. He keeps His covenant with enduring love for a THOUSAND GENERATIONS [1] of those who love Him and obey His Commandments. 10 But He repays those who hate Him in person, destroying them. He won’t be slack with anyone who hates Him. He’ll personally repay them. 11 So you must obey the Commandments and the unchanging tenets and the regulations that I give you today. 12 “Then if you heed these regulations and faithfully obey them, Yehovah your Elohim will faithfully keep His covenant with you that He swore to your ancestors. 13 He’ll love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He’ll also bless your children and the produce of your land—your grain, new wine, your olive oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flocks in the land that He swore to give to your ancestors.
[1] Surely if Yehovah had provided more details about the Covenant He had sworn (Hebrews 6:13-16) to a THOUSAND GENERATIONS, rather than just repeating that the Covenant was a sure thing (Psalm 105:8-11 & 1 Chronicles 16:15-18) people would believe He wasn’t kidding about the duration, right?Deuteronomy 8:18-20 But remember Yehovah your Elohim, because it’s He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, confirming the covenant that He swore to your ancestors, as it is today. 19 But if you ever forget Yehovah your Elohim and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you’ll be destroyed. 20 Like the nations that Yehovah causes to perish before you, you will perish if you don’t obey the voice of Yehovah your Elohim.
Deuteronomy 9:9-11 When I went up to the mountain to receive the stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant that Yehovah made with you, then I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I did not eat food or drink water. 10 Yehovah gave me the two stone tablets written with the finger of Elohim Himself. On them were written all the words that Yehovah spoke with you on the mountain from amid the fire on the day of the assembly. 11 At the end of the forty days and nights, Yehovah gave me the two stone tablets; the tablets of the covenant.
Only one nation in the history of the world ever agreed to the covenantal blessings (and curses) of Deuteronomy 28, prefaced in chapter 27. Ancient Israel, the ancestors of America and the British Commonwealth Nations (among others) suffered all of these curses. While these curses are similar to the curses preceding the end time Israelite nations, there are significant variations. Many modern Israelite nations will be cursed as daughters of Babylon. I found this link while trying to find something similar directly from Yair Davidiy.
Deuteronomy 29: ALL These are the words of the covenant that Yehovah commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant He had made with them at Horeb: (Deuteronomy 5).
Ancient Israel was prophesied to fail!
Deuteronomy 31:16-17 Yehovah said to Moses, “You’ll rest with your ancestors, and these people will soon commit prostitution with the foreign gods of the land around them. They’ll abandon Me and break the covenant I made with them. 17 When That Day Comes* My anger will burn against them, and I’ll forsake them and I’ll hide My face from them, and they’ll be destroyed. Many disasters and predicaments will confront them, so that they’ll say on that day, ‘Haven’t these disasters 'struck' us because our Elohim isn’t with us?’
Moses Blesses the Twelve Tribes
Deuteronomy 33:8-9 About Levi he said, “Your Thummim and Urim belong to Your special servant, who You tested at Massah. You contended with them at the 'oasis' of Meribah. 9 They said of their fathers and mothers, ‘We don’t consider them.’ They disregarded their brothers and didn’t acknowledge their own children, but they watched over Your word and guarded Your covenant. [Commentary]
Isaiah 1Yehoshua 7:10 Yehovah told Yehoshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that? 11 Israel has sinned. Yes, they’ve even transgressed My covenant that I commanded them. Yes, they’ve actually taken things dedicated for destruction, and have also stolen, and deceived. They’ve even stashed it with their own stuff. 12 So the Israelites can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they’ve become devoted for destruction. I won’t be with you any longer unless you destroy the things dedicated for destruction from among you.
Yehoshua’s Farewell Address
Yehoshua 23:14-16 “Today I’m going 'to return to the ground'! You know and fully believe that not a single one of the many good things that Yehovah your Elohim promised you has failed. They were all fulfilled for you. Nothing has failed. 15 But just like all the good things that Yehovah your Elohim promised to you has come true, 'in the same way' Yehovah will cause every promise of disaster to come true for you until He has destroyed you from this good land that Yehovah your Elohim has given you, 16 when you break the covenant of Yehovah your Elohim, that He commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down to them, then the anger of Yehovah will burn you, and you’ll quickly 'vanish' from this fertile land that He has given to you.”
Yehoshua 24:24-30 Then the people said to Yehoshua, “We will serve Yehovah our Elohim, and we’ll obey Him.” 25 So Yehoshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made them permanent rules and regulations in Shechem. 26 Yehoshua wrote these words in the Book of the Torah of Elohim. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the 'appointed' place of Yehovah. 27 Yehoshua said to all the people, “This stone will be a witness against us, because it has heard the entire 'message' of Yehovah that He said to us! It will serve as a witness against you if you deny your Elohim.” 28 Then Yehoshua sent the people away to their own homes. 29 Then after this Yehoshua, Nun’s son, Yehovah’s servant, died at the age of a hundred and ten. 30 They buried him in the land he had been allocated, in Timnath Serah, in the highlands of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash.
Ultimately, today’s popular “Replacement Theology” is the teaching that we are already living under and enjoying Israel’s Jeremiah 31 New Covenant. It has to do with who the Israel of Bible prophecy really is. Is it “the church” or is it the misguided descendants of Israel who will awaken as a result of the coming Great Tribulation? Who is going to take over the land of Israel and live there for “a thousand generations”.
Yehovah’s Messenger in Bochim
Judges 2:1-3 The Messenger of Yehovah [1] went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you out of Egypt into the land that I swore to give to your ancestors, and I said, ‘I’ll never break My covenant with you. 2 You must not make any covenants with the inhabitants of this land, and you must break down their altars.” But you haven’t obeyed Me. Why have you done this? 3 So I also said, ‘I won’t drive them out ahead you; they’ll be like thorns in your sides, and their gods will ensnare you. [1] Wrongly called “the angel of the LORD.” In reality He is the pre-incarnate Messenger of Yehovah, Yeshua (Jesus)
Deuteronomy 7:9 So remember that Yehovah your Elohim is the only Elohim, the faithful Elohim. He keeps His covenant with enduring love for a THOUSAND GENERATIONS [1] of those who love Him and obey His Commandments. 10 But He repays those who hate Him in person, destroying them. He won’t be slack with anyone who hates Him. He’ll personally repay them. 11 So you must obey the Commandments and the unchanging tenets and the regulations that I give you today. 12 “Then if you heed these regulations and faithfully obey them, Yehovah your Elohim will faithfully keep His covenant with you that He swore to your ancestors. +ft
1 Chronicles 16:14-18 He is Yehovah our Elohim. His judgments are in all the earth. 15 Remember His covenant forever, the words that He commanded to a THOUSAND GENERATIONS [1], 16 the covenant that He made with Abraham, His oath to Isaac. 17 He confirmed it with Jacob as a permanent rule, and to Israel as a never ending covenant, 18 saying, “I’ll give you the land of Canaan, the territory of your inheritance.”
[1] Surely if Yehovah had provided more details about the Covenant He had sworn (Hebrews 6:13-16) to a THOUSAND GENERATIONS, rather than just repeating that the Covenant was a sure thing (Psalm 105:8-11 & 1 Chronicles 16:15-18) people would believe He wasn’t kidding about the duration, right?David’s Last Words
2 Samuel 231-7 These are the last words of David: The declaration of David the son of Jesse and the declaration of the man who was empowered concerning the messiah [1] [anointed one] of the Elohim of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel: 2 “'Yehovah’s spirit' spoke thru me. His 'message' was on my tongue. 3 The Elohim of Israel said: The Rock of Israel told me: ‘The one who rules the people with justice, who rules with reverence of Elohim 4 is like the sunrise on a cloudless day, or like the glistening grasslands covering the earth in the sunshine after the rain. 5 Most certainly my household is NOT [2] with Elohim, yet He has made an EVERLASTING COVENANT with me, complete and unchanging in every detail. He insures my safety and brings my every desire into fruition. 6 But every single worthless person will be thrown away like thorns because they can’t be safely handled. 7 Whoever handles them must be armed with iron tools or the shaft of a spear. They’ll be completely burned to ashes where they 'lie'!
Solomon’s Prayer
1 Kings 8:22-25 Then Solomon stood before the altar of Yehovah in the presence of the entire assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven, 23 and he said: “O Yehovah, Elohim of Israel, there is no Elohim like You in heaven above or on earth below who keeps covenant and faithful love with Your servants who 'live' before You 'resolutely'. 24 You have kept Your promise to my father, Your servant David that You made to him. Indeed, You made a 'commitment' to my father David and then 'personally' fulfilled what You promised today.
25 “So Yehovah, O Elohim of Israel, keep Your promise with my father David, Your servant that You promised when You said, ‘You will never fail to have an 'heir' to sit on the throne of Israel as long as your descendants guard their lives and 'live' in My presence as you have 'lived’”
1 Kings 11:9-13 So Yehovah was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from Yehovah, the Elohim of Israel who had appeared to him twice, 10 and had commanded 'Solomon' about this very thing, that he shouldn’t advocate other gods; but he didn’t obey Yehovah’s command. 11 So Yehovah told Solomon, “Since you have done this and haven’t kept My covenant and My unchanging rulings that I commanded you, I am sure to rip the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. 12 But I won’t do it during your lifetime for your father David’s sake, but I’ll rip it from your son’s hands. 13 Yet I won’t rip away the entire kingdom. I’ll give one tribe to your son for My servant David’s sake and for the sake of Jerusalem that I’ve chosen.”
1 Kings 19:9-14 The Word of Yehovah came to him! He asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I’ve been very zealous for Yehovah, Elohim the Commander, because the Israelites have forsaken Your [the Word’s] covenant, knocked down Your altars and killed Your prophets with swords. I’m the only one left and they’re trying to kill me too.”
11 Then He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before Yehovah.” And just then Yehovah passed by, and a very strong wind tore thru the mountains breaking the rocks to pieces before Yehovah, but Yehovah wasn’t in the wind! After the wind there was an earthquake, but Yehovah wasn’t in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake there was a fire, but Yehovah wasn’t in the fire, and after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his coat and went outside and stood at the entrance of the cave. 'Suddenly' a voice came to him and asked, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I’ve been very zealous for Yehovah, Elohim the Commander. The Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down your altars and killed Your prophets with swords. I’m the only one left and they’re trying to end my life too.”
2 Kings 13:21-23 Now the bands of the Moabites would invade the land at the 'beginning' of the year. 21 Then, as they were burying a man they spotted a raiding party, so they threw the man into Elisha’s tomb, and as soon as the man touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood on his feet!
22 King Hazael of Aram had been oppressing Israel thruout the reign of Yehoahaz. 23 But Yehovah was kind and merciful to them, and they were not totally destroyed because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and He wouldn’t destroy them or 'banish' them from His presence up until that time. 24 After King Hazael of Aram died, his son Benhadad succeeded him as king. 25 Then Yehoahaz’s son Yehoash reconquered the cities that Benhadad had taken from his father Yehoahaz in war. Yehoash defeated him three times and recovered the cities of Israel.
Hoshea Reigns in Israel
2 Kings 17:1-41 In the twelfth year of Ahaz King of Judah, Elah’s son Hoshea became king over Israel and reigned for nine years. 2 He did evil that Yehovah 'condemned', but not like the kings of Israel who were before him. 3 King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute. 4 But the King of Assyria discovered Hoshea’s conspiracy. He had sent envoys to So, king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the King of Assyria as he had been doing annually, so the King of Assyria arrested him and put him in prison. 5 Then the King of Assyria invaded the whole land, went up to Samaria and laid siege against it for three years. 6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the King of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria, and settled them in Halah along the Habor River in Gozan and in the cities of the Medes.
7 All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against Yehovah their Elohim, who had brought them out of Egypt from under the 'fist' of Pharaoh, king of Egypt and because they had worshiped other gods 8 and 'followed the customs' of the nations that Yehovah had driven out before the Israelites as well as the customs that the kings of Israel had introduced. 9 The Israelites did things secretly that weren’t right with Yehovah their Elohim. They built their high places in all their cities from watchtowers to fortified cities. 10 They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every evergreen tree. 11 They burned incense in all the high places just like the nations that Yehovah had driven away before them had done. They did wicked things to provoke Yehovah to anger, [this sounds deliberate]. 12 They worshiped idols even tho Yehovah had told them, “You must never do that.” 13 Yet Yehovah warned Israel and Judah thru all His prophets and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments and My unchanging rulings in accordance with the entire Torah that I commanded your ancestors and sent to you thru My servants the prophets.” 14 Yet they didn’t listen, but stiffened their necks like their ancestors who refused to trust Yehovah their Elohim. 15 They rejected His unchanging tenets, and the covenant that He made with their ancestors, and the warnings He gave them. They persued idols, and became worthless. They imitated the nations around them, that Yehovah had commanded that they shouldn’t imitate. 16 They abandoned all the commandments of Yehovah their Elohim: They made two calves out of cast metal. They made an Ashera pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah. They prayed to the entire army of heaven, and they worshiped Baal. 17 They passed their sons and daughters thru the fire, and practiced divination and interpreted omens, and devoted themselves to do evil in the sight of Yehovah, provoking Him to anger.
18 So Yehovah was very angry with Israel and removed them from His presence. Only the house of Judah remained. 19 Even Judah failed to obey the Commandments of Yehovah their Elohim. They 'adopted' the 'practices' that Israel had introduced. 20 Yehovah rejected all the descendants of Israel, afflicted them, and handed them over to their attackers until He had banished them from His presence. 21 He tore Israel away brom the house of David, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat their king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel away from following Yehovah, and encouraged them to commit a serious sin. 22 The people of Israel 'persisted' in all of the sins that Jeroboamhad committed, and never wavered from them. 23 Finally, Yehovah removed Israel from His sightjust as He warned He would do thru all His servants the prophets. 24 The King of Assyria brought men from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria instead of the Israelites, and they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. 25 When they first began to live there, they didn’t worship Yehovah, so Yehovah sent lions among them that killed some of them...
34 To this day they’re doing what they did before, they don’t really revere Yehovah or 'live by' the unchanging rulings and regulations of the Torah or the Commandments that Yehovah 'gave' the descendants of Jabob, who He renamed Israel. 35 Yehovah made a covenant and commanded them: “You must never fear other gods or bow to them or serve them or offer zebakim to them. 36 You must revere Yehovah. He brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm. Bow down to him! Offer zebakim to Him!” 37 The unchanging rulings and the regulations and the Torah and the Commandments that He wrote for you, see to it that you do forever. Don’t 'worship' other gods. 38 Don’t forget the covenant that I made with you. Don’t worship other gods. 39 But you must 'worship' Yehovah your Elohim, and He’ll rescue you from the grasp of all your enemies. 40 But they wouldn’t listen, they continued following their former practices. 41 So these nations professed to 'worship' Yehovah, but they also served their engraved images. Their children and grandchildren are doing the very same thing their ancestors did. To this day they do the same things. [Syncretism: a modern day example].
2 Kings 18:11-16 Then the king of Assyria deported the Israelites to Assyria and settled them in Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes 12 because they didn’t obey the voice of Yehovah their Elohim, but transgressed His covenant, and everything that Moses the servant of Yehovah commanded. They wouldn’t listen or do it. 13 Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib King of Assyria 'attacked' all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. 14 King Hezekiah of Judah sent a message to the King of Assyria at Lachish: “I’ve done wrong; withdraw from me and I’ll pay whatever you impose on me.” So the king of Assyria exacted from King Hezekiah of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 Hezekiah gave him all the silver found in Yehovah’s 'Temple' and in the treasures of the king’s 'palace'. 16 At that time King Hezekiah of Judah stripped the gold from the doors of Yehovah’s 'Temple' and from the doorposts that 'he' had previously overlaid with gold and gave it to the King of Assyria.
Josiah Bans Baal Worship
2 Kings 23:1-5 Then the king 'summoned' all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 2 The king went up to Yehovah’s 'Temple' with all the men of Judah and all the residents of Jerusalem, and the priests, the prophets, and all the people, both 'poor' and 'rich', and he read where they could hear all the words of the Book of the covenant that was found in Yehovah’s 'Temple'. 3 The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant 'with' Yehovah to 'follow' Yehovah and to obey His Commandments and His testimony and His unchanging rulings with all his mind, and all his being, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book, and all the people 'agreed to' the covenant.
4 The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers to remove from Yehovah’s 'Temple' all of the stuff that was made for Baal, the grove poles, and the entire army of heaven. He burned it outside of Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and hauled their ashes to Bethel [where Israel’s idolatry began]. 5 He got rid of the pagan priests that the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the areas around Jerusalem, those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, the moon, the constellations and to the entire army of the heavens.
Earth Shaken Violently
2 Isaiah 24:1-5 Yehovah is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it, mar its surface and scatter its inhabitants! 2 It will be the same for priest as with other people, servants like masters, mistresses like maids, buyers like sellers, lenders like borrowers, creditors like debtors. 3 The earth will be completely emptied and completely spoiled because Yehovah has spoken this 'message'. 4 The earth mourns and withers. The world decays and fades away. The prominent leaders of the earth will be helpless. 5 The earth is polluted by its inhabitants because they transgressed the Torah, violated the unchanging rulings and broke the everlasting covenant.
Your Eyes Will See the King
Isaiah 33:1-24 It will be dreadful for the destroyer, tho you weren’t destroyed. How horrible it will be for you, betrayer, tho you haven’t been betrayed! Once you’re finished destroying, you’ll be destroyed; and once you’re finished betraying, you’ll be betrayed.” 2 Yehovah, be merciful to us. We have waited for You. Be our strength every morning, our deliverance in times of trouble. 3 At the sound of thunder the people flee. When You rise up, the nations scatter. 4 Your plunder is like a locust 'invasion'. People will swarm over it like an infestation of locusts. 5 Yehovah is exalted, because He lives high above. He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. 6 When That Day Comes* there will be stability in your time, an abundance of deliverance, wisdom and knowledge. The reverence of Yehovah is your treasure.
7 Listen! Their warriors cry out in the streets; the ambassadors of peace cry bitterly. 8 The highways are deserted; travel has ceased. The covenant has been broken. He [the enemy] despises the cities and respects no one. 9 The land mourns and wastes away, Lebanon is ashamed and withers; Sharon is like a desert plain, and Bashan and Carmel lose their leaves. 10 “Now I’ll rise up,” Yehovah says, “Now I’ll be exalted. Now I’ll be lifted up. 11 You conceive chaff, you give birth to stubble; your breath will incinerate you like a fire. 12 The people will be burned to ashes, like cut thorns they’ll be set ablaze. 13 Those of you who are far away, listen to what I’ve done; and you who are near, know My strength.”
14 The sinners in Zion are terrified. Trembling has seized the secular people. “Could any of us live thru the devouring fire? Which of us could live with continual burning?” 15 Those who 'live' the right way and speak the truth, who despise profiting from oppression, who wave their hands refusing a bribe, who stop their ears from hearing plots of murder and refuse to 'endorse' evil 16 will live high above. Their refuge will be the mountain fortress [Matthew 24:16]. Their bread will be supplied, their water will be assured [obviously still human].
17 Your eyes will see the King in His splendor. You’ll see a land that stretches into the distance. 18 You’ll meditate on the terror. “Where is the accountant? Where is the one who weighs the silver? Where is the one who counts the towers?” [1] 19 You’ll no longer see the 'barbarians', people with a 'foreign' language that none of you can comprehend, whose stammering 'speech' is incomprehensible. 20 Look at Zion, the city of our appointed Feasts. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home, an immovable tent; it’s stakes will never be pulled up, and none of its ropes will be severed. 21 But the majestic Yehovah will be there with us, a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars will go or any powerful ship pass by. 22 Because Yehovah is our judge. Yehovah writes our laws. Yehovah is our King. He’ll rescue us. 23 Your rigging is insecure. You can’t fasten the base of the mast and spread the sail. Then an abundance of plunder will be divided, and even the lame will take plunder. 24 No one living there will say, “I’m sick.” The people who live there will be forgiven of their disgusting injustice.
[1] Possibly the “engineer, to take care of the fortifications”: Gills
Yeshua, My Servant
Isaiah 42:1-12 “This is My Servant, the One I back, My Chosen One, I delight in Him. I’ll put [1] My Spirit on Him; He’ll bring justice to the nations! 2 He won’t shout or raise His voice or be heard crying out in the streets. 3 He won’t break a bruised reed, and He won’t snuff out a smoldering wick. He’ll faithfully bring justice. 4 He won’t grow faint or be discouraged before He has established justice on the earth, and distant lands beyond the ocean will wait expectantly for His Torah.” [Commentary] 5 This is what El, Yehovah—the Creator of the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and 'life' to those who walk on it says, 6 “I, Yehovah, have called You [Yeshua] in righteousness, and I’ll hold Your hand and watch over You, and give You as a covenant for the people and a light for the nations, 7 to open blind eyes, to free prisoners from dungeons, and release those sitting in darkness from prison. [Luke 4:16-19]
8 “I am Yehovah. That is My name. I won’t give My splendor to another or My praise to carved idols. 9 Previous events have come and gone, but now I’m announcing new things. I’ll tell you about them before they spring into being!” 10 Sing to Yehovah a new song, sing His praise to the farthest horizons of the earth, you who 'travel' by sea and by everything in it, you 'distant lands beyond the oceans' and those who live there. 11 The wilderness and its cities will raise their voices, along with the villages that Kedar inhabits. The inhabitants of Sela will sing. They’ll shout from the mountain tops! 12 They’ll give honor to Yehovah and announce His praise on the 'distant lands beyond the oceans'.
[1] This verse perfectly illustrates “traditional translation”—merely revising previous versions. Of the 21 versions linked here, 17 of them say “have put” My spirit on Him, 2 say “have placed”, and 1 says “have given”—all past tense. Only the NIV, “a completely original translation” (with a very good Tanak) says “will put” My spirit on Him, consistent with the first seven verses being obviously a future prophecy—not something taking place eight centuries BC. Yeshua did not have the spirit “put” on Him until He came in the flesh! Matthew 12:17-21 specifically explains this. The pre-incarnate Yeshua was the literal personification of the spirit until He emptied Himself to become human—Philippians 2:6-8.
My Servant Yeshua
Isaiah 49:1-24 Listen to Me 'distant lands beyond the oceans'. Hear this, you far off nations: Yehovah called Me from the womb. He named Me while I was in My mother’s 'body'. [abortion, really?] 2 He made My mouth like a sharp sword; He hid Me in the shadow of His hand. He made Me like a sharpened arrow and concealed Me in His quiver. 3 He said to me, “You are My Servant [Commentary], Israel; I’ll be clothed with splendor thru You.” 4 But I said, “My efforts were wasted, I’ve spent my strength for nothing and futility.” Yet undoubtedly the justice due to Me is with Yehovah, and My reward is with My Elohim.”
Yeshua’s Second Exodus
5 Yehovah formed Me in the womb to be His Servant to bring Jacob back to Him so that Israel could be regathered to Him. Yehovah will honor Me and I am honored in Yehovah’s sight, and My Elohim is My strength. 6 He is saying: “It isn’t enough for You [just] be My Servant [Yeshua] to to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and to bring back the Israelites who were 'spared.' I will also make You a light to the nations, so that You can bring My message of deliverance to the 'remotest parts' of the earth!” 7 This is what Yehovah the Redeemer of Israel, and its 'special' One, says to the despised One, the One the nation abhors, the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and leaders will bow down, because of Yehovah who is faithful, the 'special' One of Israel who has chosen You.”
8 This is what Yehovah says: “In a favorable time I have answered You, and in a day of deliverance I have helped You. I’ll protect You [the Messiah: Barnes] and give You to the people as a covenant [the covenantee], to restore the land and to repossess its desolate heritage. 9 You will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out’ and to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves’! They’ll be My sheep, grazing along the roads and finding pastures on all the once barren heights. 10 They won’t hunger or thirst, and the heat or sun won’t beat down on them because the One who has mercy on them will lead them. He’ll guide them to springs of water. [Context: Revelation 7:13-17] 11 I’ll make all My mountains traversable, and My highways in the valleys will be elevated. 12 They will come from far away! They will come from the north and from the west, and they will come from Australia. 13 Shout for joy, you heavens, and earth rejoice, and break out into singing you mountains, because Yehovah has comforted His people and will have compassion on His meek and afflicted. 14 But Zion [captive Israel] said [just prior to this], “Yehovah has abandoned me, Yehovah has forgotten me!”
The Brides Missing Children Are Brought Back to Life!
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child and not have compassion on the child she gave birth to? Well they may forget, but I won’t forget you! 16 I’ve inscribed you [twelve tribes of Israel] on the palms of My hands [by the nail prints: Gill’s], your walls Revelation 21:12,14,15,17,18,19] are continually before Me!
I love the special resurrection of children that occurs during this time in the rest of this chapter—tho I have never heard anyone mention it.
Your Makers Are Your Husbands!
Isaiah 54:1-10 “Shout for joy, you barren one who never had children. Break into shouts of joy, you women who have not been in labor! Because the forsaken 'woman' will have more children than the children of a married woman,” says Yehovah. 2 “Expand your tent site, stretch your tent curtains further out! Don’t hold back; lengthen your ropes, and drive your pegs deeper. 3 “You’ll spread out to the right and to the left, and your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the deserted cities.
4 “Don’t be afraid, because you won’t be ashamed or humiliated. You won’t be put to shame, and you’ll forget the shame of your youth. You won’t remember the stigmatism of widowhood. 5 Your MAKERS are your HUSBANDS [1], Commander Yehovah is His name, and the 'special' One of Israel is your Redeemer. He is called the Elohim of the entire earth. 6 Yehovah has called you like a deserted wife tormented by grief, like a wife rejected early in life,” says your Elohim. 7 “For a brief moment I let you alone, but with infinite compassion I’ll bring you back. 8 In a spurt of anger I hid My face from you momentarily, but with eternal love I’ll have compassion on you,” says Yehovah your Redeemer. 9 “To Me, this is like Noah’s floodwaters, when I swore that Noah’s floodwaters would never cover the earth again. And now I’ve sworn that I won’t be angry with you or reprimand you. 10 The mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My kindness will never leave you and My covenant of peace won’t be shaken,” says Yehovah, who has mercy on you.
[1] Yes, both are plural, but not a trinity. This site source has plenty of plurality verses that some call a Binity. But to read historical statements confirming the fact that Yehovah was recognized as a Binity until Constantine forced a “reconsideration”, see this link. Also, when last I checked, Wikipedia’s article on Binitarianism (a moving target) was an equally informative article that is as persuasive as it can be, while still maintaining the necessary air of neutrality required of an encyclopedia.Nations Will Come Running to Israel
Isaiah 55:1-5 “Everyone who is thirsty should come to the water. Anyone without silver should come, buy and eat! Yes, come and buy wine and milk without silver and without cost. 2 Why do you spend silver for something that isn’t food? Why labor for something that doesn’t satisfy? Listen to Me carefully, and eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. 3 “Turn your ear, and come to Me. Listen, so that you can live! I’ll make an EVERLASTING COVENANT with you [Israel], the unfailing love I promised to David. [See Ezekiel 37:26] 4 I’ve made Him [Messiah: Barnes] a witness [or Testimony] to the people, a leader and commander of the nations! 5 You [Israel] will summon nations you don’t know, and nations that didn’t know you will come running to you, because of Yehovah Your Elohim, the 'special' One of Israel, since He has honored you.”
Foreigners Will Join Yehovah
Isaiah 56:1-9 This is what Yehovah says: “Maintain justice and do the right things, because My YESHUA [1] WILL COME, and My righteousness will be revealed. 2 People who do these things are blessed—'people' who 'stand' fast, who 'keep from profaning' the Sabbath and keep their hands from doing any evil. 3 Don’t allow a foreigner who has joined himself to Yehovah to say, ‘Yehovah will certainly separate me from His people.’ And don’t allow a eunuch to say, ‘I’m a dry tree!’ 4 This is what Yehovah says:
“To the eunuchs who regard My Sabbaths and choose the things that please Me and hold firmly onto My covenant. 5 In My 'Temple' and within My walls, I’ll give them a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I’ll give them an everlasting name that will never die.
6 “And foreigners who join themselves to Yehovah, to serve Him, and to love Yehovah’s name, becoming His servants, everyone who regards the Sabbath without profaning it, and who holds fast to My covenant. 7 These I’ll bring to My 'special' mountain, and bring delight to in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their zebakim will be accepted on My altar, since My house [Temple] will be called a house of prayer for all nations. 8 The Sovereign Yehovah [“Yeshua”] who gathers the outcasts of Israel [during the Second Exodus], says: “I’ll gather still others to Him [2] besides those already gathered.” 9 All you animals in the fields, all you animals in the forest, come and devour.
[1] Isaiah identifies Yeshua by name in Isaiah 56:1. The word for “rescue” is the word “Yeshua” in the Hebrew language. If we were to translate this using the Gentile [contrived] name for Yeshua, we could insert “Jesus” into Isaiah 56:1” [2] As correctly rendered in many older versions and KJV updates, but possibly unique with capitalization. Compare to John 10:16 and this commentary.The New Covenant goes into effect once the Redeemer comes to Zion:
Isaiah 59:16,20-21 He saw that there was no man, and was amazed that there was no one to intercede, so His own Arm brought deliverance to Him, and His righteousness upheld Him... 20 “A Redeemer will come to Zion for the descendants of Jacob who turn from rebellion,” says Yehovah. 21 “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” Yehovah says, “My spirit that is on you, and My words that I’ve put in your mouth, won’t depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your descendants, or from the mouths of their descendants from now on and forever,” says Yehovah.
I also added, in essence, a Part 3 called The New Covenant and the Great Multitude. It addresses who the Great Multitude are.
I recommend reading WHAT DO YOU MEAN... A NEW COVENANT? It is a rather technical article that demonstrates from the Hebrew and the Greek what “New” really means! Interestingly, Frank believes that the New Covenant is already in effect.
Isaiah 54:9-15 “To Me, this is like Noah’s floodwaters, when I swore that Noah’s floodwaters would never cover the earth again. And now I’ve sworn that I won’t be angry with you or reprimand you. 10 The mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My kindness will never leave you and My covenant of peace won’t be shaken,” says Yehovah, who has mercy on you.
11 “You storm battered, afflicted and unconsoled 'city'! I’ll reset your stones in antimony and lay your foundations with lapis lazuli [“sapphire”]. 12 I’ll make your pinnacles [?] of jasper, your gates with crystal and your outer wall with beautiful stones. 13 All your children will be taught by Yehovah, and your children will experience unlimited peace. 14 You’ll be ethically reestablished. You’ll be far from oppression, and you won’t be afraid of anything because nothing frightening will come near you. 15 If anyone attacks you, it won’t be from Me. Whoever attacks you will fall because of you.
Isaiah 55:3-12 Turn your ear, and come to Me. Listen, so that you can live! I’ll make an EVERLASTING covenant with you [Israel], the unfailing love I promised to David. [See Ezekiel 37:26] 4 I’ve made Him [Messiah: Barnes] a witness [or Testimony] to the people, a leader and commander of the nations! 5 You [Israel] will summon nations you don’t know, and nations that didn’t know you will come running to you, because of Yehovah Your Elohim, the 'special' One of Israel, since He has honored you.”
6 Seek Yehovah while He can be found. Call on Him while He is near. 7 The wicked should change their ways, and the unfair their thoughts. They should turn to Yehovah, and He’ll have mercy on them, AND [return] to our Elohim, since He is very willing to pardon. 8 “My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways aren’t My ways,” says Yehovah. 9 Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts. 10 “Just like rain and snow come falling from the sky, and don’t return before watering the earth, and causing it to sprout and grow, providing seeds for the sower and food for the hungry, 11 that’s how My word is as it leaves My mouth, it won’t return to Me without an effect; it will accomplish what I want and it will prosper in whatever I sent it to do. 12 You’ll leave [captivity] with joy, and be led [into Israel] in peace, the mountains and the hills will burst into shouts of joy before you, and all of the trees in the land will clap their hands.
Isaiah 56:4-8 To the eunuchs who regard My Sabbaths and choose the things that please Me and hold firmly onto My covenant. 5 In My 'Temple' and within My walls, I’ll give them a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I’ll give them an everlasting name that will never die. 6 “And foreigners who join themselves to Yehovah, to serve Him, and to love Yehovah’s name, becoming His servants, everyone who regards the Sabbath without profaning it, and who holds fast to My covenant. 7 These I’ll bring to My 'special' mountain, and bring delight to in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their zebakim will be accepted on My altar, since My house [Temple] will be called a house of prayer for all nations. 8 The Sovereign Yehovah [“Yeshua”] who gathers the outcasts of Israel [during the Second Exodus], says: “I’ll gather still others to Him [2] besides those already gathered.”
Isaiah 59:19-21 So they’ll revere Yehovah’s name from the west, and His splendor from the rising sun, because He’ll come like a rushing stream that the spirit [or breath] of Yehovah drives. 20 “A Redeemer will come to Zion for the descendants of Jacob who turn from rebellion,” says Yehovah. 21 “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” Yehovah says, “My spirit that is on you, and My words that I’ve put in your mouth, won’t depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your descendants, or from the mouths of their descendants from now on and forever,” says Yehovah.”
[2] As correctly rendered in many older versions and KJV updates, but possibly unique with capitalization. Compare to John 10:16 and this commentary.Isaiah 61
Two Jubilee Years Announced!
1 The Sovereign Yehovah’s spirit overlooks Me, because Yehovah has anointed Me to bring Good News to the afflicted. He has sent Me to relieve the grief stricken, to proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight for the blind [1] and to set the oppressed free; 2 to proclaim the Acceptable Year of Yehovah [Jubilee] [Yeshua stopped quoting here. The rest is yet to happen], AND THE DAY OF VENGEANCE of our Elohim, [Jubilee, 2030/2031 AD!
] and to comfort everyone who mourns [due to the end time calamity]; [3] 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them crowns instead of ashes on their heads, the oil of joy instead of mourning, clothing of praise instead of a spirit of weakness, so that they can be called ‘terebinth trees of righteousness’, ‘a cluster planted by Yehovah’, so that they can display His splendor.4 They’ll rebuild places desolate since antiquity, they’ll rebuild the ancestral places and places now wasted and deserted, and they’ll restore cities parched from heat, and places deserted for many generations. 5 Foreigners will tend your flocks; they’ll farm your land and work your vineyards. 6 And you’ll be called the priests of Yehovah, people will call you the ministers of our Elohim. You’ll savor the wealth of the nations. You’ll change places with them. 7 Your shame will be replaced with a double inheritance, and instead of humiliation you’ll shout for joy over your territory. So in your land you’ll own twice as much as the other nations. You’ll have everlasting joy. 8 “Because I, Yehovah, love justice. I hate robbery and injustice. I’ll certainly give you your compensation, and I’ll make an EVERLASTING covenant i.e.The New Covenant] with you. 9 Your descendants will be revealed [3] among the nations, and their descendants among all ethnicities. Everyone who sees them will acknowledge that they are the descendants of the people who Yehovah has blessed.” [Today His people are scorned by the nations].”
10 I will greatly rejoice in Yehovah, I’ll be joyful in my Elohim, because He has clothed me with the clothing of deliverance, He has covered me with a robe of righteousness like a bridegroom [4] serving as a priest wearing a crown, and like a bride [“your descendants”] adorns herself with her jewels. 11 Like the soil pushing up sprouts, and like a garden enabling things that are sown in it to spring up, so the Sovereign Yehovah [“Yeshua”] will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
[1] The phrase about blindness that Yeshua quoted in Luke 4:18 was deleted by the Masorites. [2] Compare to Isaiah 34:8 & Isaiah 63:4. [3] Today even most of Judah needs the “lost” tribes of Israel to be revealed to them! [4] At the end of the age, His people will either be figuratively part of Yeshua’s bride or part of the Bridegroom Himself—part of the “one new man”, part of the figurative male “body of Messiah.” There is no word “a” in Hebrew, they are all added in English contextually.Isaiah 62
The Second Exodus Announced
1 For Zion’s sake I won’t remain silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I won’t remain quiet until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her deliverance like a burning torch. 2 The nations will see your righteousness, and every king your splendor. You’ll be called by a new name that Yehovah will announce. 3 You’ll be a beautiful crown in Yehovah’s hand, and a royal diadem in Elohim’s hand. 4 You’ll never again be called ‘Forsaken’, and your land will never be called ‘Desolate’ again, instead, you’ll be called ‘Hephzibah’ [Literally, “My delight is in her”], and your land ‘Beulah’ [Literally, to marry], because Yehovah delights in you, and your land will be married. 5 Just like a young man marrying a virgin, your sons will marry you [1], and like a bridegroom rejoicing over his bride, that’s how your Elohim will rejoice over you.
6 Jerusalem, I’ve posted watchmen on your walls who will never be silent day or night. You who call on Yehovah should never rest, 7 and give Him no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes her praiseworthy thruout the earth. 8 Yehovah has sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength, “I’ll never again give your grain away to feed your enemies, and foreigners won’t drink the new wine that you’ve labored for.” 9 Those who harvest it will eat it and praise Yehovah, and those who harvest the vintage will drink it [during feasts] in the courts surrounding My 'Temple'.”
10 Go thru, go thru the gates! Clear the way for the people! Build up! Build up the highway! Clear away the stones! Raise a flag [or banner] for the people. 11 Yehovah has proclaimed to the 'far reaches' of the earth, “Tell the maiden Zion, ‘Your Rescuer is coming, and His compensation accompanies Him!’” 12 You’ll be called “The 'special' People” and “The Redeemed of Yehovah”, and you’ll be known as “Sought After”, and “The City No Longer Deserted.”
[1] In the Second Exodus, the surviving Israelites, having returned to the Promised Land will become the Bride again! As in English, a secondary definition of married is “2: united, joined”. Israelites will be re-united with their land for the rest of a thousand generations (maybe 50,000 years total): Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 105:8 and 1 Chronicles 16:15. All three of these references specify that the 1,000 generations are a covenantal oath!Jeremiah 11:1-10 This is the 'message' that came to Jeremiah from Yehovah: 2 “Listen to the terms of this covenant, and inform the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. 3 Tell them, ‘Yehovah, the Elohim of Israel says that anyone who doesn’t obey the terms of this covenant is cursed. 4 I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace: ‘Listen to Me and do everything I command you, so you can be My people and I can be your Elohim, 5 so I can fulfill the oath that I swore to your ancestors, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is today.’”
Then I answered, “Aw-main', Yehovah.”
6 Yehovah told me, “Proclaim this entire 'message' in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, say: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and do them. 7 I warned your ancestors when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this very day, saying 'again and again', “Obey what I 'said'.” 8 But they didn’t obey or 'listen'. Instead, everyone stubbornly 'pursued' their evil thoughts. So I enforced on them all the terms [consequences] of this covenant that I commanded them to do, since they hadn’t done them.’”
9 Yehovah told me, “I have discovered a conspiracy among the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem. 10 They have returned to the sins of their ancestors who refused to hear My words, and have pursued other gods to serve them. The House of Israel and the House of Judah have broken the covenant that I made with their ancestors.
“Have you completely rejected Judah?” While the following words are directed to ancient Judah, the playbook is exactly the same: “Known as the Weeping Prophet, Jeremiah was a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah in the Old Testament, right before Judah ultimately fell to Babylon and was led away into captivity. God sent Jeremiah to a crumbling nation to warn of their impending demise–a warning they didn’t heed.”
Jeremiah 14:8-22 You are the hope of Israel, its Deliverer in the time of trouble, why should You be like a foreigner in the land, or like a traveling man only staying for a night? 9 Why should you be like a man taken by surprise, like a mighty warrior unable to save? Yehovah You are among us, and we’re called by Your name, don’t leave us.
10 This is what Yehovah says to these people, “You loved to wander, you haven’t restrained your feet, so I, Yehovah don’t accept you, now I’ll remember your wickedness and punish your sins.”
11 Yehovah told me, “Don’t pray for the welfare of these people. 12 When they fast, I won’t listen to their cry, and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I won’t accept them, but I’ll consume them by 'warfare, famine and plagues.”
13 Then I said, “Oh Sovereign Yehovah, the prophets are telling them, ‘You won’t see the 'war', and you won’t experience famine, but I’ll give you assured peace in this place.’”
14 Then Yehovah told me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name, I didn’t send them out or commission them, I didn’t even speak to them, they prophesy fraudulent visions to you, divinations, absolutely worthless gods, delusions of their own minds. 15 So this is what Yehovah says about the 'self appointed' prophets who are prophesying in My name and saying: There won’t be any 'warfare' and famine in this land.’ ‘Those prophets will be consumed by 'warfare' and famine!’ 16 The people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, faced with famine and swords. There will be no one left to bury them, their wives, their sons
Jeremiah 31
Warning of Jerusalem’s Fall
Jeremiah 22:1-9 This is what Yehovah says: “Go down to the 'palace' of the King of Judah and announce this message there: 2 ‘Listen to the Word of Yehovah, King of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne, you and your 'officials', and your people who enter these gates. 3 This is what Yehovah says: “Do what is just and right and rescue the victims of robbery from the clutches of their oppressors and do no wrong. Don’t mistreat or brutalize foreigners, orphans, or widows, or shed innocent blood in this place. 4 If you conscientiously carry out these commands, then kings will enter the gates of this 'palace' riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people. 5 But if you won’t heed these words, I swear by Myself,’ says Yehovah, ‘that this 'palace' will become a ruin.’”
6 This is what Yehovah says about the 'palace' of the King of Judah:
“You’re like Gilead to me, or the summit of Lebanon. Yet I’ll most assuredly make you a desert, like cities where no one lives. 7 I’ll send people to destroy you, each with his weapons. They’ll cut down your choice cedars and toss them on the fire.
8 “People from many nations will pass by this city; and they’ll ask each other, ‘Why has Yehovah done this to this great city?’ 9 Then they’ll answer, ‘Because they abandoned the covenant of Yehovah their Elohim, bowed down to other gods and served them.’”
A Perpetual Covenant with Israel AND Judah! (In the context of Jeremiah 30.)
Jeremiah 31: All “When That Day Comes*,” declares Yehovah, “I’ll be the Elohim of all the families of Israel, and they’ll be My people.” 2 This is what Yehovah says:
“The people who survive the 'war' will find favor in the wilderness. I’ll give rest to the people of Israel.”
3 Yehovah appeared to us long ago and said: “I’ve loved you with an everlasting love, so with faithful love. I’ve drawn you out. 4 I’ll rebuild you, and you’ll be rebuilt, virgin Israel. Again you’ll take up your tambourines and go out dancing joyfully. 5 Once again you’ll plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria. Those who plant them will enjoy the fruit. 6 There will be a day when the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim will cry, ‘Get up, let’s go up to Zion, to Yehovah our Elohim.’”
7 This is what Yehovah says:
“Sing with joy for Jacob, and shout among the major nations, shout praises and say, ‘Yehovah, save Your people, the survivors of Israel.’ 8 I’ll bring them from the North Country, and gather them from the remotest parts of the earth. Blind and lame people will return as well as expectant mothers and women in labor. A huge crowd will return here. 9 They’ll come with tears of joy, praying as I bring them back. I’ll lead them beside streams of water in a straight path, so they won’t stumble, because I’m a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn.
10 “You nations, hear the Word of Yehovah, and announce it in the distant lands beyond the oceans! [Commentary]. Proclaim: The One who scattered Israel will regather him, and protect him like a shepherd does his flock. 11 Yehovah has paid the ransom for Jacob, and reclaimed him from those too strong for him. 12 They’ll come and shout for joy in the elevated place [or height] of Zion. They’ll be beaming over the goodness of Yehovah, over the grain, the new wine, the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd. Their lives will be like well watered gardens, and they won’t ever be sorrowful again. 13 Then the virgins will celebrate and dance along with young men and the old. I’ll turn their mourning into rejoicing, and comfort them and exchange their sorrow with happiness. 14 I’ll satisfy the priests with abundance, and My people will be satisfied with My goodness,” says Yehovah.
15 This is what Yehovah says:
“A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter crying, Rachel crying for her children. She refuses to be comforted for her children, because they no longer exist.”
16 This is what Yehovah says:
“Stop crying out, and 'shedding' tears because your work will be rewarded,” says Yehovah. “They’ll return from the land of the enemy. 17 There is hope in your future,” Yehovah says. “Your children will return to their own territory.
18 I’ve surely heard Ephraim moaning to himself, ‘You’ve disciplined me! I was disciplined like a calf unaccustomed to a yoke. Bring me back and restore me, because you are Yehovah my Elohim. 19 After I strayed, I changed the way I thought and acted [repented], and after I was instructed, I 'slapped' my 'butt'. I was ashamed and humiliated because I carried the shame of my youth.’ 20 “Is Ephraim [representative of the ten non-Jewish tribes] My dear son? Is he a pleasant child? As often as I speak against him, I still remember him and passionately yearn for him. I’ll surely have mercy on him,” says Yehovah.
21 Set up road signs, make guideposts. Start thinking about the highway, the same direction that you left from. Return, virgin Israel, return to your cities. 22 How long will you wander from here and there, you apostate daughter? Yehovah has created a new thing in the land, a weak woman will 'overpower' [Clarke’s]
a strong man.”23 This is what Commander Yehovah, the Elohim of Israel, says: “After I return them from captivity they’ll once again repeat these words in the land of Judah and in its cities, ‘Yehovah bless you, home of righteousness, 'special' mountain.’ 24 Judah and all its cities will live there together, along with homesteaders and those who follow their flocks. 25 I satisfy those who are weary, and I refresh everyone who is faint.”
26 At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasing.
27 “In days to come,” Yehovah says, “I’ll repopulate [sow] the House of Israel [the “Lost” 10 Tribes] AND the House of Judah with people and animals. 28 Once I oversaw their uprooting and tearing down, their overthrow, destruction and disaster. Now I’ll oversee their building and planting,” says Yehovah. 29 “In those days they’ll no longer say, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and their children’s teeth are set on edge.’
30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sins, everyone who eats the sour grapes will have their own teeth set on edge.”
31 Yehovah says: “The time is coming [1] when I’ll make a New [marriage] Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. 32 It won’t be like the [marriage] covenant that I made with their ancestors during the time when I took them by the hand led them out of the land of Egypt, since they broke My covenant, tho I was their Husband,” says Yehovah. 33 “In this [marriage] covenant that I’ll make with the House of Israel after those days,” Yehovah says, “I’ll put My Torah in their minds and write it on their hearts. I’ll be their Elohim, and they’ll be My people. 34 People will no longer teach their neighbors or their relatives, or ask, ‘Do you know Yehovah’ [the Lord]
, because they’ll all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” says Yehovah. [No more evangelism!] “I’ll forgive their wickedness, and I’ll never again remember their sins.”35 Yehovah says that He provides the sun to light the day and the 'orderly succession' of the moon and stars to light the night, and He instantaneously calms [U]
the raging waves of the sea—Commander Yehovah is His name: 36 “If these fixed conditions ever fail in My presence,” Yehovah says, “then the Israelites will cease to be a nation in My presence forever.”37 This is what Yehovah says:
“If the heavens above can ever be measured, and if the foundation of the earth beneath is ever found, then I would reject all the Israelites for what they’ve done,” says Yehovah.
38 “The time is coming,” Yehovah says, “when the city will be rebuilt for Yehovah from the Hananel Tower to the Corner Gate. 39 The measuring line will stretch from there straight to Gareb Hill, and then turn toward Goah. 40 The whole valley that was covered with dead bodies and ashes, and all of the fields as far as the Kidron Valley, as far as the corner of Horse Gate toward the east, will be 'special' to Yehovah, it will never be uprooted or overthrown again.”
[1] Jeremiah 30 and 31 are one long prophetic monologue about the events to occur as a result of the Second Exodus (Jeremiah 23:7-8), when all twelve tribes of Israel return to the land (not just the Jews!) AND The Time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7)—better known as the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:1-22). Not one verse of this 2 chapter prophecy has been fulfilled, and the Torah is only written on a few scattered hearts. So why single verse 33 out of all this immense futuristic context?
and their daughters. I’ll pour their own wickedness on them.’”17 You’ll tell them this: “My eyes will flow with tears night and day without ceasing, because the virgin maiden, My people, are crippled with a great fracture, with a very sickening wound. 18 If I go out into the fields, I see those killed 'in the invasion'! And if I enter the city, then I see those who are sick due to famine! Both prophets and priests ply their trade thruout the land, and they don’t know anything.”
19 Have you completely rejected Judah? Do you really hate Zion? Why have you struck us so hard that we can’t be healed? We awaited peace, but no good came, and for a time of healing, but there’s only terror! 20 Yehovah, we acknowledge our wickedness, as well as the wickedness of our ancestors. We have all sinned against You. 21 For the sake of Your name, don’t despise us. Don’t dishonor Your splendid throne. Remember Your covenant with us, don’t break it. 22 Can any of the hazy gods of the nations make it rain? Can the sky provide showers by itself? No, You are the One, Yehovah our Elohim. So we’ll wait for You, because You can do anything.
Jeremiah 32:37-44 I’m going to gather them out of all the countries where I banished them in My anger, fury, and terrifying wrath. I’ll bring them back to this location and allow them to live here in safety. 38 They’ll be My people, and I’ll be their Elohim. 39 I’ll give them a single-minded purpose, so that they’ll revere Me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants. 40 I’ll make an EVERLASTING COVENANT with them. I’ll never stop doing good for them. I’ll put the reverence of 'Elohim' in them so they’ll never turn away from Me again. 41 I’ll enjoy blessing them, and I’ll definitely replant them in this land, with all My purpose and with all My being.’
42 “This is what Yehovah says: ‘I 'surely' brought this entire great disaster on these people, 'and just as surely' I’ll bring on them all the good that I’ve promised them. 43 Fields will be bought in this land that you call ‘a desolate place without man or beast, handed over to the Chaldeans.’ 44 Men will pay for fields with silver, sign and seal deeds, and call in witnesses in the territory of Benjamin, in the vicinity of Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the highlands, in the cities of the lowland in the Negev, because I’ll return them from captivity,’ [not “restore their fortunes”] declares Yehovah.”
An Everlasting Covenant—to the “Two Families He Chose!”
Jeremiah 33:19-26 The Word of Yehovah came to Jeremiah and said, 20 “This is what Yehovah says: If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that day and night won’t occur at the usual times, 21 then My covenant with My servant David can also be broken, so that he won’t have a son to reign on his throne. That also goes for the Levitical priests, My ministers. 22 As the host [stars] of the heavens can’t be counted, and the grains of sand of the sea can’t be enumerated, so too I’ll multiply the descendants of My servant David and the Levites who serve Me.”
23 The Word of Yehovah came to Jeremiah, and said, 24 “Have you noticed what people are saying?, ‘Yehovah has abandoned the Two Families He Chose’! So they despise My people and no longer consider them a nation! 25 This is what Yehovah says: “If I fail to keep My covenant with day and night and maintain the fixed laws of heaven and earth, 26 only then would I abandon the descendants of Jacob, and David My servant, and not make his descendants rulers over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I’ll return the captives to their land and have mercy on them.”
Jeremiah 34:12-22 Then this 'message' from Yehovah came to Jeremiah from Yehovah, who said: 13 “This is what Yehovah, the Elohim of Israel says: I made a covenant with your ancestors on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. I said, 14 At the end of seven years each of you must release your 'fellow' Hebrews who sold themselves to you. After they have served you for six years, you must set them free.” But your ancestors didn’t obey Me or 'pay attention' to Me. 15 Tho you had repented and did what was right in My sight by proclaiming liberty to your fellow Israelites, even making a covenant before Me in the 'Temple' that bears My name. 16 But then you turned around and profaned My name; each of you has taken back the male and female [indentured] servants you had freed to go wherever they wanted. You’ve forced them into subjection as your male and female slaves.
17 “So this is what Yehovah says: You haven’t obeyed Me by proclaiming liberty to your 'friends' and neighbors. So now I’m proclaiming “liberty” to you,’ Yehovah says, ‘“liberating” you to the 'wars', diseases and famines; and I’ll see to it that you are exiled into all the kingdoms of the earth! [1] 18 I’ll hand over the men who violated My covenant. They broke the terms of the covenant that they made before Me when they cut the calf in two and walked between its pieces— 19 the leaders of Judah and the leaders of Jerusalem, the 'palace' officials, the priests, and all of the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf. 20 I’ll hand them over to their enemies who want to kill them, and their dead bodies will be food to the birds in the air and the wild animals of the land.
21 “I’ll hand King Zedekiah of Judah and his leaders over to their enemies, to those who want to kill them, into the hands of the king of Babylon’s army that has withdrawn from you. 22 I’m going to give the command [to the Chaldeans],’ declares Yehovah, ‘and I’ll bring them back to this city. They’ll fight against it, capture it and set it on fire, and I’ll make the cities of Judah a desolate place without inhabitants!;”
[1] Some versions don’t sugar coat this: KJV, New Heart, Jubilee Bible 2000, King James 2000, American KJV, ASV, etc., and as explained in several commentaries: JFB, Poole’s, Gill’s, Geneva. This is alluding to a forced cessation of business as usual. There are already more slaves on earth now than ever. But a coming forced liberation from slavery will soon occur.Babylon AND the Chaldeans Doomed
This entire chapter is about the time and circumstances concerning the implementation of the EVERLASTING COVENANT! When these things happen “the people of Israel will return AS WELL AS the people of Judah”! This is not 1948!
Jeremiah 50: All This is the message from Yehovah against Babylon and the land of the Chaldeans [southern Babylon], delivered thru the prophet Jeremiah:
2 Announce this proclamation to the nations. “Lift up an attack flag with the unambiguous statement: ‘Babylon will be captured, Bel [a.k.a. your Lord] will be put to shame, Marduk [the sun god] will be shamed and shattered, her images broken to pieces and her 'lesser gods' [2] also broken. 3 A nation will attack her from the north and desolate her land. No one will live there. Both people and animals will leave. [1]
4 “In those days during that time,” Yehovah says, “the people of Israel will return as well as the people of Judah. [3] They’ll come crying as they arrive, and seeking Yehovah their Elohim. 5 They’ll ask the way to Zion, turning to face that direction. They’ll come and bind themselves to Yehovah in an EVERLASTING COVENANT that will never be forgotten. [4]
6 “My people are lost sheep. Their [political and religious] shepherds have led them astray and turned them loose on the mountains. They wandered from mountain to hill, and forgot their resting place. 7 Anyone who finds them eats them. Their adversaries say, ‘We’re not guilty because they’ve sinned against Yehovah, His righteous dwelling, Yehovah, the hope of their ancestors.’
8 “Escape from the middle of Babylon, and the land of the Chaldeans. Be like buck goats leading the flock. 9 I’m raising up an alliance of great nations from the Land of the North. They’ll line up in battle formation to attack her. From there she’ll be taken captive. Their arrows will be like those of a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed! 10 Chaldea will be plundered, and anyone who plunders her will have enough,” declares Yehovah.
11 “Because you rejoice, because you are jubilant, you who pillage My heritage, frolicking around like a threshing heifer and neighing like 'stallions'. 12 Your mother will be completely devastated, the one who gave birth to you will be ashamed. She’ll be the least of the nations—a wilderness, a parched desert! 13 Because of Yehovah’s anger she won’t be inhabited, she’ll be entirely devastated. Everyone who passes by Babylon will be horrified and hiss because of all her wounds.
14 “Line up in battle formation around Babylon, anyone who draws a bow. Shoot at her and spare no arrows, because she has sinned against Yehovah. 15 Raise your battle cry against her on every side! She has 'surrendered', her defensive towers have fallen and her walls were demolished. Since this is the vengeance of Yehovah, take vengeance on her, do to her what she has done to others. 16 Eliminate the sower from Babylon, and the reaper with his sickle at harvest time. Because of the oppressor’s sword, everyone should return to their own people and flee to their own land.
17 “Israel is like a scattered flock that lions have driven away. The first to devour them was the king of Assyria, then king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon crushed their bones.”
18 So Commander Yehovah, the Elohim of Israel says:
‘I’ll punish the king of Babylon and his land, just like I punished the King of Assyria! 19 I’ll bring Israel back to their own pasture [not just Judah] to graze in Carmel and Bashan, and their longings will be satisfied in the highlands of Ephraim and Gilead. 20 In those days, at that time,’ declares Yehovah, ‘search will be made for Israel’s guilt, but there will be none; and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, because I’ll forgive the 'survivors' I leave.
21 “Attack the land of Merathaim [the land of the rebellious people] and the people of Pekod [the inhabitants of visitation]. Completely annihilate them and do everything I have commanded you, declares Yehovah.” 22 “A sound of battle is in the land, the sound of great destruction. 23 See how the hammer of the whole earth has been cut apart and broken [not a regional power!], how Babylon has become a desolation among the nations! 24 I’ve laid a trap for you, Babylon, and you were caught before you realized it, and you didn’t even know it. You were found and caught, because you engaged in conflict with Yehovah. 25 Yehovah has opened His armory, and brought out the weapons of His anger, because the Sovereign, YEHOVIH [a variant spelling] the Commander, has a task to do in the land of the 'southern Babylon'. 26 Come against her from the farthest regions, open her granaries, ‘consume her provisions like heaps of grain’ [5]. Completely destroy her and leave no survivors. 27 Kill all her young bulls, let them go down to the slaughter. It will be terrible for them! Their day has come, their 'date' of destiny.
28 Listen to [Israel’s] fugitives who have escaped from the land of Babylon, proclaiming in Zion the vengeance of Yehovah our Elohim, and for the harm to His 'Temple'. 29 “Summon the archers against Babylon, all those who draw the bow. Surround the city with encampments, don’t let anyone escape. Repay her compensate to what she has done, because of her arrogance against Yehovah, against the 'special' One of Israel.
30 So her young men will fall in the streets, and all her soldiers will be silenced When That Day Comes*,” says Yehovah.
31 “I’m against you, you arrogant one,” says the Sovereign, YEHOVIH the Commander. “Your day has come, the time that I’ll punish you! 32 The proud one will stumble and fall, and no one will raise him up, and I’ll set fire to his cities that will burn up everything around him.”
33 This is what Commander Yehovah says:
“The people of Israel have been oppressed and the House of Judah as well. All their captors hold them tightly; they refuse to release them. 34 Yet their Redeemer is strong. Commander Yehovah is His name. He’ll fervently champion their cause so that He can allow the earth to rest, but bring unrest to the people of Babylon.
35 “A sword is against the Chaldeans,” declares Yehovah, “and against the inhabitants of Babylon, and against her officials and her wise men. 36 A sword is against the 'diviners'. They’ll be made fools. A sword is against her warriors, and they’ll be terrified. 37 A sword is against her horses and chariots, and the entire mongrel race among them, and they’ll be like women, a sword is against her treasures, and they’ll be plundered. 38 A 'drought' is affecting her water sources, and they will dry up, because it’s a land of carved images, and they go insane over their dreadful images.
39 “So wild desert animals will live there along with the jackals; and ostriches will live there, but it will never again be inhabited by people from generation to generation.
40 As when Elohim overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities,” declares Yehovah, “no one will live there, not even a temporarily resident.
41 “A 'horde' from a great nation is coming from the north; and many kings will be stirred up from the remotest parts of the earth! 42 They wield bows and spears and they’re cruel and merciless. Their voices roar like the sea as they ride their horses, deployed like men ready for battle against you, daughter of Babylon. 43 The king of Babylon has heard the news about them, and his hands dangle limp. He’s seized with distress like a woman in labor. 44 Like a lion coming up from Jordan’s thickets to a verdant pastureland. I’ll chase 'Babylon' from his 'land' in an instant. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? Who is like Me? Who could challenge Me? What shepherd could stand against me?”
45 So hear what Yehovah has planned against Babylon, and the strategy He has devised against the land of 'southern Babylon'. The young of the flock will certainly be dragged away. Surely He’ll make their pasture desolate because of them. 46 At the shout of Babylon being seized, the earth will quake, and its outcry will resound among the nations.
[1] This commentary is quite dire! It seriously concerns the United States. I highly encourage reading it, as it adds pertinent background that the other links to Babylon on my home page don’t mention, about America being modern Babylon—particularly in regard to Jeremiah 50 & 51! Very sobering! He too did make timing mistakes, such as his “seventy weeks” commentary, so I don’t believe that the four horsemen are in play just yet. Hebrew tenses—past and present—often aren’t translated consistently in a way that makes sense. Ch 51 & 52 are entirely prophetic, not confusion. [2] Return of the Gods [3] This has obviously never happened. In 1948 the tribe of Judah did get the ball rolling. Prepare for Scene 2—The Second Exodus [4] The EVERLASTING “Dry Bones” New Covenant: Soon to Arrive! (Ezekiel 37) [5] This verse was clarified by the oldest known Scriptures, the Aramaic Targums.Israel Becomes Yehovah’s Bride (There’s Only One Bride!)
Ezekiel 16:1-15 The Word of Yehovah came to me again. He said, 2 “Human son, confront Jerusalem about her highly detestable practices. 3 Tell them that the Sovereign Yehovah says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth are from the territory of Canaan; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4 On the day you were born your navel wasn’t cut and you weren’t washed in water to cleanse you. You weren’t rubbed with salt or even wrapped in cloths. 5 No one 'looked' on you with pity to do any of those things for you or had compassion on you. You were thrown into an open field. You were detested from the day you were born.
6 “I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live’! [1] 7 I made you 'thrive' like plants in a field, and you grew up and became tall and you reached the age for [wearing?] fine jewelry. Your breasts formed and your hair grew out, yet you were still stark naked.”
8 I passed by you again, and I saw that you were old enough for love! I spread My robe over you and covered your naked body. I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah, “and you [Israel] became Mine.
9 “Then I washed you with water I rinsed off your blood and anointed you with oil. 10 I also clothed you with embroidered cloth and provided you with leather sandals. I wrapped you with fine linen, and covered you with expensive fabric. 11 I adorned you with jewelry and put bracelets on your wrists and a necklace around your neck. 12 I also put a ring on your nose, earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothing was made of fine linen, costly fabric and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey and olive oil. You were extremely beautiful and attained royalty. 14 Your fame spread among the nations because of your beauty. Your beauty was perfect because of the splendor I had given you,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah.
[1] As in a few Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac and Septuagint; possibly repeated wording.Israel Becomes a Prostitute! Yehovah: Tell Us How You Really Feel!
Ezekiel 16:15-44 But you trusted in your own beauty, and prostituted yourself because of your fame, and poured out your sexual favors on anyone who passed by who might be willing. 16 You took some of your clothes and made multicolored high places and practiced prostitution on them. Things like that should never happen. This should have never happened. 17 You also took your beautiful jewelry made from My gold and silver that I had given you, and made yourself images of men and had sex with them! 18 Then you took your embroidered clothing and covered [the idols], and offered My oil and incense to them. 19 You also took My food that I provided for you—the flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat—you even offered that to idols for a pleasing aroma. That’s what happened,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah.
20 “You even took your sons and daughters you bore to Me, and sacrificed them to 'idols' as food, as if your prostitution wasn’t enough! 21 You slaughtered My children and offered them to 'idols', forcing them to pass thru fire! 22 And thru all your highly detestable things and prostitution you never looked back on the days of your youth, when you were stark naked and wallowing in your blood.
23 “How terrible! How terrible it will be after all of your wickedness,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah. 24 You’ve built for yourselves prostitution shrines and high places on every public square [in Jerusalem]. 25 You’ve built your high places on every street corner, and made your beauty into highly detestable things. You spread your legs for everyone who passed by, intensifying your prostitution. 26 You also prostituted yourself with the Egyptians, your large fleshed neighbors, and increased your prostitution to provoke Me to anger. 27 So I’ve stretched out My 'fist' against you and reduced your provisions. I handed you over to those Philistine women who hate you, and even they were shocked by your lewd behavior! 28 Then you committed prostitution with the Assyrians because you were insatiable; and even after committing prostitution you still weren’t satisfied. 29 You maximized your prostitution toward the land of merchants—'Babylon', and even then you weren’t satisfied.
30 “How weak willed you are,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah, “when you do all these things, acting like a dominatrix. 31 You build your vaulted shrines on every street corner, and establish your churches on every square. Yet unlike a whore, you refuse payment.
32 You adulterous wife who prefers strangers to your own husband! 33 Men give gifts to every prostitute, but you give your gifts to all your lovers, bribing them [politically] to come to you from everywhere for your sexual favors. 34 So you are different from other women in your prostitution, since no one practices prostitution like you do—you hire men instead of being hired. You’re certainly different!
35 “So listen to this 'message' from Yehovah, you whore: 36 This is what the Sovereign Yehovah says: Because of your overflowing lust, and because you exposed your naked body in prostitution with your lovers, and because of all your highly detestable idols, and because you gave your children’s blood 'to idols', 37 I’m going to gather all the lovers you pleased—everyone you loved and everyone you hated; I’ll gather them against you from every direction and strip you in front of them so they can gawk at your completely naked body. 38 I’ll sentence you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are sentenced. I’ll bring about your bloodshed in wrath and jealousy. 39 I’ll hand you over to your lovers, and they’ll tear down your 'fornication shrines' [JFB], demolish your high places, strip off your clothes, take your beautiful jewels and leave you stark naked. 40 They’ll bring a mob against you to stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. 41 They’ll burn down your houses and inflict punishment on you in the plain view of many women [nations]. I’ll halt your prostitution, and you’ll no longer hire your lovers. 42 “I’ll calm My fury against you and My jealousy will vanish. I’ll be pacified and angry no longer.
43 Because you failed to remember the days of your youth, but rather enraged Me by all of these things, I in turn will reciprocate your conduct down on your own head,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah, “so that you won’t commit this lewdness in addition to all your other highly detestable things. 44 Everyone who quotes proverbs will use this proverb toward you: ‘Like mother, like daughter!’
Israel’s Unexpected Prophetic Consequences!
These have to be the least quoted Scriptures ever! I’ve been around since almost 1948, and I haven’t seen it yet. I wonder if anyone has tried to spiritualize them away yet?
Ezekiel 16:45-63 You are your mother’s daughter who despised her husband and her children. You are your sister’s sister, who despised their husbands and children. Your mother was [like] a Hittite, and your father was [like] an Amorite. 46 “Your older sister is Samaria who lives 'north' of you with her daughters; and your younger sister who lives 'south' of you is Sodom with her daughters. 47 You not only 'lived' out their 'lifestyle' and copied their highly detestable things, but as if that were not enough, you became more corrupt than they were!
48 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Yehovah, your sister Sodom and her daughters have never done what you and your daughters have. 49 This was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and apathetic! She also didn’t 'help' the poor and needy. 50 In their arrogance, they committed highly detestable things before Me, so I removed them when I saw it. 51 “But Samaria didn’t commit half the sins you did! You amplified your highly detestable things more than they did. You’ve made your sisters seem righteous by all the highly detestable things you’ve done. 52 You must bear your own shame, since you’ve been an advocate for your sisters. Your sins are more highly detestable than theirs. They are more righteous that you. So be ashamed, and bear your humiliation, because you’ve made your sisters look righteous by comparison.
53 “I’ll bring them back and restore them from their captivity by bringing back Sodom and her daughters and by bringing back Samaria and her daughters along with your own captives [2], 54 so that you can bear your humiliation and be ashamed of everything that you’ve done as you comfort them! 55 Your sisters, Sodom and her daughters will be restored to their former state, as will Samaria and her daughters to their former states, and you and your daughters will also be returned to your ancient state Israel. 56 You didn’t even mention your sister Sodom’s name in your day of pride, 57 before your wickedness was uncovered. Now you’ve been scorned by the daughters of Edom and all her neighbors, including the daughters of the Philistines—all those surrounding you who despise you. 58 You bear the penalty of your lewdness and your highly detestable things,” declares Yehovah. 59 “This is what the Sovereign Yehovah says: I’ll cause what you’ve 'effected'. You 'trashed' your oath in breaking your marriage vows [covenant]. 60 But I’ll remember the marriage vow I made with you in the days of your youth [the “original Covenant”], and I’ll
establish a [New] Everlasting covenant with you. 61 Then you’ll remember the way you lived and be ashamed when I return your older and younger sisters to you, and I’ll give them to you as daughters, but not due to My covenant with you. 62 Then I’ll renew My [marriage] covenant with you, and you’ll realize that I am Yehovah. 63 Then you’ll understand be ashamed, and never 'talk back' again due to your shame, when I’ve forgiven you for everything you’ve done,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah. [3] [2] When I checked verses 53-55 in the Douay-Rheims (Catholic) Bible I was skeptical about what it said, until I read the very detailed Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on Ezekiel 16. These, and a close look at the puzzling translation of the Hebrew word shebuth lead to my rendering. The commentary writers acknowledged that they couldn’t explain this. Even some of the people who lived in ancient Sodom may have a bright future, as explained in Are the ‘Unsaved’ Lost? [3] More on this universe changing Messianic marriage is best found in Ezekiel 20 and Jeremiah 31.Israel’s Coming Shotgun Wedding
Ezekiel 20:33-44 As surely as I live,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah, “I’ll rule you with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I will be your King! 34 I’ll bring you out of the nations and gather you out of the countries where you were scattered with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out [1]. 35 I’ll bring you into the wilderness of the people [Isaiah 1, Hosea 2:14], and I’ll judge you there face to face, 36 just like when I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, that’s how I’ll judge you, declares the Sovereign Yehovah. 37 I’ll make you pass under the shepherd’s rod, and I’ll bind you in a [Kimchi]
[New] covenant, 38 and I’ll purge out the rebels from among you and those who disobey Me. I’ll bring them out of the land where they were living, but they won’t enter the land of Israel. Then you’ll realize that I am Yehovah.39 “Now concerning you, House of Israel, the Sovereign Yehovah says: Go serve your idols, but later you’ll surely listen to Me, and you’ll no longer profane My name with your gifts and your idols. 40 On My 'special' mountain, on the high mountain of Israel,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah, “the entire House of Israel will serve Me there in the land. I’ll accept you there, and I’ll require your contributions and choice gifts with all your 'special' things. 41 I’ll accept you there like a fragrant aroma when I gather you out of the nations, and bring you out of the countries where you’ve been scattered, and I’ll prove Myself 'special' thru you as the nations watch. 42 You’ll realize that I am Yehovah WHEN I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country that I swore to give to your ancestors. 43 There you’ll remember your conduct and everything you did and how you defiled yourselves, and you’ll despise yourselves when you face all the evil you’ve done. 44 You’ll realize that I am Yehovah when I’ve dealt with you for the sake of My name, rather than with regard to your evil and corrupt behavior, House of Israel, declares the Sovereign Yehovah.”
Ezekiel 34:22-27 I’ll save My flock, and they’ll no longer be ravaged. I’m going to judge between one sheep and another. 23 Then I’ll appoint one shepherd over them, and he’ll tend them. My servant David will feed them and be their shepherd. 24 I, Yehovah, will be their Elohim, and My servant David will be their ruler, I Yehovah have spoken. [2]
25 “I’ll initiate a covenant of peace with them and eliminate dangerous animals from the land, so that they can live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests safely. 26 I’ll make them and the area around My hill a blessing: I’ll send the rain in the right season; there will be showers of blessing. 27 The trees in the orchards will yield their fruit, and the land will yield its crops when the people live securely in their land. They’ll realize that I am Yehovah once I’ve broken the bars of their yoke, and rescued them from the grasp of those who enslaved them.
[2] David will be ruling with 12 kings under him (Matthew 19:28) and One King over him (Revelation 19:16).The Dry Bones [1] and the Two Sticks
Ezekiel 37:1-14 The hand of Yehovah was on me, and He brought me out by 'Yehovah’s spirit' and set me down in the middle of a valley full of bones. 2 He had me wander all around them. The valley was covered with them and they were very dry! 3 He asked me, “Human son, could these bones live?” I answered, “Sovereign Yehovah, only You know.”
4 Then He told me to prophesy to these bones, and tell them, “You dry bones, listen to what Yehovah 'has to say'.” 5 This is what the Sovereign Yehovah says to these bones, ‘I’ll cause breath to enter you, and you will live. 6 I’ll replace your tendons and recreate all your flesh, cover you with skin make you breathe again, and you’ll come to life. Then you’ll realize that I am Yehovah.”
7 So I prophesied just as I was instructed to do. While I was prophesying, there was a noise [or voice], an unforgettable rattling and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 As I was watching, tendons appeared on them, flesh formed and skin covered them, but they weren’t breathing!
9 Then He told me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of Adam, and say to the breath, ‘The Sovereign Yehovah says, Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, so that they’ll come to life.’” 10 So I prophesied just as He instructed, and breath entered them, and they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said, “Human son, these bones 'represent' the whole (or “all of the”) House of Israel [2]. They say, ‘Our bones have dried up and our hope is lost, ‘Israel’ is finished!’ 12 So prophesy and tell them that the Sovereign Yehovah says, ‘I’ll open your graves, and bring you out of your graves, My people, and I’ll bring you back to the land of Israel! 13 You’ll realize that I am Yehovah once I’ve opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. 14 I’ll put My spirit in you and you’ll live, and I’ll settle you in your own land. Then you’ll realize that I, Yehovah, have 'predicted' it and 'fulfilled' it, declares Yehovah.’”
The Meaning of the 'Trees' (two “Sticks”) and the Dry Bones Metaphores!
Ezekiel 37:15-20 The Word of Yehovah came to me again. He said: 16 “Human son, take a 'tree' and write on it: ‘Praise Judah and his Israelite companions.’ Then take another 'tree', (the 'scion wood' representing Ephraim) and write on it: ‘Joseph increases, as well as the House of Israel, his companions.’ 17 Then graft them together as if they were one 'tree', and they’ll become one in your hand. 18 When your 'fellow Israelites' ask you, ‘Are you going to tell us what you mean by this’? 19 Tell them, ‘The Sovereign Yehovah says He’ll take the 'scion wood' of Joseph that’s in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions, and 'graft' them onto the 'tree' of Judah, merging them into one 'tree', and they’ll be one in His hand!’ 20 “The 'trees' that you write on will be in your hand where they can see them (See Romans 11:19-24).
The 'Trees' and Bones Explained:
Ezekiel 37:21-23 Then explain to them: “The Sovereign Yehovah says He’ll take the Israelites from among the nations where they’ve gone, and gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. 22 He’ll make them one nation in the land on the mountains of Israel. One king will be over all of them. They’ll never be two nations or two kingdoms again. 23 They will no longer defile themselves with their idols or their detestable things or with any of their rebellion, because He’ll rescue them from everywhere they’ve settled and everywhere they’ve sinned. He’ll cleanse them so they’ll be His people, and He’ll be their Elohim.
Israel Cleansed, King David Ruling
Ezekiel 37:24-28 “His servant David will be their king, and all of them will have one Shepherd [John 10:11]. They’ll 'live by' His regulations and carefully obey His unchanging tenets. [3] 25 They’ll live in the land that He gave to His servant Jacob, where their ancestors lived. They and their children and their grandchildren will live there forever, and His servant David will be their prince forever. 26 He’ll make a [New] covenant of peace with them. It will be an EVERLASTING COVENANT [4] with them, and He’ll establish them and increase their numbers, and set His 'special' place among them forever. 27 His home [New Jerusalem] will also be ABOVE them. He’ll be their Elohim, and they’ll be His people. 28 The nations will know that Yehovah made Israel 'special', when His 'special' place [Ezekiiel’s 'Temple': chapters 40-47] [5] is among them forever.”
[1] See my Comments on Israel’s Bones & the Two Sticks (search words: Ten Lost Tribes). [2] My favorite Jewish website carefully explains that the “Whole House of Israel” does not include any Jews, because they are the “House of Judah”! This is almost universally misunderstood by Christians. But it will include a lot of Christians, among others! [3] Fig tree Nation or Fig tree Generation? Aside from the years/dates mentioned, this is the best explanation I know of about what the fig tree represents—the dry bones! [4] Learn more about the Everlasting Covenant in Isaiah 55:3-5, Isaiah 61:8-9, Jeremiah 32:40-41, Jeremiah 50:4-5, Psalm 105:7-11. [5] “I go to prepare a Place for you ... ” John 14:3These all refer to the same FUTURE EVENT! In 2 Samuel 23:5, David essentially explained that the entire plan of the Bible as given to Abraham—and that David had inherited—was yet to be realized! Yeshua was actually crucified and resurrected to ensure the fulfilment of the Everlasting Covenant, and now it is about to actually happen: Hebrews 13:20—The New Covenant, Coming Soon!
Ezekiel 44:6-16 Tell the rebellious House of Israel, ‘The Sovereign Yehovah [“Yeshua”] says: House of Israel, “I’ve had enough of your many highly detestable things! 7 In addition to all your other abominations, you’ve brought in foreigners uncircumcised in both heart and flesh into My 'special' place, defiling My very 'Temple' when you offered My bread, the fat and the blood. You’ve broken My covenan. 8 You haven’t carried out your duty regarding My 'special' things, instead you’ve put foreigners in charge of My 'special' place. 9 The Sovereign Yehovah says: No foreigner with an uncircumcised heart or uncircumcised flesh will enter My 'Temple', including foreigners who live in Israel.
10 “The Levites who strayed far from Me when Israel went astray, who strayed from Me, preferring their idols will bear the consequences of their sins. 11 Yet they’ll be ministers in My 'special' place and have oversight at the gates of the 'Temple' and serve in the 'Temple'. They’ll slay the burnt offering and zebakim [sacrifices] for the people, and they’ll stand before them and serve them. 12 Because they served the people standing in front of their idols, and caused the House of Israel to 'falter', I’ve sworn that they’ll bear the consequences of their wickedness,’ declares the Sovereign Yehovah. 13 They are not to approach Me serving as My priests or get near any of My 'special' things or My very 'special' things. They must bear the shame of the highly detestable things they’ve committed. 14 Yet I’ll entrust them to perform the other duties of the 'Temple', all its maintenance work, and everything else that needs to be done there.
15 “But the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok who continued to perform the duties of My 'special' place when the Israelites strayed from Me will approach Me and serve Me, and stand in My presence and offer Me the fat and the blood,” declares the Sovereign Yehovah. 16 They alone can enter My 'special' place, approach My table to serve Me, and perform My requirements.
Israel Buys Lovers
Tho this is primarily directed at ancient Israel and Judah, the second destruction will take place for the same reasons that the first destruction happened.
Hosea 8:1-4, 12 & 14 “Put a shofar to your lips! The enemy descends like an eagle on Yehovah’s 'Temple' because they’ve broken My covenant and rebelled against My Torah. 2 Israel cries to Me, ‘My Elohim, we acknowledge You!’ 3 Israel has rejected goodness. An enemy will pursue 'them'. 4 They have reigned without Me. They appointed leaders as if I were unaware [1]. They made idols with their silver and gold to their own destruction... 12 Tho I wrote out for him ten thousand points in My Torah, they regard them as foreign and strange... 14 Israel has forgotten their Maker and built 'palaces', and Judah has fortified multiple cities. But I’ll send a fire on its cities and burn down its fortresses.”
[1] There is no authority that isn’t from Yehovah. The existing authorities have been established by Yehovah.” Despite every translation of this verse I’ve seen, Yehovah has chosen all of our kings and presidents!Zechariah 4:11-14 Then I asked Him, “What are the two olive trees to the right and left of the menorah?”[2] 12 I asked him a second time, “What are the two olive branches beside the two gold pipes carrying gold oil from them?” 13 He replied, “Don’t you know what these are?” And I said, “No Master.” 14 Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Sovereign of the whole world.”
[2] This directly corresponds to Revelation 11:3-12, the Two Witnesses. Malachi 4:5 specifically tells us that Moses will be here at the end. I suspect that this involves actual time travel, not resurrection.
“The Blood of My Covenant”
This chapter mentions in passing that Yehovah’s Temple will be protected from “ravaging forces” (during the Tribulation) and then “Your King [Yeshua] is coming to you!”! “Ephraim’s [British] chariots” will also be eliminated—and you thought that somebody lost that tribe of Israel? Then the Messiah will “proclaim peace”! This Messiah is the same one who rode into Jerusalem “riding on a donkey”. Perhaps He will do it again, with a more durable reception, just so thick heads will make the connection! Now with all of this clarification as to the Who and the when, we have Yeshua including the blood of My covenant! This is the exact same covenant that Yeshua actually described as the “New Covenant” in the thousands of more reliable texts that modern Bible translations reject—Mark 14:24!
Zechariah 9:5-17 Ashkelon will see it and fear. Gaza too will writhe in agony, and Ekron too because her hopes have been ruined. Gaza’s king will die and Ashkelon will be deserted. 6 A bastard race will occupy Ashdod, and I’ll destroy the pride of the Philistines.I’ll remove the blood from their mouths and their highly detestable things from between their teeth. The survivors [1] will belong to our Elohim; they’ll become like a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites. 8 Then I’ll camp around My 'Temple' 'protecting' it from ravaging forces and people coming and going, and oppressors will never invade them any more because now I’m [personally] overseeing them.
9 Celebrate greatly, maiden Zion! Shout, maiden Jerusalem! Your King [Yeshua] is coming to you! He’s righteous and victorious. He’s humble, and riding on a donkey, riding on a donkey’s colt. [2] 10 I [Father] will eliminate Ephraim’s chariots and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bows will be eliminated. He [Yeshua] will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will be from sea to sea, from the Euphrates River to farthest horizons of the earth. 11 Now concerning you, because of the blood of My covenant, I’ve liberated your prisoners from the waterless cistern. 12 Return to the stronghold you prisoners with hope! This very day I’m announcing that I’ll restore double to you. 13 I’ll bend Judah as My bow, I’ll load the bow with Ephraim [as the arrow]. I’ll stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Javan, and 'wield' you like a warrior’s sword.
14 Yehovah will appear over them, and His arrows will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Yehovah [variant spelling] will sound a shofar and advance into the storm winds from the south. 15 Commander Yehovah will defend them. They’ll devour and subdue with sling stones, and they’ll drink and shout as if they were drunk, and they’ll be filled like the basin at the corners of the altar. 16 Yehovah their Elohim will rescue them When That Day Comes* as the flock of His people. They are like the jewels of a crown, like a glimmering beacon over His land. 17 How lovely and beautiful 'they' [the Israelites] will be! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins.
[1] The Targum says, “and Ekron shall be filled with the house of Israel, as Jerusalem.” And the Syriac version says, “and Ekron shall be as Hebron”. [2] This is the soon coming day when all of Israel’s neighboring enemies will be decisively defeated—aside from a remnant of them! Yeshua is coming! Because of “the blood of My covenant”, the one who entered Jerusalem “riding on a donkey” (v.9) will banish war and “speak peace to the nations” (v.10).The Flock Doomed to be Slaughtered
This chapter specifies exactly when the covenant with Israel was broken by Israel and by implication by Yehovah (verse 10). This ties Judas’s thirty pieces of silver (verse 12) in with Yeshua being rejected and ultimately a massive end-time destruction of many among “the tribes of Israel” (verse 9)
. The identity of the end-time three shepherds is largely debated. I presently associate the shepherds, or leaders, in this prophecy with Britain—Ephraim and the present Jewish state: Both Zechariah 11 and Hosea 5 share the same people, the same end-time circumstances and in particular a very interesting month beginning on a visible new moon (Hosea 5:8)—noting that the Feast of Trumpets is always on a new moon. So Ephraim and Judah will be destroyed during this “moonth”, culminating in the repentance of a remnant of them and Yeshua returning as their savior (Hosea 5:15)!Zechariah 11:7-15 So I became the Shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered, especially the afflicted of the flock. And I took two staffs. I called one “Favor” and the other I called “Union”, and I tended the flock. [1] 8 I got rid of the three shepherds in one lunation [lunar month].
I became impatient with 'the sheep' and they loathed Me. 9 Then I said, “I won’t be your Shepherd. Those who are to die will die, those who are to be destroyed will be destroyed. Those who are left can eat each other.”
10 I took My staff called “Favor”, and cut it in two so that I could break the covenant I had made with all the [Israelite] people. 11 It was broken that day so the afflicted of the flock who were watching me, realized that it was a 'message' from Yehovah.
12 I told them, “If it’s alright with you, pay me, but if not, keep it.” So they weighed out of thirty pieces of silver as my wages.
13 Yehovah told me, “Throw it to the potter, the magnificent [sarcasm] price they valued me at!” So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in Yehovah’s 'Temple'. 14 Then I cut apart My other staff called Union, breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. 15 Yehovah told me, “You must pick up the gear of a foolish shepherd again.
[1] This chapter is too complex to just summarize. It needs to be explained in the context of chapters 9 and 10.The Great Shaking
Here we have the covenant made in the time of the exodus being related to to the end of the age!
Haggai 2:4-7, 20-23 But now be strong, Zerubbabel’, Yehovah says. ‘Be strong, Yehoshua, son of Yehozadak, the high priest. ‘Be strong, all you people of the land,’ says Yehovah. ‘Work, because I’m with you,’ says Commander Yehovah. 5 This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit [feminine] is present with you. Don’t be afraid.’
6 “This is what Commander Yehovah says: ONCE more, in a little while, I’m going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you’ll become a plain. He’ll bring out the Capstone [1] with shouts of ‘Blessings, blessings on it!’”
8 The Word of Yehovah came to me. He said, 9 “Zerubbabel’s hands have laid the foundation of this 'Temple', and his hands will finish it. Then you’ll know that Commander Yehovah has sent me to you. 10 Who despises the day of small things? These seven will celebrate when they see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand. They are the eyes of Yehovah that quickly traverse the entire earth.”...
20 The Word of Yehovah came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month. He said, 21 “Tell Zerubbabel, governor of Judah that I’m going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I’ll overthrow royal thrones and destroy the power of the heathen kingdoms. I’ll overthrow the chariots and their riders; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of a countryman. 23 “When That Day Comes*,” says Commander Yehovah, “I’ll take you, My servant Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,” says Yehovah, “and I’ll make you like a signet ring, because I’ve chosen you,” says Commander Yehovah.”
[1] The “cornerstone” of Ephesians 2:20 must be the same stone as the “capstone.”
COMMENT ON Zechariah 11:
Malachi is a short book addressed to the Levitical priesthood. The United Church of God covers these verses very well. But could this book only pertain to Levites long dead not living by the covenant? Could it also pertain to the coming third Temple? Before getting into chapter 2, I’m going to add the before and after context from the other three chapters: Still waiting for this: Malachi 2:11-12 Yet from the rising sun to where it sets, My name will be honored among the pagan world [Barnes]. Incense and pure grain offerings will be offered everywhere in My name, because My name will be great among the pagans,” says Commander Yehovah!
12 “But you profane it when you say, ‘Yehovah’s table is defiled’, and, ‘its fruit and its food are despised.’
Malachi 3:1-3 Watch out! I’m sending My messenger [Elijah in Ch 4:5], and He’ll prepare the way before Me, and the Sovereign who you’re looking for will suddenly come to His 'Temple', the Messenger of the [New] covenant who you desire. He’s coming, says Commander Yehovah.
2 But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can 'survive' when He appears? He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderer’s soap,
3 And He’ll sit like a refiner and purifier of silver. He’ll purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they’ll bring Yehovah offerings in righteousness. And chapter 4 is entirely in our future: Malachi 4:1-2,6 “There is certainly a day coming, burning like a furnace, when all of the arrogant and all the wicked will become chaff. The coming day will set them ablaze,” says Commander Yehovah. “It won’t leave so much as a root or a branch.
2 “But for those of you who revere My name, the Sun of righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. You’ll go out and leap like calves set loose from their stall...
6 He’ll turn the sentiments of the fathers with the children, and the sentiments of the children with their fathers [turning them all], otherwise I’ll have to come and strike the land with utter destruction.” What do thousands of Christian ministers extrapolate from Malachi? Just that Malachi is their ultimate proof that you should be tithing to them?—from the part of the Bible they essentially sweep under the carpet? That is replacement theology, tho many who debunk replacement theology say that Temple tithes now belong to churches—without Yeshua or His Apostles ever saying anything of the sort! If Paul, the most visible of the apostles, hadn’t had a side job he would have starved! When Israel was still living under the covenant, new converts were to seek out Israel to learn the source of their many blessings! (Deuteronomy 5:6-8). But that never remotely happened: (v.9). With that national plan having failed, as have the churches, it is necessary for individuals to set the proper example and: “Always be prepared to answer everyone who inquires of you a reason for the joyful expectation that lies within you”... (1 Peter 3:15). Yehovah calls people and sometimes they respond. (Those He does not call have a lower bar set before them to jump, and a lower reward.) Malachi 2:1-17 Now, you priests, this command [warning] is for you.
2 If you won’t listen, and if you won’t consider giving honor to My name,” says Commander Yehovah, “then I’ll send a curse on you, and I’ll curse your blessings. Indeed, I’ve cursed them already, because you aren’t considering this.
3 I’m going to punish your descendants, and spread manure on your faces, with the manure of your festival zebakim [sacrifices], and you’ll be discarded with it!
4 Then you’ll know that I’ve sent this command to you, so that My covenant with the Levites can continue,” says Commander Yehovah.
5 “My covenant with them was to bring life and peace, and I gave 'the unchanging tenets' to them so that they would revere Me, and they greatly revered Me and stood in awe of My name.
6 The Torah of truth came from their mouths. Nothing unjust left their lips. They 'lived' with Me in peace and integrity and turned many away from sin.
7 “The words of a priest should preserves knowledge, and people should seek instruction [lit. Torah] from 'him', because he is a messenger of Commander Yehovah.
8 But you’ve turned from the Way. You’ve caused many to trip over the Torah. You’ve violated the covenant with the Levites” says Commander Yehovah.
9 “So I’ve also made you despised and humiliated before all the people, because you haven’t lived by My ways, 'you' have failed to apply the Torah!”
10 Don’t we all have the same Father? Weren’t we all created by the same Elohim? Why do we betray each other, violating the covenant of our ancestors?
11 Judah has been unfaithful, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, because Judah has defiled the beloved 'special' place of Yehovah by marrying pagan women.
12 May Yehovah eliminate every last man who does this from the tents of Jacob, from a 'civil magistrate' to a 'prophet' [Targum] to anyone who presents an offering to Commander Yehovah.
13 Here’s something else you do. You cover the altar of Yehovah with tears, with crying and sighing, because He no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them from your hands.
14 Yet you ask, “Why?’ It’s because Yehovah witnessed the vows between you and the wife of your youth, who you’ve been unfaithful to, tho she is your companion and your wife by covenant.
15 Didn’t He make them one with a little of His spirit? Why one? He wanted righteous children. So protect your spirit. None of you should be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
16 “The man who hates his wife should send her away [free her],” says Commander Yehovah. “He has wrongfully covered his garment with violence. So be on your guard, and don’t behave treacherously.”
17 You’ve wearied Yehovah with your words.
But you ask, “How have we wearied Him?” When you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in Yehovah’s sight and He is pleased with them,’[1] or “Where is the Elohim of justice?”Many Trip Over the Torah
Notice in this first reference in the so-called New Testament that Yeshua did not renounce anything about the amazing Jeremiah 31 New Covenant that His entire audience was looking forward to seeing. Yet He added an astonishing element that was heretofore never mentioned—He said that He would be celebrating the with them in the Kingdom of Aloha (God)!
Matthew 26:26-29 While they were eating, Yeshua took a loaf of bread [2], and after blessing it, broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take this and eat it. This is My body.” 27 He took the cup and offered thanks and gave it to them and said, “All of you drink from it. 28 This is My blood of the New covenant [3] that is poured out on behalf of many to release them from the bondage of sins. 29 I’m telling you that I’ll no longer drink any of the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink a new kind [4] [5] with you in the Kingdom of Yehovah.”
[4] Compare the traditional “drink it anew” of v.29 with Luke 5:39.
[5] The timing and circumstances of v.29 are explained in Did Yeshua’s (the Lord’s) Supper Replace the Passover?Yeshua’s Supper Instituted
Mark 14:22-26 As they were eating, Yeshua took a loaf of bread [3] and blessed it. Then He broke it and handed it to them and said, “Take some, this is My body.” 23 Then He took a cup, praised [Gr. eulogeo] and blessed [4] it, and passed it to them. And they all drank from it.
24 He told them, “This is My blood of the New covenant [5] that is poured out on behalf of many. 25 I’ll definitely not taste the fruit of the vine again until the day when I drink a new variety [or fresh wine] in Yehovah’s Kingdom. 26 They sang a paschal praise Psalm and went out to the Mount of Olives.
[3] This was not unleavened bread because it was Yeshua’s Supper-Preparation Day for the Passover tomorrow. That’s why the Greek specifies it was a loaf of risen bread [as in Matthew 4:3 & 14:17]: “from airo; bread (as raised) or a loaf—(shew-)bread, loaf.” It was as thick as a man’s thumb, easily broken not cut.
[4] The Aramaic mentions both praise and blessing here. The distinction is like the distinction between “giving thanks” and “prayer”, as in where both are mentioned in the same verse in the Greek (Luke 18:11; 2 Corinthians 1:11; Ephesians 1:16; Colossians 1:3, 1 Thessalonians 1:2, Philemon 1:4). [5] Almost every modern translation omits the word “New” here, siding with a small minority of defective Greek texts, breaking the connection with the New Covenant promises of Jeremiah 30 and 31. Of over 6,000 known copies of the Greek texts, all but 2 or 3 mention New Covenant, those few corrupted Wescott and Hort editions are the ones that the “scholars” rely on in the modern translations. Some few others say “renewed” here, claiming that the original Hebrew source of the term (Jeremiah 31:31) is “renewed.” Yet only the root word there is “renew.” Chadash khaw-dawsh’ is new, while chadash khaw-dash’ (with a different vowel point) is renew, such as “renew {02318} the face of the earth” or “renew {02318} a right spirit within me.” Nevertheless, there are no specified differences between the covenants other than the promised land being an eternal thing.John the Immerserˆs father had no qualms about associating “the 'cherished' covenant, and the oath that [Yehovah] swore to our ancestor Abraham”, with the ministry of Yeshua the Messiah. This inspired account sounds nothing like Yehovah’s covenant with Israel being ready to croak and being replaced with separate New Covenant with a church! Of course, like Yeshua’s own disciples, John’s father Zacharias was anticipating deliverance from Rome during his own day. None suspecting that it would take two millennial days for Yehovah to call and then select stars of differing magnitudes and sizes from small to red giants to fill out His great “cloud of witnesses”, each with their own stories to tell, each with their questions personally answered, each being crafted for selected roles to play in the “everlasting kingdom:
Luke 1:69-79 [Yehovah] has empowered for us a horn of deliverance from the descendants of His servant David,
70 as He foretold by the voices of His holy 'cherished' prophets in times past—
71 that He would rescue us from our enemies and from the grasp of everyone who hates us.
72 He was merciful with our ancestors and remembers His 'cherished' covenant,
73 and the oath that He swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us
74 deliverance from the grasp of our enemies, so we can serve Him without fear,
75 in justice and righteousness all our days.
76 You, [John] my child, will be called a prophet of the Highest, because you’ll go ahead of the Sovereign to prepare His way.
77 To give His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of Aloha, by which the Dawn will 'break' for us from high above
79 to enlighten those who sit in darkness, in the shadow of death, to guide our feet toward the road of peace.”
Luke 22:15-20 He [Yeshua] told them, “I had [1] really wanted to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 But I tell you, “From now on I WILL NOT BY ANY MEANS EAT IT [2] until it is fulfilled in Yehovah’s Kingdom.” 17-18 [A] 19 Then He took a loaf of bread [3] and gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them and said, “This is My body that is given on your behalf. Do this to remember Me.” 20 After supper He did the same with the cup, He said, “This cup is the New covenant in My blood that is poured out on your behalf!
[1] In March, 2011 I was sent a link to an article by Roy A. Reinhold showing that the Aramaic definitely puts this in the past tense. Yeshua had already given up on celebrating the Passover, rather He was to be the Passover! (I was surprised at the similarities in our reasoning.)
[2] See why He didn’t eat the Passover here! [3] This was not unleavened bread because it was Yeshua’s Supper-Preparation Day for the Passover tomorrow. That’s why the Greek specifies it was a loaf of risen bread [as in Matthew 4:3 & 14:17]: “from airo; bread (as raised) or a loaf—(shew-)bread, loaf.” It was as thick as a man’s thumb, easily broken not cut, as opposed to the unleavened bread (azumos) that is used the following night at Passover. [A] Adler says, verses 17 & 18: “He took the cup, and gave thanks and said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 Know that I’ll never drink of the fruit of the vine, until the Kingdom of [Yehovah] comes”, isn’t included in any [of the few remaining] MSS. of the Peshitto. (They were borrowed from Matthew & Mark). Lamsa, who was ostensibly translating from the Aramaic, tho he accidentally included them without comment.It is plain here that Yeshua’s followers are the recipients of “the Covenant that Yehovah made with our ancestors”. It’s not a replacement covenant, it’s a covenant for their time (v.24).
Acts 3:18-26 But this is how Yehovah fulfilled what He had previously announced by the voices of all the prophets—that His Messiah was to suffer. 19 So amend your ways and turn to Yehovah so that your sins will be wiped away, and times of transformation will come to you [2][3] 'from' Yehovah, 20 and He’ll send Yeshua Messiah, the One who was appointed [4] for you. 21 He must be warmly welcomed in Heaven until the completion of the times when everything that Yehovah has spoken by the mouth of His 'cherished' prophets [5] from antiquity [6] is completed. 22 As Moses said, ‘Yehovah will raise up a Prophet like me [7] for you from among your brothers. Listen to Him in everything He tells you.’ 23 When this happens, anyone who won’t listen to that Prophet will be 'removed' from his people [8].”
24 All of the prophets from the time of Samuel and afterward spoke about and announced this time [9]. 25 You are the 'descendants' of the prophets and heirs of the Covenant that Yehovah made with our ancestors when He told Abraham, ‘Thru your descendants all the families of the world will be blessed.’ 26 You were the first people who Yehovah established, and He sent His Son to bless you again IF you will return to Him by turning from your wicked ways.”
[2] Both Murdock and Etheridge include the words ‘to you”. This clarifies that the ‘times of transformation” aren’t aren’t dependent on you, but your being included is! The Greek lacks this.
[3] This is one of those places where different Greek translations put different verse numbers, purely a modern glitch. Murdock almost always used the historic verse numbers tho, of course, there were no verses in the originals. Etheridge created a new numbering system that someone else mercifully fixed. But v.19 & v.20 vary, depending on the version you have. The Gabriel Bible defaults to the KJV for numbering. [4] The Greek says “to announce or proclaim or herald beforehand.” [5] The Greek means something entirely different: “The restoration of all things.” [6] The word ‘antiquity’ refers to the Tanak—the ‘Old Testament’, so some comments in Revelation, as in reference to Satan and the thousand years are not included in this statement. Yeshua limited “every prophecy” to things happening prior to the destruction of the Israelite nation. Matthew 24:34. [7] “A Prophet like me”—The quotation is from Deuteronomy 18, the context concerns opposition to pagan practices. Yet the Jews (John 6:14, John 7:40) and the envoys (Acts 3:22 & Acts7:37) knew this to be a Messianic prophecy. [8] This is the equivalent of the Hebrew expression “cut off from his people”, which is banishment or “destroyed.” [9] Hemera: “of the last day of this present age, the day [the Messiah] will return from heaven, raise the dead, hold the final judgment, and perfect his kingdom.”The only other mention of the covenant in Acts concerns Stephen’s martyrdom. The context is similar to chapter 3 in that Stephen called out his countrymen. Starting with Abraham, he explained how that Israel had never lived up to the covenant. While attempting to act only on the letter of the Torah, as in with circumcision, they largely always failed to grasp the spirit of the Torah.
Acts 7:8,51-53 He [Yehovah] gave them the covenant of circumcision. Then 'Abraham' became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs... 51 You are stiff necked and uncircumcised in your thoughts and in your hearing! You always resist the 'special' spirit, just like your ancestors did. 52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors fail to persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have betrayed and murdered Him! 53 You received the Torah that was 'put into effect' by spirit messengers, but you haven’t obeyed it.
To put the future of circumcision into context, we have to turn back to the future— the nine last chapters of Ezekiel—Chapters 40—48. While so many people prefer to totally ignore these plain statements, preferring to relegate them to some unknown period in the past, or spiritualize them into oblivion, I’ll leave wandering down that rabbit trail to this detailed link and move on—except as it references circumcision. In the future all Israelite men will be circumcised. By implication, for “foreigners who live in Israel” and everywhere else it will be optional, unless someone wants to be grafted in.
So just this once, I’ll turn back toward the middle of the book. Here again, millennia after the name Israel has excluded Judah (the Jews) and Levi (members of the tribe of priests)—the southern Kingdom, we have Judah and Levi, specifically identified as being part of twelve tribed Israel again! It’s the reunited House of Israel as explained in great detail in Ezekiel 37. Immediately after the Second Exodus is over and the survivors of a much larger holocaust will be adapting to peace in Israel. This is the Jubilee year when all of the tribes of Israel get all of their land back. Yet Levi and Judah will be receiving very strong criticism. I can’t imagine these 21st century descendants of Israel being blamed for something that their ancient relatives did. It appears to me that this has to be about most of the keepers of the very soon coming third Temple having failed their duties, yet they will be rehabilitated in the utterly massive Ezekiel Temple.
Ezekiel 44:6-9 Tell the rebellious House of Israel, ‘The Sovereign Yehovah [“Yeshua”] says: House of Israel, “I’ve had enough of your many highly detestable things! 7 In addition to all your other abominations, you’ve brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in both heart and flesh into My 'special' place, defiling My very 'Temple' when you offered My bread, the fat and the blood. You’ve broken My covenant. 8 You haven’t carried out your duty regarding My 'special' things, instead you’ve put foreigners in charge of My 'special' place. 9 The Sovereign Yehovah says: No foreigner with an uncircumcised heart or uncircumcised flesh will enter My 'Temple', including foreigners who live in Israel.
At this point it should be noted that on a commemorative day (a Feast Day), Gog and Magog will show up—thinking that they are in for some “easy picking”. This is actually after the Great Tribulation—(the time of Jacob’s trouble). This time Israel is not in trouble, but it’s the time of Gog and Magog’s trouble! Now Israel is about to see how powerful Yehovah really is! It appears to all be over in one literal day, yet Israel will be burying the hostiles for seven months!—Ezekiel 39:12. Notice that Chapter 39 declares five times that the House of Israel, NOT the House of Judah will be left burying the dead for seven months! This specifies the return of the “lost 10 tribes”!
Up next is Romans. Paul is certainly grieving about his people, tho he had nothing bad to say about his heritage here, mentioning the “preeminence and the covenants, given the Torah and the Levitical service and the promised blessings.” What has now changed is that Aloha is dealing with called individuals rather than a whole nation. While this is plan B, it is actually working out better—even with seven divided end-time contemporary “churches”, Yet for the time being Israel is off to the sidelines! But make no mistake—the end game is Israel’s return to “preeminence”.
Romans 9:1-8 I tell the truth in Messiah, without misrepresentation, and my conscience confirms it for me by means of the 'special' spirit. 2 I have deep sorrow and unending anguish. 3 I have even wished that I could be pledged to destruction and separated from Messiah for the sake of my mortal minded countrymen, 4 who are descendants of Israel, sons of Aloha with preeminence and the covenants, given the Torah and the Levitical service and the promised blessings. 5 The Messiah is descended from the patriarchs. He is Aloha over all, in human form. Praises and blessings belong to Him forever and ever. Aw-main'.
6 It’s not as tho the Word of Aloha has actually failed, since not everyone descended from Israel is part of Israel, 7 nor are they all Abraham’s descendants, even tho they are descended from Abraham, because it was said, “Your descendants will be named after Isaac” [1]. 8 That is, it’s not the physical descendants who are the children of Yehovah, but the children of the promise are considered the descendants.
[1] Saxons can be translated “sons of Isaac.”
Revelation 11:18-19 The nations were angry, but Your anger has come, and it’s time for the dead to be judged, and for You to compensate Your servants the prophets, and the 'chosen ones' and those who fear Your name, both small and great, and to destroy those who are destroying the earth! [8] 19 The Temple of Yehovah in the sky was opened, and the Ark of His covenant was visible inside His Temple. There was lightning and thunder and voices, an earthquake and huge hail.
[8] The earth will likely be more damaged than it was when the great flood destroyed the earth. Genesis 9:11. But heaven and earth will be renewed again: Isaiah 65:17; Isaiah 66:22.