TM – Tekoa Manning

Passover/ Pesach, Pentecost/ Shavuot, Tekoa Manning, TM, Unleavened Bread

Blankets of Light

Posted on April 1, 2021April 2, 2021 by Tekoa

This morning while sitting outside with coffee, I noticed two birds flying toward me and then over my head. One was dark, resembling a raven. The other was as white as a dove. I stopped, mesmerized in disbelief. They flew side by side like friends on a journey. In swift thought, my brain asked, “Was that a white dove? No, surely not.” I gazed up again steadily, and just before they passed over my house, the birds’ wings fan out above me. They are as white as snow and as black as soot. I am awe-struck. My mind then began calculating events concerning an Ark and Noah, Elijah, and the ravens that fed him. Soon I am meditating on a Lamb and a Ruach Wind that appeared and descended like a dove on our Messiah–A dove whose white wings flapped mightily over the waters when HaShem said, “Let there be LIGHT” (Genesis 1:3). Out of thick darkness, light was born.

“In your days (Job), have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place, that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?” (Job 38:12-13, BSB).

Sometimes light stands in front of darkness. Sometimes a dove and a blackbird take flight side by side. There were two men on a cross next to Messiah–one cried out for light, and one remained in darkness.

And one of the evil-doers who were hanged was speaking evil of Him, saying, “If You are the Messiah, save Yourself and us.” But the other, responding, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear Elohim, since you are under the same judgment?”

–Luke 23:39-40, BSB

Light stands before darkness every day in multiple situations, weighing much less than my description above. We are candles. We are to shine. “But if your eye is evil, all your body shall be darkened. If, then, the light that is within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23, ISR). Evil eyes. What a concept. How we look at others through our eye gate can be with light or with darkness. Yeshua said, “No one lights a lamp and covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he sets it on a stand, so those who enter can see the light” (Luke 8:16). A Lamb, the Light of the World, stood in the midst of darkness and did not open His Mouth. “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7, BSB).

Picture our words as blankets of light. Every soul on this planet was created with a divine flame inside them, even those who walk with evil eyes. Have you ever heard a conversation or watched a scene play out before your eyes that was so grievous, your whole insides were weeping, but on the outside, you could not flinch or appear at all like the conversation or surroundings you found yourself in bothered you? Perhaps it was a holy day on a sacred calendar that no one close to you realized was sacred. Maybe it was a death and burial of a soul created in the image of light that no one could find words to bring that were reminiscent of describing the person’s days under the sun. The people wore black, but no one spoke of the light that once shined out of the eyes of the person who now has left this place for another.

We must bring the light on our tongues.

Maybe you weep inside over a child you failed to teach properly– harmed by divorce, abuse, lack of attention, and instruction who now stands before you broken?

We must wrap them in light and hold them in love.

Maybe your grief is a date on a calendar. “You may have six months, or a year to live.” The doctors pronounce death over you, but you stand strong for your family. Inside, you are a grieving person trying to dance with your son, daughter, or spouse until your future is revealed. You drink in smiles and words, grasping them in your heart while holding on to faith and life in Messiah. A dark report does not put out your flame.

We must stand with our wicks trimmed and our lamps full of oil.

Possibly your grief erupts over a dark world you see filled with unrest, disease, idols, death, and lusts of the flesh boiling over in a pot of filth. But what if you saw the opposite too? The smile of a child in innocence. A butterfly landing beside you to remind you of transformation. The buds on the trees. Flowers popping up in colorful hues, red birds singing and wild violets poking their heads up through a field, a sun bursting forth to welcome the day as you thank Abba for coffee, tea, a breath.

Sometimes the light and darkness mingle, and this union causes a taint. Leading up to Passover, one year, I emptied half a bottle of 100% pure maple syrup with half a bottle of cheap pancake syrup. I was busy removing hametz. The Holy One said, “Bonnie you just mixed the holy with the profane.” I was horrified, but the Father was showing me more profound things.

“Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness? And what fellowship has light with darkness? Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says יהוה, and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you and I shall be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says יהוה the Almighty” (II Corinthians 6:14, 17-18, ISR).

What is unclean right now during the feasts of unleavened bread is bread. Why? Because the Holy One said do not eat bread for seven days. Eat matzah for seven days. These are the Father’s appointed feasts. If our earthly fathers told us not to eat bread as a child, we would do good to obey them. How much more the One who created LIGHT?

“‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times: The Lord’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord’s Festival of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast'” (Leviticus 23:4-6, BSB).

A Sacrifice is something we give up for something else. Our Messiah gave up His life for us. We give up yeast for unleavened bread.

“For when I brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt, I did not merely command them about burnt offerings and sacrifices, but this is what I commanded them: Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. You must walk in all the ways I have commanded you, so that it may go well with you” (Jeremiah 7:22-23, BSB).

Adonai’s point was not to command them in the ways of offerings and sacrifices but to obey His Voice. Shema. Sometimes this looks strange to others.

A sacrifice is about us and not an animal. Many times we are in situations that cause us to make a sacrifice. We sacrifice a party, wedding, or event to rest in His Sabbath, or we sacrifice bread for a striped, scorched piece of matzah. In this sacrificial place of obedience, we notice that we are a peculiar people set apart to HaShem. The One who sent the darkness, palpable darkness, would also send an angel of death.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that darkness may spread over the land of Egypt—a palpable darkness.”

So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and total darkness covered all the land of Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else, and for three days, no one left his place. Yet all the Israelites had light in their dwellings” (Exodus 10:21-23, BSB).

We have all found ourselves at work, a social setting, a party, a family gathering, or an event where darkness showed up. Darkness cloaked and draped in thick glee. Darkness wearing light like an angel. Darkness boasting in neon colors. Black draped words that fly and soar with edges– sharp points that stab and pierce. Words swathed in prideful mocking like Pharaohs or one of the thieves on the cross. Strange chatter where teeth bite and we chew people into pieces in one sentence and then try to mend them on sewing machines like a garment we’ve ripped in two like an offering or a dove with its head wrung off. We see the darkness in those around us as familiar and remember our own dwellings and journeys of learning the difference between the mundane and the holy. We recognize that we, too, have darkness that we battle. We realize we have far to go when compared to a Lamb that did not open its mouth.

Photo-Nadia Supertino

When we are obedient and sacrifice our flesh on the altar, we are a sweet smelling fragrance unto Him. “And this day will be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD, as a permanent statute for the generations to come. For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you are to remove the leaven from your houses. Whoever eats anything leavened from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel” (Exodus 12:14-15, BSB).

Darkness shows up during seasons and appointed times. But darkness also reveals light. Are we learning about light in the darkness? Are we bathing and cleansing our eyeballs in light? Are we able to not open our mouth in the midst of darkness, mocking and scorn, like a lamb–a lamb we ate in haste that then resided in our bellies. Did you know Adonai made darkness His covering?

“And He bowed the heavens and came down, And thick darkness was under His feet. And He rode upon a keruḇ, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness His covering; Around Him His booth, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed, hail and coals of fire.” (Psalm 18:9-12, ISR).

Kisha Gallagher author at Grace in Torah has an anointed blog on darkness and light that I feel everyone would do well to read. I had a disturbing dream months ago depicting darkness and light. Her blog post titled What the Darkness Reveals brought healing and revelation to my soul. You can find it HERE. Before I wrap up this post on light and darkness, I want to direct you back to the two birds. Unbeknownst to me, I learned that there could be albino blackbirds from my husband. A blackbird with a pigment deficiency becomes white.

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.” (Isaiah 1:19, BSB).

We can often look white as a dove but be a blackbird with a skin issue—this is one topic I have written about often and more for my own good. It is the same issue that made Miriam white as snow. Lashon Hara/the evil tongue–leprosy. Words are more powerful than we know.

“All the evils that men cause to each other because of certain desires, or opinions, or religious principles, are rooted in ignorance. [All hatred would come to an end] when the earth was flooded with the knowledge of God.” – Maimonides

The earth flooded with knowledge of a Holy God. A fearful Ruler and Creator of all life sent a dove with an olive branch in its mouth. What if we carried that olive in our mouth?

During the Omer count, a count that we are commanded to do by Elohim, we count up to the 49th/50th day of Pentecost or Shavuot in Hebrew. The Holy Spirit fell in the book of Acts as tongues of fire. Oh, how our tongues need to be baptized in fire. Oh, how we need sweet water and not bitter. Even when we think we are speaking life, correction, and encouragement, it is possible to speak death due to our own ignorance, pride, pain, or fears.

Sometimes light shines so brightly it hurts eyes and causes people to place their hands over their face–their fingers in their ears, or run away. Sometimes truth is so loud it is like wind that knocks us down. Sometimes we see through the lens of grief. We open our arms and hug people we see as blind, deaf, having tongues that need coals from the altar. We hold them close because we love them so, and we bathe them in all the light we have to give in that moment knowing we too deal with our own evil tongues and puffed up yeast. Perhaps the darkness senses our light and is changed in some way spiritually. Maybe we receive light from those we see bathed in yeasty darkness. Perchance we notice what is in our own hearts?

Photo Rohan Makhecha

May we see the dove this Shavuot/ Pentecost. May we be a blackbird with skin clothed in light pigments that turn us whiter–brighter. May our leprosy be cleansed as Moses cried out concerning his sister, “Heal Her!, we picture the Body of Yeshua and cry out too. May we wrap ourselves in chesed and loving-kindness that bubbles forth without our left hand knowing what our right hand is doing. May we eat unleavened bread with purpose and not rote. May we count up to the comforter, the Ruach Wind that hovers over our heads and purifies our hearts and burns the dross off our tongues which no man can tame. May we hold up two loaves of bread and shout for joy at the promise of redemption, the comforter, and the Messiah.

“My little children, I write this to you, so that you do not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Intercessor with the Father, יהושע Messiah, a righteous One.

And He Himself is an atoning offering for our sins, and not for ours only but also for all the world.

And by this we know that we know Him, if we guard His commands.

The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

But whoever guards His Word, truly the love of Elohim has been perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked” (I John 2:1-6, ISR).

Luz Bone, Tekoa Manning, TM

I Luz You and Almonds

Posted on February 10, 2021February 10, 2021 by Tekoa

This blog on the Luz bone was written around 2017 and shared on Grace in Torah. After closing my website Obadiah’s Cave, I am uploading many of these blogs that I feel have worth. I pray it blesses you.

Have you ever pondered how all the graves will open? Not when, but how? Will we come up out of the sea—the earth—an urn? Even the people who sharks have eaten? The graves will open on “that day.” Bodies shipwrecked at sea—bodies waiting in pine boxes under the earth—and ash remains tucked inside urns will all give up their dead. When studying resurrection, consider the Luz bone, a bone that is said cannot be crushed, burned, or destroyed. The Father presents Ezekiel with a question concerning bones:

“Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.’ “Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. ‘I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.”

—Ezekiel 37:3-6, NASB

The rabbi’s claim there is a bone in our brains that never deteriorates. They say it cannot be burned, crushed, or broken. What does this bone have to do with the tassels that hang off a Jewish prayer shawl with four corners called a tallith? Much. The first place we read about the wings of this prayer shawl is after the Father delivers his people from Egypt: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself” (Exodus 19:4, NASB).

sakura tree — Photo by Oleg Magni on Pexels.com

Isaiah, Chapter 11, gives a prophetic glimpse of a future time when the Father will gather t banished/dispersed ones from the four corners of the earth. In the Book of Numbers, Adonai gives special instructions for a prayer shawl and its four corners having tassels called tzitzit:

The Lord also spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue.”

—Numbers 15:38-39, NASB

The color blue is my husband’s favorite color, and it’s also the color of most of his clothing. As I was thinking about how to go about describing a color so blue that it turns green in the sunlight and then bluer than a violet purple mixed with seawater, I lost the ability to express such splendor. This dye was created by an animal that went extinct thousands of years ago.

According to the Talmud, the dye of Tekhelet (a shade of blue) was produced from a marine creature known as the Ḥillazon (also spelled Chilazon).

A one of a kind color. However, about twenty years ago, Israeli divers discovered this same mollusk in the Red/ Reed Sea. The blue dye is made by extracting a thick liquid from a gland in the mollusk to produce the brilliant dye. Why would such a color be important? Everything HaShem does is intricate and has a deeper meaning behind it. This dye was used for the priestly garments–the temple tapestry and the tallit (Prayer shawl).

HaShem gives special instructions about a prayer shawl and four corners with tassels called Tzitzit. I started meditating on these four corners and the earth.

“The Lord also spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue” (Numbers 15:38-39 NASB).

A cord of heavenly sapphire blue–the color of Yahweh’s Glory.

“And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness” (Exodus 24:10 KJV).

After the Father instructs them, He tells them why they need these tassels. The King James Version has translated the tassels as “fringes,” however, they are called Tzitzit, also called tzitziyot. `

“It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord (Adonai,) so as to do them and not -follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot, so that you may remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your God” (Numbers 15:39-40).

The word Tzitzit means BLOSSOM. It’s like the rod of Aaron that budded and bloomed. These blossoms will bring forth fruit. How? When we keep the Commandments, we bear fruit. When we honor His Torah by not just knowing it but doing it, we bear much fruit.

Most of Yeshua’s Body is familiar with the Ten Commandments (Ten Sayings), but many may not know there are 613 Commandments wrapped up in The Ten.

The first place we read about these prayer shawls’ wings is after the Father saves His people from Egypt. “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself” (Exodus 19:4).

The Rabbis teach that each arrangement of tassels should be seven white threads and one blue thread. For more information on the significance of the meaning behind the Hebrew numbers 7 & 8, here is a link to Grace in Torah, where you can also find some pretty amazing teachings.

This shawl is used at all significant events, from circumcision to weddings, and yes, even the dead are wrapped up in this garment. Death is something we see Yeshua triumphing over. Yes, death and the grave could not hold our Messiah!

Let’s see how the Olive tree buries their dead since we were engrafted into it.

“After a person dies, the eyes are closed, the body is laid on the floor and covered, and candles are lit next to the body. The body is never left alone until after burial, as a sign of respect. The people who sit with the dead body are called shomerim, from the root Shin-Mem-Reish, meaning “guards” or “keepers. — In preparation for the burial, the body is thoroughly cleaned and wrapped in a simple, plain linen shroud. The Sages decreed that both the dress of the body and the coffin should be simple, so that a poor person would not receive less honor in death than a rich person. The body is wrapped in a tallit with its tzitzit rendered invalid.” Jewfaq.org

Can you imagine our bodies being wrapped in the Word of Yahweh? Can you imagine all of the Father’s commandments and instructions for a blessed LIFE covering our dead bodies? Our dead bodies will come up out of the grave because Yeshua, our First Fruits, came forth out of the tomb wrapped in the same type of linen shroud and more than likely wrapped in His tallit.

This Tallit is two words, tal meaning tent and lit meaning little. “A little tent” that is like a canopy of protection hidden under His Torah–His commandments. When the shawl is pulled up over the head, it makes a prayer room. Psalms 91 talks about this canopy under the wings of Adonai. “He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings, you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark” (Psalm 91:4).

When the woman with the issue of blood touched the hem of Jesus’ garments, she actually touched the Word of God. These shawls were what a Rabbi such as Yeshua would have worn, not some red Roman robe we see him often pictured as wearing. Many people touched this and were healed. Let’s look at scripture for certainty.

“Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe (Tzitzit) of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured” (Mark 6:56).

Scriptures concerning these four wings also discuss a time of latter days.

“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun (Servant) of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 4:1-2).

Yeshua is talking about Jacob’s trouble, and He says after the tribulation, we will see the sign of Him.

“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET, and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other” (Matthew 24:30-31).

“After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree” (Revelation 7:1).

So as I was meditating on the four corners of the earth and visualizing this mighty wind sweeping people up like a Hollywood production of tornado or Aliens, I decided it wouldn’t be like that at all. Didn’t the Son come to a carpenter from a rough place called Nazareth (Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?) And weren’t His parents so ordinary no one would make room for the delivery of the chosen One? Didn’t He ride on a humble donkey? Yes, but we have all these motion pictures and left behind series that have altered our thinking.

“According to the Zohar—an early Kabbalistic text—the resurrection will take place forty years after the arrival of Moshiach (Messiah). However, certain righteous individuals will arise with the coming of Moshiach (Messiah). All the dead will be resurrected in the Land of Israel.”

Notice the number 40 and all it entails.

So let’s get back to this death, and this body rolled up in a little tent—the wings of Yahweh and His mighty Torah protecting even our bones.

According to Aish.com, “Jewish tradition records that with burial, a single bone in the back of the neck never decays. It is from this bone – the luz bone – that the human body will be rebuilt in the future Messianic era when the souls of the departed will be reunited with their bodies.”

Yes! A BONE CALL THE LUZ.

I’m doing a snoopy dance right now!

YES! The Rabbi’s claim there is a bone in our brains that never disintegrates. They say it cannot be burned, crushed, or broken. But this gets deeper. Remember the Tzitzit? Those fringes that hung down that were braided and were referred to as almond buds or blossoms? Well, something else has the same meaning.

The word LUZ in Hebrew means nut or almond. So our brain even blossoms with the mind of Christ, our Yeshua Messiah.

The luz and the tallit with its Tzitzit represent an almond seed- a blossom—blooming and producing fruit and, yes, rising up out of the earth. It is believed by the Rabbi’s that this bone is strengthened and gains sustenance from a meal eaten called the Melave Malka. What is this strange word about?

“ Melaveh Malkah is the name of a meal that, as per halakha, is customarily held by Jews after their Sabbath, in other words, on Saturday evening. The intent of the meal is to figuratively escort the “Sabbath Queen” on her way out via singing and eating, as one would escort a monarch upon his departure from a city. This meal is alternatively called “the fourth meal.”

We must get back to His Holy Days and Feast. It was never Sunday.

And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” (Mark 14:24-26)

This is new beginnings with the Messiah and the 8th day and the fullness of our new Kingdom filled with awe and glory unspeakable and unattainable in thought. More joy than one has ever felt. I can’t wait!

I LUZ my Yeshua, the One who died so we might have LIFE!

Sources:

The mystical bone of resurrection, Shapiro R., 1987, Department of Radiology, University of Miami School of Medicine, accessed 5 April 2014

http://pubs.rsna.org/doi/abs/10.1148%2Fradiology.163.3.718#comments

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melaveh_Malkah

http://www.aish.com/ci/sam/48936292.html

Pictures: talentshare.org

America, Tekoa Manning, TM

The Clocks Were Striking 13

Posted on January 31, 2021February 1, 2021 by Tekoa

The military has many cadences that are sung during marching, and When I was a younger girl around five or six years old, we sang a song in my Sunday School class called “I’m in the Lord’s Army.” Here are the beginning of the lyrics:

“I may never march in the infantry.
Ride in the cavalry
Shoot the artillery
I may never shoot for the enemy.
But I’m in the Lord’s army!”

We may have never been enlisted in the military in the natural, but we are an army–His army. Ezekiel saw a valley of dry, dead bones and HaShem asked him if that army could live. He said, “Oh, Lord Adonai only You know.” He then was told to prophesy over those dry, dead bones, and they became an army dressed and prepared. We need to know how to shoot and fire at the enemy—We need to put on the armor of Elohim. (Ephesians 6).

Those who are in the military have a uniform and rank. They know their titles (identity), where they are stationed, and how to use all the equipment given to them. We have entry-level up the command chain in the army–Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Sergeant first class, and Sergeant Major, to name a few.

“The locusts have no king, Yet go they forth all of them by bands” (Proverbs 30:27). Even the locusts have an order/rank. Does a Private arise in the military and say, “I cannot put my uniform on today and prepare because I am not a Corporal? No. Does a private look the other way and not salute a higher ranking official? No.

We are servants of Elohim. We are also in His “Army.” The word army is ḥa·yil, and it means strength. In Exodus 18, Moses chose able (ha.yil) men and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

A man recently shared a dream he had where he heard the call for Reveille. What is Reveille?

“Reveille” is a bugle call, trumpet call, drum, fife-and-drum or pipes call most often associated with the military; it is chiefly used to wake military personnel at sunrise” (Wiki).

Reveille is said to start at 7 a.m., but it may be as early as 5 a.m.

Clocks generally work on a 24-hour system for telling time. Soldiers are to be dressed and ready when the trumpet sounds.

Are we unprepared for 13 o’clock?

George Orwell’s famous novel 1984 begins with,

“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”

1984 seems to be creeping upon us, but I wanted to share a different story about clocks striking 13:

“There is an 18th-century London legend of a clock that struck thirteen times and saved a man’s life. The story goes that St Paul’s Cathedral clock on one occasion struck thirteen bongs of the bell at midnight, with the result of saving the life of a soldier accused of sleeping at his post. An obituary notice of a John Hatfield that appeared in the Public Advertiser a few days after his death states that a soldier in the time of William III and Mary II was tried by a court-martial on a charge of having fallen asleep when on duty upon the terrace at Windsor. It goes on to say that he categorically denied the charge against him. He swore as a proof of his having been awake at the time that he heard St Paul’s Cathedral clock strike thirteen, the truth of which was much doubted by the court because of the great distance. Affidavits were made by several persons verifying that the clock actually did strike thirteen instead of twelve, and the soldier was pardoned.” (Arthur’s Home Magazine. 42: 290. 1874)

1 Thessalonians 5:1-10 explains that the day of the Lord Adonai will come as a thief in the night.

“A thief in the night” is a Hebrew idiom. This is not about a thief we would see on television breaking into a home.

“An overseer was appointed over all the watches of guards. He was called: “The officer of the Temple Mount.”Throughout the night, he checked on all the watches. Torches were lit before him. If a guard did not stand before him and greet him: “Peace be unto you, officer of the Temple Mount,” he would assume that he was sleeping and would strike him with his staff. He was even granted permission to burn [a sleeping guard’s] clothing.

Thus, it was commonly said in Jerusalem: “What is the noise in the Temple Courtyard [at night]? It must be the voice of a Levite being beaten and his clothes burned because he slept on his watch.” (Chabad).

The Levites were stationed like soldiers at their post. The priests would guard the fire on the altar to keep it burning throughout the night to be ready for the morning sacrifice. The fire could not go out. Has ours?

The Book of Revelations gives us a picture of this: (Revelation 16:15) “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”

Saint (Apostle) Paul’s bell is sounding. The High Priest will come and make His rounds at a time when we may not be aware.

(Mark 13:35) “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning.”

(Ephesians 5:14–)

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” We must keep our fires burning. We must be awake and ready with our oil lamps full of pressed pure oil, our garments washed and ironed so that when we hear the call of Reveille, we will not sleep through it.

Each nation’s military has its own lyrics and song to sing titled Reveille. Sadly, America seems to be the only one where everyone is lazy and refuses to get out of bed, even the elite. America’s reveille song sounds like the cry of the prophet Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and others:

“I can’t get ’em up,

I can’t get ’em up,

I can’t get ’em up this morning;

I can’t get ’em up,

I can’t get ’em up at all!

The corporal’s worse than the privates,

The sergeant’s worse than the corporals,

Lieutenant’s worse than the sergeants,

And the captain’s worst of all!

I can’t get ’em up

I can’t get ’em up this morning;

I can’t get ’em up

I can’t get ’em up at all!

And tho’ the sun starts peeping,

And dawn has started creeping,

Those lazy bums keep sleeping,

They never hear my call!”

THEY NEVER HEAR THE CALL.

May we hit our knees during this time and be spared as the soldier who heard the 13th strike of the clock to inform the judge he was not sleeping on his watch. It is time for “Watchmen to arise.”

(Luke 21:36)

“But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:6)

“So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.”

May the dead rise first indeed!

Blessings,

Tekoa

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reveille

https://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/rambam.asp?tdate=12/6/2020&rambamChapters=3

Lord’s Army song: http://www.divinehymns.com/lyrics/i-may-never-march-in-the-infantry-song-lyrics/

America, Tekoa Manning, TM, torah

The Coup and the King

Posted on January 19, 2021 by Tekoa

In this blog, we will meet a king who must flee his palace because his own son has planned a coup to overthrow his kingdom. David’s son Absalom has been quite successful in winning over the people with his charm. David and his men are not prepared with food and supplies to withstand such a battle. The King will have to go underground, and then he will have to operate using a secret informant to listen and give him the plans of his own son’s military tactics. The story seems remarkably close to our own situation in Washington.

In this blog, you will meet a man named Barzillai:

1. He can no longer discern what is good and what is not.

2. He can no longer taste.

3. He can no longer hear the voice of singing.

In 2nd Samuel 19, David learns that his son, Absalom, who tried to usurp the kingdom from him, is now dead. King David has already lost two sons. The son he had with Bathsheba and his son Amnon who raped Tamar, was killed by Absalom because David is not good at confronting situations concerning his seed. In chapter 19, word has come to the King concerning the death of Absalom. The King is weeping. Yes, David is crying out from the depths of his belly, “Oh, my son! My son, Absalom! How I wish I would have died instead of you. Oh, my son, Absalom!”

King David’s servants and all the people hide themselves in humiliation. But the king does not have time to weep or mourn; he, after all, is still the king. Joab comes to David bringing strong rebuke and correction.

“Today, you (David) have disgraced all your servants who have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, of your wives, and of your concubines. You love those who hate you and hate those who love you! For you have made it clear today that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would have pleased you!

Now, therefore, get up! Go out and speak comfort to your servants, for I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the adversity that has befallen you from your youth until now!” (II Samuel 19:5-7).

Have you ever loved those who hated you and hated those who loved you? We can often blindly do just that.

David straightens his crown and dries his eyes and sits at the gate. All the people come out to congratulate the king. Those who had left him to follow Absalom had fled to their tents, but with Joab’s wise advice, the king prevents possible anarchy. The text says all the people throughout Israel were arguing over whether David should still be the king. Does that sound familiar?

“And all the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing, “The king rescued us from the hand of our enemies and delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled the land because of Absalom. But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?” (II Sam. 19:9-10).

Sometimes, we must restore the king, and sometimes the one usurping the kingdom hangs himself. Those who were deceived by Absalom’s charm are now in limbo.

In today’s news, with its unrest and deceit, it’s hard to know who is telling the truth at times. Who is supposed to be the king? Who has stolen the election, or who is trying to steal the election? Absalom won the people over with his charm. Absalom stole the hearts of the people. Before his death, he sent spies to all the tribes and told them as soon as they heard the shofar, then they were to say, Absalom is King! Today, in America, most of us are wondering who will be president. Regardless of who is placed in the White House as president, Yeshua is still our King. He is King of King’s. No man will get His glory. One day, He will set up His Kingdom, and it will be an everlasting kingdom. In the meantime, we have men who are flesh. The Judge and Maker of all the earth will appoint and remove which one He sees fit. These men of flesh put pants on to cover their private parts and squat on commodes to rid their waste. They get snotty noses, runny eyes, and skin that sags toward the dust. Adonai knows who He will place on a throne and who He will remove. He knows if civil war is coming.

white concrete building during night time

David’s son, who tried to take the kingdom from him, ends up hanging from a tree by his thick hair (pride). Joab, David’s commander in chief, took three darts and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, killing him. Absalom was usurping something that was not his. Absalom’s name means “My Father is peace.” Adonai does bring peace after this horrific situation that He allowed. David’s sins and the repercussions of them are coming forth just as Nathan warned him. His son slept with his concubines on the roof in broad daylight. We reap what we sow.

“Nathan then said to David, “You yourself are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘It is I who anointed you as king over Israel, and it is I who rescued you from the hand of Saul. I also gave you your master’s house and put your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! Why have you despised the word of the LORD, by doing evil in His sight? You have struck and killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, you have taken his wife as your wife, and you have slaughtered him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. Now then, the sword shall never leave your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. This is what the LORD says: ‘Behold, I am going to raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. Indeed, you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and in open daylight.’” Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has allowed your sin to pass; you shall not die. However, since by this deed you have shown utter disrespect for the LORD, the child himself who is born to you shall certainly die.” Then Nathan went to his house.” (II Samuel 12:7-15).

By the time we get to II Samuel, this word given to David is coming forth in broad daylight. David, who has been in hiding from his seed, is going to cross back over the Jordan and take back what is rightfully his. He has been cursed and pelted with rocks. He has lost another son. He is a broken man who no doubt is replaying Nathan’s words from Adonai in his head. Weeping and repenting as he goes.

Before David approaches the Jordan, something peculiar happens. A man who is 80 years old comes out to meet king David as he is getting ready to cross over from exile. His name was Barzillai. Chapter 17 gives us a description of this man:

Barzillai: “A wealthy Gileadite noble of Rogelim (meaning fullers), who, together with two other prominent chieftains of the east-Jordanic territory, met David at Mahanaim, when he was fleeing with only a few followers from Absalom, and provided the king and his weary men with food” (2 Samuel 17:27).

He was a noble from Rogelim (meaning fullers). Fullers were men who treaded on clothing to cleanse the garments. Fuller’s soap is used to scrub the wool of sheep. Think righteous garments. Rogelim also means feet, and feet represent our walk. He meets David (Beloved) at Mahanaim.

Mahanaim is an interesting place.

“Right before Jacob names the region Mahanaim, he is met by angels of God that motivates him to say, מחנה אלהים וה (“This is God’s camp”), using the word מחנה (mananeh)”(Abarim publications).

It is interesting to note that a man with crippled feet is also mentioned right before Barzillai. This man was Mephibosheth, meaning “one who DESTROYS SHAME. When he was five years old, a report came that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle, and when the boy’s nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, the nurse dropped Mephibosheth, and he became crippled (II Samuel 4).

Oh, the misfortune of it all. We do not hear much more about this young man again until II Samuel. David decides to bless anyone left of Saul’s house, the greatest enemy he ever had. David approaches Mephibosheth, and Mephibosheth says, “What is your servant that you take an interest in a dead dog like me?” How ironic that the name “Mephibosheth” means destroyer of shame, yet his crippled-up legs had brought him just that, shame. When Mephibosheth walked into a room, he was noticed, not for his beauty or even his heritage as the grandson of a king and the son of a mighty warrior, Jonathan. No, that is not what people noticed; they noticed his hobbling bent up legs.

When David searched for Jonathan’s son, and brought him to the palace, and placed him at his table, the King’s table covered his twisted legs that would not work right. The king’s table hid all his infirmities. He was under the shade of that table, and he was fed delicacies. One day, Mephibosheth went from thinking he was a dead dog to eating at the king’s table. One day we shall, too, eat at His Table if we do not lose heart and faint.

Barzillai had the same opportunity to go with David and be fed by the king, but he does not. He is prepared to die and be buried with his parents. However, this very wealthy 80-year-old man wants to escort the King over the Jordan. Meditate on the number 80 and the crossing of the Jordan.

“The Hebrew number 80 is Pey and represents the mouth. The Hebrew number 8: “Shemoni [f.], shemonah [m.] Literally to “make fat.” New beginnings, not just complete (like seven), but satiated. Becoming “fat” is having more than enough. Full to overflowing. Moves from natural to supernatural. Transcends natural time and space to supernatural realm. Figuratively, eight takes one through a full cycle of seven, and begins anew – the One Day – Yom Echad – of creation.” (Grace in Torah)

Moses is 80 years old when he is sent to lead the Children of Israel to cross over the Reed Sea. Barzillai is 80 years old when he comes to escort David over the Jordan.

In our story from II Samuel, David tells Barzillai that he will provide for him and give him a place in Jerusalem if he crosses over with him. His name means man of iron. Barzillai teaches us how to die, and there is quite a contranym in his message and age. Remember, the Jordon is the place Yeshua was immersed in by John. It means to descend downward, and after we descend into the waters of the Jordan, we are cleansed just like Naaman from his leprosy. Naaman had to dip seven times, the number of completions. But Barzillai is 80 years old, and he tells David something I have been meditating on all week.

“But Barzillai replied, “How many years of my life remain, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? I am now eighty years old. Can I discern what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of singing men and women? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?

Your servant could go with the king only a short distance past the Jordan; why should the king repay me with such a reward? Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.” (II Samuel 19:34-37).

He can no longer discern what is good and what is not.

He can no longer taste.

He can no longer hear the voice of singing.

Barzillai sends his servant—his son ChimHam instead. Chimham means to thirst, pinning, and having a great desire. “The verb כמה (kama) means to thirst but specifically expresses a desire for liquidity in the exchange of knowledge and wisdom (rather than the light of wisdom itself, or the eventual productivity that results from having wisdom). This verb also resembles the particle of comparison כמו (kemo), “as if” or “like.” (Abarim Publications). Chimham is mention in Jeremiah. It is the name of a town near Bethlehem, from which it would seem that David gave Barzillai’s son some land that was passed on to his descendants in his name. Barzillai sends his son over to Jerusalem, the one whose name means desire and thirst, a pinning to be in the Land. The man of iron cannot go. The man who can no longer discern what is good and what is not. The man who can no longer taste and see. The man who can no longer hear the voice of singing will remain on the other side of the Jordan. Jerusalem means rain of peace and a foundation of peace. Oh, how we need this today!

I pray this has blessed you. May we continue to keep our eyes on the King of Kings and the Lord of All. Please click subscribe for future updates.

America, Tekoa Manning, TM

Samson and America

Posted on January 12, 2021January 13, 2021 by Tekoa

blue and white star print textile in front of bonfire

“Then the Philistines went up and camped in Judah, and spread out in Lehi. The men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?” And they said, “We have come up to bind Samson to do to him as he did to us.” Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.” They said to him, “We have come down to bind you so that we may give you into the hands of the PHILISTINES” (Judges 15:11-12 NASB).
They want to bind the Judge, Samson, the one fighting for their freedom. Is he perfect? No. Does he have some issues with his flesh nature? Yes. Three thousand men want to bind him, but he often has Hercules’ strength until he loses it.
In the natural, we see 3,000 men who could join God’s anointed Judge and fight their enemies, but instead, they bind Samson. They tie the hands of the very Judge the Father had raised for such a time, and they gag him and plead with him not to upset the Philistines who rule over them.
This has been going on since the beginning of time. The religious and political systems want to rule over the people and gag them.
Now, Samson is bound and given to the enemy, but the enemy cannot defeat his anointing.
(Judges 15:14 NASB)
“When he came to Lehi (jawbone), the Philistines shouted as they met him. And THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD CAME UPON HIM MIGHTILY so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds dropped from his hands. He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, so he reached out and took it and killed a thousand men with it.”
Why did he use a jaw bone? This is scary. What happens when a nation lives wickedly for years?
“Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!” (1 Samuel 13:19).

THEY HAD NO WEAPONS. Disarm America. Much of Yeshua’s Body is already disarmed because the truth has been replaced with a weak, watered-down gospel and a good feeling message: prosperity and ease and arrogancy. We lack humility and a fear of a Holy God.

Samson found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, so he reached out and took it and killed a thousand men with it. Directly after this huge miracle and slaughter of the enemy, Samson goes and gets a harlot to sleep with. Here is a man who had the WIND of the Father’s Mighty power in his life, and he had the strength to defeat armies. He also was set apart to release Israel from their oppression, but now, he has joined himself to a HARLOT.
Hasn’t America done the same?
Hashem’s people have joined themselves to harlots.
“When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD” (Hosea 1:2).
Once again, Samson is surrounded by the Philistines, but he escapes, and then that brings us to the third gentile woman in Samson’s life. The first one was his wife (She pleased him well). Israel did for a time, but like America, she fell into idolatry. The second woman was a harlot that fulfilled his lust, and the third one, the text says, HE LOVED. He loved the harlot so much; he gave her his strength.
When Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, FOR HE HAS TOLD ME ALL THAT IS IN HIS HEART.
She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself FREE.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.”
America has been shaking herself free for a long spell now and flying backward in immorality and integrity. Our nation has lost its compass and is trying to do things in its own strength. Division and hatred fester, along with falseness in the media and government. We are deceived and sucked in. Samson boasted that he would shake himself free as before, but he did not know that the Father had left him. Has America been shorn and shaven? Has she lost her glory?
What a problematic passage. It reminds me of King Saul when he could no longer hear from the Father, so he went to a witch for answers. It reminds me of Eli’s sons who thought they could carry the Ark of the Covenant to battle and be victorious, although they were living like the devil.
They said, “Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh, so that it may go with us to save us from the hand of our enemies. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas, were right there expecting The God of Abraham, Isaac, ad Jacob to spare them even though they committed adultery right in front of him.

“When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a great shout that it shook the ground.” (I Sam. 4:5)
The ground shook. Like America, there was a shaking, and Israel thought their God was with them and for them, but they were indeed wrong. The Philistines heard the noise, and they were afraid, but that day the Philistines fought and defeated Israel. Thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died. They thought they could remain unholy and carry His Spirit and Power, and He would fight for them, but they were very wrong.

Has His Wind left, America? Has He departed from protecting us? When you’ve known Him, and He leaves, it is a FEARFUL THING!
What I see around here is borderline witchcraft. What is the antidote for the pandemic and the unrest in our nation? Ezra knew.

While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites–men, women, and children–gathered around him. They too wept bitterly” (Ezra 10:1).
Yes, after Samson loses his sight and is incredibly humbled, his hair grew again. And in the end, he cried out to His Father, and He heard him. May we become blind like Samson and blind like the apostle Paul so we can be humbled to see.

Photo: Anthony Garand–Unsplash

books, devotional, Tekoa Manning, TM

Jumping for Joy

Posted on December 27, 2020December 29, 2020 by Tekoa

This blog comes from a chapter of a book called Jumping for Joy. I am working on it slowly. I pray it ministers to you.

In the late 1970’s and 1980’s, my mother took to sewing. She used to wear lovely maxi dresses, which she hand-stitched using McCall’s patterns and added adornments. My mother, Vicky, was beautiful and always looked much younger than her years. A lady who lived in the neighborhood had been watching my mom leave for church and other engagements in her long floral maxis dresses. One day, she came over and inquired about borrowing one of my mother’s gowns for a special occasion. My mother weighed about a hundred and thirty pounds, and the woman who stood before her weighed at least three hundred. She thought she could borrow one of my mom’s dresses because she, like us at times, kept passing by the mirror and seeing what she wanted to see reflecting back at her.

There is another story about my mother that I will never forget. One day she was invited to a Tupperware party. The party was hosted by a lady whose husband worked with my dad. My mother and his wife were good friends. They were Pentecostals; we were not. I do not think they wore headscarves or Tzitzit’s, but they had their own attire. Long hair, long dresses, no makeup, and a strict unspoken rule book. My mother showed up to the party with her eyeliner, mascara, bleach blonde hair, and a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that said, “Jesus Loves You.” Many of the women soon gathered in the kitchen, away from my mom. They whispered. They snickered. They made remarks, and my mother overheard, Jezebel, harlot, and sinner. Perhaps these women had memorized 1st Peter chapter 3, but they had missed the gentle spirit and the audience it was written to at that time.

“Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” (I Peter 3:3-4).

Finally, my mother stood in front of them as the Tupperware presentation was coming to a close, and she said, “If you really think I’m a Jezebel headed for hell, shouldn’t you have shown me love and told me about your God—my God—our God? Is not love the greatest gift? Won’t the world know we are Christian’s by our love?” The woman who had invited my mother came to console her, but you could have heard a pin drop in the room. It was a Harper Valley P.T. A- moment. If you’re not familiar with the Harper Valley P.T.A., pull up the old song on YouTube and listen. My mother, in tears, made her way home feeling like an outcast and judged wrongly. I remember this moment for she had taken me with her to the party. Walking home, with mascara running down her face, she told me that the Father looks on the heart. Men always judge the outward appearance.

In both these stories, lessons were learned through mirrors being held up. This, too, is a process of transformation. Caterpillars go through transformation before becoming beautiful butterflies. We are to go from glory to glory. This process may last a long season, but when the butterfly burst forth in all its beauty and begins to fly, what a joyful day that is. The butterfly is no longer hidden in the dark cocoon–the developing room.

“Butterflies are known for having the widest visual range of all wildlife. With a larger visual field than humans and excellent perception of fast-moving objects, their keen sight could be why the species is so abundant. All butterflies have the ability to distinguish ultraviolet and polarized light through their photoreceptors, the light detecting cells in color vision.” for more, click HERE.

Sometimes we learn the most hidden in the darkness and wrapped in the Father’s Wings. “The LORD has said that he would dwell in the thick darkness” (II Chronicles 6:1).

” And the people stood at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where God was” (Exodus 20:21).

Sometimes joy arrives in the strangest of circumstances. It comes from those deemed outcasts. It takes a conversation with a homeless veteran to remind us that we have heat blowing through vents in our homes. It takes our car breaking down for us to realize the joy of transportation. At other times, it takes a person in a room that we do not want to be labeled as being seen with, like the woman with the alabaster box. The Pharisees rebuke Yeshua. “If this man (Yeshua) were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner” (Luke 7:39, NASB). All the eyes in the room were on one woman who they deemed unworthy. The elites were so blind they could not see that the greatest prophet who ever lived was in their midst, but this woman had eyes to see.

One night, years ago, before a conference with a pastor, a small group of us in ministry had gathered outside the sanctuary. We were all talking on couches when several others came and sat with us. Some of them had issues with mental health. One was convinced he was the anti-Christ. Many, like him, were coming to these meetings for prayer– and healing from mental disorders. One night, a woman, who made the ministry team uncomfortable due to her beady eyes, strange sense of humor, and continuous mirth at all the wrong moments, sat across the way from me. We’ll call her Brenda. Brenda began to talk, tease, and chatter to the persons next to her. Brenda rode a public transit bus there and had some form of disability.

I glanced at her backpack on wheels with its Jesus stickers and hearts and pondered her idiosyncrasies. She had never married or had children. One by one, I watched people scurry away. Suddenly, they were in need of using the restroom or began to gather into another area by the coffee machine, but Abba whispered to me at that moment—”see her.” “Look at her.” Tekoa, do you want to be with the so-called elite, or do you want to love my sheep? Will you isolate her too? Can you love My sheep with all the love and even more than you have for these you are looking up to—these who are impressed by Biblical knowledge—these who have asked you to speak on Thursday night– because, Tekoa, I am not impressed.”

Heart conditions:

Me, out of everyone there, should have understood. I was the child who was forcefully pulled down the hallway by my sister and the principal in the first year of my schooling. Crying, gagging, and kicking as I went. I was the last one picked for sporting events in P.E. I was the shy pigeon-toed girl who sat at lunch in elementary school alone at times. Children were holding their noses at my smelly paper sack lunch with hard-boiled eggs that stunk. Young children, and later on, teenagers, were often making fun of me. I learned to throw my food away on the way to elementary school. I was ganged in Middle school by a group of girls who beat my head into an aluminum fence post so badly I couldn’t wash my hair for a week. I learned to disappear in a room. Now, I was watching adults do what was done to me. They were treating her as if she were a ghost, invisible, and without worth. I had done the same at times.

But that evening, I walked over and sat next to this woman created by my Father and began to make small talk. I eased into the chair and complimented her colorful stickers adorning her travel case. I began to ask her things and smile even though she made me uncomfortable. I looked deeper into her tiny eyes and imagined His eyes shining back at me. I tried to ignore that it was summer, and she was wearing thick tights the color of a 1990’s hunter green kitchen countertop or that her paisley mauve dress looked dated from 1950, or how she cracked 3rd-grade jokes, laughing hysterically. And then I began to ask her about her life—dreams—aspirations. Mostly, what I remember is this woman in her 40’s crying buckets of tears and her telling me about her pain—her heavenly Father (personal), her earthly father who died, and her tragic upbringing. And underneath the strange mirth used to mask fears and awkward spaces was a soul that needed to be loved. Oh, friends, this is what the Body Needs.

And at that moment, my mother, misunderstood at a Tupperware party, attired in pink lipstick and eyeliner, could have been sitting next to me in a room full of religious spirits. If we think it does not exist in our newfound Torah fellowship, our smiling Joel stadium, our small rural congregation, our shul, our synagogue—, we might need to find a mirror. Cliques happen. Outcast happen. The lady with the piercing blue eyes and the hunter green stockings unfolded the sad details of her life articulately. Oh, how much childlike love she had for Abba. I felt smaller than small. I tried to imagine all the ones He created and shaped on his Potter’s wheel that we ignore—angels unaware.

We hurt—we judge—or we think we know what could come forth from their heart and parted lips—the ones who fade into the background of our lives. The lepers are crying out in this season. Can you hear them? They scream, “Son of David have mercy on me!” while the crowd tries to shut their mouths. Have mercy they roar– as we hurry to the other side of the street—the room, or worse, we pretend we do not hear them or see them.

person holding eyeglasses with black frames

There was a Canaanite woman whose daughter was vexed with demons, and she was in great need, but what did his chosen men say at that time? “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us. She keeps laughing too loudly. She has dirty laundry. She wears too much make-up. She’s embarrassing. She lacks knowledge. She’s a Canaanite. I’m too tired.” The healthy, chosen disciples, who one day would ponder which side—the right or the left– they could sit on in His kingdom, had no compassion or empathy for a Canaanite woman with a daughter who was demon-possessed. It was not their problem. Who cares if her daughter screams all night—hisses—put holes in the walls—wears green stockings–not our problem? Send her away, we scream! Can you hear my voice echoing from amongst His talmidim (disciples?) Can you hear yours? We, like them, wait to do what’s right—what we know is right. We wait like Moses until our wives have to circumcise our sons to spare us from death. We wait until it’s dark to get an appointment with the King of All Kings. We wait until it’s the Day of Atonement to get on our faces and weep over our condition.

Sometimes people with titles who are well known get better treatment, and we make sure to respond to them quickly. Sometimes cliques happen, and the people in them do not even know that they have formed a group of elites—big dogs. We can walk in a room and feel loved, cherished, and wanted, or we can walk in a room and feel like a square peg amongst a group of circles. We can walk in a room with new eyesight and compassion, but we usually do not acquire this without being crushed, rejected, slandered, and unheard. When we recognize ourselves as the woman in hunter green stockings, blue eyeliner, crying out for our children to be delivered from their vexing’s, or as the man lying in the street who was beaten and bloody, we won’t receive what the Father has for our hands to do. The place that lacks—the place lacking an ounce of joy comes from our self-seeking, arrogance, and knowledge without humility. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Great joy comes from anointing the sick, listening to the outcast, and having empathy for those who suffer in silence. May we not be like the men who pointed at the woman with the alabaster oil who was anointing Yeshua. They proclaimed He was indeed not a prophet, for if He were, he would see just what kind of woman she was. Oh, friends, may we bow lowly at His Feet regardless of what those in the room are saying. May we minister to a broken world, and His broken Body for a King is coming.

If this blog blessed you, you may like my devotional called Thirsting for Water. Click HERE.

Photos–my mother in black and white

Unsplash–glasses Nonsap Visuals

feet–Zee Zoran

Mirror-Kal Visuas

$refraction of red glass vase on wall$

prophetic, Tekoa Manning, TM, torah

Them Bones, Them Bones

Posted on December 23, 2020January 10, 2021 by Tekoa

A note to my readers: Obadiah’s Cave will be closing soon, and I will be moving many of these writings over to my Tekoa Manning site. The blog below was originally written in 2019 at Obadiah’s Cave.

One of my favorite songs is by Jim Croce, “I got a Name.” When I was newly divorced, I would sing this song and think of my maiden name, My father and mother, and all those who went before me. Joseph went to Egypt before his family did. Like the shmita year of redemption, he would be delivered from Egypt by a prophet like Yeshua, Moses. In one part of the song’s lyrics, he says, “I got a name, and I carry it with me like my daddy did.” Those of us who keep His commandments and walk in His ways carry our Father’s Name. Bones are interesting.

David writes concerning Yeshua Messiah, “I can count all my bones.” Psalms 22:17.

The title of the passage is: For the choir director; upon Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.

Aijeleth Hashshahar means “Deer/hind of the dawn,” and is said to be about Esther as well as our Messiah. Esther would have to enter a throne room and stand before a King. She was counting the bones of her people too.

Yeshua counts his bones. Isreal is counted throughout scripture. Each tribe and people numbered. Dry, dusty bones come to life and take on flesh. We are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. He is fashioning us and preparing us. We will leap like a doe at dawn, but we must come fitly joined together. We need unity, honor, and respect. The children of Isreal went out of Egypt in 50’s. Many are afraid of the 5-fold structure, but it is the very structure that brings unity and maturity to all the Body–all the bones. Without it in place, we are off balance and prone to witchcraft.

“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels” (Psalm 22:14, NKJV).

Out of joint. . .

When my children were small, we rented a humble house in a subdivision. One night, one of my sons knocked a lamp over that had no shade, and it fell on the comforter. The lightbulb smoldered and caught fire. I awoke in the wee hours of the morning to the scent of smoke and was thankful to find all three sons asleep in front of the television. I shut the door to the burning bedroom, grabbed them, and took them outside to my mini-van. Then called the fire department and proceeded to snatch my Bible and a photo album close by. When we exit a place, and we have little time, we grab our most treasured possessions.

Moses grabbed bones!

“And Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath and said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” (Genesis 50:25, NASB).

“All my bones will say, “LORD, who is like You, Who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him, And the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?” (Psalm 35:10, NASB).

Our bones speak! They have a voice.

white skeleton figurine in tilt shift lens

Bones are a funny thing. Without them, we would be a puddle on the floor. Yes, I’ve written about bones before, and the “Luz” bone that cannot be burned, crushed, or destroyed, and how it relates to the resurrection of the dead. I want to pick a bone with you, not as in grievance but more like a crisply fried chicken bone, delicious bone broth—and how deep into every cell His Word is hidden if we hide it.

What are we soaking up in our bones?

Sunlight (Yeshua is the LIGHT) is the best natural source of Vitamin D– and is essential for healthy bones. The letter D in Hebrew is dalet and is a picture of a door. Yeshua stands at the door of our hearts and knocks.

From the very beginning in Genesis (Bereshit), we read of bones.

Adam said of Eve (Chavah), his wife,

“This is now bone of my bones, (The animals were not bone of his bones)

And flesh of my flesh;

She shall be called Woman,

Because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23-24, NASB).

“According to the opinion of Rashi and many other medieval commentators, “woman” was created from one side of Adam, not from his rib bone. His side.

Abarbanel states that Chava (Eve) was not created from Adam’s foot so that he would not consider her a lowly maidservant, nor from his head so that she would lord over him. Instead, she was created from his side so that she would be equal to him.”

“For this reason, a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

Chavah (Eve) was in a deep sleep, resting while the Maker of All fashioned her. He is fashioning us, His Bride! And He will wake us up.

The second man Adam, Yeshua, will come with a voice of triumph, and the dead in Messiah will come forth out of the grave.

The Sages say that the seed of the body is in the bone marrow. One Hebrew word for ‘bone’ is (etzem) and also means self or essence. Our bones represent wisdom.

What exactly is bone marrow? How much does it weigh?

Adults have an average of 5.7 pounds of bone marrow. Five is the 5th feast, Yom Teruah, or Feast of Trumpets, a time when all our bones rise up, and seven is the number of completion. Five added to seven is 12, the number of the tribes.

Human marrow produces approximately 500 billion blood cells per day. This is how we get oxygen.

Other interesting tips:

Red blood cells don’t last long in your bloodstream, so they need to be replaced continuously by new cells, which originate in your bone marrow. The next time you have a rich bowl of bone broth, think on this.

The Word of Yah pierces our bone marrow.

Our bones hold resurrection glory. A crime scene can look at bones and tell if they were male or female, their age, if they suffered trauma, and much about their lives.

Yes, all our bones will say, “Who is like YOU? Oh, YAH!

“And it has been explained by the Masters of the Mishna that a wicked person has his sins (black) engraved on his bones. And so it is with a righteous person, his merits are engraved on his bones. Since his actions were connected with higher wisdom, the bones would be engraved as a bright light on white.”

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:12-13, NASB)

What can our bones tell us? It seems such an intricate Creator, who forms life in the womb and causes our very bones to grow, might have a massive plan for them. Joseph’s bones are his last request at death. Can you imagine? People prepare for death all the time. They buy caskets and plots, erect stones, and pick out clothing. Others say, cremate me. I’m dead. Who cares. They may even say, “I’m not going to be in there anymore; I’m floating to heaven.” But Joseph said carry my bones out of Egypt.

“Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” And Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath and said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones up from this place” (Genesis 50:24, NASB).

Joseph, the dreamer–his brother’s hatred and jealousy sent him to Egypt, but his brothers would have to make sure he was carried out–later, their bones will come forth too. A whole army of bones will stand dressed in righteousness. Judah and Levi need Joseph too.

And 300 years later, Moses must carry up Joseph’s bones. Think about that. Ponder each generation discussing these bones and crying out for freedom. Ephraim had a name of doubly fruitful.

Think about a King on a cross whose bones could not be broken. If Adonai can raise the dead, can He not knit bones together again? Yes, but no flaw of any kind was in the spotless Passover Lamb, and no bone would be broken in His pre-resurrected body. May there be no brokenness between His people, just oneness. Make them one, Yeshua cries out to His Father–Make them one, as we are one.

Moses’s name means ‘he who draws out’ and ‘he who extracts.’ He was drawn out of the water, but he also drew the people out of Egypt. He extracted some special bones, those of Joseph, and carried them with him. Where is Joseph in the Body? What bread does he have during a famine? What bread did Elijah have? May the apostles, prophets and teachers all come together as one and learn from one another.

“And Jacob went down to Egypt, and there he and our fathers died. “From there they were removed to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem” (Acts 7:15-16, NASB). The name Shechem is identical to the noun שכם (shekem), meaning shoulder.

Joseph’s Tomb” by David Roberts, 1839.

“Since it would be 40 years or more before those bones finally were re-interred at their resting place in Sh’chem, it could also be reasoned that the same bones (or the merit of the man behind them) were responsible for other miracles that occurred in the wilderness. Indeed the oral tradition records that two arks were carried throughout Israel’s wilderness wanderings; one the Ark of the Covenant containing the tablets of the 10 Commandments; and the other, the coffin of Joseph. The same Hebrew word, ARON, is used to describe both.” Torah Voice in Exile.

Joseph, of course, is a picture of Yeshua in many ways. Both had very much in common. So carrying his bones up out of Egypt seems to display a broader picture.

There are some famous bones mentioned throughout scripture, but do they speak? Let’s look at this deeper.

“As they were burying a man, behold, they saw a marauding band; and they cast the man into the grave of Elisha. And when the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood up on his feet” (II Kings 13:21, NASB).

Oh, OUR BONES HAVE POWER! Even the bones of sick people.

“When Elisha became sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over him and said, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” (II Kings 13:14).

selective focus photography of wood with fire

Jeremiah had to give a very stern word to a priest.

“When Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put him in the stocks that were at the upper Benjamin Gate, which was by the house of the LORD.”

Afterward, Jeremiah spoke of having this ‘fire’ shut up in his bones and how he had to release it. The prophets have to release things to the Body. Many times they are misunderstood.

” LORD, You have deceived me, and I was deceived;

You have overcome me and prevailed.

I have become a laughingstock all day long;

Everyone mocks me.

For each time I speak, I cry aloud;

I proclaim violence and destruction,

Because for me, the word of the LORD has resulted

In reproach and derision all day long.

But if I say, “I will not remember Him.

Or speak anymore in His name,”

Then in my heart, it becomes like a burning fire.

Shut up in my bones;

And I am weary of holding it in,

And I cannot endure it” (Jeremiah 20:7-9, NASB).

This fire is shut up in his very being.

Yeshua is like a refiner and a fuller’ that washes and engraves our bones.

Hebrew word ‘atsemot’ bones) comes from the verb ‘atsom, to be strong and mighty. There is a television show called Good Bones, where a team of people demolition abandoned houses and keep the skeleton of each to rebuild it. They often find the homes have mold (infection), bad foundations, plumbing issues, and electrical issues, but the skeleton is good so that they can rebuild it new.

“He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.’ “Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. ‘I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 37:3-6, NASB).

“Your dead will live;

Their corpses will rise.

You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy,

For your dew is as the dew of the dawn,

And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits.” (Isaiah 26:19, NASB).

Our bones speak, they rattle, and they even have the power to resurrect the dead.

How’s your vitamin D levels? What are your bones absorbing? May we absorb His Word and power.

The Whole House of Israel:

“The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” (Ezekiel 37:1-).

Sources:

Strongs: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/6106.htm

Bone marrow–https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/bone_marrow.htm

Bone and seeds, binah, and engraving: https://www.inner.org/healing/healing11.htm

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/tractate-shabbat-chapter-23

Photos: Unsplash

Fire–Vadym Lebedych

Broth–bluebirds provision

Hand skeleton–Owen Beard

Number 1–Jon Tyson

Skeleton–Phil Hearing

Bewitched, Bewitching, TM

Bewitching and Identity, Part 2

Posted on December 16, 2020January 10, 2021 by Tekoa

In part one, we looked at bewitching in the Body. I also discussed travel at the airport. I want to continue this theme as we look at other ways of being bewitched. Let’s start with popular airlines and see if we can explore more ways to fly the friendly skies.

Delta Air Lines—Delta means Born 4th—Comes from the Mississippi Delta region. Mississippi means “Father of Waters.”

JetBlue Airways—formally called New Air—Big Breath of Ruach.

Allegiant Air– loyal or faithful

Spirit Airlines—Ruach HaKodesh Breath—wind-Holy Spirit.

The 4th Feast is Pentecost or Shavuot. This is the giving of the Torah and the outpouring of the Spirit. Hebrew number 4 means authority and government. Flying in a jet is flying with high-speed winds. Oh, how we need His Wind. This is when miracles take place, and people are transformed. It is also when we feel our Father’s grief or when we feel His Breath in the room, hovering and moving. When this happens to me, I usually weep in wonder that He would be mindful of us or change the room’s atmosphere and the sweet aroma of His presence. Blue is the color of the heavenly abode. Our father is loyal and faithful, and He longs for us to fly on His Spirit Airlines. Knowledge is a beautiful thing, but we need both, and I think we have to look at knowledge with different spectacles for a moment. “But knowledge puffs up while love builds up” (I Corinthians 8:1).

Wisdom and knowledge go together, and both should bring us to action.

When flying, we have to go through security to get on the plane. We must remove laptops/ and I-pads. Small phones, games, and our kindles are placed aside. We remove our shoes, coats, etc. But before this happens, we need our luggage checked in. We cannot soar with heavy baggage over 50 pounds unless we pay. Continue to think spiritually–the weightier matters require extra oil, extra cost, and action. Weightier matters can include baby lambs, widows, orphans, and the care of them. Deep introspection is needed, and this takes time and effort—a cost. On the flip-side, weighty baggage such as doubt, fear, and disobedience cannot be checked in. These get left behind to soar higher.

Before entering the Aircraft, at times, a person’s hands and feet may be tested for gun residue. Likewise, the priests had to wash their hands and feet on entering the Tabernacle or before approaching the altar of burnt offerings. The same is said for approaching a king.

“Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it; When they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the LORD. “So they shall wash their hands and their feet so that they will not die; and it shall be a perpetual statute for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations.” (Exodus 30:19-21).

Would we be so quick to come before Him, enter the Most Holy Place, and make our request known if we thought we would die? Do we act like coming before the Holy One is a taco bell drive-thru where we pray and ask for certain men to be put in office, or we ask Yahweh to give us a new house, car or to save our loved ones when our feet and hands are covered in gun powder and anger? Uncleanness? Do we run into throne rooms without the heart of Esther? Oh, friends, may we be humbled to know He is in the Heavens. “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore, let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:2, BSB).

On a plane, we can have a window seat or a seat in the aisle. Both seats have benefits. First-time flyers may need the window for extra vision. When we go to purchase our tickets, we must give our location and our destination. Some questions to ask ourselves would be: Where am I? Where am I going? Am I airborne? Do I have honor for my flight attendants who bring refreshing water or food? Correction? Do we have reverence for the pilot and those who work at the airport? Has the co-pilot removed Our Father and placed him or herself in the pilot seat? We must enter through the correct gate at the airport. The wrong gate will lead us to a different location.

What about this flight mentioned in Ezekiel– soul flight? Is that even possible? The other day, I heard, “Tell the people to Check themselves.” I saw an airport lobby and people lined up to go through the metal detectors and scanners. I heard this concerning witchcraft and the seats of authority, both politically, socially, and in His leadership. We must check ourselves and be scanned before getting on an airplane. We must go through airport authority but beware of authority. Remember, certain women during Ezekiel’s day had assigned themselves to positions of authority, and they were leading Abba’s people astray through witchcraft. They were called prophetesses.

We must remember Deborah and Huldah and others were called this. Not because they were fortune-tellers or gave prophetic oracles but because they were women who had much wisdom and Spirit concerning His Torah, and yes, they could foretell certain things and hear Abba’s voice, but they had more than this. When Josiah wanted to know whether the book of the Law found in the temple was authentic, Josiah sent a group of government officials, all males, to seek the word of a woman. Her name was Huldah. Male dominance was vital in this society, and these men could have gone to Jeremiah, but they chose a woman. But these prophetesses here in Ezekiel 13 are not who they proclaim to be. They bedazzled the people of Adonai.

For Ezekiel to spend so much time correcting these teachers or oracle experts, we know this was not just a small group. Remember the number of false mouthpieces Jezebel had at her dinner parties? Do we mock His mouthpieces or say what the one King said about Abba’s true prophet? The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah, son of Imlah.” (II Chron. 18:7). We can hate the messenger. We can call them cynical. When we do not like the message or the messenger, we should sit at His feet and ask the Father why. We should check our hearts. Have we become foolish in all our wisdom? We get puffed up like bread with yeast. Bread with yeast tastes good. Who doesn’t love a buttered loaf of sourdough or sweet pizza dough? Some things that make us feel puffed up and buttery are just feeding our egos.

Adonai said these false women in Ezekiel had saddened the hearts of His people. Saddened—Oh, friends, a false joy, false humility, and a false identity lead to sadness. May we take our shoes off and stand on Holy Ground. May we wash and look into the copper mirrors at our reflections. May we look back and ask ourselves if we were closer to Him last year or the year before than we are now.

Continuing with Ezekiel 13, “And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who are prophesying out of their own heart, and prophesy against them.”

Verse 18: “And you shall say, ‘This is what the Master יהוה said, “Woe to the women sewing (Magic charms) cushions for all joints of the hand, and to those making veils for the heads of people of every size, to hunt beings (souls/nephesh)! You hunt the beings of My people, while you keep alive your own beings!”

Verse 18 in Orthodox version: “And say, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Hoy (woe, doom) to the seamstresses of magic charms on wrists, who make mispachot (amulets) for the rosh of every size to hunt nefashot! Will ye hunt the nefashot of My people, and yet save your own nefashot alive?

Notice the word “magic charms.”

כְּסָת֜וֹת (kə·sā·ṯō·wṯ)

Noun – feminine plural

Strong’s Hebrew 3704: 1) band, fillet, covered amulets, false phylacteries 1a) used by false prophetesses in Israel to support their demonic fortune-telling schemes.

False phylacteries—Remember those boxes on the head and the tefillin that are wrapped up the arm? Tefillin is leather boxes containing Torah verses worn by some Jews when praying, or an amulet or charm, worn for its supposed magical or supernatural power.

(In line with the plain and normal reading of the text, Rabbi Meïr Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Wisser (“Malbim”) in the Nineteenth Century made the poignant and insightful observation that the amulets and veils in the verse were the analogs to the tefillin and phylacteries, which were to represent the Law of Moses on the heart and mind (that is, on the hand and head). Thus the “magical” charms appear to be substitutes for the Covenant of Moses, which were to be affixed on the hand and head (that is, on the heart and mind per the verse from Deuteronomy).

Therefore thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am against your cushions by which you hunt the beings there like birds. And I shall tear them from your arms, and shall let the beings go, the beings you hunt like birds.” This is wickedness. These women were bewitching His people.

“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.” (Jeremiah 31:33, BSB).

What happens when a people forget their God but are still keeping the Sabbath, the New Moons, and coming together to celebrate? Isaiah paints a fearful picture we would all do well to meditate on.

“The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

      Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;
            For the LORD speaks,
            “Sons I have reared and brought up,
            But they have revolted against Me.

      “An ox knows its owner,
            And a donkey its master’s manger,
            But Israel does not know,
            My people do not understand.”

      Alas, sinful nation,
            People weighed down with iniquity,
            Offspring of evildoers,
            Sons who act corruptly!
            They have abandoned the LORD,
            They have despised the Holy One of Israel,
            They have turned away from Him.

      Where will you be stricken again,
            As you continue in your rebellion?
            The whole head is sick
            And the whole heart is faint.

      From the sole of the foot even to the head
            There is nothing sound in it,
            Only bruises, welts and raw wounds,
            Not pressed out or bandaged,
            Nor softened with oil.

Your land is desolate,
            Your cities are burned with fire,
            Your fields—strangers are devouring them in your presence;
            It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers.

The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard,
Like a watchman’s hut in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.

      Unless the LORD of hosts
            Had left us a few survivors,
            We would be like Sodom,
            We would be like Gomorrah.

God Has Had Enough

Hear the word of the LORD,
            You rulers of Sodom;
            Give ear to the instruction of our God,
            You people of Gomorrah.

      “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?”
            Says the LORD.
            “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
            And the fat of fed cattle;
            And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats.

“When you come to appear before Me,
Who requires of you this trampling of My courts?

      “Bring your worthless offerings no longer,
            Incense is an abomination to Me.
            New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies—
            I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.

      “I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts,
            They have become a burden to Me;
            I am weary of bearing them.

      “So when you spread out your hands in prayer,
            I will hide My eyes from you;
            Yes, even though you multiply prayers,
            I will not listen.
            Your hands are covered with blood.

      “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
            Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
            Cease to do evil,

      Learn to do good;
            Seek justice,
            Reprove the ruthless,
            Defend the orphan,
            Plead for the widow.” (Isaiah chapter one, BSB version)

Are we a people who listen to lies? Do we lie to ourselves concerning our condition? Have we made the gospel a business? Are we seated in cushion seats with no Apostles or prophets to bring balance? Have we grown fat with knowledge but unaware of our condition?

Check your teachers and your walk and see if they encourage you to know your identity and gifts. To be led by a cloud by day and a fire by night. And check me too if you think of me as a teacher. And check yourself if you have reached a point where you feel superior to others or the opposite. Ask yourself if you feel free, anointed, and secure enough to minister to others and share the Good news with humility instead of an “I know more than you attitude.” Ask yourself if you look down on others who you deem less knowledgeable than you. Ask yourself if you fear being ostracized from a group due to your lack of knowledge? Ask yourself if you have been getting your worth from being in a clique or being acknowledged for your knowledge?

Identity is something we all struggle with. Many times I do not see myself as I am. I recently won an award for a novel I wrote. I used to be ashamed of this novel and never thought it was very well written. I started writing it in 1998 in a spiral notepad. If someone tried to purchase it at a book signing, I would tell them my other books were much better, but this book won an award. This book was accepted to the Kentucky Bookfair. I never saw the book as having worth until almost 20 years later. What if we do not see ourselves as having worth? What if we think we have more worth than others? See how this identity is tricky?

Do you feel insecure? Unable to speak. Were you in an abusive relationship or told as a child that you were never going to amount to anything? Have you lost your voice and identity due to a puppet master or self-anointed teacher who makes you feel unworthy or ashamed? Do you feel condemned or of no use to the Body? Do some use fear tactics and condemnation to keep you chained to a doghouse? Many people see puppet mastery going on in the political realm, but do you see it in His Body?

Ask someone who watches CNN to explain what is going on in the government, and you will get a totally different answer than those listening to Fox news. Both news media use catchy titles and words that promote fear of the future or fear and disdain for the opposing parties. Fear is a powerful tool. It can keep a person feeling too inadequate to do anything for the Father, but two demonized men living in a graveyard turned their city upside down after they were set free. They were no longer naked but clothed in their right mind.

Here is something to ponder: If you were bewitched before by leadership and removed yourself from a particular denomination or “church,” could there still be untruth in what you consider truth and I am not talking about theology–I am talking about bedazzling. Remember, Ezekiel was not talking to a people who had thrown out the Commandments written by the Finger of Yahweh.

The gospel of the Messiah should be unity, oneness, humility, and set apart. The Apostle Paul said he did not come to them with knowledge and difficult speech, and yet Peter says his letters are hard to understand for those lacking knowledge. Why would Paul even need to mention that he came to preach suffering? “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Yeshua Messiah and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2). I want to share a paragraph from Dr. Skip Moen in his blog titled Grave Cloth.

“Paul is not delivering a message of salvation theology.

He is talking about character and attitude. When it comes to presentation style, the emphasis is not on the glorious resurrection. It is on the humility and obedience of the crucifixion. Paul wants his readers to know that he came to them in fear, trembling, and utter humility. He didn’t come as a great scholar, a tremendous preacher, or an influential evangelist. He came as a servant of the crucified God.

Imagine how we would act if Paul were scheduled to preach at our church next week. Would we rush to the media, proclaiming his worldwide fame? Would we pile on the accolades, invite dignitaries, make sure that the local networks were present? Would we attempt to mimic Hollywood in our promotional campaign? Probably. We would have missed Paul’s point. The message of the gospel comes clothed in the rags of righteousness.” (Dr. Skip Moen).

Meditate on passages. Ask questions. Yeshua’s Disciples and John’s were arguing over who made more converts. They argued over who could sit next to Him on the throne. We argue over other things that at the end of the day do not make us more holy or more humble. We can have all that knowledge and not an ounce of love or humbleness or Ruach flowing through us. Are we keeping His Commandments like those in Isaiah’s day, oblivious to our condition? Oh, friends, may we seek Him with all our hearts to know His Son Yeshua and the fellowship of His sufferings.

“And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.” (I Corinthians 13:3, NASB).

Part One HERE

Photos by Unsplash

mask-Tamara Gak

watch–Laura Chouette

Suitcase–Alina Preobrazhenskaya

Flying lessons–Bee Felton

Windo–Martin Widenka

Doctrines of Demons, Elijah's prophetic Cup, TM

Have We Been Bedazzled or Bewitched? Part I

Posted on December 11, 2020December 27, 2020 by Tekoa

During the 1960s and ’70s, a show aired titled Bewitched. The show was about a married couple. Darrin is a mortal human; his wife, Samantha, is a witch with powers. She does not divulge to him about her witchcraft until their honeymoon night. At this point, she has already enticed him. Today witchcraft has become a booming business. But what about the Body of Messiah? Are we too involved in witchcraft? And I am not talking about disobedience but Tom Foolery.

Bewitching is defined as capturing someone or casting a spell on them—enticing a person or people. We say people are under a spell when they have been hypnotized. We can become mesmerized by social media, politics, or people who sit in cushioned seats of authority. Some are bewitched by Biden or Trump–Fox News or CNN. Some have become bewitched by the things of this world, but witchcraft is not just something that happens in secret around a cauldron with women dressed in pointy hats with black cats—no, this is going on today. Bewitching is right in the open before our eyes, and many do not see it.

Yeshua said, “At that time (tribulation/ Jacob’s trouble), if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.” (Matthew 24:23, 26). Yeshua continues: if they say, He (Messiah) is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them.”

On a deeper note, here is the Messiah–let me describe the Messiah to you, if I describe Him as throwing out His Father’s commandments and changing the Sabbath, and say, “Look, here He is, do not believe it for Yeshua kept all His Father’s Commandments. If I say He is in the wilderness, and the scriptures tell us He came out of the wilderness with great POWER after He used the Word of the (Torah/ Old Testament) to defeat the enemy–then do not believe me. If I say He is in the inner rooms–a secret chamber, no, no, do not believe me, for He is coming as a Lion. “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:27). He will not be hidden, but roaring.

Yeshua said, “Do not believe them”– why would one believe this if they did not admire or trust the source they were getting it from? One would have to be BEDAZZLED!

Paul said, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?” These Believers had fallen under the influence of man-made traditions, yet they saw miracles.

“Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law (Oral law), or by hearing with faith?” (Galatians, 3:5).

Rabbi Sha’ul continues: “This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law (oral/traditions), or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Gal. 3:2-3).

Traditions aren’t wrong. They can be good.

“Now I praise you because you remember me in everything, and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.” (1 Corinthians 11:2 NASB). Yeshua endorsed both the written and oral Torah – and he upheld both in His actions. However, some of the leaders did things for show and wanted to impress men. It is a matter of inner intentions versus outer actions.

When we remove Yeshua, Messiah, we are bewitched. Yes, there are multiple ways to be deceived or drawn into strange apocalyptic tales, but what about the things we would never suspect. After all, a person who realizes they are being bewitched usually leave the cult or remove themselves from the power of the bewitcher. Yeshua says that these men could even deceive the elect. We say, “Oh, that could never happen to me.” But we would be wise to meditate on this.

We were never meant to remove the Instructions (Torah) of Elohim from our lives. The Torah is holy. Paul desires the Galatians to follow Torah through the Spirit. He longs for them to get rid of pagan traditions and traditions some Jews were bewitching them with—they were trying to work for salvation. In Messiah’s time, the Jewish people followed the Torah according to the Rabbinical interpretation (Oral Torah, the tradition of the elders, works of the law). The expressions “works of torah” and “under torah” are not found in the Tanakh (Old Testament). The Torah is instructions for a blessed life–It is holy and good.

Today, I see people working for knowledge. And we all need knowledge, but for some, the more knowledge they acquire, the less humility and love they seem to have. Many sit under trolls. What is a troll? A person who intentionally antagonizes others through mocking, sarcasm, and causes disruptions and arguments. We need to be immersed in the Spirit. Picture a head that weighs so much its body topples over. A person with a head so large they cannot see their feet or how they are walking. Or picture a head of authority that loves the best seats. Applause from men.

The man Sha’ul (Paul) was a Pharisee of Pharisees. He was from the tribe of Benjamin. He said, “I have applied in a figure to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you might learn not to think beyond what is written, so that none of you be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.

For who makes you to differ? And what do you have that you did not receive?” (I Cor. 4:6-7).

What is Paul talking about here? Ego inflation. It is causing division. It is everywhere today. Do not think beyond what it is written. Let’s take a group of Christians, those who now see that well-meaning men with titles have duped them —these now are eating everything they can and yearn to learn so much knowledge that they can never be deceived again. Oh, Hebrew Rooters, without Water and Son Light, you will die. You will rot. We may be learning but are we producing the good fruit of the Spirit? On another note, what many in Hebrew Roots call witchcraft is actually the Spirit, but some fear the very thing that can give them joy and intimacy.

Today’s media is full of bewitching matters concerning masks, vaccines, corruption, voter fraud, and on it goes. Sadly, bewitching is enchanting many in the Body of Messiah. Bewitching end-time fears of changing our DNA, the mark of the beast via vaccines, but there is a whole other beast working.

Ezekiel chapter 13 talks about witchcraft and deception. Who was Ezekiel’s audience? Wiccans? World leaders? No, Abba’s own people. One perplexing verse in Ezekiel 13 describes women in leadership who make souls fly like birds. Before we get to that verse, I want you to meditate on being airborne. Being air (Ruach) born is being born of the Spirit. Oh, Nicodemus, can’t you see, we must be reborn? We must worship in Spirit and Truth.

“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8).

Is His Wind blowing through your gatherings? Can you feel His Spirit? Are we taking time to be in His presence or just learning, and learning, yet never coming to the knowledge of the truth?

Many have thrown out the gifts of the Spirit, the prophets, the five-fold, and have become caught up with teachers who profess to have knowledge no one else has, and perhaps they do. Paul did. Humble Sha’ul said, “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Yeshua, Messiah and Him crucified. (I Cor. 2:1-2).

“My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s POWER.” (I Cor. 2:4).

Oh, the power of the Ruach–the Spirit’s power!!

Corinth had professional orators, Greek philosophers, and the majority of the people were wealthy. He was bringing a simple gospel that I feel has been lost. Do we have love and simple words for those who may not see what we do? Are we busy trying to correct those who may be way wiser than we are? Have we grown so busy in our learning that we scarcely pull up a chair and spend time with our Savior?

O foolish Hebrew Rooters, who has bewitched you?

aerial photography of airplane flying over sea of clouds

When a person goes to the airport (air– port–Ruach (Holy Spirit) portal), their “baggage” is checked in. All items are looked at— hidden objects that may be dangerous are removed. Think about what some of these hidden things in our luggage could be. Are we carrying a religious spirit, arrogancy, falseness, slander, lust, low self-worth, pride or fears, etc.? At the airport, our shoes are taken off and inspected. Hands and feet may be checked for gun powder. A person must have a passport to fly to other territories and higher heavens. One must have their identity in check. A picture i.d or photo reflects our outward appearance, but what about our insides or heart condition? What’s in your wallet? Are we more worried about how we appear to men?

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. “So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:27-33-53).

We know people by their fruit, and yes, we can inspect fruit. We are to judge people in our community. “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within (church/gatherings). But those who are outside God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves” (1 Corinthians 5:12-13, NASB). When people say we can’t judge fruit, I beg to differ and stand with Paul. What about ourselves?

Dr. Moen, in his blog, titled Pay Day, explains how we can be hypocrites who practice our righteousness before men to be noticed by them:

“If we are motivated by self-interest, does that self-interest align with the Father’s will or are we seeking recognition from another source? This is not a simple matter to determine. The yetzer ha’ra is quite clever, capable of tinting even our purest motives with a hint of self-satisfaction. That’s where the instruction and guidance of our Rabbi Yeshua become essential. He pushes us to take the deepest look. And he does so by revealing a truly frightening possibility—that God will not acknowledge what we would use for self-glory. Think about the last act of righteousness you preformed. Think about your motivation. Was there any desire for recognition except from God? If you find something amiss, maybe that act will be a zero on the record and you will have to start over.” (Dr. Skip Moen—Pay Day)

Yeshua said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ “So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. “Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?”

This is an extraordinarily strong word. These religious leaders appeared to be righteous. Yeshua continues, and please meditate on this last portion.

“Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.”

You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did. Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers— you who received the law ordained by angels, yet have not kept it.”

They had not kept the Torah in Spirit and Truth.

Have we been resisting the Holy Spirit? They had. Have we stoned His prophets and wise men? Have we thrown out the five-fold structure, becoming unbalanced–with big heads. Have we gone so far with our knowledge that puffs up that we don’t even realize we have become numb. Lacking oil? Teachers, prophets, and wise men with big heads and no love, empathy, compassion, or power of the Spirit– just looking spiffy to everyone outside while inside we are dead?

Yeshua said these Torah scholars had uncircumcised ears and hearts? Say it isn’t so? Is it so today? The Spirit longs to be intimate with us. The prophetic is not just witch hunters snatching people and holding them captive like those in Ezekiel. Whether anyone is interested in the “prophetic” or not, the prophets are coming. Elijah’s voice will come forth. There was not just Moses and Yeshua on the mount of transfiguration; Elijah was there too. Elijah must come and tear down the false altars. He must come and say, “Choose this day whom you will serve.” If Adonai be God, serve Him, if Baal be God, serve him, but Baal is alive and well today and so is witchcraft.

We repeat our mistakes.

Do those who boast of having excellent knowledge, do they have Spirit? Are Spirit and truth coming together? What about humbleness? What about mercy? Chesed?

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Messiah Yeshua (Philippians 2:3-5).

Oh, Abba, have we become like dead men with dry dead bones. Can we come together and live? A whole army? Unified? Can You do CPR on us? Oh, Abba, may we become like little children. May we be servants who wash feet. May we be about our Father’s business not looking for accolades or to be seen by men. May we not prophesy smooth itching ear words or fear. May our words be Yours and draw people to YOU and Your Spirit.

All our ways seem right to us, but You, Oh, Father weigh the hearts of all. May we wake up out of our slumber. May we find balance, walking in Spirit and Truth with great humility.

Part Two HERE

Photos by Unsplash: Lion by Robert Thieman

Airplane–
Johan Van Wambeke

Dove–Joshua J. Cotten

young independent man demonstrating palm on street

Elijah's prophetic Cup, Tekoa Manning, TM

Words: A Death Sentence?

Posted on October 29, 2020January 10, 2021 by Tekoa

There are many ways to say something and a season to speak and not to speak. Even the prophet Isaiah, who spoke for HaShem, cried out– I have unclean lips! Woe is me! Some of the righteous were stoned and beheaded due to their words, but they spoke them anyway. At the end of this blog, I will highlight Jeremiah and ask you, my readers, to try on his shoes in the face of death.

Have you ever wondered what our words sound like to Our Father in heaven? How did the men who argued and caused Him to change His mind sound? Are there keys to speaking?

When should we speak? How do we speak? To whom and for what reason. Much of this was covered in Part 1 of this series, but I wanted to add more.

When the Father commands us to speak, we must. When He instructs us to go minister to someone, we need to be obedient.

“Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country” (Exodus 6:11).
After a long time, in the third year of the drought, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the face of the earth” (I Kings 18:1).
A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9).
When you stand before Kings. (Acts 24)
When you are anointed and pressed to speak at a Festival as Peter, who preached about the Messiah who rose from the dead and about 3,000 came back into covenant. “And with many other words, he (Peter) solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day, there were added about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:39)
When arrested: “Mark 13:11, ESV: “And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.”
(He will instruct our mouths): “Exodus 4:12 Now go! I will help you as you speak, and I will teach you what to say.” (Matthew 10:19). “But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say.”

But the LORD said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’

Because everywhere I send you, you shall go,

And all that I command you, you shall speak.

He will put His Words in our mouths: “Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD. Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.” (Jeremiah 1:7-9).

Ecclesiastes 3 says, “There is a time to speak and a time to remain silent.” How do we know which season it is?

Proverbs 15:23 says, “A man has joy in an apt answer, And how delightful is a timely word!” Words are spoken in season are delightful. If the season passes, we may have missed it.

Although silence is golden at times, there is also the sin of silence. This sin can be just as damaging as slander.

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.” (Matthew 18:15).

If someone has sinned against you, you must bring words and go to them.

Yeshua says if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go to your brother.” (Matthew 5:23-24).

Remaining silent will cause bitterness to grow and a root of anger and unforgiveness to flourish. It must be dealt with swiftly.

“Argue your case with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret of another” (Proverbs 25:9)

We often do the very opposite first! We tell everyone and leave going to our brother or sister last. I’m not speaking of wise counsel where you go and seek help. Many times that is needed, but that looks different than calling everyone you know and telling them what Old Aunt Betty did to you or Jimmy Bob, who lives across the street.

“Like apples of gold in settings of silver

Is a word spoken in the right circumstances.

“Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold

Is a wise reprover to a listening ear” (Proverbs 25:11-12).

When significant accomplishments occur or a person in your circle receives good news, we should not remain silent. When a baby is born, it is a great celebration. Many people give birth to gifts and dreams the Father has placed in their hearts, and we must share in their joy. We must not allow jealousy or envy to be in our hearts for others.

The next passage is layered and can be challenging to digest.

“Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

Lest you also be like him.

Answer a fool according to his folly,

Lest he be wise in his own eyes.” (Proverbs 26:4-5).

A fool can be interpreted as ewil, kesil, or nabal.

(“Fool” in Prov. 26:4-5) is Kesil in Hebrew–fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one)

Kesil describes a person who is ignorant of the Father’s instructions and isn’t willfully acting like a fool. This type of fool may learn wisdom, so we answer him or her.

Nabal describes a false prophet and someone who has no fear of Adonai. The last one is ewil. This is the one you need to run from. Everything out of their mouth is slander and ridicule, and the person has no desire to learn. For more on a fool, Dr. Skip Moen has an excellent blog HERE.

This may be the most critical question we can ask ourselves. Why are we speaking? Did the Father tell us to? Was it Holy Spirit inspired? Or is it to make a jab at our ex-sister-in-law? Is it to prove to our cousin, whose liberal or conservative, that they are wrong? Is it to place shame on those who hurt us? Is it well thought out with honey and sweet-smelling perfume that makes our readers or listeners hungry for more? Is it for correction? Are we getting caught up in division or tangles we need to separate from because they don’t concern us?

We might be able to relax at the birthday party, wedding, or baby shower—we may speak freely with trusted friends, our spouses, or confidants, but at other times, in multiple situations, may we weigh our words. May we marinate our meat, may we tenderize it and brush it with spices and honey. May our fruit be ripe and good on the inside. May our words be like showers of rain to a parched soul. May our words bring joy to the downhearted. May our words break chains and release prisoners. May our words be as dove soap, cleansing with beauty and freshness. May our words dance when others are celebrated for their kind acts, good deeds, and integrity. May we sound like Ruth’s to the Naomi’s with bitter spirits.

No matter how careful we are with our words, we will always offend someone who is wounded, afraid, or they will misunderstand us.

Picture scales of justice. When we only hear one side of a story or judge a person or situation on one witness, we lack the testimony of two or three. Our words carry weight and vibration and life or death.

When we bring words to the Creator of all, do we weigh them? Prayer often begins with silence. Picture Esther going before the King and waiting for his scepter to fall and welcome her in the throne room. Picture Isaiah when he saw the Lord Adonai high and lifted up and was quick to speak what angels sang,

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,

The whole earth is full of His glory.”

And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.

Then I said,

“Woe is me, for I am ruined!

Because I am a man of unclean lips,

And I live among a people of unclean lips;

For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” Isaiah 6:3-5.

Isaiah’s first response is that he has unclean lips and that the people around him have unclean lips. Meditate on that. Burning fiery coals from the altar was needed. This should remind you of Acts 2 when on the day of Pentecost/ Shavuot, fire lit on their tongues.

“Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”

This man was a prophet; he spoke for Adonai. He was a Seer. And he still needed his mouth cleansed. We often place these men of old on a pedestal, that they were without sin. If their mouth spoke for Adonai, their mouth must have had a good Listerine dose, but even Isaiah knew he needed his mouth cleansed.

There are men in scripture who stood before the King of the universe and argued with Him, pleaded with Him, and challenged Him as Abraham did and Moses, as well as others.

Yeshua teaches us how to pray. Some learned to prayer saying “Dear Lord Jesus,” but Yeshua, when asked how to pray, said, “‘Our Father who is in the heavens, let Your Name be set-apart. . .” (Matthew 6:9, ISR).

Yeshua did not tell us to pray to him but to pray through the authority given to us through Him.

Sometimes when we pray or speak what we know the Father is telling us, we are hated unto death. I am closing Part #2 of this with Jeremiah, but also consider John the Baptist and Stephen. In Jeremiah 26, the people are ready to kill Jeremiah, the prophet. Some cannot see the beauty in the prophets words because they are focused only on light, positivity, and blessings– they do not realize that prophets words bring repentance and redemption. The Father commands Jeremiah to speak year after year and Jeremiah was obedient. He wasn’t BLESSED with a wife or children. The Father told him not to marry. He was despised for his words. He was mocked. They wrote songs and sang them and laughed at his warnings. He cried out for death and depression overtook him. He was thrown in a cistern in muck, sinking— Abba’s holy mouth piece. Think and ponder this. Study the prophets, both male and female and taste their words.

“Thus says the LORD, ‘Stand in the court of the LORD’S house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have come to worship in the LORD’S house all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. Do not omit a word! ‘Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds” (Jer. 26:2-3).

Sound familiar?

He then warms again. Picture Jeremiah standing before the leaders in his day, the scribes, the priest, etc., and speaking for Adonia.

“And you will say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, “If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, to listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened; then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth.”

The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. When Jeremiah finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You must die!”

(YOU MUST DIE!)(26:4-7).

What is Jeremiah doing now? Is he shaking? Pleading for his life? Doubtful. Was he fearful of men or fearful and completely sold out to say whatever the Father told him?

“Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, “A death sentence for this man!”

(Can you see the rage that comes when men and women speak the truth and expose corruption?)

For he has prophesied against this city as you have heard in your hearing.”

Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. “Now, therefore, amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God, and the LORD will change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you. “But as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight. “Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city and on its inhabitants; for truly the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.” (26:11-15).

Jeremiah is spared, and the people are given the medicine and instructions needed to stop the calamity. Many people find the prophet’s words harsh, but the prophet Jeremiah knew that he had to speak even if it cost him his life. May we all weigh our words on just scales and be brave to say what we need to and wise to know when to keep silent.

Part One HERE

Photos: Unsplash– Kyle Glen–library books, Annie Spratt, Everything has beauty.

Category: TM

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Words: A Death Sentence?

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