ORIGINS OF THE BLOOD COVENANT
AND BAPTISM INTO HA SHEM:
YESHUA HA MASHIACH/JESUS CHRIST
The Old Testament covenant name of Yahweh, is composed of the four Hebrew consonants YHWH. The HA SHEM or literally "The Name" in speaking of the Name of G-d, is not pronounced by Jewish people. Since YUD HEY VAV HEY was considered too sacred to be pronounced, the phrase "ha-Shem" is often used as a substitute for G-d's Name.
In more contemporary times, instead of pronouncing the four-letter Name, now at this point in time, Jewish people usually substitute the Name "Adonai," or simply say "Ha-Shem" (lit. The Name). Adonai in Old English means "Bread Lord." In written texts, like the Bible, the vowel points of ADONAI were inserted under the consonants YUD HEY VAV HEY to remind readers to articulate ADONAI instead of YUD HEY VAV HEY. This gave rise to the incorrect name JEHOVAH, stemming from the Christian lack of understanding of this Jewish custom.
But ADONAI was not the name associated with the blood covenant God made, with the fall of mankind into sin. The Rotherham bible goes into a lengthy study of HA SHEM, "THE (Sacred or Holy NAME."
(Genesis 3:21)
The Hebrew words "HA SHEM" mean "THE NAME"in the Hebrew text.
The Jewish four letter name of God, YUD HEY VAV HEY, frequently called by
the Greek name of "TETRAGRAMMATON," appears about 6800 times in the Hebrew
Bible.
Messiah idenfifies Himself with YHWH, the name by which G-d kept covenant in the Old Testament, in John 8:24 saying:"
If you believe not
that "I AM, you will die in your sins."
I AM is the sacred name by which God
identified Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14, saying I AM THAT I AM, and commanding every Israelite concerning the lamb for a house, and the applying of the blood of the lamb to the lintels of the door, that the angel would pass over that house and not destroy the occupants within. You shall say
to the children of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.
Yeshua refers to Himself as ADONAI or Lord in Matthew 13:14-15 The Lord says to My Lord: Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool. (Psalm 110:1) This was
fulfilled dramatically and is recorded in Luke 2:11. "For today in the city of
David there has been born for you a Saviour who is "Christ the Lord." And
again: He said to them, "Then how does David in the Ruach/Spirit call Him Lord,
saying: The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies
under your feet. If David then calls Him Lord, how is He His son? (Matt.
22:43-45) The Prophet Isaiah elaborates on this further saying: He shall
be for a "glorious throne" to His Father's house.
The prophecy of Isaiah 7:17 tells us:
Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behole, a virgin will be
with child and bear a son and she will call His name IMMANUEL. The fulfillment
is seen in Matt. 1:23, and Luke 7:16. The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph
and said:
Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son and they shall call His
name IMMANUEL, which translated means: God with us. The Jewish
scholars Kyle & Delitzsch comment on Isaiah 9:6 saying:
"There is no reason why we should take EL in this name of Messiah in any
other sense than in IMMANU-EL; not to mention the fact that EL in Isaiah is
always the name of God, and that the prophet was ever strongly conscious of the
anthesis between EL and ADAM, as ch. 31:3 (cf Hosea 11:9 clearly shows.
BLOOD COVENANT
Throughout the ancient world, "blood covenant" was used in many cultures of
this world as a means by which two individuals, families, villages, tribes or
nations would swear an allegiance to one another, and enter into an oath made
with blood, which formed a binding agreement, which could only end with the
death of the recipient. (Genesis 15:8)
The general term for "blood covenant" is the Hebrew term "berith." The
common meaning is fetter, or covenant, as it signifies "to bind."
Many blood covenants did not end with the es of the ones who instituted
the covenental agreement, but passed on throughout the generations. In the case
of David and Jonathan's covenant made with one another, this covenant did not
end with the of Jonathan, but was extended to the "house of Saul."
"Then David said:
Is there anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for
Jonathans sake? (1 Samuel 18:3) Now there was a servant of the house of Saul
named Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him: Are you
Ziba? And he said: I am your servant. And the king said: Is there not yet anyone
of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God? (1 Samuel 20:8) And
Ziba said: There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet.
So the king said to him: Where is he? And Ziba said: Behold he is in the
house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. And Mephibosheth, the son of
Jonathan, the son of Saul; came to David and fell on his face and prostrated
himself. And David said to him: DO not fear: for I will surely show kindness to
you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and will restore to you all of the
land of your grandfather Saul; and you shall eat at my table regularly.
Again he prostrated himself and said: What is your servant that you should
regard a dog like me? Then the king called Sauls's servant Ziba and said to
him:
(2 Samuel 9:1)
THE COVENANT BETWEEN GOD & MAN:
In Exodus 24:3, we read these words:
So Moses came and told the people all of Yahweh's words and
Yahweh's judgments, and the people ansered with one voice; vowing to keep
Yahweh's covenant, saying:
Note that Yahweh was the name associated with blod covenant. For more modern
views have substituted Adonai. When you get to the New Testament revelatiion of
Immanuel (God with us) and Jesus, (Yahweh is salvation) this becomes all
important. Moses sprinkled the blood of the covenant on the altar and on the
people. This blood which was sprinkled was given as a pattern that Moses saw on
Mount Sinai. For at Sinai, Moses was given the covenantal terms, which he gave
to the people of Israel to obey. Also outlined were the consequences of
disobedience. (Exodus 20-23) This made Moses the Mediator of the Old Covenant,
and the people of Israel who entered into covenant were God's holy nation.
Typical covenant tokens would include:
COVENANT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:
The Greek term "DIATHEKE" is that chosen by translators for the equivalent of
the Hebrew term BERITH, or covenant. It's used at least 30 times in the New
Testament clearly as "covenant." Galatians 3:15 and Heb. 9:15-17, speak more of
a will or a Testament.
COVENANT WITH GOD THROUGH THE BLOOD OF
YESHUA:
CREATOR: Isaiah 40:28/John 1:3
THE MESSIANIC HOPE OF ISRAEL:
The term "Messias" is actually the Greek transliteration of the Aramaic. In
ancient times it was used of kings and priests, concecrated to office by the
sacred ceremony of anointing. You can read of this concept in Lev. 4:3,5,16.
Lev. 6:22. Messiah as a title is never applied to any Old Testament priest, but
for one instance in Daniel 9:25, in speaking of (MASHIAH
NAGHIDH-"Messiah-Prince." Messiah would be the instrument by which God's kingdom
would forever be established, and the Old Testament concept is chiefly that of
King. Messiah would be a royal son of David. (Deut. 18:15-20)
MESSIAH TO BE PRECEEDED BY GOD'S
MESSENGER:
That Messiah would be preceeded by a messenger is clearly seen in the
prophecies of the Hebrew prophets: The Prophet Isaiah prophesied: A voice crieth
in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a
highway for our God." (Isa 40:3:3-5) In fulfillment: John the Baptist came,
preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven
is at hand. (Matthew 3:1,2, Matt. 3:3, ll:10, John 1:23, Luke 1:7)
MESSIAH'S BIRTH:
We read of Israel's holy prophets prophesying of His coming like this:
The Christ would be born of a virgin: (Mat 1:21 KJV) "And she shall bring
forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people
from their sins." The thought of a suffering Messiah who would save His people
from their sins was foreign to the Jewish mind.
Messiah would be borne of in a specific locale: "But as for you, Bethlehem
Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you
shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth
have been of old, from everlasting." (Micah 5:2) This was fulfilled when Yeshua
was born in Bethlehem of Judea. (Matthew 2:1, John 7:42, Matt. 2:4-8; Luke
2:4-7) In Matt. 2:6, the Hebrew scribes tell King Herod that with great
assurance, the Christ will be born in Bethlehem, so we see that this was a well
established fact among the Jewish people at that time. (John 7:42) The name
Bethlehem means "House of Bread," and it was fitting that Messiah who
calls Himself "The Living Bread," in scripture would be borne in such a place.
MESSIAH AS SON OF GOD:
The title "Son of God" was used as a Messianic title by Jews in the time of
Christ. The high priest in the presence of the Sanhedrin recognized it as such
in Matthew 26:63:
"But Yeshua held His peace. And the high priest
answered and said to Him: I adjure you by the Living God that you tell us
whether you be the Christ, the Son of God."
MESSIAH'S CLAIM OF EQUALITY WITH YAHWEH:
I and My Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones to stone Him. Jesus
answered: Many good works have I showed you from My Father; for which of those
works do you stone Me? The Jews answered Him: For a good work we stone thee not,
but for blasphemy; and because you being a man make yourself God.
Messiah received worship and accepted it, as seen in Matt. 8:2: There came a
leper and worshipped Him...The disciples worshipped Him saying: Indeed you are
the Son of God. (Matt. 14:33) Gdog G answered Him: My Lord and My God!
THE HEBREW PROPHECIES THAT MESSIAH WOULD BE
REJECTED BY HIS OWN, ARRESTED, CONVICTED, SUFFER, DIE, BE RESURRECTED, &
ASCEND INTO HEAVEN:
The Stone the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. (Psalm
118:22, Psalm 8:14, 28:16) (Zec 13:7 KJV) "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,
and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the
shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the
little ones." For thou will not leave my soul in Sheol; neither will you suffer
your Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 16:10, Psalm 30:3, 41:10, 118:17, Hosea
6:2) Thou hast ascended on high, and led captivity captive. (Psalms 68:18)
1) Messiah betrayed by a friend: Even my close friend, in whom I
trusted, who ate my bread; has lifted up his heel against me. (Psalm
41:9) 2) Messiah was betrayed for 30 pieaces of silver. "And I said to them:
If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, never mind! So they
weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages. (Zechariah 11;12) Fulfillment:
What are you willing to give me to deliver Him up to you? And they weighed out
thirty pieces of silver. (Matthew 26:15, Matthew 27:3) 3) The money to be
thrown down in the temple. Zechariah 11:13 Matthew 27:5
4)Price given for a cemetery.Zech. 11:13 Matthew 27:7
5)Forsaken by His own disciples.Zechariah 13:7 Mark 14:50, Matt. 26:31
Mark 14:27
6)Accused by false witness.Psalms 35:11 Matthew 26:59,60
8) Silent before Accusors.Isaiah 53:7 Matthew 27:12
7)Wounded and bruised.Isaiah 53:5 Matthew 27:26
8) Smitten & Spit upon.Isaiah 50:6 Matthew 26:67
9) Mocked.Psalms 22:7,8 Matthew 27:31
10) Fell under the cross.Psalm 109:24-25 John 19:17, Luke 23:26
11) Hands and feet pierced.Psalm 22:16, Zechariah 12:10 Luke 23:33
12) Crucified with thieves.Isaiah 53:12 Matt. 27:38, Mark 15:27,28
13) Prayed and made intercession for His persecutors.Isaiah 53:12 Luke
23:34
14)Hated without a cause.Psalms 69:4
15)Friends stood afar off.Psalms 38:11 Luke 23:49
16)People shook their headsPsalm 109:25 Matthew 27:39 18)His garments distributed and lots cast for them.Psalms 2:18 John
19:23,24
19)Messiah thirsted on the cross.
20)He cried to His Father
21)Committed Himself to His Father
22)His bones were not broken as was the Roman customPsalm 34:20 John
19:33
23)His heart broke under the strain.Psalm 22:14 John 19:34
24)His side was pierced by a Roman spear.Zechariah 12:10 John 19:34
25)Darkness pervaded the land.Amos 8:9 Matthew27:45
26) Messiah was buried in a rich man's tomb.His grave was assigned to
be with wicked men, yet with a rich man in His . (Isaiah 53:9) There came a
rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph...and asked for the body of Jesus...And
Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his
own new tomb. (Matthew 27:57-60
PLACING OURSELVES UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF
YESHUA & HIS PROVISION:
"All our fathers were under the cloud." (1
Cor. 10:1)
Israel marched under the pillar of cloud by day, as we see in Exodus 13:21,
14:19) and it covered or you could say immersed them in God's presence. Hadn't
they known God back in Egypt? Yes, but when they all partook of the lamb for a
house, they entered into covenant with God in a renewed way. There was not a
weak nor feeble one among them. Some became weak and sick along the way, as they
lost sight of the revelation of God, but to begin with, it was a tremendous
miracle of God to see all of one mind and one accord focused on God for their
direction, and living in divine health as such a large body of people. (Psalm
105:37)
All were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and
in the Sea. Being baptized unto Moses, in the cloud and in the sea
then is representative of Israel who was God's covenant people in submission and
under divine authority of Moses appointed leader all during the Exodus, the
people were in submission to God, or YEHWEH which was God's covenant keeping
name to them; and who lead them under His divine protection by way of His
presence in the pillar of cloud and of fire. (1 Cor. 10:2) Yehweh as God's
covenant keeping name was the God approached by the blood of bulls and goats by
way of the High Priest under the Old Covenant. It is incorrect then, under the
New Covenant to address our praise and worship to Yehweh, God's Old Testament
covenant keeping name. There are some ignorant people doing this, but it is
doctrinally incorrect, for this is not God's revelation of Himself, and to do so
means you are approaching with the blood of bulls and goats, which the bible
states can never take away sins.
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and
more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of "this
building."(meaning the Old Testament tabernacle) Neither by the blood of
goats and calves, but by his own blood he enteered in once into the holy place
having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:11-12)
The New Covenant believer in Messiah comes to God through God's new
covenant name, and through the blood of Jesus, which takes away the sins of the
world.
THE NEW COVENANT
Incline your ear, and come unto Me, and your soul
shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure
mercies of David. (Isaiah 55:3) Having therefore brethren, boldness to enter
into the holiest by the
blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which hwe has consecrated for us;
through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having an high priest
over the house of God let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of
faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed
with pure water. (Hebrews 10:20)
I hope you understand exactly what is being said here. The veil of Christ's
flesh, is called the veil (of the New Covenant tabernacle) which brings
us, through His shed blood as Israel of old came into the very Shekinah
Presence of Almighty God, but not without blood, the scriptures say. Do you
understand that covenant
with God was always made with blood. The Old Covenant was made by the blood of
bulls and goats. When God instituted the New Covenant, it was with blood. But a
different kind of blood--The blood of Yeshua/Jesus Christ.
The "heart sprinkled," in Hebrews 10:20, is the effect of the new
birth through receiving forgiveness of sins. The body washed with
pure water is water baptism in Jesus/Yeshua's name; as seen at the inception of
the church on the day of Pentecost when Apostle Peter stood and preached to
3000: Repent, be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus and you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38) To the Samaritans (Acts 8:16)
To the Gentiles, including the Ephesians in Acts 10:46-48, Acts 19:5)
There is nothing after the of Jesus,(and it was His death, burial and
resurrection which provided this new and living way for us to enter into
fellowshipwith God;) there is nothing but HA SHEMin which men and women
are to be baptized, and that name is the name of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ. In all
that you do in word or deed, do all in the name of Yeshua/Jesus. Before He went away,
Yeshua HaMashiach/Jesus Christ gave His disciples the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19
12 Jewish apostles interpreted this in quite a different way than the church
today. They heard Messiah tell them to baptize into HA SHEM (THE NAME) of the
Father, and of the Son and of the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit. And they went forth and without
exception, baptized all in the name of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ.
The church today interprets the command in the Great Commission as baptism
into not "HA SHEM" meaning"the name," but into three titles, which fail to
identify who exactly the Messiah is, and could be any "false messiah,"
since there are false religions which baptize as well. This is clearly
contrary to the scripture. For if you will look at these references which
outline the apostles doctrine on water baptism, you will see that
they baptized all converts, into the one precious name of their Lord and Saviour
Yeshua HaMashiach/Jesus Christ, and did not leave His identity to speculation, but preached
Him, to Jew and Gentile alike.
People ask: Is it important for me to be baptized? You want to have full
assurance of faith don't you? Hebrews 10:20 states that when you have met these
two conditions, then you can come in full assurance of faithbefore God's
throne of grace. Is it any wonder people feel they lack grace and faith today?
YESHUA IS GOD"S NEW COVENANT NAME!!!
The Messiah whom the scriptures call The Mashiach/Christ is Yeshua haMashiach or
Jesus Christ. "But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the
Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph thou son of David, fear not to
take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy
Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name . . .
"YESHUA/JESUS (Hebrew) "for he shall save his people from their sins." His
name in Hebrew have a prophetic meaning which speaks also of his mission:
"For He shall "save" His people from their sins." YESHUA
(YEH-O-SHUA) meaning "The salvation of Yah" or "Yah is
Salvation," is the same as the English Joshua (OSHEA) in the day of Moses,
Num. 13:16. The "O" sound was later dropped and the name in modern Hebrew became
"YESHUA." It may be properly pronounced YEHOSHUA, YAHOSHUA, or YOHOSHUA, even
without the "O" as YAHSHUA, (JOSHUA in English), again meaning Yahweh is
Salvation Additional scriptures:
Zec 13:7: Mal 3:1. (Gen 3:15; Acts 1:11) Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4-6; John 1:23 Mat
26:31,67; Mark 14:27,65; 15:19, John 10:1-14
Few
Christian Churches have understood the importance of "HA SHEM" or the
sacred name of the Lord to Israel. Because of this, it means little to them, to
see 12 Hebrew apostles of Yeshua baptizing 3000 on the day of Pentecost, as well
as Samaritans, Gentiles, including Ephesians into "HA SHEM="Yeshua." The Hebrew
prophet Jeremiah prophesied Messiah would be called Lord, saying:
All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your
master's grandson. And you and your sons and servants shall cultivate the land
for him, and you shall bring in (the produce) so that your masters grandson
shall have food; nevertheless Mephibosheth, your masters grandson shall eat
regularly at my table. Now Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants. Then Ziba said to
the kind: According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your
servant will do. So Mephibosheth ate at David's table as one of the king's sons.
And Methibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived at the
house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. SO Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem,
for he ate at the king's table regularly. Now he was lame in both feet.
"All the words which Yahweh has said, we will do."
SAVIOUR: Isaiah 45:22, 43:11/John 4:42
JUDGE: Joel 3:12/John 5:27, Matt. 25:31
EVERLASTING LIGHT: Isaiah
60:19-20/John 8:12
I AM THAT I AM: Exodus 3:14/John 8:58, 18:5-6
REDEEMER: Hosea 13;14/Rev. 5:9
FIRST & LAST: Isaiah 41:4, 44:6/Rev.
1:17, 2:8,
ROCK OF AGES: Psalm 18:2/1 Cor. 10:4
Judah Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him. (Matthew 10:4, 26:49-50, JOhn
13:21)
Psalms 109:25
Psalm 22:7, Matthew 27:39
17)He was stared upon.Psalms 22:17 Luke
23:35
...I will direct their work in truth,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And their seed shall be known
among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people : all that see them
will acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord has blessed.
(Isaiah 61:8-9)
Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall
be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them,
and I will set My sanctuary in the midst of them forevermore. My sanctuary shall
be with them: yes, I will be their God and they shall be My people. And the
heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary shall
be in the midst of them forevermore.
Telephone (425) 252-2981