Have you heard the beautiful song titled, “The Blessing,” by Cody Carnes, Kari Jobe, and Elevation Worship?
The lyrics for the beginning of the song come directly from Numbers 6:22-26.
Many of us know these verses as the “Aaronic Benediction.”
But that is a very formal way of talking about these verses.
The LORD told Moses to tell Aaron and his sons to bless the children of Israel using these words, so from this we get the term “Aaronic.”
“Benediction” is just a fancy word for a “blessing” but we usually associate it with an “ending” or “final blessing.” Many church services end with a “benediction.” When I was small, that translated to, hurry and gather your crayons, it’s almost time to leave. Yes, I used to color in church.
The Aaronic Benediction (or Aaronic Blessing) is also known as the Priestly Benediction (yet another reason pastors tend to use this at the close of worship services).
In Hebrew, this blessing is called “Birkat Kohanim.” (Also spelled Cohenim or rendered HaKohanim.)
It is a blessing that has withstood the test of time, continuing to minister to hearts around the world.
This blessing was particularly unique in the time in which it was originally transcribed. The other nations worshipped multiple deities and they did not have the sense of a personal connection or relationship with their gods in the way that the God of all Israel was so closely attentive and interactive with the Israelites.
Torah means “instruction.” This blessing was a part of the “instructions” that the LORD gave to the nation of Israel. The Torah and its fulfillment have changed history, and the Birkat Kohanim has long been a part of the unfolding reality of salvation. The Birkat Kohanim remains central to Judaism, but since it is also now so beloved among Christians it is a wonderful starting point for believers to share with unbelieving Jews the Good News of Messiah.
Birkat Kohanim transliteration and translation
Would you like to learn how to say the Birkat Kohanim in Hebrew? Here is a transliteration:
The Birkat Kohanim has touched hearts for generations because of its simplicity but also because of its profundity.
Notice the repetition of the Divine Name YHVH 3 times. In Hebrew, something repeated 3 times means pay attention! It is important!
The LORD uses His instruments – saints willing to bless others to pronounce blessing in His Name. It isn’t just any saying. It is a blessing containing the Holy Name of God infused in each phrase. There is power in His Name – so there is power in this blessing.
The LORD, the Maker of the Universe, your Creator, the Almighty Sovereign LORD MOST HIGH. May that specific, wonderful God be the One who blesses you. May you know exactly who He is. He isn’t just any god, He is God Most High, the God of Israel.
May He keep you.
The Hebrew term for “keep” contains the connotation of “guarding” as well. May the Almighty One guard you, protect you, keep you.
May the LORD make His face shine upon you.
This is beyond amazing. Even Moshe (Moses) was only allowed to see God from the back. But this blessing indicates that His fullness of His glory is available to us! This blessing prays that the light of His face would shine in our direction. Could anything be more glorious than that? Our Father loves us that much that His countenance would be lifted upon us, His graciousness would be made known, and He endows us with His peace, His shalom.
We all need peace. We all need that sense of wholeness. It allows us to relax and to de-stress when we know He holds us in perfect peace. Peace in the Hebrew language refers to that completeness, a very holistic peace that permeates.
The Aaronic Blessing provides us the comfort in knowing the LORD God Almighty cares about us, is in relationship with us, and has granted us favor enough that He would want to shine His face upon us and be gracious to us.
The Aaronic Blessing in Song
There are many traditional renditions of the Aaronic Blessing that are frequently used in synagogue services and at Shabbat tables to bless our children and families.
Here is a beautiful symphonic rendition of “The Blessing” song sung by Passion City Church:
And a special treat:
Here is “The Blessing” sung in Hebrew (Ha Bracha) by Joshua Aaron.
So today, may you feel the weight of His glory, knowing that the LORD desires you to walk in blessing.
May He indeed make His face to shine upon you and give you peace today.
And ask yourself this:
Who will you bless? Who will you pass along this blessing to? Who around you needs to know that the LORD loves them and wants to be in this type of blessing relationship with them?How can we pray for you? Proclaim the Name of the LORD upon your life and your family today!
This article contains a few links to related books you may be interested in. I do want to disclose that I am an Amazon affiliate which means I would earn a little from your purchase, but it won’t cost you extra.
The pandemic has actually helped us be able to understand Leviticus 13 better
Any time there is an incurable and highly contagious disease, protocols must be kept to prevent the spread of disease.
God commanded Israel to develop quarantining and cleanliness practices well before scientists figured it out.
Prior to the pandemic, few of us had ever experienced quarantine. We would hear about travel quarantines from time to time, but all in all it was difficult to relate to and understand the isolation and quarantines described in Scriptural passages like Leviticus 13.
According to Leviticus 13, when someone had symptoms of a contagious skin disease, they were subjected to a 14-day quarantine (with examinations each week).
It had to be clear that the individual who had tested positive was not a threat to the rest of the community.
This became standard practice that we see evidence of still today. Hospitals didn’t invent these rules, the LORD did!
Sickness & Loss of Identity
Leprosy used to be one of those diseases that resulted not only in quarantine but in complete ostracization. Sadly, the leper’s affliction became his or her identity.
Covid-19 started out that way. You were either Covid-positive or Covid-negative. It didn’t matter who you were. You would be alone. Sad. Afraid. Isolated.
God-given knowledge and medical breakthroughs bring hope
During the pandemic, I read a book to my children called The Polio Pioneer by Linda Elovitz Marshall. It explains the incredible achievement of Jewish research doctor Dr.Jonas Salk who invented the polio vaccine in 1952.
When medical breakthroughs occur, everything changes. Suddenly, there’s hope and the disease doesn’t have to define people anymore.
That’s miraculous!
What I have personally found exasperating throughout the Covid-19 pandemic were the number of people who refused to wear a mask or support vaccination research. Medical breakthroughs like vaccines have saved so many lives in so many nations! Polio is such a great example. According to that children’s book, our grandparents couldn’t swim in public swimming pools for fear of getting debilitating polio! Our generation never had to worry about getting that disease.
If we pray that our Great Physician will inspire and lead the hearts and hands of doctors and bring healing and wholeness, shouldn’t we have rejoiced at the God-given knowledge researchers had to make a Covid-19 vaccine possible?
Honestly, Covid should never have become political. For believers, if we truly love our neighbors as we love ourselves, we can put on a mask for a few weeks. That mask doesn’t rob us of our identity the way the disease itself can.
Many Christians in the United States were adamantly against the quarantines and health mandates while Christians in other countries supported andinsisted upon their use. None of us like governmental overreach, so perhaps some of the “mandates” in the US went too far, but if we are true believers trusting in the LORD not in man, we should not jump so quickly to conclusionsthat the public health policies were intended to restrict our freedoms so much as they were legitimately trying their best to protect the vulnerable from a deadly pandemic.
We need to give one another grace.
And the Bible sets a precedent for protecting a community from sickness and plague.
We learn the rules and the mandates in Leviticus 13. Though grace is present even in Torah (aka the Pentateuch), it is more obvious for us to understand it through Messiah Yeshua’s (Jesus’) teachings and actions.
We live in a sin-sick world. The consequence of sin is death.
Miryam’s leprosywas a punishment for her sin of speaking against Moshe (Moses). Often times, our spiritual condition does end up reflected in our physical health.
But not every sickness is directly related to a specific sin like Miryam’s.
The disciples didn’t understand that, though, which is why they (as was customary) assumed the blind man (or his parents) had committed a sin which directly caused his blindness.
I know many a hurt believer who has been told they “must’ve sinned.” Supposedly that’s why they are dealing with a difficult diagnosis.
It’s not quite that simple. Our Savior Yeshua (Jesus) demonstrated that in His response to the disciples: neither the man nor his parents had sinned. The man’s condition was permitted so that God could be glorified through him.
Surely you know a faithful believer who has struggled through terrible illness. While we cannot always comprehend it, oftentimes it is so that God can be glorified.
There is sickness in this fallen world and it can affect anyone. We must rely on the LORD to help us through.
We are in need of a cure.
There is one cure you need to know about
On this earth, in this life, there may never be the one cure you or a loved one desperately needs, at the time in which it is needed.
The disease might not respond to treatment, or the injury might be too severe. The illness might be too advanced or the trauma just too damaging.
But if your heart is hurt and in need of mending, I assure you there is a cure.
It might not seem so instantaneous as we might like, but I assure you, it is one hundred percent effective.
The cure is this: putting your trust, your faith, and all your hope in the Messiah, the Savior of all mankind – the One who was and who is and who is to come, Yeshua, Jesus the Christ.
Because He is the cure.
Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) is the cure
He is God’s Son and He died on the cross to repair all the damage that had been done by sin. He took all the fallenness, all the sinfulness, all the destruction, all the diseases, all the afflictions, every single problem upon Himself. He was nailed to that wooden cross along with all the guilt, all the pain, all the grief, all the sorrow that this world contains to lift it up off of you. He bore our iniquities. He was wounded for our transgressions. All the debts, all the terror, all the war, all the rage. All the loneliness. He absorbed it all.
Death thought it had its victory.
As the body of the LORD hung in what appeared to be final surrender, the devil smirked. The physical damage was done. Yeshua’s (Jesus’) body hung as blood gushed out from him. His body bruised and beaten, seemingly no match for hope. Where was the cure now? Where was the victory? Could the battle be won?
Absolutely. He won the victory. Death couldn’t hold Him down. He rose again in victory, resurrected in power!
You see, He Himself is the cure. The cure for all of humanities ailments. The cure for lost identities and the cure for the darkest depression.
His blood washed the earth anew. The blood of the perfect, spotless Lamb had been sacrificed on the biggest altar ever known.
So now there is hope for you and me.
The Bible says that by His wounds, you have been healed. The crucifixion, death, and resurrection of the Messiah was prophesied at least seven hundred years earlier:
If you are in need of any type of healing, turn your heart and your prayers to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He has made a way for hope to reign and the possibilities of innumerable healing miracles and restoration.
Don’t be defined by your pain.
Or your diagnosis.
Don’t allow the devil to rob you of your joy.
If you are a child of the King, a child of God, you were bought for a price and no one can take your future away from you.
The Son of God has made a way:
That cure changes everything.
Have you put all of your trust in the Savior? Do you have a true relationship with your Heavenly Father and with His Son, the Messiah, Yeshua haMaschiah (Jesus the Christ)? Are you in need of healing? Wholeness? Peace? Do you need His comfort? The Holy Spirit comforts us in our times of need. Please, leave a comment with your thoughts and we would love the opportunity to pray for you. Please consider subscribing as well so you can stay up-to-date on our latest Bible studies and teachings. During this season of the Spring Feasts when we focus even more on the resurrection victory, I invite you to check out this free PDF of the Biblical Feast Days and other important holidays that you might like to print out and keep with your calendar or on your refrigerator!
Biblical Feast Days and significant dates: FREE Printable!
Rethinking holidays and the resistance we got from pastoral colleagues
When our children were born (they are close in age), my husband and I started really thinking about the Biblical feast days. We thought through the types of holidays and traditions we would want them to grow up with. We were familiar with the Jewish holidays and had participated in Passover seders and church-sponsored Feast of Tabernacles events, but we still celebrated Christmas and Easter. We were good about keeping the celebrations as focused on the LORD as possible – never incorporating santa claus or Easter eggs, but we definitely enjoyed the Christmas Eve candlelight services and the Easter sunrise services. We are both pastors, so of course we loved these events! We were trained to lead them!
Sometimes we were met with resistance from our colleagues. They wondered why we always refused to host Easter egg hunts. Pastors in the community would invite us to host joint activities of this type and we would never participate. Many would ask questions like, “Why would you turn down an opportunity to get extra visitors into your church?” They’d move from questioning us to judging us: “This is a great church growth model, and you are not taking advantage of it.” Sorry, but we have always cared much more about Truth than numbers. And we’ve been blessed because of it.
Sadly, when we tried to share what we knew about the Biblical Feast Days, most of our pastoral colleagues made it clear they’d rather just keep the status quo. Today, few church leaders want to embrace anything that might mess with the Sunday morning offerings.
So, we decided to be different. And it has been an awesome adventure!
Biblical Feast Dates: Free Printable available!
Choosing to celebrate Biblical feasts rather than Christmas/Easter
Colored eggs inspired by the Ishtar or Eostre’s fertility cults never seemed to make sense to us as a positive testimony of the Resurrection victory of our Savior. (For consistency, let me inform you we do not use the boiled egg on our seder plate as is also customary in Jewish tradition). If the Messiah, the Son of God, rose from the dead in victory, is that not enough of a powerful message? Why do we need the help of rabbits to tell the Good News in a compelling way? The Resurrection really doesn’t need embellishment.
Similarly, “everybody” knows that Jesus wasn’t born on December 25. So why continue to perpetuate this day as Jesus’ birthday? Instead of giving the world ammunition to accuse Christians of being delusional and embracing idolatry, why not learn how Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) birth fits into the holy-days given by God Himself? Christmas trees have nothing to do with a baby in a manger. Bunnies don’t lay eggs nor do they rise from the dead. My question has become a simple one: Why, my dear Christian brothers and sisters, why do you participate in these traditions?
We decided that our children should be raised with the holidays given to us by the LORD and described in detail in the Bible. We began to realize there are so many of them that they wouldn’t be missing out on anything! The LORD has given us so many wonderful feast days that help us see His handiwork in our lives throughout the year.
Christian testimony would be stronger without some of these traditions
2022 list of Biblical Feast Days, traditional Jewish holidays and other dates of interest for the year
Here is a list of the Biblical holidays, traditional Jewish holidays, and other notable dates for 2022. The appointed times described in Leviticus 23 have exact specifications as to their dates so some people attempt to more closely align the dates using lunar calculations. I respect this attempt since the Gregorian calendar does not perfectly match, but our family uses the commonly accepted dates of the Jewish calendar.
Each of them has major significance to any believer who recognizes that they are part of Israel. The appointed times (moedim) are, of course, set feasts that our LORD established as “appointments” with us. He wants us to gather, to assemble, and He wants to meet with us and celebrate with us! He wants us to understand the fullness of the salvation reality – that our Passover Lamb has come, has been sacrificed, and has been raised again as the Firstfruits of the Resurrection harvest!
Some believers choose not to celebrate Purim or Hanukkah. I find there is great value in both, and will write about that another time. Similarly, one might wonder if you are not living in Israel, why care about Yom HaShoah or Israel’s independence day? But remember, whether you were born ethnically Jewish or have been grafted into the community of Israel, Israel’s victories are your victories, just as Israel’s sorrows are our collective sorrows. We weep with those who weep and we rejoice with those who rejoice.
2022 Biblical feast days
Dates for your calendar
Here is a listing of the Biblical feast days. If you would like a FREE downloadable PDF, subscribe to our newsletter, and you will receive it straight to your inbox!
March 16 Purim
April 15 Passover/Pesach
April 16-23 Unleavened Bread
April 17 Firstfruits/Yom HaBikkurim/Resurrection
April 27 Holocaust Remembrance Day/Yom HaShoah
May 3 Israeli Memorial Day/Yom HaZikaron
May 4 Israel’s Independence Day
May 28 Jerusalem Day (Yom Yerushalayim)
June 4 Shavu’ot
September 25 Yom Teruah/Feast of Trumpets/Rosh HaShanah
October 4 Yom Kippur
October 9-16 Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot
December 18-26 Hanukkah
May your year be most especially blessed!
If you are new to celebrating the Biblical feast days and need some help or encouragement, please don’t hesitate to reach out. It can be a lot of information to take in when you are new to it all! We’d be happy to guide you or give you some pointers! Shalom!
Looking for a gift or home decor?
Here are some ideas. I remember when I was given the Bible Hebraic Stuttgartensia by a congregation I served as a student pastor when I was in undergrad. I still use it today, one of the most thoughtful and useful gifts I have ever been given! I am an Amazon affiliate so I do earn a little when you purchase something, but it won’t cost you anything extra.
Ukraine in Ezekiel’s prophecy
Ezekiel 38 & 39 describe an invasion from the north
Scripture does not give many details about Gog, but it is clear that Gog is allied with Magog. The Bible does not specifically state that Gog is the leader of Russia. However, most scholars reasonably interpret Gog as Russian due to Ezekiel’s prophetic declaration that Gog would come from the “extreme north.”
Gog is the ancient name for an historical king who was a foe of Israel. According to Tyndale’s Old Testament Commentary on Ezekiel by John B. Taylor, it is most probable that Gog was Gyges of Lydia (a portion of modern day Turkey). However, scholars do not have consensus as to his exact historic identity. Everyone can agree, though, that Gog makes unholy alliances serving hasatan‘s (satan’s) evil purposes.
Josephus wrote about Magog
The reputable Josephus wrote about Magog and the Scythians: “Magog founded those that from him were named Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians” (Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews, 1.6.1; emphasis added).
You may recall from history class that the Scythians were nomadic Iranians. Their tribes spread as far as Mongolia, Siberia and Ukraine. If you take out a map and look at the amount of terrain they covered, you will be astounded.
Gog’s alliances with Persia (modern day Iran), Cush and Put (Northern Africa), and Togarmah (Armenia) are already formed. The Scythians (Magogites) and Gomer inhabited lands north of the Black Sea. In order for Gog to increase his alliances with Magog, the entire region north of the Black Sea will ultimately serve Gog.
Notice, present day Ukraine is directly north of the Black Sea.
If Ukraine is part of this future alliance, it would seem to suggest that sooner or later, Ukraine will indeed fall to Russia and will eventually adopt the spirit of Gog’s hostile attitude toward Israel.
The invasion of Crimea was a precursor to all of this, as that region is now also under Russian rule.
The spirit of gog at work
Indeed, the spirit of Gog continues to be at work in our modern world.
Remember, Gog is prophesied by Ezekiel to “come up against” the LORD’s “people Israel” like a “cloud covering the land.”
The Russian President has chosen to invade Ukraine. Are you aware that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish? According to the Jerusalem Channel, President Zelenskyy is the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. Ukraine has a long history of being home to many Jewish families.
Russia – Gog – is coming against the LORD’s people Israel. Gog has come in with tanks and missiles like a cloud covering the land. In the future, Gog will attack the nation of Israel.
As you can see, Gog will remain an integral part of satan’s team even until armageddon. The Good News is, when Jerusalem is besieged for the last time, Gog will be no more.
Ezekiel has prophesied these events and we are seeing them come to pass.
Look straight at the enemy and do not fear
Did you notice in Ezekiel 38:2 the LORD tells Ezekiel to set his face toward Gog?
Ezekiel is to stand firm and look at the reality of Gog’s ambitions. Gog devises evil in his heart to invade the unwalled villages and the quiet people living securely. The prophet is told to prophesy against him that God the Most High will “put hooks into [their] jaws.”
Yikes. It is a lot of violence. But the LORD’s people are to confront evil and remain strong in their faith. We are not to look away. We are to look forward and look toward the enemy, recognizing that victory will come.
Meanwhile, while the war in Ukraine is so hard to watch, we must pray for all of the innocent families and especially the children. We must remain confident in the LORD.
The LORD’s people are to confront evil and be strong in their faith.
We pray for a Purim victory. That Haman’s plan would fail and God’s people would prevail!
Please pray for the people of Ukraine. I hope that through Biblical prophecy, you can find hope that even when it doesn’t seem like it, the LORD is in control and there is hope. Please leave a comment so we know you are praying with us and we can pray for you, too!
Many core beliefs of Judaism are completely unknown to most Christians today despite sharing the same Hebrew Scriptures.
One central doctrine in Judaism has to do with the 13 Attributes of the Holy One.
I find that many Christians become quickly dismissive of things like this because they believe this refers to a Jewish tradition rather than Biblical tradition. Judaism is well-known for its inclusion of oral tradition and Mishnah and extraBiblical texts such as the Talmud . . .
But did you know that the 13 Attributes are found in the Bible?
Tell me, when was the last time you heard a sermon on the 13 Attributes of God at your local church?
Do you realize that knowing the 13 Attributes of God can enrich your prayer life?
Can you list the 13 attributes?
By the end of this article, you will be able to name all 13 Attributes of God!
The lamentable separation between Judaism and Christianity
Misunderstanding, prejudice, and even antiSemitic preaching have robbed many of a relationship with the Jewish community. Most Christians do not have a “Hebraic” vocabulary and do not realize what they have been missing from the earliest pages in their Bible. Some Christian groups do not even use the “Old Testament,” citing it as just that – old, outdated, and done away with.
It would be better to realize that Judaism and Christianity have several things in common:
We can all agree there is a Creator who is our Father.
Also, we agree that though mysterious, He is One.
Jews and Christians share the history of Adam and Eve, and rejoice together about the parting of the Red Sea. We share a common history of prophets, battles, and victories. Jews and Christians alike cherish the Psalms and the Proverbs.
Yet doctrines and disputes abound.
Most hotly contested between the faiths is of course the deity of the Son of God: our Messiah Yeshua who was killed and rose again to life in victory.
So there has been a major divergence and many have abandoned any notion of unity because many feel the differences are too great between Christianity and Judaism.
But what if I reminded you, the very first Christians were Jewish Christians? There does not need to be such a sharp divide. Today’s Messianic expressions of faith bring both worlds together.
I encourage all Christians to study Jewish texts and learn as much Hebrew as you can! Your faith will be greatly enriched.
And, you will be a stronger witness if you are ever given the opportunity to share your faith with a Jewish person who does not yet know their Messiah if you know some of Judaism’s basic beliefs such as the 13 (Biblical!) Attributes of God!
mezuzah
Much of Israel rejects Christian preaching because Christians are unfamiliar with these core Judaic Biblical doctrines such as the 13 Attributes
The Jewish tradition is very rich. It is full of wise scholarship, dedication, and quite a dose of seriousness.
Jewish people who do not yet know their Messiah see a lot of the shallow commitments within Christianity and rightfully question the validity of an unexamined faith.
They also know that many Christians do not know much if anything at all about the Torah, the shared first five books of the Holy Bible. That leads many Jewish people to reject anything preached by a Christian. Why? Because they revere the instructions that YHVH gave to them and cannot fathom why most Christians are unfamiliar with them if we claim to worship the same God.
If we are going to reach all of Israel with the saving news of the incarnation and resurrection, we need to truly know the God of Israel ourselves and value Judaism’s contribution to the faith history of Christianity.
How is it that we as believers know about Moses and the 10 Commandments (10 Words/D’varim)? How is it that we know about King David and King Solomon? We inherited these wonderful Scripture texts from our Jewish brothers and sisters! And if we dig deeply enough in the Scriptures, we will discover the 13 Attributes of Godin the book of Exodus.
At first glance, these two verses may not seem very significant at all. But notice, it is ADONAI the LORD speaking, and the Bible says Moses quickly bowed his head down to the earth immediately following this revelation. There’s something greater going on here than perhaps first grasps our attention.
Indeed, too often we gloss right over these very rich passages in Scripture and completely miss something incredibly poignant.
Dare I say it, most Christian pastors today are more interested in their 13 week hipster sermon series more than digging deeply into the treasure of Scripture. There, I said it.
May the LORD bring a renewed desire for Biblical literacy among believers! May there be repentance starting from the pulpits. May there be true revival once again.
See why I have emphasized the richness of Jewish Biblical scholarship? Passages like Exodus 34 aren’t overlooked in the Jewish tradition, but are instead well-known, beloved aspects of Jewish worship.
YHVH Himself revealed the 13 Attributes
YHVH Himself, the King of kings, “descended in the cloud” and “stood with [Moses] there as he called on the Name of ADONAI.” (Ex.34:5)
Hallelujah! Baruch ata Adonai! As Moses called upon the Name of the LORD, the LORD Himself descended to where he was. Call upon the LORD, dear friend, the LORD will meet you where you are.
Exodus 34:6 records that the LORD Himself proclaimed these attributes. He repeats His Holy Name YHVH twice to begin.
Attribute 1: יְהוָ֔ה – YHVH. Just as in the 10 Commandments/10 Words, the LORD is revealing that He is God alone and we should have no other. His Name is His essence. He is who He is, He is the Great I AM. He is Holy and we should be in awe of His presence. When you pray, remember who He is, and be in awe of His majesty!
Attribute 2: יְהוָ֔ה – YHVH. By repeating His Name, He reminds us that He does not change. His Name should always grasp our attention. Whenever anything is repeated in Hebrew, pay close attention, because the repetition is there to highlight something important. It is common in Jewish tradition to interpret the repetition here as a divine reminder that YHVH is merciful even before we sin and merciful even when we do sin. I am pointing this out as part of Jewish tradition to carefully distinguish between all that is Biblical versus what man has interpreted or added over the years. When you pray, know that He is the unchanging God, the Eternal One, undeniably merciful and ever-present.
Attribute 3: אֵ֥ל – EL: YHVH is EL, our Elohim, our God. It is a wonder that He is willing to be our God and reveals Himself to us!
Attribute 4: רַח֖וּםRachum. Rachum means compassionate. According to the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, this term is always only used in reference to God. He is El Rachum – the Compassionate God, full of mercy. The only One who is truly merciful and full of genuine compassion. Pray using the names of God – LORD, El-Rachum, the One who shows you the depths of His care. You may enjoy listening to this touching song, “Rachem” which is a plea for the LORD’s mercy.
“Rachem” (related to Heb.”rachum.”): Mercy
Attribute 5: חַנּ֑וּןChanan. Chanan means gracious, showing favor. He is El-Chanan, the LORD Most Gracious and by the grace of His redemption, He grants us unmerited favor.
Attribute 6: אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִםErech Apayim. Erech comes from a Hebrew root meaning “to stretch” or “to lengthen.” Apayim is the word for anger. This is usually translated as “slow-to-anger.” Truly, He stretches out His response when angered, elongating it for our benefit. His compassion is listed prior to any mention of anger – showing us that His compassions fail not and He is truly slow to anger.
Attribute 7: רַב־חֶ֥סֶדRav Chesed. Rav means “abundant” and “great” and Chesed is “lovingkindness.” His great, abundant lovingkindness sustains us. Kindness is underrated in our society today. Take some time to really think about what it is to be kind. The LORD is so kind to us.
Attribute 8:אֱמֶֽתEmet. Emet is Truth. Rav chesed v’emet: abundant in lovingkindness and truth. The world wants to claim relative truth, but we know that in God we find the Absolute Truth.
Attribute 9:נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים Notzer chesed la’alafim. “Preserver of kindness for thousands.” [of generations].
Attribute 10: נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ןNosei Avon. “Forgiver of iniquity.” “Nosei” refers to “carrying”, “lifting”, “bearing”, “taking away.” He promises to lift off our burden of sin. There seems to be a nuance between “avon” and “chatah” – that “avon” is best translated “iniquity.” Nosei avon: He forgives our willful, intentional sin.
Attribute 11:נֹשֵׂ֥אפֶ֖שַׁעNosei Pesha. “Forgiver of rebellious sins.” The LORD is willing to forgive our defiance and our transgressions, no matter how treacherously we have breached the covenant.
Attribute 12: נֹשֵׂ֥אחַטָּאָ֑הNosei Chatah. “Forgiver of sin.” He forgives our mistakes – our unintentional sins committed due to our ignorance.
Attribute 13: נַקֵּה֙Naqeh. Strong’s Concordance describes the root naqab as “to be empty or clean.” He literally empties us of our impurities.
So, listing the 13 Attributes, we see that
He is the LORD. The LORD God.
He is the Compassionate and Gracious One.
He is slow to anger and abundant in Lovingkindness and Truth.
He is the Preserver of Kindness for thousands.
He is the Forgiver of iniquity, rebellious transgression, and sin.
And He cleanses us.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
All of that in just TWO verses!
Exodus 33:18-19
You may be aware that just one chapter earlier in the Scriptures Moshe (Moses) pleaded with God, “Please, show me Your Glory!” Notice how the LORD responded:
The LORD kept His Promise to Moshe (Moses) made in Exodus 33
As you can see with the revealed 13 Attributes, the LORD kept His promise to Moshe. He said He would cause His goodness to pass before him – which is what happened upon on Mount Sinai. Then, He promised He would call out His Name before him. In the 13 Attributes text of Exodus 34:6-7, the LORD pronounced His Name (twice!) as introduction to the revealing of His merciful characteristics. In the 13 Attributes, we discovered that He describes Himself as the Compassionate and Gracious One, just as He foretold in Exodus 33.
I hope you were able to sense the power behind the words spoken by the LORD to Moses. The Word of God is astounding! There is always something new to learn and discover. May your faith be refreshed and your confidence in His love strengthened.
Shalom, friends.
I hope this study was of blessing to you! May you be able to meditate on the Word of God and these thirteen divinely-revealed attributes! We’d love to hear from you – comment below and share with your friends or congregation! If you would like to receive teachings like this straight to your inbox, please subscribe below!
The Ten Commandments are favored even by postChristian society. They are considered the Tanakh commands that remain “relevant.” Nevermind the 603 other commandments that just so happen to reveal the heart of the Father…. It would be good to at least begin with the 10 that are well-known. Perhaps if we can learn to obey these, we will be on our way to obeying the others. Do we obey out of obligation? No. We obey because we love YHVH.
Why not begin with such a special command? The command to take time on the 7th day of the week to spend time with your Creator.
“After Pharaoh had let the people go . . . ” Ex.13:17a
These words of Scripture are well-known to the children of the LORD because here the Word of God describes what happened “after Pharaoh had let the people go . . .” (Ex.13:17a).
We know this book in English as “Exodus” precisely because of this very central event.
Building a new dream
The oppression was over. No longer would the children of Israel (b’nei Yisra’el) be forced to build up Pharaoh’s dreams of towering monuments and elaborate buildings. Now they could build up the dream that had nearly been buried within them – a dream to live in freedom under the authority of their King, the King of kings, the God of Israel.
Adonai brought them out of Egypt and was wise in the way in which He led them to their next destination.
Leaving Egypt in faith or in fear? Probably a little bit of both!
Undoubtedly, some of the people of Israel would have been walking out of Egypt as though on eggshells, fearful that their previous masters would come and round them up to shackle them back into their previous enslavement. Their trepidation was not unfounded.
Surely the young ones would have tried to run ahead to get away as quickly as their youthfulness could carry them.
The elders who had the wisest of faith could walk with their heads held high – confident that the LORD had been with them all along, and would not fail them.
They would have sang their own songs just as Moshe (Moses) and Miryam (Miriam) sang and danced in the desert after the Red Sea Crossing.
The LORD’s faithfulness to His people to bring them out of Egypt and through tough times has inspired so many expressions of this truth.
Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come.
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
Amazing Grace, John Newton, 1779
Did you know that the author of “Amazing Grace,” John Newton, had been a slavemaster? A pharaoh of his time, it is said that Newton experienced a heart change and wrote that famous hymn.
How great a salvation that can change hearts so dramatically.
Things could have been different for the Pharaoh of Moses’ time, but he refused to repent and found his end at the bottom of the Red Sea.
You may be interested to observe that this parasha also ends with talk of war (Ex.17:8ff).
You can be living a very holy life, full of faith, and walking in the freedom granted to you by faith in G-D’s Son, Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), but that doesn’t mean you will not face difficulties.
The enemy will want to surround you, but the LORD Most High decides when He will allow this. The enemy isn’t all-powerful and he must submit to his limitations. Only ADONAI is All-Powerful. Only ADONAI is All-Merciful and All-Knowing, Ever-Present, and Worthy that we put our trust in HIM alone. He will give you the Victory over the enemy!
The people were armed (Ex.13:18) but they would not have to fight the Philistines, not yet. The LORD would help them navigate the Sinai Peninsula at a pace that they could handle (since many of them had a grumbling and quarreling habit). Surely the wandering in the wilderness would give them a stamina they would need once they did engage in future conflicts.
Israel faced attack by the Amalekites
It wasn’t long when the Israelites had to indeed fight. They were attacked at Rephidim by the Amalekites. Amalek was a grandson of Esau, and sadly the Amalekites became known as a defiant and evil people. They were so terrible toward Israel that Jewish tradition today equates Amalek to pure evil and darkness. If you know the story of Hadassah (Esther), Haman the evildoer was, you guessed it, an Amalekite. The Amalekites took advantage of the seeming weakness of the Israelites in the wilderness, but by the lifting of hands – Moshe’s in this case – Yehoshua (Joshua) under Moses’ leadership, led the Israelites to victory.
It was after this victory that Moshe (Moses) established an altar, naming it “The LORD is my banner:” “ADONAI NISSI.”
You may enjoy this song that speaks to the victories of the Exodus days. I particularly enjoy this song around Passover, but it is perfect for this parasha, and any time of year of course! His victories never fade, and every day, all year, He is worthy of our exaltation and adoration. He has delivered us and brought us a mighty long way!
Egypt – Bethel Music
If you are looking for another beautiful worship song that relates to this parasha, perhaps you will enjoy this lovely song which uses the words of Revelation 15 describing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.
Perhaps you are going through a difficult time right now. Many of us are weary from the ongoing pandemic. Some have been affected by the economic uncertainties and the rising inflation. Perhaps someone you know or loved succumbed to Covid-19. You are not alone.
What ever Egypt you find yourself bound up in, the LORD has promised to deliver you. If you have placed your trust in Him, He will help you through this and bring you to a promised land in which you will find rest and comfort, and peace. Do not fear when the enemy tries to attack you from your blindspots.
Do not take a step out of Egypt only to go back into it.
Wait on the LORD and He will guide you safely across the seas of doubt, depression, anguish, illness, or financial ruin.
He will guide you safely across even when the winds of change or storms of fury attempt to sink your lifeboat. Have faith!
You might even graduate from walking through the waters to walking on the water!
Meet your Savior, Messiah Yeshua, Jesus, the One who calls us all to have enough faith to walk on the waters, keeping our eyes fixed on Him!
Shalom!
Has this message encouraged you today? Please leave a comment! We’d love for you to subscribe to our email newsletter and keep in touch with others who can encourage your walk with Messiah Yeshua!
Exodus (Shemot) 2 introduces us to Amram עַמְרָם and Yokheved יוֹכֶבֶד (commonly rendered Jochebed in English).
It is important to note that their names are not revealed in Exodus 2. We don’t find out their names until a genealogy reports their names in Exodus 6:20.
Amram & Yokheved, of the tribe of Levi
What is revealed in Exodus 2 is this special couple’s status alone. They are of the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe. Scripture tells us a daughter of Levi is married to a son of Levi and they have a son.
Amram’s name in Hebrew means “Exalted Nation.” Yokheved’s name means “YHWH is Glory.” Their son would be a deliverer through whom the holy nation would indeed be exalted and the LORD’s Glory made known.
If we do not spend time in study of the Scriptures, we would not realize the richness hidden there. These two Levites in Exodus 2 appear nameless and nondescript, yet look how instrumental they were in Adonai’s plan!
As mentioned above, Yokheved had a son. Scripture describes the baby boy as “delightful!” The situation in Egypt was horrifically oppressive at that time, so due to the danger, Yokheved hid her son. She managed to hide the child for 3 months.
Yokheved was a wonderful mother. She did what she could to protect her baby and trusted in the LORD G-D of Israel as she placed the basket upon the Nile’s waters. And protect him, He did, for this would be no ordinary child: floating in that basket was Moses (Moshe), the one who would lead Israel out of Egypt.
The LORD uses the simplest of vessels – from a basket to a manger – to demonstrate to the world that His power is made perfect in raising up the lowly.
The LORD uses the simplest of vessels – from a basket to a manger – to demonstrate to the world that His power is made perfect in raising up the lowly.
Truly, all that our Heavenly Father has done is marvelous, and always exceedingly above any expectation or level of understanding. He created you, and He did so with a purpose.
What is hidden within you?
What is it that you are hiding within you? Has the LORD placed a burden or a talent or a calling deep within you? If you pray and prepare, the time will come when your gift will no longer be able to be hidden!
“A man’s gift makes room for him, and leads him before great men.” Proverbs 18:16
Though Moshe stuttered, the anointing upon his life made room for him even in the presence of the highest authority in the land, and Pharaoh had to cave in and let the people of Israel go. It was a temporary deliverance, but many years later, the Greater Deliverer would come.
And though there was no room in the Bethlehem inn, the Anointed One’s presence alone caused room to be made in the hearts of those who would seek and follow Him. When Messiah Yeshua (Jesus the Christ) came to this world, born in that lowly and humble setting, few understood He was the One who would reign eternally.
Revelation requires an element of hiddenness
Revelation is a key component of Scripture. In order for something to be revealed, it would have to first be hidden. It is a Scriptural principle, and Yeshua taught us:
There is a time and season for all things, and many of those things that were previously unknown or hidden to us have now come to light. Will you faithfully follow the One who has been revealed as Messiah of Israel, the Lamb who was slain, the Savior of all those who would believe, the King of all kings? Will you allow Him to use you, to shield you and to lift you up to impact the nations with the Good News of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus)?
How will you, like Yokheved, trust in the process and witness the LORD’s greatness revealed?
Moshe was of Levitical lineage, which was crucial to the unfolding of Biblical prophecies. If you have come to believe in Messiah Yeshua and have trusted Him with your salvation, you are of royal lineage, too.
May the LORD use you mightily and bless you on your journey!
Will you like and share this article with your friends? Would you please subscribe? We would love to continue publishing these messages to bless believers with the Good News of our Messiah Yeshua!
Living Water at the Feast of Tabernacles: exploring John 7
Updated 10/11/22 5783 B”H
Preparations for the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)
That said, I do want to encourage you: if you have never built a sukkah in your backyard, may this be the year!
The best way to understand something is by doing – by participating.
So, if you want to gain a deeper understanding of how our Savior lived and understand the truly impactful things that Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) said and taught, gaining a solid understanding of what Sukkot/the Feast of Tabernacles is and how it has been celebrated will increase your own Biblical comprehension and give you much greater spiritual revelation.
The “Last and Greatest Day of the Feast” described by John refers to Hoshana Rabbah, a special day at the ending of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles.
You may recognize the word, “Hoshana” in that term, Hoshana Rabba. We get the term “Hosanna” from this, a pleading for the Holy One to “please save.”
It has an emphatic tone in Hebrew: “Save now!”Hoshiana! It was a special day to plead for salvation.
A song you may enjoy: Hoshiana by Joshua Aaron
The Artscroll Siddur (a popular version of the Jewish siddur/prayerbook) contains an interesting prayer for the Feast of Tabernacles’ Hoshana Rabbah (p.757, Sukkos) pleading that God would “remove the . . . partition separating” “us from You.”
Writings in the Talmud and even Josephus describe Sukkot in historical terms, giving full credibility that Sukkot was indeed celebrated every year.
The Talmud and Rabbi Akiva, the prominent 1st century Jewish rabbi, describe the water libations that were part of the Feast of Tabernacle services every year.
The historical record gives us an idea about what every Jewish family would have been accustomed to during the yearly feast.
While the water ceremony was not established by Torah, there is evidence in the Tanakh that the pouring of water had become part of the Sukkot tradition to demonstrate gratitude for rain at least as far back as the time of Zechariah, or soon after, as the prophet definitely references it.
The feast lasted either 7 or 8 days (there is some controversy on how long it actually lasted), but what is certain is that Hoshana Rabbah was an exuberant gathering.
Water was drawn from the Pool of Siloam, brought to the Temple, poured on the altar, and berakhot (blessings) were said, thanking the LORD Most High for rain.
That same pool of water would be the site where the blind man was healed and Messiah’s healing ministry would expand.
The waters would cleanse, purify, and usher in a new reality. The Messiah had come, was standing before them, and He would fill those who believed in Him with His Living Water.
During Sukkot, the Jewish community thanked the God of Israel for rain
The people gathered would have been expecting to see the synagogue leaders circling the altar 7 times and they were used to watching the outpouring of water. But they would not have been expecting the Rabbi from Nazareth to declare that He is the source of all Water! His words reveal that He is One with the Creator! And not just any old water, Living Water!
I like the way that Leon Morris succinctly describes this:
“In words reminiscent of those in [John]4:10, Jesus gives the invitation to the thirsty to come to [H]im and drink. There is the implication that the thirsty soul will find that Jesus fills the need that cannot be supplied elsewhere. The appropriateness of the words at this feast is that, throughout the seven days, libations were made in the Temple with water brought from the pool of Siloam (Sukkot.4:9), but on the eighth day no water was poured, and this would make Jesus’ claim all the more impressive.”
Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to John. NICNT. Cambridge: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1995. Emphasis added.
Sukkot is such a special time for the people of God, and I invite you to celebrate it this year!
If you do, you will be part of a worldwide dress rehearsal, because Scripture indicates future celebrations of this joyous feast!
“Then all the survivors from all the nations that attacked Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Adonai-Tzva’ot, and to celebrate Sukkot.”
zechariah 14:16
May you be filled with Living Water and equipped to testify to the nations!
Don’t miss future posts! Subscribe today! Shalom!
“…In that day living waters will flow from Jerusalem…” Zechariah 14:8“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” Isaiah 12:3Luke 22:20
