Daily Bible Portion (Wednesday)
Daily Bible Portion - 4 of 7
"Wedding Supper of the Lamb"
(Weekly Reading>> Leviticus 22:26-23:44, Numbers 29:12-16, Zechariah 14:1-21, 1 Kings 8:2-21, Matthew 6:1-34)
The Lulav
Each of the four species, called a lulav in Hebrew, represents the Messiah. Thus, we can appreciate why we are to bring them before Him as a wave offering. The lulav is a prophetic symbol declaring the story of redemption and ingathering for all people.
Seven: We made the vow “We will do, and we will obey” God’s/Elohim Word to us and walk in His ways because He alone is worthy! Hebrew word sheba Strong’s H7651, from the root word shaba seven, to swear, take oath, to adjure.
The above descriptions of the four species truly reflect who we are in Yeshua and carry the whole story of the Righteous King from beginning to end/aleph to tav/Genesis to Revelation. May these thoughts be with us as we assemble our lulavs and wave them before Him with even greater rejoicing this year!
Note on the etrog: The etrog looks like a large bumpy lemon. During Sukkot, the Jewish people have traditionally used the etrog to accompany their lulavs. They hold them separately from the lulav to wave before the King. Rabbinic lulavs can be very expensive, especially if they are Kosher and ordered from the land of Israel. That usually limits the number to one lulav for a whole congregation. Because of this, it is very rare that each person or even each family has a lulav of their own.
We are called the firstfruits of God/Elohim and if we have an etrog – great! Alternatively, using a bough from a fruit-bearing tree and incorporating it into the lulav is completely acceptable according to Scripture. Moreover, as we do not have many palm trees here in Canada, children can always draw a palm or sketch the outline of their hand to cut out and color to complete palms for their lulav. Purchasing the traditionally correct fruits and greenery may not always be feasible for those living in the Diaspora. The main point we need to remember is that it is all about the heart. We encourage everyone to have fun making their own lulav from what is available naturally in the land where they live, and may we all share with a heart of joy and thanksgiving - the Season of our Joy!
continues tomorrow...
"Wedding Supper of the Lamb"
(Weekly Reading>> Leviticus 22:26-23:44, Numbers 29:12-16, Zechariah 14:1-21, 1 Kings 8:2-21, Matthew 6:1-34)
The Lulav
Leviticus 23:40 “And you shall take on the first day [of Tabernacles/Sukkot] the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees [myrtle], and willows of the brook; and shall rejoice before the LORD/Yahweh seven days.”
Each of the four species, called a lulav in Hebrew, represents the Messiah. Thus, we can appreciate why we are to bring them before Him as a wave offering. The lulav is a prophetic symbol declaring the story of redemption and ingathering for all people.
•Boughs: Represent the seed of Abraham in the Abrahamic Covenant (believers in Yeshua) who walk in Yeshua’s Gospel, will bear much fruit. It is the Hebrew word periy Strong’s H6529, from the root word parah meaning reflect fruit, produce (of the ground), offspring, children, reward, to cause to bear fruit, to make fruitful, and to show fruitfulness.
•Goodly: Yeshua is the word/Gospel made flesh. Man is created in Yeshua’s Image. It is the Hebrew word hadar Strong’s H1926 meaning ornament, splendor, honor, majesty and the glory of nature as revealing the goodness of God/Elohim (Leviticus 23:40, Psalm 111:3, Isaiah 35:2; Isaiah
53:2).
•Trees: Often in Scripture trees represent people and people groups. The two olive trees found in Zechariah 4 and Revelation 11:3-4 represent the stature of the House of Israel. The trees that know and walk in the ways of the Word of God/Elohim, the Gospel, will bear much fruit; their leaves will be for the healing of the nations. The pages of a Torah scroll are called leaves. These leaves have God’s/Elohim Words written on them. Accordingly, it is the people who know the Word of God/Elohim who will bring healing to the Nations. Healing comes from obeying and walking in the Gospel (Ezekiel 47:12). Hebrew word ets Strong’s H6086 the Aleph and the Tav, the beginning and the end.
•Branches: Yeshua, The Branch, bears the marks on His palms and the soles of His feet through His sacrifice and the death He suffered on our behalf. He humbled Himself even unto death. House of Israel and House of Judah are both grafted into the natural olive tree of Yeshua (Romans 11:11-27). Hebrew word kaph Strong’s H3709 meaning a palm, hollow or flat of the hand; power; sole (of the foot); hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees); to bow oneself down.
•Palm trees: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of Yahweh, they will flourish in the courts of our God/Elohim. They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green”. (Psalm 92:12-14). Hebrew word tamar Strong’s H8558.
•Boughs: Yeshua is the Messianic hope of Isaiah 11:1 “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots, a Branch will bear fruit” (John 15:1-8). (Hebrew word anaph. Strong’s H6057).
•Thick: Myrtles are known as braided branches because their branches are thick with leaves that grow in sets of three. Each set overlaps the one above it, creating the appearance of a braid. Our hearts are interwoven with Yeshua, as He is an indwelling Living God/Elohim for those who walk in His ways. Hebrew word aboth Strong’s H5687, from the root word abath meaning having interwoven foliage, leafy, dense with foliage.
•Willows: God/Elohim is a covenant making God/Elohim who is our guarantor. He pledged Himself to us and gave us a ketubah (Marriage Covenant, the Torah), the proof of His love for us. He paid our debt so we may enter into life in Him - His gift to us. Hebrew root word arab Strong’s H6148 to take a pledge, give in pledge, exchange, to have fellowship with, share.
•Brook: When Yeshua passed over the Kidron Brook to become the red heifer sacrifice. The brook carried the offenses and uncleanness of the Israelites that flowed from the Temple down through the valley below. Hebrew word nachal Strong’s H5158 a torrent valley, palm trees.
Yeshua is also the Living Water that supplies rivers of living waters in the desert that bring life and deliverance to all that call on Him (See ref. to palm above). Moreover, the word’s meaning refers to property, taking possession, giving as a possession, inheriting, giving as an inheritance, property, dividing the land for a possession, acquiring, being allotted, and being made to possess.•Goodly: Yeshua is the word/Gospel made flesh. Man is created in Yeshua’s Image. It is the Hebrew word hadar Strong’s H1926 meaning ornament, splendor, honor, majesty and the glory of nature as revealing the goodness of God/Elohim (Leviticus 23:40, Psalm 111:3, Isaiah 35:2; Isaiah
53:2).
•Trees: Often in Scripture trees represent people and people groups. The two olive trees found in Zechariah 4 and Revelation 11:3-4 represent the stature of the House of Israel. The trees that know and walk in the ways of the Word of God/Elohim, the Gospel, will bear much fruit; their leaves will be for the healing of the nations. The pages of a Torah scroll are called leaves. These leaves have God’s/Elohim Words written on them. Accordingly, it is the people who know the Word of God/Elohim who will bring healing to the Nations. Healing comes from obeying and walking in the Gospel (Ezekiel 47:12). Hebrew word ets Strong’s H6086 the Aleph and the Tav, the beginning and the end.
•Branches: Yeshua, The Branch, bears the marks on His palms and the soles of His feet through His sacrifice and the death He suffered on our behalf. He humbled Himself even unto death. House of Israel and House of Judah are both grafted into the natural olive tree of Yeshua (Romans 11:11-27). Hebrew word kaph Strong’s H3709 meaning a palm, hollow or flat of the hand; power; sole (of the foot); hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees); to bow oneself down.
•Palm trees: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of Yahweh, they will flourish in the courts of our God/Elohim. They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green”. (Psalm 92:12-14). Hebrew word tamar Strong’s H8558.
•Boughs: Yeshua is the Messianic hope of Isaiah 11:1 “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots, a Branch will bear fruit” (John 15:1-8). (Hebrew word anaph. Strong’s H6057).
•Thick: Myrtles are known as braided branches because their branches are thick with leaves that grow in sets of three. Each set overlaps the one above it, creating the appearance of a braid. Our hearts are interwoven with Yeshua, as He is an indwelling Living God/Elohim for those who walk in His ways. Hebrew word aboth Strong’s H5687, from the root word abath meaning having interwoven foliage, leafy, dense with foliage.
•Willows: God/Elohim is a covenant making God/Elohim who is our guarantor. He pledged Himself to us and gave us a ketubah (Marriage Covenant, the Torah), the proof of His love for us. He paid our debt so we may enter into life in Him - His gift to us. Hebrew root word arab Strong’s H6148 to take a pledge, give in pledge, exchange, to have fellowship with, share.
•Brook: When Yeshua passed over the Kidron Brook to become the red heifer sacrifice. The brook carried the offenses and uncleanness of the Israelites that flowed from the Temple down through the valley below. Hebrew word nachal Strong’s H5158 a torrent valley, palm trees.
•Rejoice: The offerings of thankfulness given to God/Elohim in this Season of our Joy and for the return and ingathering of all the nations who will come and worship the Lamb at the Feast of Sukkot/Tabernacles will be our perpetual response. The Hebrew word samach is Strong’s H8055 to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad.
•Before: This speaks of intimacy in meeting presence-to-presence with the King of Kings, Yeshua! Hebrew word paniym Strong’s H6440 from the root word panah face, presence, person, messenger, to turn toward, from or away.
•Before: This speaks of intimacy in meeting presence-to-presence with the King of Kings, Yeshua! Hebrew word paniym Strong’s H6440 from the root word panah face, presence, person, messenger, to turn toward, from or away.
Seven: We made the vow “We will do, and we will obey” God’s/Elohim Word to us and walk in His ways because He alone is worthy! Hebrew word sheba Strong’s H7651, from the root word shaba seven, to swear, take oath, to adjure.
The above descriptions of the four species truly reflect who we are in Yeshua and carry the whole story of the Righteous King from beginning to end/aleph to tav/Genesis to Revelation. May these thoughts be with us as we assemble our lulavs and wave them before Him with even greater rejoicing this year!
Note on the etrog: The etrog looks like a large bumpy lemon. During Sukkot, the Jewish people have traditionally used the etrog to accompany their lulavs. They hold them separately from the lulav to wave before the King. Rabbinic lulavs can be very expensive, especially if they are Kosher and ordered from the land of Israel. That usually limits the number to one lulav for a whole congregation. Because of this, it is very rare that each person or even each family has a lulav of their own.
We are called the firstfruits of God/Elohim and if we have an etrog – great! Alternatively, using a bough from a fruit-bearing tree and incorporating it into the lulav is completely acceptable according to Scripture. Moreover, as we do not have many palm trees here in Canada, children can always draw a palm or sketch the outline of their hand to cut out and color to complete palms for their lulav. Purchasing the traditionally correct fruits and greenery may not always be feasible for those living in the Diaspora. The main point we need to remember is that it is all about the heart. We encourage everyone to have fun making their own lulav from what is available naturally in the land where they live, and may we all share with a heart of joy and thanksgiving - the Season of our Joy!
continues tomorrow...