Yada Yah
Volume 1: In the Beginning
Why Are We Here?
Part one
Hayah – Existence
In the Beginning…
Perhaps the most important and least understood prophetic passage in Scripture is found in Genesis One—known in Hebrew as: Bare’syth – In the Beginning. Yahowah not only introduces Himself, explains the creation process, and presents His plan of reconciliation; He chronicles the seminal events of human history—past, present, and future—giving us the framework with which to understand His prophetic timeline. In addition to the three essential stories embedded in God’s initial testimony—creation, reconciliation, and prerecorded history—Yahowah also answers mankind’s most important question: why do we exist?
It is not uncommon for God to paint several pictures with the same brush. For example, when one reads the story of Abraham taking Yitschaq / Isaac to Mount Mowryah (errantly known as Moriah, meaning: Revere Yah) within the context of Bare’syth (errantly known as Genesis, meaning: in the beginning) and with a knowledge of archeology and history, it’s immediately apparent that the story chronicles an actual historical event. When one studies the details of this Covenant journey juxtaposed to its enablement, it becomes obvious that the story was prophetic, providing a dress rehearsal for the Ma’aseyah’s (errantly known as Messiah, meaning: Work and Implement of Yah’s) sacrifice at precisely the same place forty Yowbel (errantly known as Jubilee, meaning: Yah’s Lamb is God) later. When one scrutinizes each word, comparing them to the actual Pesach / Passover, and the Miqra’ey (from Miqra’, meaning Invitation to be Called-Out and Meet with God) commemorating it and them, thoughtful readers will come to appreciate why these dates remain the preeminent meeting times on Yahowah’s calendar. And, when all of this is understood within the parameters of God’s plan, a timeline emerges that enables us to date the seminal events of man’s salvation—past, present, and future. The same is true for Bare’syth / Genesis one.
Another example of a timeline embedded in a Scriptural account and three stories existing in one narrative, is Hosea’s (Howsha’, meaning "salvation") marriage to the temple prostitute Gomer. It depicted an historical event. The betrothal served to acquaint the prophet and Yisra’el (errantly known as Israel, meaning: to endure with God), circa 700BCE, with a tangible means of appreciating the consequence of their infidelity with their Creator. Howsha’s marriage to Gomer, therefore, served as a metaphor, illustrating how the Yahuwdym (errantly known as Jews, but actually meaning: Related to Yahowah) had broken their covenant with God. But that was not all. The story provided Yah with the framework with which to explain why He had to divorce Himself from His people to remain just. Moreover, the account provided relevant lessons for us today—especially for Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and Protestants—as their belief systems and cultures are very similar to those assailed in Howsha’s open letter to the Northern Kingdom. Finally, Howsha’s troubled marriage provided the framework on which to hang the timeline of the Ma’aseyah prophecies depicting Yahowsha’s (errantly known as Jesus, meaning: Yah Saves) arrival in Jerusalem (actually Yaruwshalaim, meaning: "Source from with Guidance on Reconciliation Flows") in 33CE (Year 4000 Yah) and again in 2033 CE (Year 6000 Yah) for salvation and reconciliation respectively.
There are three timelines and three simultaneous narratives embedded in Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis One, but the brush strokes are much broader, bolder, and more complex. As is His custom, Yahowah chooses His colors for a reason and shades each word with great precision. So we will honor this great communicator by examining His selections under the microscope of Hebrew lexicons and through amplification. And so throughout these volumes, I will share the insights His Scripture and Spirit have revealed, connecting every aspect of this painting to other illustrations the ultimate Artist has drawn. If nothing else, my commentary will slow you down, causing you to reflect on the majesty of our Maker’s world and Word.
However, be forewarned: this chapter on "Existence" requires an additional layer of complexity in the midst of what is already an extremely challenging interwoven Scriptural tapestry. To comprehend the creative side of Yahowah’s testimony, you will have to understand aspects of the theory of relativity, some physics, astronomy, biology, and evolution, as well as have some familiarity with the fossil record, statistical analysis, the concept of space-time, and the nature of light. I will do my best to provide the necessary insights for the uninitiated while not boring scientists or overwhelming those who have a limited interest in these discoveries. But no matter where you reside on the spectrum of contemporary scientific awareness, I beg your indulgence. What lies before you is challenging.
Before we begin, there is some good news. Yahowah is correct. From His perspective, it took precisely six twenty-four hour days to create the universe, our planet, life, and man. And scientists are right. Looking back from our perspective, the universe is somewhere between 10 and 20 billion years old. Yahowah is correct in that plants and animals reproduced after their kind and evolutionists are accurate in saying that some species have evolved. Yahowah not only agrees with the concept of the Big Bang, He was the first to use the term. God even uses scientific jargon in his presentation of dinosaurs. And in this regard His testimony is in complete harmony with the fossil record. Therefore, this scientific review of Bare’syth isn’t going to pit Creationism against the Big Bang and Evolution, but instead demonstrate that they agree, right down to the details—at least where the facts are known and science is rational. The controversy only rages between the advocates of religion and secular humanists. God’s accounting and the facts are not in conflict, nor is Bare’syth / Genesis contrary to valid science.
efei
Yahowah begins His open letter to man with a seven-word instruction. "Bare’shyth ‘elohym bara’ ‘eth hasamaym wa‘eth ha‘erets." The fact that there are seven words in God’s opening statement of purpose isn’t a coincidence. Every important aspect of Yahowah’s Word, including His plan of salvation, is based upon the formula: one (representing God) in addition to six (representing mankind) equals seven (equates to a perfect result and relationship). Here, the one special word among the seven is: "’elohym – God Almighty."
Translated into English, Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 1:1LEB reads: "In (ba – near, with, and in proximity to, regarding the account of) the beginning (re’shyth – at the start of time and the initiation of the process of existence, concerning the first fruits, and the head of the family), the Almighty (‘elohym – God) accordingly (‘eth – accompanying and in association) created (bara’ – conceived and caused a new existence, choosing perfect transformation and renewed birth, planning, preparing, and producing) the (ha) spiritual world (samaym – Heavens and abode of God) and (wa) also (‘eth) the (ha) material realm (‘erets – matter, the physical and natural world)."
While I did not have to translate either occurrence of ‘eth in this passage, as is customary when rendering Hebrew into English, the word indicates that God was "in close proximity to" His creation, and that He initiated the process for the purpose of "accompaniment, relationship, and association." These concepts are germane to our understanding for two reasons.
First, by using ‘eth, God makes us aware of His proximity to this creative event. That is important because in the presence of great energy, mass, or velocity the rate time flows slows appreciably. This realization will allow us to ultimately correlate a clock on earth to one at creation.
Second, God is suggesting that His intent is to be near His creation, to remain in close association with us. This in turn serves to underscore the purpose of the Torah which is to present the Covenant – a family relationship.
Speaking of that relationship, the letters which comprise the Torah’s first word are especially revealing. In Ancient Hebrew, the alphabet Moseh used to scribe the original autograph of the Torah, and reading right to left, ba-are’syth reads: u i s a r b. The first letter, Beyt, when used as a preposition means "in" or "with." The name of the letter is from beyth, meaning "home and family." Beyth in turn is the root of beryth – the Hebrew word translated "Covenant," thereby explaining the nature of the intended relationship. That is why the character b was originally drawn to depict the floor plan of a home – one with a singular entrance or doorway. Brought together, these concepts convey God opening the door and inviting us into His home to be with Him and to be part of His family.
The second letter, a Rosh, originally written r, explains how we can avail ourselves of this opportunity. Drawn to depict a human head, the letter suggests that we should use our eyes to observe and our ears to listen to what God has to say about His covenant home and family. As we process that information in our brains in an effort to understand who He is and what He is offering, we can then use our mouths to respond appropriately. Beyond this, Rosh, which is derived from re’sh, reveals that this quest should be our "principle priority" because this is the "first and foremost" family.
The third alphabetic character of Scripture’s first word is Aleph. Initially drawn in the form of a ram’s head a, it conveyed the ideas of strength and power in addition to authority. As such, the Aleph is the first letter in God’s title: ‘el – which means "Almighty" and describes someone with the "authority to teach" and "the ability to lead." These concepts collectively communicate that God has the authority to teach us about His family and the ability to lead us to His home, a place where we will be strengthened and empowered by God, Himself.
This brings us to the fourth letter, a Shin. It was scribed to symbolically represent teeth s. This was done to depict words and convey language. In this case it is God’s testimony in Hebrew, and the nourishment His words provide. These then is the script we ought to examine and listen to in our quest to understand why there is a singular doorway into Yahowah’s home.
Speaking of God’s name, next we find its first letter (written right to left: efei). This Yowd was based upon yad, the Hebrew word for "hand." It conveyed the ideas of reaching out to accomplish something. Especially relevant in this regard, the first character in Yahowah’s name, a i, reveals that God is reaching out to us with an open hand because He wants to lift us up and lead us home. It was not communicated with a closed fist engendering fear, but instead a hand extended in friendship. And it is Yahowah, Himself, who has personally engaged to do everything required for us live with Him as part of His covenant family.
Lastly we are greeted by a Theth, written u in Ancient Hebrew. This letter was drawn to depict two ideas. First, it conveys an enclosure, symbolic of God’s protection. And second, the internal marking denoted a signature, affirming that Yahowah’s signed His name on the Torah’s first word.
The broad and fine strokes known, let’s examine each of these words under an etymological microscope. The first word is ba. As we have previously noted, it is from Beyth, the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It means "in, with, among, near, or in proximity to something." Ba is "a maker of cause and effect, and of reason." Ba speaks "of simultaneous and overlapping events in time." However, the word is not found in this form in Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 1, but rather exists as a compound representing the preposition "in," before the Hebrew noun, re’shyth. Conjoining prepositions, articles, and pronouns with the word they are modifying is customary in many languages including Hebrew.
Re’shyth conveys many pertinent thoughts, including: "first and best." It speaks of "the beginning or initiation of a process." Its "first fruits" connotation is very significantly spiritually, because it identifies "something of value which is set aside and dedicated to God." Re’shyth describes that which is "set apart," which is one of Scripture’s most important concepts, as it explains the nature of the Son and Spirit, as well as their relationship to God. And speaking of which, the re’shyth is "head of the family." Also, in relationship to Yisra’el and the Yahuwdym, who are the control group in Yahowah’s revelation, re’shyth means "to make a division and distinction."
I use the term "control group" because that is the role Yahuwdym perform in God’s Word. By choice and covenant, by word and deed, by land and spirit, they were separated from all other peoples to serve as a living, quantifiable, and documented example of the benefits of choosing to form a covenant relationship with Yahowah, as well as the consequences of separating oneself from Him. In these people, we witness the consequence of bonding with the Adversary via the religions and politics of man.
The most significant aspect of re’shyth, and the word’s second most frequent translational rendering, is "first fruits—symbolic of reaping the harvest of purified grain [a metaphor for saved souls] and waving a sheaf before Yahowah so that it will be accepted." (Qara’ / Leviticus 23:9-11LEB) This Called-Out Assembly, known as Bikuwrym in Hebrew, is indicative of men and women being born anew as children into Yahowah’s family. As Yahowah’s third of seven Mow’ed Miqra’ey, or Appointed Invitations to be Called Out and Meet with God, the Festival of FirstFruits follows Passover and Unleavened Bread. It is the first of three harvests of saved souls included in God’s seven-step plan of redemption and reconciliation. It signifies our acceptance before God and our reunification with Him after we accept the gifts of life and redemption represented by the Miqra’ey of Pesach and Matsah.
The three spring Feasts commemorate actual historical events experienced by the Children of Yisra’el during their rescue from political, religious, economic, and military oppression in Egypt. They are also prophetic, predicting when the Ma’aseyah would redeem us. They are instructive, explaining precisely how God would ransom us from sin. During the Exodus, and during the ultimate fulfillment of the Miqra’ey, the blood of the Perfect Passover Lamb was smeared on an upright pole forming the doorway to eternal life. The following day, during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, yeast was removed from grain, synonymous with the removal of sin from our souls. This conferred an immortal and perfected state upon us, enabling us to be harvested by God, redeemed and reconciled, and brought to His eternal storehouse on the third day in commemoration of FirstFruits. So in Scripture’s first word, God used a term which suggested that He had a specific plan to redeem that which He had yet to create, bringing mankind back into eternal fellowship. In many ways, the first word’s diverse meanings summarize all the words which follow.
Continuing to focus on re’shyth, we discover that it is based upon ro’sh, which means "head, top, summit, chief, sum, and beginning." And in this vein, the "summit" of Mount Mowryah (errantly known as Moriah, meaning: revere Yah) is where Yahowsha’ stood up for us so that we could stand with Him.
The "sum and total," connotation reinforces that our redemption and reconciliation is the summation of God’s Word. Which is why re’shyth means "company," introducing with the first word the purpose of His revelation: to develop a beryth/relationship with His creation.
And as we have discovered, re’shyth can also be translated "head of family"—signifying that God is our Father. I find it interesting that ‘ab, the Hebrew word for "father," alphabetically is the very first word in Yahowah’s chosen language of revelation.
Since Yahowah created language, since He used language to create, and since Hebrew is His chosen language, every linguistic nuance of His Word’s first word is worthy of our consideration. In that light, we discover that re’shyth has a scientific connotation in addition to its spiritual meaning. Re’shyth "denotes the point when and where space and time began." This is something we only came to understand quite recently. Despite what you may have been told, that scientists have demonstrated that God’s Bare’syth account is inaccurate, the truth is just the opposite. With each new discovery, the position of science is changing from being in conflict with Yahowah’s 3,500-year-old testimony to being in harmony with it. Old science has been refuted, not Yahowah. For example, as recently as fifty years ago, prior to the discovery of the red shift found in retreating galaxies, the overwhelming preponderance of scientists believed the universe was a constant, that it had always existed, and that it therefore wasn’t created.
To quote England’s most acclaimed astronomer: "The notion the universe had a beginning is repugnant." The truth is often repulsive to those who focus on the creation rather than the Creator. Yet if they were to change their perspective and observe Yah’s Torah, they would come to better understand our universe and the life in it. They would discover that the cosmos had a beginning, a place where space and time began—a truth revealed nearly three thousand five hundred years before man stumbled upon it. They would know that life was the result of an intelligent design – one commissioned for a particular purpose.
While Yahowah’s creation account isn’t merely a scientific explanation, it has proven scientific implications that humankind couldn’t appreciate before Einstein’s Theories of Special and General Relativity. They demonstrate that before matter was created through the transformation of energy into mass, there was no time or space. Time began when matter and space were formed. That is precisely what re’shyth is telling us because first and foremost re’shyth is defined as: "the initiation of the process of the state of being, the first point in space-time."
Consistent with Einstein’s Theory, where light is the universal constant, light was the first thing God made manifest. Like Yahowah, Himself, light exists outside, or beyond, the constraints of time. According to Relativity, at the velocity of light, the past, present, and future exist simultaneously. That is why the verb, hayah, "I was, I am, and I will be, We were, We are, and We will be," lies at the heart of Yahowah’s name.
God exists within and beyond the confines of the four dimensions of time and space we understand. He sees yesterday, today, and tomorrow, here and there, as if they were all here and now. However, to relate to us and to enter our more finite realm, Yahowah can and does convert some of His light energy into matter. As a matter of fact, modern science has come to recognize that "all matter is just a mass of stable light." And I believe this transformation, this diminishment of dimensions and energy, is what enabled Yahowah to tread among us as the Ma’aseyah Yahowsha’—God existing in the confines of our dimensions and time.
Light, like Yahowah, is not only the universal constant; it is the purest form of energy. And energy is the source and substance of matter. At creation, when energy became matter through Einstein’s E=mc(2), the four-dimensional construct we call "space-time," began. This is important because everlasting life—the nature of light, the definition of Yahowah’s name, the substance of FirstFruits, and the essence of revelation—requires a transition from our mortal three-dimensional existence, to God’s four-dimensional realm where time eternally exists in the past, present, and future.
That is not to say that Yahowah and the universe He created are limited to four dimensions. The empirical evidence confirms that there are more. For example, scientists are completely baffled when it comes to explaining the nature of the strongest macro influence on the universe—gravity—the tendency of matter to attract. And even if we were to stumble on gravity’s nature or cause, we would then only understand four percent of the forces influencing our observable reality. Ninety six percent of the energy and matter at work in the universe is black, or invisible to our observations. The completely unknown effect which has been labeled "dark energy" provides a counter force to gravity, demonstrating a repulsive nature. String Theory suggests this could be the result of several more dimensions, albeit within a point and thus acting at the micro-atomic level.
While I could neither understand it nor prove it, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were seven dimensions—Yahowah’s favorite number—with three of them intersecting at right angles at the micro level. If that were so, the fifth dimension might explain the repulsive nature of the unknown force influencing our universe. God might call this dimension choice, as it provides the ability for us to separate from God if we make light of His gravity. Under this premise, the sixth dimension would be gravity itself—the unknown source of universal attraction, the tendency of things to draw closer together. He might call it beryth/relationship.
The seventh could provide the basis of consciousness and communication, the language of perfect communion, the essence of thought and creativity which binds us together and causes all things to happen. Many aspects of our universe, especially at the sub-atomic and galactic levels, demonstrate cognitive awareness. Examples are the fact light responds differently when it is observed, the half-lives of radioactive decay, whereby individual particles demonstrate coordinated behavior, and the ability of living cells and inorganic light to consciously communicate with and influence the behavior of other wave particles. Yahowah might call the seventh dimension the Word, which may be why Yahowchanan / John wrote: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…and the Word became flesh and tabernacled with us and we beheld His radiance."
Before we leave our study of re’shyth, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that there are many appropriate ways to transliterate the sound of this Hebrew noun in English. Comprised of the letters Resh, Aleph, Shin, Yodh, and Thaw, you will find this word which is pronounced ray·sheeth, conveyed as: resit, re’sit, resith, re’sith, resyth, re’syth, resiyth, and re’siyth. These acceptable variations differ because some lexicons represent the Hebrew letters Aleph and Ayin with apostrophes and others do not. Some lexicons transliterate the Hebrew Yod with an "i," some with a "y," while others use both to designate the source of the sound. Further, the Hebrew letter Shin is most similar to the English "s," but usually conveys a "sh" sound. Similarly, the Hebrew Thaw is akin to the English "t," but most often conveys a "th" sound. So, there is no right or wrong way to transliterate Hebrew words such as re’shyth in English, and therefore, you will find many variations of the same word in this book. Also, so that you know, the use of italics is the customary way to convey foreign words in a translated text. It helps distinguishes them from the primary language in which the document is written.
While we are on this subject, I’d like to dispel a myth. Scholars will tell you that Hebrew is a consonant only language, but that is not true. The purpose of this deception is to artificially elevate the status of the Masoretic Text which is vocalized, and to render Yahowah’s name unpronounceable. But in fact, there are five vowels among the 22 letters which comprise the Hebrew alphabet. They are: Aleph, Hey, Waw, Yowd, and Ayin. Yahowah’s name is pronounced using three of these vowels: Yowd Hey Waw Hey (efei - hwhy- יהוה)—vocalized: Y·aH·oW·aH. Collectively, there are 260 individuals and places in God’s Word which are based upon Yahowah’s name—all of which can be accurately pronounced.
From the perspective of the subject-verb-object sentence structure we are accustomed to in English, ‘elohym is the second word in Yahowah’s opening salvo. It is the plural of ‘el, meaning "almighty, mighty one, deity, or god." And both ‘el and ‘elohym are based upon ‘elowah. Written right to left in the original Hebrew alphabet it looks like this: e f l a, or like this in the contracted plural form: m i e l a.
‘Elowah begins with Aleph: a (א), which we have already learned is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In its pictographic form it represented a ram’s head which symbolized strength, power, might, and authority.
The second letter, Lamed l (ל), was drawn in the shape of a shepherd’s staff. As a result, it conveys leadership, direction, guidance, nurturing, and protection. Used commonly as a prefix, a Lamed serves as a preposition in Hebrew, communicating movement toward a goal – in this case towards God, Himself.
The Wah f (ו), which designates the "o" sound in ‘elowah, and in its contracted plural form ‘elohym, resembles a tent peg, which is important because they were used to enlarge and secure the homes of those who first heard Yahowah’s title. These sturdy stakes also secured the Tabernacle which represented God’s home among His people. Today, as then, the Wah is used as a conjunction, and conveys the ideas of increasing, connecting, adding, and enlarging.
The final letter, Hey e (ה), like the Wah, is found in both Yahowah’s name and His title. The Hey is among the most distinctive letters, in that it was drawn in the form of a person standing up, pointing and reaching up to the heavens. It screams, pay attention, be observant, and take notice of what God has done and said. Today, hey still means "behold."
To achieve the plural form as it was scribed in the opening line of the Towrah we must add two letters, a Yowd i and a Mem m. The Yowd i, which depicts God’s arm reaching down and out with an open hand, is the first letter in His name efei – Yahowah. It is mostly self explanatory, telling us that God is not only reaching out to us with an open hand of friendship to lead us to Him and to lift us up, but also that He, Himself, will engage personally to do this work on our behalf.
The Mem m was drawn to show the waves on water being driven by the ruwach, wind and spirit. Water is not only the universal solvent, and shown throughout the Towrah as the source of cleansing, it is also shown to be the source from which life emerged.
Bringing this all together, the characters which comprise ‘elowah, and it’s contracted plural form ‘elohym, and meaning "Almighty God," paint a picture of God as being supremely powerful, of being a shepherd who cares for His flock, leading, nurturing, and protecting them. He is focused upon enlarging His family and protecting those who not only seek Him, but also observe His revelation and reach up to Him for assistance, cleansing them and giving them new life.
By using the plural form, Yahowah implied that His paternal nature, His maternal Ruwach/Spirit, and their physical representation, Yahowsha’, were all present at creation—something the Ma’aseyah confirms throughout His witness. While there is only one God, ‘elohym serves to affirm that His redemptive and relationship manifestations—Son and Spirit—co-exist eternally, and that they are both set apart from the same source. Reinforcing the single unity of ‘elohym, the verb "bara’ – create" was written in the third person singular, not plural (i.e., he created, rather than they created).
Speaking of "bara’, it is the lone verb in God’s initial statement to mankind. It means "to create," both in the sense of "initiating something new which had not been in existence before," and of "renewing, transforming, and reshaping that which already exists." Consistent with this regenerative and redemptive concept, bara’ conveys: "the choice to transform and to perfect, producing miracles and performing whatever tasks are required to bring something back to a prior state." It speaks of "cutting" in the sense of "being cut down," and of "cutting a covenant," as well of life’s beginning and end, both "birth" and "death." So we should not be surprised that bara’ is used prolifically by Yasha’yahuw / Isaiah and Yirmayahuw / Jeremiah with regard to their prophecies pertaining to the Ma’aseyah, especially as the latter predicts the Covenant’s renewal—predictions we’ll examine in due time.
So then, a summary of bara’s overall influence on Yahowah’s message to mankind might well read: the Creator chose to cut a Covenant to save mankind, initiating the process by dispatching part of Himself to be conceived among men, to live perfectly, producing miracles, and performing the task of allowing Himself to be cut down so as to renew the Covenant and our souls, transforming the relationship, and bringing it back to its prior perfect state so that we could exist forever with Him.
Since the "renewing and reshaping" aspect of bara’ conveys an essential aspect of Yahowah’s purpose, and explains the Covenant’s role in His plan of salvation, let’s jump ahead in time to the creation of God’s written testimony—the very book and relationship we are considering. We are going to examine bara’ from this perspective because the best way to understand God’s Word is to observe how He uses His words.
Bara’ was deployed in conjunction with cutting of the Covenant in Shemowth / Names / Exodus 34:10LEB. Long after the universe had been created, long after the Covenant had been established with Abraham, replete with its plan of redemption and reconciliation, and in the immediate aftermath of Yahowah’s liberation of His children from the crucible of human religious and political oppression, we find God reestablishing His relationship with His creation. Beginning with the first verse of Shemowth 34, we discover that after Moseh (errantly known as Moses, meaning: to draw out) chiseled out two new stone tablets to replace the ones he had broken in disgust upon seeing the people Yahowah had rescued from Egypt, abandoning Him and worshiping an Egyptian god, he did as he was told and walked back up to the summit of Mount Sinai (known today as Jabal al Lawz on the Arabian Peninsula).
"And Yahowah (efei) descended (yarad – came down, lowered and diminished Himself, and bowed down) in a cloud (‘anan – surrounded by a visible mass of water vapor) and stood (yasab – made a commitment to appear, present Himself, and take a stand) with (‘im – in association and in a relationship with) him there. And he called out, summoned, and proclaimed (qara’ – he recited aloud, invited, welcomed, and announced) by way of Yahowah’s (efei) personal and proper name (shem)." (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 34:5LEB)
If you are accustomed to viewing God from a religious perspective, there are many surprises here. First, God diminished Himself. Had He not done so, the power of His presence would have incinerated Moseh. He both "bowed down" and "stood with" Moseh, concepts which are incompatible with religion, and mutually exclusive apart from Yahowah’s plan of reconciliation. You see, Yahowsha’ is Yahowah on His knees. He is the diminished human manifestation of God who lowered Himself, literally accepting our guilt, so that we could stand vindicated and reconciled with Him. He did this with Moseh on Mount Sinai, and He did this again on Passover and Unleavened Bread, so that we could fulfill the Covenant’s promise and walk upright with our Creator.
Yahowah wants us to proclaim His name, to call out His name, to summon Him by way of His personal and proper name. Those who don’t know His name, don’t know Him. Those who don’t invite Him into their lives by way of His name, are estranged from Him. But more than just reciting and announcing Yahowah’s name, qara’ serves as the base of miqra’ – the title of Yahowah’s seven "Invitations to be Called Out and Meet with God" – which serve as His plan of reconciliation. In a word, God is announcing the way home, the path to eternal life with Him.
Now that Moseh had followed God’s instructions, and had summoned God by name: "And Yahowah (efei) passed over (‘abar – removed his transgressions) on account of (‘al) His presence (paneh – appearance)." (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 34:6LEB) Passover is the first of seven steps in Yahowah’s plan of salvation. It is required for us to exist in His presence.
The Christian concept of "grace" is derived from Paul’s epistles, and is actually a transliteration of the Roman Gratia—the pagan goddesses of charity. The concept, however, of undeserved favor, of a merciful gift, and of love-based forgiveness, isn’t new. These things form the basis of Yahowah’s Covenant and describe His nature. "And he called out, summoned, and proclaimed (qara’ – he recited aloud, invited, welcomed, greeted, and announced) Yahowah (efei), Yahowah (efei), God (‘el – Mighty One) of deeply loving, favorable and compassionate, forgiving relationships (rachuwm – the womb or birthplace of deeply devoted love, tenderly affectionate compassion) and mercy (chanan – a heartfelt response to intervene and give an undeserved gift to those in need), longsuffering and slow to anger (‘arek ‘ap), and great (rab – abundant) in loyal love and unfailing kindness (chesed – deep devotion, steadfast affection, and favorable relationships), always trustworthy and reliable (‘emeth – true, dependable, honest, sure, supportive, confirming, unwavering, and unchanging)." (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 34:6LEB)
Moseh knew Yahowah personally. He spoke directly with Him. Therefore, Moseh’s depiction of God is more reliable than Paul’s or Christianity’s, more reliable than Akiba’s or Judaism’s, and vastly more reliable than Muhammad’s or Islam’s. Yahowah, the God of the Covenant, the Voice of the Towrah, our Creator, is "compassionate, forgiving, merciful, longsuffering, loving, trustworthy, and reliable."
"Loyal love and unfailing kindness (chesed – deep devotion, steadfast affection, and favorable relationships) spares, protects, and preserves (natsar – watches over, guards, saves, keeps, and maintains) so that (la) thousands learn (‘eleph / ‘aleph – discern and teach a thousand fold) to be lifted up and be forgiven from (nasa’ – to be raised up, supported, sustained, and carried away from) guilt (‘awon – that which distorts, perverts, twists, or warps, wrongdoing and its requisite punishment), rebellion (pesa’ – revolt against God’s standard and authority), and missing the Way (chata’ah – sin), becoming pardoned and going unpunished (naqah – being vindicated and considered innocent, being released from the consequence of what we have done)." (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 34:7LEB) One of the benefits of amplification is that when we come upon a word which can be vocalized in different ways, like "’eleph – thousands" and "’aleph – learn," both connotations can be conveyed.
Apart from the specificity regarding the three types of crimes which we would otherwise be held accountable, "guilt associated with distorting God’s Word, rebellion against God’s authority and standard, and missing the Way He has provided," and the relatively small number of beneficiaries, the "loving protection" and "forgiveness" which separates us from our sin and "lifts us up" to God, sounds like the salvation message proclaimed in the Covenant. And according to the Ma’aseyah Yahowsha’, it is. In His conclusion to His Teaching on the Mount, He said exactly the same thing, also limiting the number of people who would avail themselves of the unpopular way provided by the Towrah. (In subsequent chapters, we will study Yahowsha’s seldom-considered statements recorded in Mattanyah / Matthew 5 through 7.)
Numbering those who will be saved from themselves, and from man’s oppressive religious schemes, in the thousands, as opposed to millions or billions, should send shivers down the spine of Jews, Christians, and Muslims everywhere. But this was not a casual observance. Yahowah wrote the same number with His own finger on the very tablets Moseh was holding. Moseh was simply reciting what Yahowah had engraved in stone.
"But not pardoning or forgiving (lo’ naqah – not leaving unpunished), counting and recording (paqad – taking stock and inventory of) that which distorts and perverts (‘awon – guilt from twisting, corrupting, and warping) of fathers (‘ab) on sons (beny – children), and on their son’s sons to the third and fourth generation (ribea’ – speaking of great, great grandsons)." (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 34:7LEB)
This message is one that mankind doesn’t want to hear. We don’t want to accept responsibility for corrupting Yahowah’s message with our religious schemes, or acknowledge the consequence of doing so on our children and our children’s children. But Christian parents raise Christian children in a perverted religion based upon Pauline doctrine, a faith which distorts and twists God’s Word, and thus leaves believers and their children unsaved. The same is true for religious Jews and Muslims, and especially children born into socialist secular Humanist societies.
Yahowah provided and enabled the path from mankind’s oppressive religious and political world to His home where we can live forever. But the path is narrow, specific, restrictive, and very unpopular—and few there are who find it. Fortunately for you, and for those you love, you are now looking in the right place.
Moseh was in the midst of pleading with God. He knew that his people deserved to be abandoned for their infidelity. They had acted like today’s Christians, Muslims, and Jews, and had mocked the Creator, and His willingness to save them, by worshiping something they had created. He was asking God for forgiveness, for a second chance. And that would require two things: God responding based upon His nature, not man’s nature, and a different attitude toward God. So…
"Moseh impetuously and impulsively (mahar – hurriedly, anxiously, emotionally, and rashly, demonstrating some distress regarding the future) bowed toward (qadad) the earth (‘erets – ground and land) and explained (hawah – verbally communicated, explained, and declared), saying (‘amar), ‘Please, I beg You (na’ – I plead with You to save us), if (‘im) I have found (masa’) favor (chen – mercy) in your (ba ‘ethah) eyes (‘ayn – presence), My Upright One and Foundation (‘edonay – Upright Pillar, established and firm base, and Shelter or Tabernacle), please, I beg You (na’ – I plead with You to save us), let the Upright Pillar walk (halak ‘edonay – the Upright One travel) in our midst (ba ‘enhnan qereb). Indeed because (ky) the people (‘am) are stiffed necked (qaseh ‘orep – hard, harsh, and stubborn), and You can forgive (salah – pardon and remove) our guilt (‘awon – propensity to distort, pervert, twists, and corrupt) and our missing the Way (chata’ah – our sin), and provide us with an inheritance (nahal)." (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 34:8-9LEB)
Moseh was embarrassed for his people, which is why he impulsively bowed his head in shame, something Yahowah neither requested, desired, nor even acknowledged. But he did not "worship" God as most every English bible proclaims by inappropriately translating hawah. Its primary meaning is "to tell, explain, verbally communicate, announce, inform, and declare" which fits the context, while its secondary meaning, "bow down prostrate" would be redundant and thus verbose. Moseh was begging Yahowah to forgive one of the most inappropriate and revolting acts in human history. After being miraculously freed from the most powerful and oppressive nation on earth, the Children of Yisra’el thanked their Savior by worshiping a false god.
Speaking of false gods, your ears are more accustomed to hearing "Lord," a translation of ‘adonay, than they are to hearing "Upright One" or Upright Pillar," which are from ‘edonay. ‘Adonay and ba’al mean "lord" in Hebrew, and because they serve to define Satan’s ambition, Yahowah uses them as the Adversary’s title. ‘Edonay, a cognate of ‘edon, speaks of the "Upright Pillar" of cloud and fire which traveled with the Children of Yisra’el from this day forward, honoring Moseh’s request. More telling still, Yahowsha’ is the Upright One, the One who stood up for us so that we could stand with Him. And the upright pillars of Passover’s doorposts, and the upright pole upon which Yahowsha’ was nailed on Passover, serve as the doorway to heaven. So in this case, the familiar is an "’awon – corruption" which causes people to "chata’ah – miss they Way." And the "’edon – Upright One" is the only one who can "salah – forgive and pardon" us.
This enlightening excursion then brings us to the passage in which Yahowah used "bara’ – create" in conjunction with reestablishing the Covenant with children who had already turned their back on Him. So, long after the universe had been created, long after the Covenant had been established with Abraham, and in the immediate aftermath of His children’s rebellion, we find God renewing His relationship with His creation.
"And He said (‘amar), ‘Behold, here and now (hineh), I am cutting (karat) a Familial Covenant Relationship (beryth) conspicuously announced before (neged) your people (‘am). I will do (‘asah – perform) wonderful and astounding things (pala’) which relationally (‘asher) have not been conceived (bara’ – created, begotten, and fashioned) on all the land (kol ‘erets) and among all the people from different races and places (kol Gowym). And the entire family (kol ‘am) will see (ra’ah) who is in their midst (qereb): Yahowah (efei) working (ma’aseh) with (‘eth) you. Indeed (ky) it will be awesomely astonishingly (yare’) that which relationally (‘asher) I (‘any) do (‘asah) with (‘im) you (‘atah)." (Shemowth / Names / Exodus 34:10LEB)
Yahowah conceived the work He was going to do on behalf of the Covenant and His children, long before this announcement, so the only thing "new" was that His means and methods were previously unknown within the human experience. No pagan god had ever bowed down to or suffered for man, but the only real God would do these wonderful and amazing things.
Specifically, Yahowah’s most "marvelous and astounding" deed was His willingness to diminish Himself, falling to His knees, sacrificing Himself, to save His creation. He would manifest part of Himself as a man to personally pay the price required to enable our reconciliation. To serve the interests of the Covenant, He would become the Passover Lamb and play the starring role in the Greatest Story Ever Told.
And the purpose of this story, of everything written in the Word of God, of the Covenant and Towrah, in fact the only reason the universe was created and life exists, is so "relationally we can do awesomely revering and astonishingly respectful things with Yahowah."
Before we leave bara’, it is instructive to examine its use in Yahowsha’ (more commonly known as Joshua, meaning: Yahowah Saves (written from right to left in Ancient, Paleo, and Modern/Babylonian Hebrew: osfei - [fwhy- יהושׁוע) which is "Jesus’" actual name) Exodus 17:15LEB. There, bara’ speaks of "cutting and clearing" a forest to make room for God’s expanding family to live. In this light, Yahowsha’s fulfillment of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and FirstFruits cleared the way for Yahowah’s family to expand, enabling ever more of us to live with our Heavenly Father in the Promised Land. Further, associating the Covenant with its symbol, which is circumcision, Yahowah routinely states that His "beryth – Familial Covenant Relationship" was "karat – cut" with Abraham, Yitschaq, Ya’aqob and the Children of Yisra’el.
For those who favor the 17th century’s errant moniker "Jesus," be advised that Yahowsha’, the man who led the Children of Yisra’el into the Promised Land, was named after the Ma’aseyah Yahowsha’, the one who paved the way for all of us live in God’s home. And you will find Yahowsha’s name inscribed 218 (in addition to Yshuw’ah 77 and Yashuwa’ 30) times in God’s Word. The fact that deceitful religious men changed his name to "Joshua," and the Ma’aseyah’s name to "Jesus," cannot be blamed on God. He knows how to correctly write His name so that it can be properly pronounced.
In Ancient Hebrew, bara’ was written a r b, using letters which are now familiar to us. It tells us that God, Himself, as His first priority, created a home for us so that those of us who use our heads to prioritize this relationship, to listen to Him, to observe His testimony, and to respond to Him, will be protected and empowered as members of the Almighty’s family.
Therefore, by using re’shyth, ‘elohym and bara’, or in Ancient Hebrew (and reading left to right) m i e l a a r b u i s a r b, Yahowah is saying that He wants us to join Him in His home, and that He is first and foremost our Father and our Shepherd, the one who leads us, who protects us, who cleanses us, and who restores and nurtures our life, empowering and enriching us. He is not only introducing us to His Covenant family, He has provided us with His Word, the means know Him, the means to understand what He is offering, and then respond.
In the world’s only credible creation account, the Spirit who inspired Bare’syth is putting us on notice: we can accept or reject the claimant and His claims. In the thousand pages which follow His Bare’syth / Genesis testimony, the Author provides what He deems to be sufficient evidence for us to evaluate the veracity of His claims and determine the wisdom of choosing to acknowledge the Creator’s, Savior’s, and Father’s role in our existence and lives. What you choose to do with this information is up to you.
Scripture’s fourth and sixth words share the same base, ‘eth. While the Hebrew term doesn’t need to be translated into English, it conveys "association and accompaniment." ‘Eth can be rendered "with, among, through, accordingly, and also." ‘Eth is derived from ‘owth, meaning "sign or signal to be observed and remembered." It in turn is related to ‘uwth, meaning "consent," as in "reaching an agreement." These are both Ma’aseyah concepts.
Vocalized differently, the Hebrew letters in ‘eth (Aleph Thaw אֵת) can be rendered ‘ath, also meaning "miraculous sign." According to Scripture, and the Bare’syth account in particular, Yahowah’s most "miraculous sign" was the redemptive work of Yahowsha’. And that’s particularly interesting because in Revelation, Yahowsha’ is translated saying that He is the "alpha and omega," the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, signifying that He is the beginning and end of all things, or the "Aleph and Thaw" in Hebrew, the language spoken in heaven.
Samaym, Yahowah’s fifth word to mankind, can describe "heaven—the spiritual abode of God," and "the physical universe—the realm of stars." Both are relevant to the three storylines. Samaym is based upon the Hebrew root meaning "to be lofty and elevated," and as such, it speaks of God’s plan to elevate us to His spiritual abode.
One of the more interesting verifications that samaym can be used to describe Yahowah’s home in the spiritual realm, in the 78th Psalm, we learn that heaven has a doorway—at least metaphorically. Speaking of His frustration over His children’s total lack of appreciation for what He had done for them during the Exodus, their infidelity, rebellion, and overall irritating attitude, we find: "Yahowah (hwhy) became very angry…against Yisra’el because they did not trust (‘aman) in God (‘elohym), and did not rely (batah) on His Salvation (yashuw’ah – deliverance). And yet He had directed (sawah – instructed) the clouds and sky (sahaq) from above (ma’al – from a higher dimension), and He had opened (patah – generously responded, reached out, drawn out, and freed) the door (delet – entrance and gate) to Heaven (shamaym – God’s spiritual home)." (Mizmowr / Song / Psalm 78:21-23LEB) So that you know, Passover is the Doorway to Heaven, and it was opened the night before the Exodus began.
As this passage suggests, God does not ask a great deal of us, but there are some baseline requirements for the relationship to be agreeable and beneficial. These include: walking away from religion and politics, trusting and relying upon Yahowah instead, and walking to God along the path He has provided so that He can perfect us. In addition, He has asked us to: observe His Covenant, which is presented exclusively in His Towrah. Also, He wants us to circumcise our sons as a sign that we are serious about His Covenant. Beyond this, Yahowah would like us to respond to His Invitations, to set His Sabbath apart from other days, and to listen to Him. He does not want us to serve false gods, which would include different names for god. He instructs us to avoid leading anyone away from Him. And while He’d like us to revere and respect Him, apart from these rather basic responses, God personally opens the door to heaven and does all of the work necessary to pardon and reconcile us so that we can enjoy a relationship with Him.
The seventh and final word of God’s first sentence is ‘erets. It’s primary definition describes a "region, realm, land, or territory," which in this passage could be the material Universe, but not our Solar System, the Earth, Eden, nor the Promised Land of Yisra’el because these things wouldn’t come to exist for another ten billion years. ‘Erets can also be rendered "earth, as in "ground and soil," and thus represents the abode of mortal man."
‘Erets is the fourth most prevalent noun in the Covenant Scriptures, and is found an astonishing 2500 times. At the heart of ‘erets is the concept of "natural material," especially as it relates to "the minute physical particles of matter" from which men, the earth, and the universe are comprised. Its root means "to be firm," associating it with that which is tangible and material as opposed to spiritual. Therefore, in this passage, at this time and in this context, the most obvious way to distinguish between shamaym and ‘erets, is to render the shamaym "the spiritual abode" and ‘erets "the material realm."
It is important to remember that the first people who heard this message had no concept whatsoever of the planet Earth, much less any idea of what stars represented. It is likely that they would have understood ‘erets as the material world beneath their feet, as the ground itself. And they would have seen the heavens as the opposite of that which they could touch, as the abode of God, and as the place they wanted to be welcomed into at the end of their mortal life. So long as the divide was between physical and Spiritual, their perceptions would have been accurate and meaningful. And yet today, blessed as we are with a world view, and with a partial understanding of the universe, we can deduce a much bigger and more profound sense from these words. In that way, Yahowah’s Word was meaningful to all people in all ages.
Bringing it all together, the first seven words reveal: "In (ba – near, with, and in proximity to, regarding the account of) the beginning (re’shyth – at the start of time and the initiation of the process of existence, concerning the first fruits, and the head of the family), the Almighty (‘elohym – God) created (bara’ – conceived and produced a new existence, choosing perfect transformation and renewed birth, planning, preparing, and producing) and was alongside and closely associated with (‘eth ‘eth) the (ha) spiritual world (shamaym – Heavens and abode of God) and (wa) the (ha) material realm (‘erets – matter, the physical and natural world)." (Bare’syth / In the Beginning / Genesis 1:1LEB)
End part one 01/24/13.