Towards, unto, into and in Theos

And the children of Yisra’el removed from Rameses, and pitched in Sukoth. (Numbers 33.5)

This is the first stage of the journey mentioned in Numbers 33, as it details the individual journeys that make up the journey as a whole. The journey from Rameses is what we have dealt with in the previous blog when looking at the motivation for the flight from Mitsraym. Rameses represents the passover night and this first leg of the journey is the evidence of that direction out of bondage unto the land of promise.

The name Sukoth, as it appears in the Old Testament, seems to relate to at least two different locations. The first is mentioned in Genesis:

And Ya’aqob journeyed to Sukoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Sukoth. (Genesis 33.17)

The Hebrew is very simple here. Ya’aqob built ‘booths’ (sukoth סכת) for his cattle and because of this the name of the place is called Sukoth (סכות). The term ‘cattle’ means ‘possession’ and is not restricted to what we think of, in English, as ‘cattle’. It often refers to sheep and goats also. These dwelling places were built alongside Ya’aqob building a house and indicates him eschewing his, heretofore, nomadic existence in favour of a sedentary one. In fact, if this was his intention, it soon became undone by the actions of his sons in massacring the locals because one of them had defiled their sister.

The second location is the one referred to here in Numbers 33 and also in Exodus 13 as the end point of the first stage of the journey from Mitsraym. In Exodus 13 we see the revisiting of the theme of the feast of unleavened bread, whose starting out point was the passover night. It is the passover which is the impetus for the journey, in time, of the feast of unleavened bread. Similarly, it is the passover night which is the impetus for the journey of the absence of the corruption of leaven within the house of Yisra’el. The conclusion, on the seventh day, is another feast unto Yahweh. The feast describes the progression from the sacrificial passover lamb to the final feasting before Yahweh, a beginning to an end. The exclusion of the corruption is seen in the unblemished lamb which saves the beginning of the strength of Yahweh (his firstborn) and it continues through the absence of leaven amongst those who have partaken of the lamb. In the passover and feast of unleavened bread there is a continual memorial of that salvation as it is kept, especially in the land, by the children of Yisra’el and rehearsed in speech unto their children. We see, therefore, that Yahweh’s firstborn is the beginning of a journey, shared by those who have partaken of the unleavened bread and are therefore similarly uncorrupted as the lamb without blemish was. They come to the end of that journey of uncorruption in a final day of convocation, or sabbath.

The same pattern is repeated in another feast which is named with the same Hebrew as the places mentioned above – sukoth (סכות).

Speak unto the children of Yisra’el, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days to Yahweh. (Leviticus 23.34)

The feast of sukoth (translated ‘tabernacles’ in Leviticus 23), has a similar time span to the feast of unleavened bread, beginning on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, rather than the fifteenth day of the first month in the case of the feast of unleavened bread. As with the feast of unleavened bread, which is preceded by the passover, the feast of Sukoth is preceded, some five days earlier, by the day of the atonements. It is, similarly, punctuated, at the beginning and the ending, by holy convocations. These effective sabbaths, as no work was to be done on them, work as bookends for the feasts. The purpose of this feast, like with the feast of unleavened bread, is to reflect on the past journey, especially once established in the land:

And you shall keep it a feast to Yahweh seven days in the year. It shall be an ‘olam statute in your generations: you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are in Yisra’el shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Yisra’el to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Mitsraym: I am Yahweh your ‘elohym. (Leviticus 23.41-43)

Here, the booths are temporary dwellings that the children of Yisra’el, once established in the land, would erect in their dwellings to depict the temporary nature of the dwellings that their fathers lived in while they undertook their wilderness journey. Contrariwise, Ya’aqob was erecting more permanent booths for his cattle, as well as a house for himself, while Yahweh clearly wanted him, as his forefathers, to be a stranger and pilgrim through the land which he would inherit at a future time.

There is a clear association of meaning in the three homographic occurrences of Sukoth. There are two different geographical locations and one feast, all relating to the word which is translated ‘booths’. They are not the same place and the feast was not to be held in those places particularly. However, the relevance is in the association of meaning in respect of the dwelling places that Yisra’el dwelt in while they journeyed to the land of promise, and the dwelling of Ya’aqob’s cattle. There are issues relating to settled and wandering existences, that is they were antithetical being associated either with nomadism or a settled state. Furthermore, the relation of the two feasts (unleavened bread and sukoth) share a theme of, having reached the destination, the children of Yisra’el reflecting on the commencement of the journey and the beginning of their salvation that unfolded there and at that time. There is a clear theme of beginning and ending of a journey but looked at from the perspective of having achieved the end, the final salvation of which the beginning was an anticipation. Furthermore, as each stage of the journey appears to be a microcosm of the journey in its entirety, it sees the idea of beginning and ending in terms of the exit from Mitsraym and the attaining to a place of encampment (achieving grace in the eyes of Yahweh). This place (Sukoth), which was the first place of encampment on that journey, was a temporary resting place and the name given to it is compatible with the temporary dwellings (sukoth) in which they were to dwell. It is also anticipatory of the feast which the children of Yisra’el would observe (sukoth) in the land unto which they were travelling. This feast would then look back at the salvation accomplished that began at the passover and continued through the wilderness until they achieved that settled place. It sets out the first beginning and ending of a micro-journey in the context of the beginning and ending of the larger one.

Following the departure from Rameses and en route to Sukoth we find a few salient facts about the journey:

And the children of Yisra’el journeyed from Rameses to Sukoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Mitsraym, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Mitsraym, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual. (Exodus 12.37-39)

There was a significant number of people, possibly around the 2 million mark, if you include women and children. There were significant numbers of livestock. They were unable to bake leavened bread as they were on the move and could not allow the dough to mature while they travelled. They were transient not sedentary in nature. We already know that they were observing the feast of unleavened bread immediately after the passover night. Presumably the stage that occurred between Rameses and Sukoth fell in the seven days that followed the passover and, therefore, were in the feast of unleavened bread. The absence of leaven was supposed to be indicative of a lack of corruption but here we see an added dimension to the feast. The lack of leaven also spoke of the nature of the journey and the urgency by which his people left Mitsraym. We might deduce that the two are related, that is that, in urgently leaving behind the things that are not of ‘el and without delay heading forwards toward those things that are of him, we can escape the corruption of those things that Mitsraym was figurative of. Furthermore, in the next chapter, we find some other defining features of this first stage:

And it shall be when thy son asks thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shall say unto him, By strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Mitsraym, from the house of bondage: (Exodus 13.14)

The beginning of chapter 13 is a rehearsal of what they have just been through. It details the keeping of the passover and subsequent feast of unleavened bread. As we discussed above, it deals with a future time, especially once the inheritance has been attained, when it is possible to look back at this time and reflect on the reason for observation. In this case it is similar to the feast of sukoth (tabernacles) in that it looks forward to a time of establshed, and sedentary, existence when it is necessary to look back and reflect on the salvation and subsequent wandering, or nomadic, existence.

There is an unto/unto (אל) relationship of time unfolding here. Firstly, we stand at the beginning of the journey and we see a distance between ‘here’ and ‘there’. It is a spatial distance. It is a distance that will be removed so that, as the children of Yisra’el journey forwards unto that place, there will be a closing of the gap between the ‘here’ and ‘there’ until there is no more ‘there’ but only ‘here’ because we are all, as Yahweh, standing in the one place. The ‘there’ is the prospect, in the distance, of achieving that place where Yahweh is, whereas the ‘here’ is ultimately fulfilled when we are in that place with him. This is a distance of space, as far as Mitsraym is from the land. It is also a distance of understanding inasmuch as being in darkness is far from being in light. We can therefore see, as we will look at in later posts, that the incremental nature of the unfolding stages of the journey looks to an incremental progression in understanding, whose impetus for direction is occasioned by Yahweh. This journey which he directs us on leads to an understanding which will eventually be one with his. The unfolding of this journey and the closing of the distance from ‘here’ to ‘there’ is also a journey in time. It is a journey from the ‘now’ to the ‘then’. It is a journey from this present age to the ‘olam to come, and beyond.

We know that the word, the utterances, the precepts of Yahweh are ‘of ‘olam’. That is they have the values of the age to come, because that is when his will is going to be achieved. His covenant is ‘of ‘olam’ because that is when his agreement with those faithful fathers will be accomplished, when the division that exists between him and his people will be taken away and when unity will be there. If the word is ‘of ‘olam’ then we can assume that what will be available at that time will be the complete, unadulterated, word of Yahweh. We are facing towards that time, we are looking unto that age. As much as the word is ‘of ‘olam’ it is also ‘to ‘olam’ or ‘unto the age’. As we become closer to that word, and closer to that age, we also can take that trajectory towards its perfect revelation. In the age, as anticipated in the feasts of unleavened bread and sukoth, the reciprocal conversation of man unto his son will also be in a directional orientation, this time towards the times that we now inhabit. It is a reciprocal relationship of the word which exists in time, and in space, and in understanding.

And it came to pass, when Phar’oh had let the people go, that ‘elohym led them not through the way of the land of the Pelishtym, although that was near; for ‘elohym said, Lest perhaps the people repent when they see war, and they return to Mitsraym: But ‘elohym led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Yisra’el went up harnessed out of the land of Mitsraym. And Mosheh took the bones of Yoseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Yisra’el, saying, ‘elohym will surely visit you; and you shall carry up my bones away hence with you. (Exodus 13.17-19)

‘elohym is aware of the vulnerable nature of the children of Yisra’el and that, in such a parlous state, if he took them the quickest way to the land, they might rebel when they saw conflict and return to Mitsraym. Instead he takes them down and away from that point, as he knows he needs to bring them to Horeb to receive the covenant. They are also on the side of the Red sea which is toward Mitsraym and they are yet to cross it.

And they took their journey from Sukoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: (Exodus 13.20,21)

From the point of leaving Mitsraym to arriving at Horeb they are led by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. In this second stage of the journey they are led by Yahweh to a place called Etham. This staging post of the journey appears to be the only mention of such a place. It is positioned at the edge of the wilderness and also gives its name to the wilderness of Etham which they enter into on their emergence from the Red Sea after having passed through it. Only when the reference is to the wilderness does the name Etham, in Hebrew, stand on its own. In the previous occurrences of the word it is prefixed either by ‘in’ (the letter beth ב being appended to the beginning of the name) or ‘from’ (the letter mem מ being appended to the beginning of the name). All of these variants have homographic occurrences.

In the first instance the homographic ‘otham/’etham (אתם) occurs 463 times in the Old Testament. It is mostly translated ‘with them’ or just ‘them’. This is because it is a construction of the word ‘eth (את) and the suffix ‘m’ (מ). The suffix (מ) means ‘them’, whereas the word ‘eth (את) is a very common word and quite unique to Hebrew. This word is often not translated at all but is called ‘the sign of the direct object’. Where it is translated it is done so as the word ‘with’. The ‘sign of the direct object’ seems to fulfil a particular function in Hebrew as it precedes a word which is the direct object of the verb in a given sentence. In Genesis 1 for example it says:

‘elohym (he) created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1.1)

Here the sentence is clearly split into a) a subject – ‘elohym; b) a verb – he created; and c) two objects – the heavens and the earth. In the Hebrew both of these objects are preceded by the word ‘eth (את). In a kerubic pattern of speech the subject of the speech is the one giving utterance – the creator both in word and action; the verb is the directional speaking from one to the other – the energetic means by which the words are spoken, the things are created; and the object is that which receives that speech, that which is created. In this verse there are two direct objects. There are a number of occurrences where there is an accumulation of occurrences of ‘eth (את) which is finally summed up by ‘otham (אתם) – them.

And ‘elohym made -‘eth (את)- two great lights; -‘eth (את)- the greater light to rule the day, -‘eth (את)-and the lesser light to rule the night: he made -‘eth (את)-the stars also. And ‘elohym set them (‘otham אתם) in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth (Genesis 1.16,17)

Here we see the furtherance of the creative process with a series of objects having been created and preceded by the sign of the direct object and then being referred to, cumulatively, as ‘them’. Creation is a fundamental figure for the creative process of speech. The moral creation of substance from what is not seen, that is the spirit of ‘elohym, is at the core of the meaning of the name, of manifestation and, by implication, of the kerubic relationship at the heart of the meaning of the kaporeth. Yahweh (the subject) has spoken (the directional energy of the verb) to an object or objects which are the outcome of his creative speech and, being created by him, and in his image, can be seen as such and, in the case of the human creation, can (hopefully) reciprocate such. Indeed, they can then go on and engage in manifestational behaviour similar to that of his. The multiple singular objects of creation are gathered together into one ‘them’, so that, even though ‘them’ expresses a plural, it expresses a singular cumulative plural, a many in one.

Thus shall they know that I Yahweh their ‘elohym am with them, and that they, even the house of Yisra’el, are my people, says ‘adonay Yahweh. And you my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your ‘elohym, says ‘adonay Yahweh. (Yehezq’el 34.30,31)

Here in Yehezq’el we can see the repeated use of the formula at the heart of the name of Yahweh – I will be to them for ‘elohym and they shall be to me for a people. This promise of becoming Yahweh in the end, at the conclusion of the manifestational journey, finds a present tense fulfilment here. They shall know, that is in the future, that I, Yahweh their ‘elohym, am with them, and that they are his people. Here the creative process of subject, verb, object ends up with the many individually created objects becoming one object, his singular people, which become indistinguishable from the subject, Yahweh their ‘elohym. At the point at which the creative sentence is complete the subject and object become one by virtue of the directional energy of the verb (‘to be’). The process of becoming Yahweh over the course of the journey is fulfilled when they are ‘with him’, in one entity.

The homographic ‘etham/’otham ( אתם) is used in the second verse here in Yehezq’el 34 but is translated as ‘you’ (‘ye’ in the KJV text), indicating a second person plural. Thou/thee indicating the singular ‘you’ in the KJV and ye/you indicating the plural ‘you’. This is not as common as the translation of ‘etham/’otham ( אתם) as ‘them’ or ‘with them’ but it does occur a significant number of times. One of which is in Hoshea’ 1:

Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son. Then said he, Call his name Lo-‘ammy: for you are not my people, and I will not be to you [for ‘elohym]. Yet the number of the children of Yisra’el shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, You are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, the sons of the living ‘el (אל). (Hoshea’ 1.8-10)

Hoshea’ has been commanded to take a wife of whoredoms and to have children with her. We considered the naming of the children of Hoshea’ in a previous blog when we considered the inversion of אל to לא (lo’). The homographic אל can be not only the title ‘el, as we see in verse 10 of Hoshea’ 1 but also a less common version of the negative – ‘no’/’not’. However, the more common version of the negative is lo’ (לא) which, clearly is a direct inversion of אל. Here, the more common lo’ (לא) is used as a prefix to the names of two of his children – lo-‘ammy and lo-ruhamah – translating as ‘not my people’ and ‘not mercy’, because, as a result of the infidelity of his bride Yisra’el, Yahweh would not show mercy to them and they would not be his people. Both of these characteristics are indicative of the name. That is, Yahweh calls his name in Exodus 34 as:

Yahweh, Yahweh ‘el (אל), merciful amd gracious, longsuffering and abundant in lovingkindness and truth’ (Exodus 34.6)

and he says:

Since the day that I brought forth my people Yisra’el out of Mitsraym, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Yisra’el to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose Dawid to be over my people Yisra’el. (1 Kings 8.16)

Yahweh is speaking to Shelomah, in the context of the building of the temple for his name in Yerushalym, that, at the point that he brought Yisra’el out of Mitsraym, they were his people then and, more so when they were led by his faithful shepherd Dawid, Shelomah’s father.

These two characteristics of ‘people’ and ‘mercy’ are removed on account of the infidelity of Yisra’el and their desire to serve other ‘elohym, the ‘elohym of the nations round about. Here he uses ‘ye’/’you’ to describe them as he speaking to them in a kerubic conversation. This kerubic conversation, however, is not of a kerub speaking to a willing and receptive kerub who is willing to reciprocate but rather to a hard hearted, disobedient and stubborn opposite who is in an antagonistic relationship with Yahweh. In this context the name cannot be fulfilled but, nevertheless, Yahweh promises a future time when it will be said of them ‘you are my people’:

And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be to you for ‘elohym, and you shall be to me for a people. I am Yahweh your ‘elohym, which brought you forth out of the land of Mitsraym, that you should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright. (Leviticus 26.11-13)

At the point that he brings them out of Mitsraym they become a people to him. They forsake him so he sends them forth to the nations whose ‘elohym they have sought after. Yahweh’s unity with his people is seen as occurring in an acceptable place: the tabernacle; the temple for his name; the land promised to the fathers. These geographical locations are in keeping with Yahweh and serving him. Serving other ‘elohym ends up in a journey away from these things. We can see the journey towards the land is a journey towards the fulfilment of his name in his people. Straying from that earnest endeavour leads to a journey away from that destination of becoming him.

Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as Yahweh my ‘elohym commanded me, that you should do so in the land where you go to possess it…And Yahweh spoke unto you out of the midst of the fire: you heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only a voice…And Yahweh commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it…And lest you lift up thy eyes unto heaven, and when thou see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, should be driven to worship them, and serve them, which Yahweh your ‘elohym has divided unto (them) all nations under the whole heaven…I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go over Yarden to possess it; you shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. (Deuteronomy 4.5,12,14,19,26)

Yahweh’s creation is of a kerubic nature. It is created speech. He creates the commandments, which are plural but are to be obeyed as a singular because, being many, they are the reciprocation of the singular ‘el who has given utterance to them. They have been given to his people to keep en route to the land but with the express intent of obedience in the rest which is to be offered when they achieve that destination. It is anticipatory in nature. Keeping now in anticipation of a perfect obedience in that time and place to come. However, it is clear that, because the people are flesh and are weak, when they achieve that destination their gaze will be directed away from Yahweh and toward other ‘elohym. The result of this turning away will be an exile into those foreign lands until such a time when he will return their captivity with the intent to utterly fulfill his name in them.

Thus says Yahweh of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Yerushalym: and they shall be to me for a people, and I, I will be to them for ‘elohym, in truth and in righteousness. (Zecharyah 8.7,8)

This return to the possession of the land, and specifically to Yerushalym, the place where he delights to set his name there, indicates the final steps in the journey to fulfilling Yahweh’s name. He brought them out of Mitsraym to make a people and a name. They did not obey the commandments once in that possession which was indicative of serving and becoming one with them. He cast them out to wander in a journey away from him. He gathers them once again to bring them in to make them to become one with him.

In this journeying from the land of Mitsraym to the land of promise we can see in these steps, these stages of the journey, these launching forth points and coming to rest destinations, which then become the launching point for the next stage, microcosms of the journey as a whole. The initial energetic propulsion from Mitsraym driven by the name revealed and the judgment of Mitsraym’s ‘elohym which comes to rest at Sukoth. Sukoth stands as a place looking toward the rest of the land but remembering the temporary dwelling in the land. The setting out from this point to come to ‘Etham, redolent of the creation of a people and the prospect of a land in which to obey his created word and to become one with him. Yet mindful of the possibility of a relapse into a journey away from him. Yet Yahweh will always manifest his mercy and his purpose of creating that people and fulfilling the kaporeth relationship with those he has called will not go uncompleted.

As we saw in ‘Exploring the kaporeth X’, the journeyings of the camp are punctuated by setting out and pitching. In the pitched state (of grace) the camp is in its settled state of having the cloud, representing the glory of Yahweh, there above the ark and kaporeth while they reside in the holy of holies in the tabernacle in the midst of the camp. In such a state the kaporeth functions as a representation of the revelation of ‘elohym to man and the reciprocation of that manifestation. It is there to show the preeminence of that manifestation as the basis for sacrifice and forgiveness of sins. This ongoing mediation of the will of Yahweh to his people is contingent upon this settled state being achieved. It points, in miniature, to the overall journey in which the final settled state of rest in the favour of Yahweh’s sight is seen, in prospect, in the movement into the land. Each one of these stages, therefore, is a microcosm, a figurative enactment of the bigger journey. As such it shows the requirement for revelation and reciprocation to be both a prerequisite for the advancement of the journey and an end to the journey itself. Between these two settled states is the disruptive progress of the journey, fuelled by the first and incentivised by the second. These step changes are a stage by stage progression to the final goal. They have a beginning and a destination themselves but are set within the greater vision of a fundamental beginning and ending. One which is alluded to in Revelation 1:

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, says the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the pantokrator. (Revelation 1.8)

The beginning and the ending is framed in the terms of the Greek alphabet, showing that the journey is an outcome of the utterance of the spirit. Furthermore, the journey is also linked to tenses of time. The verb ‘to be’ being expressed in the past and present tenses and the verb ‘to come’ expressed in the future. The destination is achieved at a future time when those pursuing that trajectory achieve the place where he, the Lord, is. That is, they come unto him.

These are the journeys of the children of Yisra’el, which went forth out of the land of Mitsraym with their hosts under the hand of Mosheh and ‘Aharon. (Numbers 33.1)

We have seen this passage when looking at ‘comings’ and ‘goings’. This chapter presents a list of places where the children of Yisra’el encamped after journeying and from whence they set off on the next stage of the pilgrimage. As we have seen, the first verb, often translated ‘removed’ or ‘departed’ is from the same family of Hebrew words as the noun ‘journeys’, which is highlighted in the above passage. The word translated ‘encamped’ or ‘pitched’ is from the family of words which includes ‘grace’. The journeys mentioned up until, and including, verse 15 of this chapter are journeys executed without the presence of the tabernacle, or the ark and kaporeth. From the point of leaving Sinay the journeys are effected with the ark, and the kaporeth on top of it, leading the camp, after the cloud has removed and indicated the direction of travel.

The first journey of the children of Yisra’el is the departure of the people from Mitsraym following the passover night:

And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Yisra’el went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Mitsraym. (Numbers 33.3)

As we have seen, the ark and kaporeth are not in existence yet. However, the same phenomenon which is represented in the ark and kaporeth has also become the impetus for this journeying. As we have seen in previous posts, the narrative of the exodus from Mitsraym begins with the revelation of the name of Yahweh at the burning bush to Mosheh. The kaporeth displays the figure of the glory of Yahweh which is synonymous with the meaning of the name, that is, the transformation of the identity of those who receive and reciprocate into that of the one who mediates, leading to a similarity of image.

Exodus 3 provides this fuel that pushes the people forward and gets them from the revelation of the name at Horeb until they accomplish the return journey to that mountain and can receive the covenant, the tables of stone and the pattern of the tabernacle, including the ark and the kaporeth.

The use of the homographic אל is prevalent in Exodus 3, giving us an insight into the direction that Yahweh will take with respect to Mosheh:

Now Mosheh kept the flock of Yethro his father in law, the priest of Midyan: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came unto the mountain of the ‘elohym, even to Horeb (Horebah). (Exodus 3.1)

Mosheh ‘came’ unto the mountain. This, presumably, was not an accident. He was aware of his destination, he approached unto a place where revelation from ‘elohym was possible. Notice that the mountain’s name is feminised to denote direction towards it, as we saw in a previous post. Mosheh is on a three stage journey in his own wanderings. He became the child of the daughter of Phar’oh before having to flee after killing a Mitsraym. He was forty years old at the time. Becoming the son in law of the priest of Midyan he became a shepherd leading his flock. At the point of encountering ‘elohym at Horeb he is now 80 years old. After the wanderings in the wilderness with the children of Yisra’el and seemingly being on the cusp of entering into the inheritance he dies, aged 120 years old. His life has been subdivided into three parts which have seen two particular intervals of wandering. At the end of the first and the beginning of the second he comes unto Horeb when and where he is ready to receive this revelation.

And the angel of Yahweh appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. (Exodus 3.2)

So the angel of Yahweh manifests/reveals himself unto Mosheh. This is the first stage of the kaporeth phenomenon, the kerubic giving of speech from one unto the other. The direction is one of revelation.

And when Yahweh saw that he turned aside to see, ‘elohym called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Mosheh, Mosheh. And he said, Here am I. (Exodus 3.4)

This giving of speech from one to the other is seen in this verse as ‘elohym calls unto Mosheh. We also see the reciprocal element of the kaporeth relationship when Mosheh replies, Here I.

And he said, Draw not nigh here: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou stand is holy ground. (Exodus 3.5)

The homographic אל is used here in its negative form, as well as the presence of the ‘here’ we looked at in the section on ‘here and there’. Direction is an outcome of positive and negative propositions, as we see in the ten commandments. The direction towards the ‘here’ where Yahweh is/will be is determined by being unshod and shod upon by ‘elohym’s revelation. It is prohibited unless the people are shod with Yahweh’s covering.

Moreover he said, I am the ‘elohym of thy father, the ‘elohym of ‘Abraham, the ‘elohym of Yitshaq, and the ‘elohym of Ya’aqob. And Mosheh hid his face; for he was afraid to look unto the ‘elohym. (Exodus 3.6)

We begin to see the strong link with the patriarchs, with whom Yahweh made covenant in their wanderings, and to whom he promised an ‘olam inheritance in the land which is seen here as the destination of the children of Yisra’el’s journey.

And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Mitsraym, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Kana’any, and the Hitty, and the ‘Amory, and the Perizzy, and the Hiwy, and the Yebusy. (Exodus 3.8)

The destination of the journey associated with this revelation of his covenantal name is clearly being described here as ‘good’ (feminised by direction in the Hebrew) and ‘large’ (again feminised), a land flowing with milk and honey and a place presently occupied by a number of named nations, which they will expel. It is not only a geographical territory, as seen by referencing who currently occupies it, but by a moral dimension (good) and an expansiveness (large) and a fruitfulness of the word – the milk and the honey. It is a place, when attained, in which people can be good and fruitful, as their creator.

Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Yisra’el is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Mitsraym oppress them. (Exodus 3.9)

In contrast to the place where they are going, with its fruitfulness and morality, the place where they are coming out of is oppressive and dark. It is a place where they are in servitude. They have cried unto him because of this oppression and this servitude so that he wishes to take them from it and lead them unto the antithesis of Mitsraym.

Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Phar’oh, that thou may bring forth my people the children of Yisra’el out of Mitsraym. (Exodus 3.10)

The first impetus of direction has been the revelation of ‘elohym to Mosheh. Here, we see the outcome of the revelation which he is in the middle of receiving, that is, the impetus and direction towards Phar’oh. It is the journey unto Mitsraym to speak with Phar’oh.

And Mosheh said unto the ‘elohym, Who am I, that I should go unto Phar’oh, and that I should bring forth the children of Yisra’el out of Mitsraym? (Exodus 3.11)

Here, Mosheh’s reciprocity is not what we might expect. However, interaction with ‘elohym may sometimes be seen as a form of conflict before reconciliation. It is the obvious outcome of being face to face with someone. That which comes to us must first be questioned and tested before being acquiesced to. We see this figure in the wrestling of Ya’aqob with ‘elohym before he meets his brother again. Mosheh is, reasonably, asking who is the ‘I’ that must go, as he is clearly incapable, in his eyes, of going before Phar’oh. It requires further revelation ‘unto’ him to cause him to see that it is not the ‘I’ of Mosheh that will go but the ‘I’ of ‘elohym that will be going in Mosheh:

And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token to thee, that I have sent thee: When thou has brought forth the people out of Mitsraym, you shall serve ‘elohym upon this mountain. (Exodus 3.12)

This verse does not include the directional אל but rather the truncated ל in the phrase ‘to thee’. The relevance here is the impetus for the direction into Mitsraym and unto Phar’oh is the ‘I will be’. It is ‘elohym that will be the driving force behind Mosheh’s appearance before Phar’oh and, indeed, all that Mosheh will accomplish with Yisra’el, particularly in bringing them back to this mountain. The impetus, the fuel for the circular journey, is this revelation of the ‘I will be’ name that will bring them back to the place where they will then receive the revelation of the covenant, its embodiment in the ten commandments on the tables of stone and the building of the dwelling of ‘elohym with man and its focus, the ark and kaporeth, all at the hand of Mosheh.

And Mosheh said unto the ‘elohym, Behold, when I come unto the children of Yisra’el, and shall say to them, The ‘elohym of your fathers has sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? (Exodus 3.13)

Mosheh has made a connection between direction and name. Yahweh has already used the ‘I will be’ in the previous verse and this will provide the basis for the answer to the question of ‘what is his name?’ Mosheh, however, has identified, through his and ‘elohym’s reciprocal interaction, that ‘unto’, as a direction, is inextricably linked with that name. If Mosheh has been sent unto the children of Yisra’el by being directed to do so by ‘elohym then it is ‘elohym, in the person of Mosheh, who is appearing before the people. ‘Name’ is clearly linked to this idea of one person appearing ‘in the name of’ another. This cannot be achieved unless the messenger that bears those instructions has been told what those instructions are first. ‘elohym speaks unto Mosheh, Mosheh goes unto the children of Yisra’el, Mosheh speaks unto the children of Yisra’el what ‘elohym first told him. Mosheh has become ‘elohym with the intent that, on their realising the destination of Horeb, the people might also become ‘elohym.

And ‘elohym said unto Mosheh, I will be who I will be: and he said, Thus shall thou say to the children of Yisra’el, I will be has sent me unto you. (Exodus 3.14)

Yahweh’s name is set in the future tense, because it is a promise of what (or who) shall be. Mosheh becomes him by willing obedience to the word. The people can achieve the same through Mosheh’s mediatory work. Clearly, the future lies beyond these temporal fulfilments of becoming him.

And ‘elohym said moreover unto Mosheh, Thus shall thou say unto the children of Yisra’el, Yahweh ‘elohym of your fathers, the ‘elohym of ‘Abraham, the ‘elohym of Yitshaq, and the ‘elohym of Ya’aqob, has sent me unto you: this is my name for ‘olam, and this is my memorial unto all generations. (Exodus 3.15)

As we have seen in past blog posts, the ‘I’ of the ‘I will be’ has now moved into the ‘he’ of the name Yahweh. The name meaning ‘he will (cause to) be’. The meaning remains the same: Yahweh is the name which occurs when he will be in the people through the work of his mediator. We see this in Mosheh and we see this in Iesous. Clearly, the fulfilment of that name can only occur when all the people have become him. When this happens, the covenants made unto the patriarchs will come to pass.

Go, and gather the elders of Yisra’el together, and say unto them, Yahweh ‘elohym of your fathers, the ‘elohym of ‘Abraham, of Yitshaq, and of Ya’aqob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Mitsraym: And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Mitsraym unto the land of the Kana’any, and the Hitty, and the ‘Amory, and the Perizzy, and the Hiwy, and the Yebusy, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shall come, thou and the elders of Yisra’el, unto the king of Mitsraym, and you shall say unto him, Yahweh ‘elohym of the Hebrews has met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our ‘elohym.

The direction is clear: Yahweh has spoken unto Mosheh who speaks unto the people with the intent to bring them up out of the affliction of Mitsraym and take them unto the land of promise. The impetus for this journey out of Mitsraym and back unto Horeb is this initial revelation of the name unto Mosheh and, subsequently, the people. It is a direction of speech and it is a direction of journey on foot. The two are interconnected. This is the impetus for the first and fundamental stage of the journey which will take them through the ten plagues and up to the passover night and the exodus from Mitsraym. Without this fuel for the journey the initial exodus and stages of the journey mentioned in Numbers 33 become impossible. From the arrival at Horeb to the entering into the land the impetus for those stages of the journey is provided by the kerubic relationship enshrined in the kaporeth, which follows the pillar of cloud or fire.

It is imperative to see the background to the passover night and the impetus towards that deliverance before we come to the first stage of the journey mentioned in Numbers 33.5 – the stage from Rameses to Sukkoth.

And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Yisra’el went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Mitsraym. For the Mitsraym buried all their firstborn, which Yahweh had smitten among them: upon their ‘elohym also Yahweh executed judgments. (Numbers 33.3,4)

The passover night is that which expels them from Mitsraym because it is the death of the firstborn which causes Phar’oh to send them out of the land. The ten plagues, of which the death of the firstborn is the last, are seen, in Numbers 33, as being aimed at the ‘elohym of Mitsraym in order to execute judgment upon them. The passover night is also clearly linked with the sacrificial work of the Lord Iesous also, as indeed the day of the atonements was, being the actual feast when Iesous was crucified and the supper of which he kept with his disciples. It is this sacrificial work of Iesous, which sees the firstborn of Yahweh’s inheritance redeemed but the firstborn of the Mitsraym slain, which is the impetus for the journey which will lead them out of Mitsraym unto the Red Sea, on to Horeb and, from thence, unto the land of promise.

The homographic ‘el (אל) occurs in nine verses in Exodus 12 of which eight are translated ‘unto’ and one as ‘not’.

And Yahweh spoke unto Mosheh and unto ‘Aharon in the land of Mitsraym, saying, This month shall be to you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak unto all the congregation of Yisra’el, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: (Exodus 12.1-3)

The directional revelation commences, as in Exodus 3, with speech unto Mosheh, and then unto ‘Aharon, resulting in their speech unto the congregation. This is the revelation of the name whereby the words of Yahweh are directed into the mouth of Mosheh and from him unto ‘Aharon, finding their destination in the ears of the children of Yisra’el so that the identity of Yahweh is transmitted directionally with the intent that the recipients become him. Furthermore, we see the beginning of the journey linked to time. This beginning of the way unto the land is fixed at a point in time that will be the beginning of months, the beginning of the year, to them. The beginning of this journey is marked by the slaughter of a lamb.

And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. (Exodus 12.4)

Here we have two households next ‘unto’ each other partaking of the one lamb, effectively becoming one house. Interestingly, the first occurrence of the word ‘lamb’ here takes a form which is a homograph of the name Mosheh (משה). Mosheh is a shepherd, both in his dealings with his flock of sheep which he first brought to Horeb, and also in his dealings with the flock of Yisra’el which he led out and brought in on the journey unto the land. Here Mosheh is, as it were, the lamb also. The figurative Mosheh is the one who is slain to save the people. The two houses partake of the one Mosheh in an unto/unto relationship, man unto his neighbour. The Mosheh, whether figurative or true, that has come unto the people to redeem them from Mitsraym has come in the name of Yahweh in order to effect that deliverance.

Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. (Exodus 12.9)

Here the homographic אל is used as a negative. The commandment to ‘not’ eat of the flesh raw is clear. This would have been to partake of the flesh untried and unconsumed by fire. The offering of the Lord was one in which the flesh, the carnal mind, was tried and transformed by the fire of the spirit contending with such flesh. This fulfilled and slain lamb was to be partaken of in its state after trying and satisfaction in the eyes of Yahweh. We do not partake of the natural man but the tried and consumed one. That is where we are aiming to be, aiming to share in, to be able to make that journey. The children of Yisra’el were to be clothed and shod and ready to make that journey as they ate.

Then Mosheh called for all the elders of Yisra’el, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. (Exodus 12.21)

Again, the presence of ‘unto’ is part of the directional element of speech. The command is to kill the passover where the Hebrew for ‘kill’ is shahat (שחט). This word is related to the word for ‘destroyer’ which we will see occurring in verse 23.

And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike unto the lintel and unto the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For Yahweh will pass through to smite the Mitsraym; and when he sees the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, Yahweh will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite. (Exodus 12.22,23)

Yahweh passes through (‘abar עבר) and passes over (pasah פסח). The second word is the word from which we get ‘passover’. The feast is named after the fact that Yahweh, as a destroyer, does not enter into the houses of those who have placed the blood of the slain lamb unto the two sides and the lintel of the door. The first word ‘to pass through’ is from a family of words from which we get the word ‘Hebrew’. It is used in Exodus 34 to describe the angel of Yahweh passing by Mosheh and calling the name.

The act of slaying the firstborn of the enemies of Yahweh is done by a ‘slayer’ just as the lambs have been ‘slain’ by the children of Yisra’el. The blood of the slain lamb prevents the entry of the ‘slayer’ into the house to kill the firstborn of those obedient in Yisra’el to the commandment of Yahweh.

Again we see, as in the day of the atonements, the importance of sacrifice and manifestation of the name coming together. It is the angel of Yahweh, bearing the name of Yahweh, that passes by Mosheh in Exodus 34, that declares the name of Yahweh. It is, similarly, Yahweh who passes by to destroy the beginning of the strength of Mitsraym (the firstborn) and passes over to redeem the firstborn of his own creation, saved by the blood of the lamb, figuratively his true firstborn. It is the declaration of the name in one who is called by that name that delivers destruction to the adversary of Yahweh and salvation to his sons.

And it shall be, when you are come into the land which Yahweh will give you, according as he has promised, that you shall keep this service. And it shall be, when your children shall say unto you, What mean you by this service? (Exodus 12.25,26)

As we saw in Deuteronomy, the words are given to be performed in the inheritance. That which is done now anticipates that which is to come, in the inheritance. Once in the inheritance the memorial of this beginning of the journey of leaving Mitsraym is rehearsed unto the children.

As the children of Yisra’el are about to make those first steps on that journey, in distance and in time, we can recap on what has led them there. The revelation of the name unto Mosheh is a fundamental impetus of the preparations for the salvation of the passover. The meaning of that name in how the children of Yisra’el can become Yahweh by the transference of words, and with them the mind, of Yahweh impels them on that journey unto the place which represents their inheritance of him. This is what it is to be ‘elohym. We see in Iesous’ words in Iohannes 10 the meaning of ‘elohym:

If he called them theoi, unto whom the word of Theos came, and the scripture cannot be broken…(Ioh.10.35)

Here Iesous is quoting Psalm 82.6 where the Hebrew is ‘elohym where the New Testament Greek uses theoi. The message is clear, the psalmist is referring, according to Iesous, to those who receive the word of Theos, just as he had. ‘elohym describes the children of Yisra’el at some level as they have received the word of Yahweh. ‘elohym is a manifestational term. It depicts those agencies who, having received his word, then speak it and, in so doing, become him. This is true of those heavenly messengers we often refer to as ‘angels’. It is true of Mosheh, it is true of ‘Aharon, it is true of the children of Yisra’el. The better fulfilment of ‘elohym is those who receive and reciprocate, rather than just receive.

We are told that the plagues, of which the passover was the fulfilment were an execution of judgment upon the ‘elohym of Mitsraym. This execution of judgment on the ‘elohym of Mitsraym was to elevate the name of Yahweh while casting the antithesis of this name down to the ground. We can see from this that there are true ‘elohym and false ‘elohym. ‘elohym which are the outcome of the receipt, and preferably reciprocation, of the mind of Yahweh are true, whereas those that are the product of a reciprocal relationship with the flesh are false. Receipt and reciprocation can be carnal as much as spiritual. ‘elohym can be created in the image of man, and his thinking, just as ‘elohym can be in the image of he who made them, where it is the creator of the heavens and earth, both in form and in mind. The ‘elohym of Mitsraym were the former and were thus destroyed as man’s mind will be destroyed in the end. Indeed, as the mind of man was destroyed in the true passover lamb, the Lord Iesous anointed.

We noted, when looking at the ten commandments, that the number ten can be indicative of reciprocation. The tithes were tenths, one in ten of the lepers returned to give glory to Theos after Iesous had healed them all. The ten commandments are like this. They create the image of ‘elohym in the obedient children of Yisra’el if they are observed and, in particular, the one overarching value seen through them all, the observance of the name of Yahweh. The ten plagues are the destruction of those elements of false reciprocal observance of the thinking of the flesh. They culminate in one plague, the death of the beginning of the strength of Mitsraym, the firstborn, and, most poignantly, in the death of the firstborn of Phar’oh, who was worshipped as a deity. The death of Phar’oh being ultimately accomplished when he and his mighty men were overthrown in the sea.

It is the impetus of the declaration of Yahweh’s name in overwhelming the ‘elohym of Mitsraym; it is the impetus of the slain lamb and the hope for the creation of ‘elohym in his sons that pushes the children of Yisra’el from Mitsraym.

Mitsraym (and its values), seen in its ‘elohym, is the ultimate ‘from’/’out of’. The land of promise is the ultimate ‘unto’. However, as we have seen, it is what the land represents which is the ultimate ‘unto’. The land represents a place and time when/where the patriarchs are. It is a place and time where/when only the willingly obedient are there, particularly the son of Theos. It is a place and time which is Yahweh, the true inheritance. It is Yahweh shamah.

And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the kaporeth, from between the two kerubym which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Yisra’el. (Exodus 25.22)

There are here two axes of separation in the midst of which is the meeting and communing of ‘elohym with the man Mosheh. The first is ‘from above’ the kaporeth, that is above or upon the covering of the ark and beneath the overshadowing wings. The second is ‘from between’ the two kerubym, that is in the space that is between one kerub and the other. In the midst of these two separate orientations (top and bottom, side to side) is where, and how, the glory of ‘elohym is. The vertical axis depicts an order of top to bottom, or head to foot, while the horizontal axis depicts a face to face or ‘man unto his brother/neighbour’ relationship. Both imply directional speech and potential reciprocation while one, the vertical, stresses on superiority of the upper over the covering, while the horizontal stresses on the face to face aspect of speech leading to reciprocity and a mirror image of the first kerub created in the other.

The Hebrew for ‘between’ is bayin (בין). It denotes division and separation and is homographic for a word most commonly translated ‘understanding’. These seem to derive from the ‘build’ family of words which also includes the word for ‘son’ as well as the associated words ‘house’ and ‘daughter’, denoting the building of a familial structure. The first occurrence of bayin (בין) is in Genesis:

And ‘elohym saw the light, that it was good: and ‘elohym divided between the light and between the darkness. (Genesis 1.4)

This pattern of separation continues in the division of waters above and below the expanse (verses 6 and 7) and the division of light and dark by virtue of the lights in the heavens (verses 14 and 18). These separations, set in the context of the ‘very good’ state of the creation (before corruption set in), are indicative of ‘elohym exhibiting the positive and negative qualities at the heart of the meaning of אל (the not and the not/not). However, the separation and division that emerges in the next occurrence of bayin (בין) is indicative of a separation of ‘elohym from man rather than the use of contrast to illuminate meaning:

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and between her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shall bruise his heel. (Genesis 3.15)

In the aftermath of the sin of the woman and the man and the provocation of the serpent, Yahweh indicates the fight that will occur between the woman’s offspring and that of the serpent. Hinting at the struggle of the flesh and the spirit which is an outcome of the separation of ‘elohym from man which has occurred because of the sin of the inhabitants of ‘Eden. The separation is an active phenomenon from both parties, that is to say that the separation (the ‘between’) is from the seed of the woman toward the serpent seed and from the serpent seed toward the woman’s seed, it is not an abstract gap but a gap because of the persistent and continued mind that is inherent in the struggle between spirit and flesh. It is an active gap occasioned by the consistent existence and expression of separate minds. Of course, within this delineation of that separation there is also the promise of the defeat of the serpent seed by the woman’s seed. This can only be done by the shutting down of the persistent mind which is alien to ‘elohym. This closing of the gap is done by ‘elohym in the willing by virtue of his understanding revealed in the woman’s seed. This closing of that separation is perhaps more clearly indicated in the next occurrence of bayin (בין):

And ‘elohym said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and between you and between every living creature that is with you, for ‘olam generations: (Genesis 9.12)

Following the further indication of the division, the distance, between man and ‘elohym and their respective values, seen in the days of Noah and Yahweh’s resolution of it by a worldwide inundation, Yahweh seeks to bridge this gap by establishing an agreement with Noah. This anticipates the agreement which Yahweh will make with all people through his drawing near unto them through the Lord Iesous, of whom Noah is a figure.

The bridging of this separation is an outcome of understanding which is given by the one and received and reciprocated by the other. It is, as in the kaporeth, a bi-directional resolve to remove the separation by reciprocal understanding that first emanates from Yahweh. It is an understanding which builds the house of Noah and, in the true of which Noah’s is a figure, the house of Theos in anointed. This salvation, this bridging of this divide is occasioned by the salvation of the ark, which (as you will remember from an earlier post) was covered within and without with a covering (homographically the kaporeth).

The language of ‘between’ being used in covenant making settings is further emphasised in the next great covenant that Yahweh makes with man:

And I will make my covenant between me and between thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly…And I will establish my covenant between me and between thee and between thy seed after thee in their generations for an ‘olam covenant, to be ‘elohym unto thee, and to thy seed after thee…This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and between you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and between you. (Genesis 17.2,7,10,11)

The covenant is an agreement between ‘elohym and ‘Abraham with the intent to become ‘elohym unto him. ‘Between’ is not just about the divide between two entities, it is about the coming together of those entities, the bridging of that which lies between them. That bridging occurs from both parties, as it does in the kaporeth, with understanding. ‘elohym reveals the word to ‘Abraham and ‘Abraham keeps the covenant and shows that in the token of circumcision, which shows to ‘elohym, in a figure, what is going on in his mind, the cutting off of the flesh, that is the separation from the carnal mind and the separation unto ‘elohym. In this we can see why ‘between’ occurs on both sides – between me and between you.

In the case of ‘Abraham the bridging between him and ‘elohym is done via the manifestation of the ‘he’, in ‘elohym, to deliver the message of reconciliation by obedient belief. In the case of Mosheh, the mediation of the covenant is extended to another manifesting kerub, Mosheh himself. So, ‘he’ appears in ‘elohym appearing in Mosheh to the children of Yisra’el:

These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which Yahweh made between him and between the children of Yisra’el in mount Sinay by the hand of Mosheh. (Leviticus 26.46)

And:

Yahweh made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. Yahweh talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire, (I stood between Yahweh and between you at that time, to show you the word of Yahweh: for you were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying, I am Yahweh thy ‘elohym, which brought thee out of the land of Mitsraym, from the house of bondage. (Deuteronomy 5.3-6)

This mediation of the covenant from Yahweh through Mosheh unto the people is seen in the new covenant where the division/separation between Theos and man is being bridged by the willing reciprocation of Iesous anointed:

For there is one (εις) Theos, and one (εις) mediator between Theos and men, the man anointed Iesous; (1 Tim.2.5)

You will notice the homographic eis (εις) used here to translate ‘one’, although it can also function as the preposition ‘unto’. The word ‘between’ is not highlighted here as there is no separate word for ‘between’, rather it is implied in the word ‘mediator’. The Greek word ‘mediator’ is mesites (μεσιτης) and is related to the word mesos (μεσος) which is mostly translated ‘midst’ or ‘among’ and, therefore, indicates being in between or in the middle, that is in a space between, at least, two others but often more. Here, that position is occupied by Iesous, he is in the space between Theos and man and is travelling in the direction toward man from Theos. The term mediator in the New Testament is primarily associated with Iesous but is implicitly modelled on the example of Mosheh:

Wherefore then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not of one, but Theos is one (εις). (Galatians 3.19,20)

This directly refers back to the passage above in Leviticus. Mosheh is the mediator into whose hand the covenant was delivered by the angel of Yahweh. The middle space that Mosheh occupied in between Yahweh and the children of Yisra’el was an outcome of his ministration of those words from ‘elohym towards the people and, when they showed their willing obedience, to return their reciprocity to him.

As in the kaporeth on the day of the atonements, and the blood which was sprinkled upon it, the themes of the mediation of the covenants of promise are closely tied to the redemptive work of Iesous in his offering of himself:

Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of Theos when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, says he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount. But now has he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. (Hebrews 8.5,6)

and:

But anointed being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained aionian redemption. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of anointed, who through the aionian spirit offered himself without spot to Theos, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living Theos? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new covenant, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of aionian inheritance. (Hebrews 9.11-15)

So, the law, being the figure and not the true, requires two people (Mosheh and ‘Aharon) to accomplish the work of anointed. Firstly as the mediator of the covenant in giving the pattern of the tabernacle, including the kaporeth, to be a dwelling place of ‘elohym and, secondly, in offering the sacrifices which speak of the forgiveness of sins and the promise of life for the age. Iesous is between Theos and man as Mosheh was between Yahweh and the people. In this space of between is the glory of ‘elohym revealed. The glory of Yahweh is seen in the face of Iesous anointed.

We can see in the above that ‘between’ is a space in the middle of two interactive agencies. One kerub speaks to another, the glory of Yahweh is between. The divide between the two, and the bridging of it, is an active outcome of the behaviours of the two parties. While the seed of the woman and that of the serpent are divided it is because of the active enmity between the two. Where such a divide exists between ‘elohym and man then it is because ‘elohym is, actively, spirit and man is, actively, flesh. Where closing of the gap, that is reconciliation, is possible it is because of the active direction of the spirit towards man and the willing obedient receipt and reciprocation of such spirit. When this occurs the glory of ‘elohym exists in that space of interaction. The striving of moving from a state of division to a state of union is the work of anointed and is an endeavour of such pain and suffering that, ultimately, it requires the shedding of blood, it requires the death of the flesh. If we are to hope to achieve such an aionian salvation we must attempt to walk in his steps by receiving the mediation of the new covenant and to allow it to dwell in us unto the closing of the gap between us and Theos by the destruction of the flesh by the spirit.

In the previous post we came across the use of the word ‘there’ (sham שם) and how it has an expanded, feminine, form in some places, including Yehezq’el 48.35 – shamah (שמה). In this form the final hebrew letter ה (h) is added. This denotes a feminisation of the word. The feminisation of the word can also be seen as a place unto which someone travels. In this case ‘there’ as a final destination where the name of Yahweh is fulfilled.

The idea of the feminine as a place unto which we can travel can be highly instructive and we did see a number of those themes being explored in the previous post, particularly in relation to Ruth and Bo’az and the figure of redemption of the possession in marriage.

The first thing to note, on a technical level, is that we normally use the homographic preposition ‘el (אל), or its truncated form l (ל), immediately prior to the thing, person or place unto which the direction is headed. Thus:

Now Yahweh said unto (אל) ‘Abram, Get thee from thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto (אל) a land that I will show thee: (Genesis 12.1)

In the above passage the direction of travel is preceded by the direction of Yahweh’s speech unto ‘Abram. The direction that follows the verb (in command form) ‘get thee’ is ‘from’ three times and ‘unto’ in the final instance. The journey is distinguished primarily by three negatives, that is the need to leave behind his land, father’s house and relatives to be able to head in the direction of the positive ‘land’ which Yahweh will reveal, or manifest, unto him. The journey to this land is characterised by the preposition ‘el (אל). The Hebrew is ‘el-ha’arets (אל־הארץ).

And ‘Abram took Saray his woman, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Kana’an; and into the land of Kana’an they came. (Genesis 12.5)

Here, ‘into the land’ is preceded, in the first instance, by the verb ‘went forth’ and, in the second, by the verb ‘came’. We saw these two verbs in the post about ‘comings and goings’, having a direct relevance to the ideas of ‘here’ and ‘there’. The outcomes of these two verbs is the entering into the land. The Hebrew here which translates ‘into the land’ is ‘eretsah (ארצה). The word for ‘land’ (‘erets ארץ) has been feminised by the addition of the final letter ‘h’ (ה). The presence of the final letter ‘h’ (ה) often denotes the feminine. So, we can see that Yahweh commands him to go unto (אל) the land and when he and his household obey the command the destination is no longer referred to with אל but, rather, the destination is feminised. The verbs ‘coming’ and ‘going’ depicting, as they do, the obedience to the command, govern the feminisation of the destination. In fact, here, we can argue that, because the land (‘erets ארץ) as a noun is already a feminine, that we have a double feminisation of the destination. That is, as we saw in an early post, gender is directly related to the author/source/creator being masculine and the receiver/created being feminine. We could, therefore, expect the object of Yahweh’s creative endeavour, the land, the inheritance, the final fulfilment of his purpose with his people, to be the feminine. Yet it has this added layer of feminisation when those chosen to receive his promises and blessings are to come into, and become, that possession. Doubling up in scripture is seen as a point of emphasis where something must surely come to pass, as in Yoseph’s dreams of the stalks of wheat and the cattle (Genesis 41).

Now Mosheh kept the flock of Yethro his father in law, the priest of Midyan: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came unto (אל) the mountain of ‘elohym, even to Horeb. (Exodus 3.1)

Here we see that the verb ‘came’, as above, precedes the destination of Mosheh’s travel and is, in the first instance, followed by the preposition אל but is then qualified by the name of that destination. Here, the mountain name, ‘Horeb’, has been given the h (ה) ending making it Horebah.

Exodus 3 is littered with occurrences of the preposition אל but these are primarily describing the direction of travel of speech from Yahweh to Mosheh, Mosheh’s direction towards the children of Yisra’el to speak to them and towards Phar’oh. However, Yahweh gives the seeming overarching purpose of the revelation of his name:

And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Mitsraym, and to bring them up out of that land unto (אל) a good land and a large, unto (אל) a land flowing with milk and honey; unto (אל) the place of the kana’any, and the Hitty, and the ‘Amory, and the Perizy, and the Hiwy, and the Yebusy. (Exodus 3.8)

When Yahweh is giving commandment of the future inheritance of the land we see the use of אל but when someone comes or goes, but in any case enters into the place, then the object of that journey is feminised. We have already seen that a feminine noun – ‘erets (land) – can be apparently feminised further when it is achieved by those who obediently come into it.

Clearly, Exodus 3 is fundamental in getting to grips with the meaning of the name (shem שם). We have also seen that ‘name’ and ‘there’ are homographic, being represented by the same Hebrew letters. ‘Name’ is a masculine noun, ‘there’ is, technically, an adverb so does not have a gender. Though ‘name’ is a masculine noun, it can take the feminine ending (h ה) and thus transform to shemah (שמה), ‘her name’, thus:

And ‘elohym said unto ‘Abraham, As for Saray thy woman, thou shall not call her name Saray, but Sarah is her name. (Genesis 17.15)

So, the changed status of the woman of the foremost of the believing patriarchs, by whom Yahweh was happy to call his own name (Ex.3), is depicted using the word shemah (שמה). Her name changes as she is to become the mother of the promised seed. The word shemah (שמה) is, of course, homographic with the word ‘there’ where it occurs in Yehezq’el 48.35. ‘Yahweh is there’ (shamah שמה). We might also note at this point that Yahweh’s name also carries what appears to be the feminine ending h (ה) and indeed we may conclude that at the point when the unity of the people with him is fulfilled that his name has a feminine sense, because, at that point, he has become the bride and the bride him. Clearly, the name Yahweh is in the masculine gender as the adjectives associated with him occur in the masculine form. He is in the masculine because the ‘he’ that lies behind the manifestational and covenantal name, is the creator and source of all things and he reveals himself to the created and receivers, who are the feminine, by his spirit. However, as the name is fundamentally about that journey towards the final destination of him in others, it has the feminine sense of that destination achieved when he comes into his possession. At that point, when he is in the bride of his possession, is his name fulfilled. The name of Yahweh describes his purpose, it is a name for ‘olam, not an absolute label like our names, which we see as permanent and indivisible from our natural form. The name of Yahweh describes the progressive, and incremental, journey of manifestation unto a destination of perfect kerubic reflection of his name.

As we saw in the previous post, there are clear implications in terms of perspective with the subject under consideration here. Indeed, it follows on directly from considering ‘coming in’ and ‘going out’. The term ‘here’ that we are going to consider is used relatively rarely in the Old Testament, whereas the word ‘there’ is used much more often and we have already considered it in previous posts.

The first word we are going to consider is the word ‘here’, particularly in its form that occurs in Exodus 3:

And he said, Draw not (אל) near here: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou stand is holy ground. (Exodus 3.5)

‘Here’ is antithetical to ‘there’, as ‘coming’ is to ‘going’. Indeed, ‘here’ is a place you come to and ‘there’ is a place you go to. In the context of revelation these are perspective terms. The one who is ‘here’ is in a position where the other can come towards him. ‘There’ is a place we are heading towards.

In the above passage, ‘elohym is telling Mosheh not (with the homographic אל) to approach unto him. He needs to remove his shoes from his feet in the area approaching the ‘here’ as it is holy ground. The context, as we have ascertained on a number of occasions previously, is that of the revelation of the name of Yahweh at Horeb in the context of an apparent fulfilment of the promises to the patriarchs in respect of the land possession. The same terminology is used when Yehoshua’ takes the people into the land:

And the captain of Yahweh’s host said unto Yehoshua’, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou stand is holy. And Yehoshua’ did so. (Yehoshua’ 5.15)

Here, Yehoshua’, with the people, has traversed Yarden and is about to fight against Yeriko. The removal of shoes also occurs in another context under the law:

Then shall his brother’s wife come unto (אל) him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house. (Deuteronomy 25.9)

Here, the removal of a man’s shoe is a sign of his refusal to raise up seed unto his brother when his brother dies childless. The same refusal to take up the inheritance of a brother by taking his widow, and the ensuing sign of the removal of the shoes, is enacted in the narrative of Ruth:

Now this was the manner in former time in Yisra’el concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Yisra’el. Therefore the kinsman said unto Bo’az, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. (Ruth 4.7,8)

The narrative of Ruth is all about possession and inheritance. Na’omi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, left the land inheritance of Yehudah to travel to Mo’ab. After the death of her husband and two sons, she returns to the land with her daughter-in-law, Ruth, and, because Ruth is widowed, there is a possession available to the near relative who marries her. The nearest kinsman will not marry her to take the possession but the faithful Bo’az, who sees in Ruth a woman who has forsaken her ‘elohym and joined herself to Yahweh, wishes to take the woman, and with it the inheritance. The near kinsman must remove his shoe to signify that he has rejected the possession. It is the faithful, and therewith the righteous, Bo’az who is able to take the dual possession of the bride and the land, as it is the faithful and righteous Iesous who will take the possession of the bride, redeeming Yahweh’s inheritance by virtue of his manifesting the righteousness of Theos. The near kinsman is unworthy of the possession because he is unfaithful and unrighteous.

In the New Testament Iohannes the baptist mentions shoe removal in the context of Iesous’ baptism:

Iohannes answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptise you with water; but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptise you in holy spirit and fire: (Loukas 3.16)

Here, the holiness is that of the spirit of Theos, which is the inheritance of those obedient unto his name, rather than the land being holy in Exodus and Yehoshua’. Iohannes is not worthy to dispossess Iesous because Iesous is the inheritance of Theos, he is that in which Theos dwells. Removal of the shoe is a statement that someone is unequal to the task of walking through the possession, and in Iesous’ case of being the possession. Iesous can walk through the possession because he is becoming the fulness of the image of the father. The man who refuses to take the inheritance is utterly unworthy of that honour because he has rejected Yahweh’s inheritance. In the case of Mosheh and Yehoshua’ they also are unworthy to walk through the inheritance of Yahweh, as we all are. However, with the revelation of Yahweh’s name to him, in the case of Mosheh at Horeb, he is able to walk being shod by that revelation of Yahweh. The nakedness of his natural man (in respect of his feet) is clothed upon by the name of Yahweh, allowing him to take that wilderness journey unto the land. The same applies to Yehoshua’ who must be clothed upon by Yahweh’s approbation to come in and go out before his people in the land possession. Yahweh, similarly, provided a clothing for the children of Yisra’el’s feet as they walked in the wilderness unto the land inheritance:

And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes have not become old upon you, and thy shoe has not become old upon thy foot. (Deuteronomy 29.5)

The word for ‘here’ is also used in the book of Ruth:

And Bo’az said to her, At mealtime come here, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. (Ruth 2.14)

The idea of ‘here’ is dictated by the one who speaks, Bo’az. He is the prospective husband who is drawing the prospective bride unto him, to be in the place where he is, and his house. The trajectory of Ruth’s journey is that she has travelled from a land in which she worshipped other ‘elohym and to come into a place where she could truly serve Yahweh. The final steps in that journey are to come into the possession of Bo’az. In this he is like anointed taking the possession which is to become his bride. In order to do that he must be the one speaking in the first person (I) to draw her unto the place where she can, ultimately, become one with him.

In the New Testament we find a similar story, especially where it concerns Iesous.

But I say unto you, That here is greater than the temple. (Math.12.6)

In the middle of a discussion with the Pharisaioi about observance of the sabbath, Iesous points out that he is the fulfilment of the figure. He is the Lord of the sabbath because he will reign in the seventh day. He is the fulfilment of the temple because he is the dwelling of Theos in man. He has spoken, he is the word made flesh, and therefore ‘here’ is the greater temple. Later on in the chapter he also states that Solomon and Ionas are both inferior figures to the greater manifestation of the word of Theos. Therefore, ‘here’ is a place of the word being spoken unto the redemption of the promised possession. It is also the words spoken in the here and now in anticipation of that seventh day of inheritance. Thus:

Wherefore Iesous also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore towards ( προς) him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. (Hebrews 13.12-14)

‘Here’ can be seen as a time, a situation, in which Iesous is delivering his words, being the word made flesh, unto the redemption of his people. It is the beginning, and subsequent progression, of the journey whose beginning and continued impetus is fuelled by the word in him delivered to us and subsequently received and reciprocated. We follow him by going forth out of the arrangements of the camp, going forth in the unsettled state of those who are pilgrims and do not belong to this age. Constantly motivated by the energy of Theos’ spirit in Iesous.

The Greek word for ‘here’ is ode (ωδε) and is related to the word ode (οδε). This second word is used a number of times in Revelation 2 and 3:

And unto the angel of the ekklesia of the Laodikeans write; These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of Theos (Revelation 3.14)

‘These things’ is a common phrase in the Hebrew Old Testament. The first verse of the book we refer to as Deuteronomy has this phrasing:

These be the words which Mosheh spoke unto (אל) all Yisra’el on this side Yarden in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab. (Deuteronomy 1.1)

‘Words’ and ‘things’ are translations of the same Hebrew word debarym (דברים) and ‘these’ is ‘eleh (אלה), a feminisation of the homographic ‘el (אל). We will see, in an upcoming blog, that one of the meanings when feminising a word is to give it a sense of direction. So, the motivating force of the journeys of Yisra’el is the speech which proceeded out of the mouth of Mosheh and came from Yahweh. It was that starting out point of the journey.

If ‘here’ is a setting of progression and direction, the beginning of the pilgrimage, then ‘there’ is that place, and those values, we desire to enter into. It is the fulfilment of the inheritance.

As we saw in the section on homographs, the word ‘there’ in Hebrew is sham (שם). It is translated as set/place (as a verb) and ‘there’. It is a homograph of the word (and name) shem and is translated ‘name’. There is therefore a relation between the meaning of the name and the outcome of the journey. Indeed, we ascertained that the meaning of the name is very much bound up in that notion of a journey unto a set place. As an antithesis to the true pattern and relation of ‘name’ to ‘there’, the narrative of the building of the tower of Babel is highly instructive.

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it was, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelled there. And they said one to another (man unto – אל – his neighbour), Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. And Yahweh said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So Yahweh scattered them abroad from there upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because Yahweh did there confound the language of all the earth: and from there did Yahweh scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11.1-9)

We can see a mirror image of the true. In a place described as ‘there’ they decided to build a city and tower, a permanent residence, to establish a name. However, it is a name, a fixed set of values which they have arrived at after a wandering journey, which is antithetical to Yahweh’s values. Therefore, in that place Yahweh confuses their oneness of speech, the place being named after such confusion – Babel, and scatters them. Yahweh thus reversing the pattern of a fixed destination of oneness of mind and speech arrived at after journeying, a place with a name. The reason being that the motivation creating a coming together into one place was the mind and imaginations of man not the word of Yahweh. If we look at this pattern we see the true and the false establishing of a name in the earth as an outcome of a journey motivated by a mind.

The forefather of the children of Yisra’el, ‘Abram, was one who sought a city which has foundations whose builder and maker is Theos. He was a pilgrim on the journey towards making Yahweh’s name his strong tower and lived out the meaning of that pursuit in his life:

And Yahweh appeared unto (אל) ‘Abram, and said, To thy seed will I give this land: and there built he an altar to Yahweh, who appeared unto (אל) him. And he removed from there to a mountain on the east of Beth-‘el (אל), and pitched his tent, having Beth-‘el (אל) on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he built an altar to Yahweh, and called in name Yahweh. (Genesis 12.7,8)

‘Abram’s response to Yahweh’s revelation is the building of an altar in a place that he has attained unto in his pilgrimages. This reciprocal altar building is set in the context of the house of ‘el (Beth-‘el) and of calling in name Yahweh, a reciprocation to the giving of Yahweh’s name to him. His continuous pilgrimage is punctuated, like the children of Yisra’el in the wilderness, by achieving a destination (‘there’), and several similar destinations on the way, but of never achieving a final settled state, all of which being accomplished as a result of the revelation and reciprocation of the name.

The children of Yisra’el were similarly offered that different journey to the inhabitants of Babel in the book of Deuteronomy:

Also Yahweh was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shall not go in there. Yehoshua’ the son of Nun, which stands before thee, he shall go in there: encourage him: for he shall cause Yisra’el to inherit it. Moreover your little ones, which you said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in there, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it. (Deuteronomy 1.37-39)

The ‘there’ which Yehoshua’ and the people shall go into is the feminised version of the word – shamah (שמה). As mentioned above, we will look at feminisation as a way of expressing the destination that is entered into but a number of the themes we have seen above clarify why the inheritance would be feminised when achieved.

This passage, set as it is on the verge of crossing Yarden, anticipates what Yehoshua’ will begin to accomplish because Mosheh is not allowed to go over. Deuteronomy also anticipates what should occur in the inheritance and with regard to the behaviour of the people in that inheritance:

Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as Yahweh my ‘elohym commanded me, that you should do so in the land whither you go to possess it. (Deuteronomy 4.5)

The ‘there’ which they are going over to possess is to be a place where the behaviour of the people is governed by the commandments they received while still on the wilderness journey. These words are anticipatory in nature, being both that which is done on the pilgrimage and that which is performed in the land. In that sense it is like the commandments we receive now, from the mouth of the Lord Iesous and his followers which leads us to attempt o behave and speak as if we were possessors of that rest though we are, at present, pilgrims.

The settled status of the rest which the children of Yisra’el were to inhabit is also dealt with by the word ‘there’ and its homographic ‘name’. Thus:

But unto (אל) the place which Yahweh your ‘elohym shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall you seek, and there thou shall come: And there you shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: And there you shall eat before Yahweh your ‘elohym, and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand unto, you and your households, wherein Yahweh thy ‘elohym has blessed thee. (Deuteronomy 12.5-7)

In the first two verses where the word ‘there’ is linked with the verb ‘to come’, which we looked at in the previous post, the word is feminised as it is juxtaposed with the directional verb. It is shamah (שמה). In the first verse the verb ‘to set’, ‘there’ and ‘name’ are placed alongside each other, marking out a triple emphasis of the homographic shem/sham (שם). We see the name being inextricably linked to the journey unto a destination. It is a journey which finds rest in a set place where his name is, a place where the people are one with their ‘elohym, where they rejoice. A place that is indicative of a unity of mind with Yahweh. They have become him. Of course, sadly, this was not accomplished by the children of Yisra’el once they had attained unto that place. They themselves were still supposedly engaged in a figure of a greater rest to come but, instead, they reverted to the worship of other ‘elohym, as they did at Horeb. Indeed the true reconciliation of the people to their ‘elohym is yet to come but is also expressed in the terms of being ‘there’, where ‘there’ is the destination of the journey and is thus expressed in the feminine.

It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, Yahweh is there. (Yehezq’el 48.35)

Again ‘name’ is set in the context of ‘there’ and especially here we see the fulfilment of the name of Yahweh. The end point of the journey is expressed in the feminine shamah (שמה).

Yahweh is in the ‘here’ as we saw in Exodus 3. Yahweh is in Iesous and is in the ‘here’, as we saw in Maththaios 12. It is the revelation of the word whcih commences the journey and, in that sense, Yahweh is ‘here’. At the conclusion of the journey Yahweh is also ‘there’ as we saw in Yehezq’el 48. The two ends that mark the beginning and the ending of the journey, which lies between them, are both Yahweh. Of course, the direction from one to the other is the journey of progression, of growth, of incremental understanding which leads to the bride, the people (the feminine responding to the impetus of the masculine), becoming Yahweh in a much greater sense than they were at the beginning.

Of course, these posts are an outcome of examining and exploring the kaporeth. Notions of antitheses are born out of the relation of the kerubym one to another, in that they are ‘man unto (אל) his brother’. That the homographic אל is also translated in the negative (not, neither etc) in other places and that the two kerubym face one another, which in some contexts is seen as an antagonistic relationship, leads us to see the potential for antithesis in such a figure as the kaporeth is. Antitheses, where one value is the ‘not’ of the other, can be highly instructive in defining basic concepts.

The relation of the kaporeth to the latter of the antitheses covered in this post becomes even more sharply focused when we see ‘there’ used to describe the meeting of ‘elohym with man in relation to the kaporeth itself:

And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the kaporeth, from between the two kerubym which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto (אל) the children of Yisra’el. (Exodus 25.22)

The meeting, communing and revealing of commandments to Mosheh with the intent of delivering them unto Yisra’el is accomplished in between the covering lid of the ark and the kerubym. It is an outcome of that structure and of its symbolic meaning that it is possible for Yahweh to meet with man. This revelation of him to Mosheh is fundamental for the progression of the journey. At, or before, the beginning of the journey Yahweh is ‘there’, at the conclusion of the journey he is ‘there’ also, revealed to, and dwelling in, man. Between these two ‘theres’ he is always Yahweh, but the final ‘there’ and the incremental ‘theres’ along the way show a progression until there is a greater sense of him dwelling in man, as he will be all things in all. Yahweh is always in between. He is there in between the beginning and the ending of the journey; he is there in between the two kerubym. He is that which furthers the first ‘I will be’ to the latter ‘I will be’ in the revelation of the name in Exodus 3.14. He is the causation of the image of the one kerub becoming evident and reflective in the image of the other kerub. He is the one who will be unto ‘elohym unto his people as they will be reciprocal to him. This essence of beginning and ending of a journey is both true of ‘here’ and ‘there’, when it is from his perspective, and ‘there’ and ‘there’ when it is from Mosheh and the people’s standpoint. As ‘there’ is homographically ‘name’ (שם), this is a further illumination of the meaning of Yahweh’s name.

‘Here’ and ‘there’ are anithetical one to another as they bookend the journey between. At the beginning of the journey, the outset of the kerubic relationship unfolding, the man is unclothed upon with shoes, unable to make the journey without the covering of his feet by Yahweh’s revelation. He is in an antagonistic kaporeth relationship. By the end of the progressive pilgrimage to the inheritance, once he has achieved the ‘there’, he is fully clothed upon by the immersive spirit of ‘elohym. At this point in the kerubic relationship, as the receiving kerub, he is indistinguishable from the mediating kerub.

Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shall thou be when thou come in, and blessed shall thou be when thou go out…Cursed shall thou be in the city, and cursed shall thou be in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Cursed shall thou be when thou come in, and cursed shall thou be when thou go out. (Deuteronomy 28.4-6; 16-19)

Following on from the previous chapter we see here the enunciations of the blessings and cursings dependent, as they are, on the hearkening, or failure to do so, to the commandments of Yahweh and obedience, or lack thereof, to such precepts. Obviously, as we saw in the previous post, there is the antithesis of the blessings and cursings being pronounced from two mountains facing each other. We also have another interesting antithesis here, that of coming in and going out. We have seen various journeys up to this point, and many later, which have points of setting forth and points of entering in. We have seen ‘Abram setting forth from ‘Ur arriving at Haran, setting off from Haran and coming into the land of Kana’an. Setting forth from thence and entering into Mitsraym and returning to enter into the precincts of his allotted inheritance. Ultimately the children of Yisra’el have set forth from Mitsraym to enter into the land beyond Yarden. We have also seen, and will see once again in upcoming posts, the miniature journeys they took in the course of the larger one. All of these journeys, it might be argued, had a setting out point and an entering in. In the light of the above, bearing in mind that these blessings and cursings were set to be pronounced and fulfilled once the people had entered into the land, what can these journeyings allude to, if they had reached their destination?

The verb ‘to come in’ is the Hebrew bo’ (בוא). It is a common verb and is often translated as ‘come (in)’, ‘bring (in)’ and ‘enter (in)’. The sense of ‘in’ seems to be intrinsic to its meaning. Its first occurrence is in Genesis 2:

And out of the ground Yahweh ‘elohym formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto (אל) the man to see what he would call them: and whatsoever the man called every living creature, that was the name thereof…And the rib, which Yahweh ‘elohym had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto (אל) the man. Genesis 2.19,22)

Here the bringing is closely linked with ‘unto’ (אל) which, as we will recall is homographic to the title ‘el (אל) and thus alludes to a fundamental element of the character and definition of ‘el (אל). ‘Unto’, of course has, at its final point, ‘in’ as its destination. This alludes to the completion of the journey when man is ‘in’ Yahweh. Here, Yahweh brings animals unto the man to be named but there is no ‘help as before’ him and therefore there is no possibility of union. The woman, formed out of the man, is brought unto him and, because of her ability to be in a reciprocal relationship with the man (‘as before him’), union is a possible outcome of the journey ‘out of’ and ‘towards’. Bringing, in this case, is an act perpetrated by Yahweh ‘elohym towards the man. The possibility of it being received and reciprocated is down to what is brought and the man’s, and ultimately the woman’s, response. There is a kerubic manifestation towards the man and, it is to be hoped, such manifestation will be taken up by the man towards the woman. As we saw in the previous post, sadly, this is not the case. Following the sin of the woman and man, however, reconciliation and forgiveness can be afforded to them by sacrifice, looking forward, as it does, to the sacrifice of the woman’s seed. Thus:

And in process of time it came to pass, that Qayn brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to Yahweh. And Hebel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Yahweh had respect unto (אל) Hebel and unto (אל) his offering: (Genesis 4.3,4)

The two sons of the man and the woman brought sacrifices unto Yahweh but only that which had been ordained by Yahweh was accepted. It required the death of the lamb to take away sin. The meal offering was not acceptable because it did not foresee the death of Iesous and the overcoming of the flesh in his death and resurrection. There is antithesis here between the two brothers: Hebel (as we are told in Hebrews 11) was motivated by belief, understanding the pattern of sacrifice required by the woman’s seed to overcome the curse; in contrast, Qayn lacked such understanding and belief and simply gave what seemed right in his eyes. Hebel ‘brought’ unto Yahweh such things as Yahweh had taught them he required. He was involved in an obedient and reciprocal relationship. Qayn did not hearken, obey or understand.

In Deuteronomy 28 the verb ‘to go out’ is yatsa’ (יצא). We have seen this verb used when we considered the children of Yisra’el’s journeyings in the post before last. We saw it used to describe the words that proceed from Yahweh’s mouth by which man ought to live. We saw it in the springing forth of the plants from the earth, and their subsequent fruitfulness, in creation. We saw it in the journeyings of ‘Abram:

And Terah took ‘Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Saray his daughter in law, his son ‘Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from ‘Ur of the Keshadym, to go into the land of Kana’an; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. (Genesis 11.31)

And ‘Abram took Saray his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Kana’an; and into the land of Kana’an they came. (Genesis 12.5)

In both these journeys we see the use of both ‘going out’ and ‘coming in’. The journeys match the micro journeyings of the children of Yisra’el. They are steps in a larger journey. As it were, journeys within a journey.

We might consider further occurrences of the two verbs occurring together:

And it was, when Mosheh went out unto (אל) the tent, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was come into the tent. (Exodus 33.8)

We will recall the context of this passage. The children of Yisra’el have defiled themselves in serving the golden calf and, as a result, Yahweh removes the tabernacle from within the camp and sets it outside the camp. As a result, in order for Mosheh to receive instruction from Yahweh, to hearken unto his voice which proceeds from between the kerubym, he must go forth out of the camp and, after having received ‘elohym’s commandments he returns with those words back to the camp to deliver the message to the people. We can see the order of going and coming in this chapter. The going forth is seen as if standing in the camp and watching him, the coming into is seen as if stood within the tabernacle. Coming and going, or going and coming, are very much words of perspective. In this sense they are like revelation itself which is seen in the ‘I’ form of Yahweh speaking (from his perspective) but it is also seen as the ‘he’ speaking, as we saw in an earlier post on gender and identity, in a third person capacity given to us to be able to perceive him. He is the revelatory ‘I’ giving us the capacity to see the ‘him’ from our stance. We saw this in the movement of the naming of himself from the ‘I will be’ to the ‘he will be’ in Exodus 3. Exodus 33 and 34 give us the context of the calling of that name before Mosheh on account of the favour that Mosheh has found in Yahweh’s eyes. After the renewal of the covenant following the calling of the name Yahweh we see the outcome of that manifestation, that is, the knowing of Mosheh and ‘elohym one to another, as in the kaporeth from whence he received the commandments, and his subsequent mediation of such to the people.

And when Moses came in before Yahweh to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he went out. And he went out, and spoke unto (אל) the children of Yisra’el that which he was commanded. (Exodus 34.34)

Mosheh has emerged from speaking with Yahweh and his face shone so brightly that it was difficult for the hard hearted people to countenance. As a result he wore a vail except when he received instruction from Yahweh and gave it to the people.

Implicit in the verb ‘to come into’ is the idea of direction which results in being ‘in’ the house, the destination. Implicit in the verb to go forth is to proceed from a point outwards. It seems to, at the very least, be an auditory pun, on the the command/commandment family of words and is associated on other occasions, as well as this one, with the direction of commandments going forth from Yahweh or his representative. The representative of Yahweh must come in to the place where Yahweh is to be able to go forth with his words.

The same ‘coming into’ and ‘going forth’, in the same order as Exodus 34, also occurs in the context of the day of the atonements, reinforcing the link between reciprocal manifestation, as represented in the kaporeth, with the work of anointed:

And there shall be no man in the tent of the congregation when he comes in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he goes out, and has made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Yisra’el. (Leviticus 16.17)

In keeping with our previous post on the antitheses of ‘blessing’ and ‘cursing’ these two words, ‘come into’ and ‘go forth/out’, are used in the context of the blessings and cursings of Gerizym and ‘Ebal:

Therefore shall you keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land, where you go to possess it; And that you may prolong your days in the land, which Yahweh sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that flows with milk and honey. For the land, where thou come in there to possess it, is not as the land of Mitsraym, from where you went forth, where thou sowed thy seed, and watered it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs: (Deuteronomy 11.8-10)

This passage is set in the run up to the children of Yisra’el passing over Yarden and, once they have entered into that possession, coming to ‘Ebal and Gerizym to pronounce the cursings and blessings:

Blessed are thou be when thou come in, and blessed aret thou be when thou go out…Cursed are thou be when thou come in, and cursed are thou be when thou go out. (Deuteronomy 28.6,19)

Thus, the potential for long life, figuratively for ‘olam, is conditional upon keeping the commandments that proceeded, via Mosheh, from the mouth of ‘elohym. The larger journey is completed by a coming in, as if Yahweh is already in the possession, which he is, of course, as he is the possession. This journey, once it began by the proceeding forth from Mitsraym at the commandment of Yahweh, is seemingly complete at the settling of being in the land, However, it is evident from the blessings and the cursings that there are other journeys still to be completed within that possession which will be blessed or cursed, dependent on obedience to the commandments of Yahweh.

‘Comings in’ and ‘goings out’ were what described the shepherd who had brought them to the verge of entering in to the land and to the one who was to replace him in crossing the Yarden and casting out the inhabitants of the land:

Let Yahweh, the ‘elohym of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, Who may go out before them, and who may go in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; that the congregation of Yahweh be not as sheep which have no shepherd. And Yahweh said unto (אל) Mosheh, Take thee Yehoshua’ the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; And set him before ‘Ele’azar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. And thou shall put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Yisra’el may be obedient. And he shall stand before ‘Ele’azar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of ‘Urim before Yahweh: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Yisra’el with him, even all the congregation. (Numbers 27.17-21)

Mosheh can no longer fulfill the role of shepherd to the children of Yisra’el. He has brought them out and he has placed them on the verge of entering (coming) into the possession. It is now for Yehoshua’ (the Hebrew equivalent, as we have seen, of Iesous in the New Testament Greek), who has been the faithful minister to Mosheh throughout the wilderness journey, to bring them in and to lead them forward to subdue their enemies and take full possession of the land. It is as an outcome of Mosheh’s manifestation of the role of ‘elohym to Yehoshua’ and the passing on of Mosheh’s role to him that Yehoshua’ is able to lead them out and bring them in according to his word. This same role of shepherd to Yisra’el, as an outcome of wisdom manifested to the receiver by ‘elohym, is replayed in the lives of Dawid and Shelomah:

Also in time past, when Sha’ul was king over us, thou was he that led out and brought in Yisra’el: and Yahweh said to thee, Thou shall feed my people Yisra’el, and thou shall be a captain over Yisra’el. (2 Shemu’el 5.2)

The elders of Yisra’el come to Dawid after he has been in exile from Sha’ul, after he has reigned over Yehudah for seven years and now they require him, having fought the battles of Yahweh, and being able to fight more, to provide a settled state in which to feed the flock of Yisra’el. The same transition from war to peace in the context of shepherding is repeated when Shelomah, Dawid’s son, becomes king and wrestles with the qualities he will need to take over this role:

Now, Yahweh ‘elohym, let thy promise unto Dawid my father be established: for thou has made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? (2 Chronicles 1.9-10)

In Yehoshua’ and in Dawid there is an element of their goings forth and comings in that was linked to fighting the battles of Yahweh. The victories of the battles of Yahweh are what leads to the possibility of the flock being able to be at rest and to be fed in that state of peace. This was the inheritance offered to Shelomah who presided over a period of calm afforded to him by the victories enjoyed by his father. His goings out and comings in were occasioned by the wisdom that was given to him by Yahweh, as it was with Mosheh and Yehoshua’. We saw, and will see again in upcoming posts, the micro journeys that the children of Yisra’el engaged in en route to their inheriting the possession, the greater journey. They took down the camp and followed the ark to their new destination where they pitched, which we saw was related to the word for ‘grace’. They were involved in disruptive moments that led them to progression and peace where the kerubic relationship of the kaporeth could be re-established. Once in the land there were more goings forth and comings in that were occasioned by Yehoshua’ fighting the battles required to clear the land of the enemies of Yahweh’s people. These themes of shepherding the people of Theos, fighting the battles necessary to liberate his people, and that these things are occasioned by the gift of the wisdom of Theos granted to the shepherd to accomplish these ends, are brought into focus in the latter day Yehoshua’:

Amen, amen, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice…Then said Iesous unto them again, Amen, amen, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep…I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture…I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his soul for the sheep. (Iohannes 10.1-4,7,9,11)

The repeated use of the ‘I am’ shows that Iesous here is a fulfilment of the ‘I will be’ of his father. He is here manifesting his name. The sheepfold is the inheritance of Theos, which is Theos. Firstly, Iesous must enter in. He did this by hearkening to his father’s voice (the word) and becoming totally obedient. In this he lay down his natural identity that he might take up that new man which he had become by being as Theos. His performing of this exemplary role of shepherd allowed him to enter into Theos via the correct way. By doing this, he becomes the way that we enter, by endeavouring to follow his way. If we do this we can become in Theos too, by him. Once in Theos we may also go out and enter in. We have seen the battles fought by Iesous and his subsequent victory by which he is sat with the father, highly favoured of him. By virtue of this we have received his commandments by which we can inherit the favour that comes from reciprocal manifestation, while fighting the battles of Theos against the natural man, embodied in ourselves and others.

Just to remind ourselves why the notion of antithesis is relevant to this discussion. We noted in the early posts while discussing homographic uses of ‘el (אל) that one such usage was a less common word for ‘not’ and was an inversion of the more common word for the negative – lo’ (לא). As we also saw, when we looked at inversions, the inversion of letters can have a number of senses. It clearly indicates a relation of juxtaposition as we saw in the case of ‘grace’ and ‘Noah’ and also in the case of kaporeth and paroketh. It may also have a sense of inverted meaning so that ‘el (אל) could at one and the same time mean ‘not’ and, as it were, ‘not not’ or the inversion of the negative, that is the positive, for example, yes. It may be deemed therefore, as we see in the ten commandments, that fundamental to the meaning of the identity of ‘el (אל) is the idea of negative and, by implication, its antithesis. The ten commandments show this inasmuch as they are determined to be the fundamental commandments to be obeyed which form the basis of the covenant with Yisra’el and they take the form of a series of negative and positive propositions.

Furthermore, we will see in the following analysis an example of antithesis set in the context of the journeyings of the children of Yisra’el. So, a part of the identity of ‘el (אל), that is the association of him with both positive and negative, is juxtaposed with another fundamental part of his identity, that is the directional sense of ‘el (אל), both in the direction towards the land and in the direction of the kerubym one toward another seen in the kaporeth.

Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if you hearken unto (אל) the commandments of Yahweh your ‘elohym, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not hearken unto (אל) the commandments of Yahweh your ‘elohym, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other ‘elohym which you have not known. And it shall come to pass, when Yahweh thy ‘elohym has brought thee in unto (אל) the land where thou go to possess it, that thou shall put the blessing upon mount Gerizym, and the curse upon mount ‘Ebal. (Deuteronomy 11.26-29)

The book of Deuteronomy is the revelation which Mosheh received and delivered unto the children of Yisra’el in one day just prior to them crossing the Yarden and entering into their possession, a seeming fulfilment of a part of the promises made to ‘Abraham. In this specific chapter there is an emphasis on this crossing over and being in that possession and the way they should behave in the land. Indeed, Deuteronomy, as a whole, is a revelation given in the wilderness in anticipation of obedience to those precepts in the possession. In that sense Deuteronomy is very like the word given to those willing to receive it. It is instruction to be adhered to now in anticipation of observance of such in the place destined to be inherited. As such, it is determined that to obey these commandments, and to receive the blessings that come from that obedience, is to walk in the way. To disobey, and therefore to receive the cursings that come from such disobedience, is to stray out of the way and turn aside to other ‘elohym. To be in the way is to face ‘elohym and to move towards him; to be out of the way is to have turned aside to face other ‘elohym.

There are blessings toward the observance of these precepts and there are cursings involved in their disobedience. After entering the land, these blessings and cursings were to be enunciated on these two mountains on the other side Yarden.

In the Old Testament we find two distinct families of Hebrew words that translate the English ‘curse’ and in The New Testament we find a similar story with there being two distinct and unrelated families of words covering the same ground. The same is also true for the words ‘bless’ or ‘blessing’. That is that both in the Old Testament and the New there are two distinct families of words that cover this subject.

You may recall from the post ‘What is the euangelion?’ we looked at a number of Greek words that started with the same prefix ‘eu’ (ευ). One of these words is the word ‘to bless’ (eulogeo ευλογεω). Coming from two words, eu and logeo, it joins these two ideas together – that of ‘good’ or ‘well’ and ‘to speak’ – into one idea which is ‘to speak well’ and exists in both directions of the kaporeth. It is something that is given, that is, Theos speaks well of the patriarchs, and it is something that is received and reciprocated, as in when a believer blesses Theos. The inverse can be said to be true of one of the words for ‘curse’. This verb kakalogeo (κακαλογεω) is made up of the word kakos (κακος) meaning ‘evil’ or ‘wicked’ and the verb logeo (λογεω) from the noun logos (λογος), meaning (as in the word ‘to bless’) ‘word’ and from that ‘to speak’. Thus, cursing is the antithesis of ‘to speak well’, that is, it is ‘to speak evil’ and, therefore, can be inferred to be bi-directional, as ‘blessing’ is.

Thus:

For Theos commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curses father or mother, let him die the death. (Math.15.4)

Cursing here is seen as an antithesis to honouring father and mother and is set in the terms of a commandment of Theos. Indeed, honouring father and mother is one of the ten commandments that formed the elements of the covenant deposited inside the ark and covered by the kaporeth. It is also described as the first commandment with promise as it spoke of the promise of life to come. That is, that obedience to this commandment was couched in terms of the children of Yisra’el living long in the land, a prefiguring of living for ‘olam. The second part of this quotation that Iesous refers to is taken from Exodus 21:

And he that curses his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. (Exodus 21.17)

This route back to the Old Testament gives us one of the two words for ‘curse’ in the Hebrew. The word is qalal (קלל) and, although being predominantly translated ‘curse’, also has a number of alternative translations, including ‘abate’, ‘swift’, ‘revile’ and ‘light’. It seems to carry the sense of belittling, lightly esteeming etc. It is clearly used in a verbal slur as in:

And the Pelishty said unto Dawid, Am I a dog, that thou come to me with staves? And the Pelishty cursed Dawid by his ‘elohym. (1 Shemu’el 17.43)

In this passage Golyath is clearly cursing Dawid verbally by his ‘elohym, whereas Dawid tells him that he comes to him in the name of Yahweh, whom he has defied. Cursing, therefore, is a counterpoint to upholding Yahweh’s name.

The feminised noun from this word ‘to curse’ (qelalah קללה) is also used extensively and translated as ‘curse’ and is used, sparsely, in the references to ‘Ebal and Gerizym:

And these shall stand upon mount ‘Ebal to curse; Re’uben, Gad, and ‘Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtaly. (Deuteronomy 27.13)

The Hebrew here being better translated as ‘upon the curse’, as qelalah (קללה) is a noun.

And:

But it shall be, if thou will not hearken unto the voice of Yahweh thy ‘elohym, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: (Deuteronomy 28.15)

The curses, like the blessings (as we shall come to see), are the words which are spoken in advance of the possibility of them coming to pass. The curses are conditional on disobedience, as the blessings are conditional on obedience, and the acts that are foretold in that, as it were, speech of evil will come to pass once that disobedience has been established. Cursing can be evil speech, it can be belittling or demeaning speech, as is intimated in the dishonouring of parents spoken of in Exodus 21 or the blasphemy of Yahweh’s name perpetrated by the man in the wilderness (Leviticus 21), but it can also be speech concerning an evil outcome. Therefore, we can see the cursing from ‘Ebal as the true speech of Yahweh predicting an evil outcome for the disobedient children of Yisra’el, whereas the blessing is both that which speaks well of someone but also speaks of a positive outcome for those who are obedient to Yahweh’s commands. This anticipatory speech covers the events at Gerizym and ‘Ebal, as we have seen, because it is a command given in the wilderness with the expected obedience of such command in the possession where they are headed. Cursing and blessing, therefore, can be seen in tandem with the journey itself. The journey always has the destination in mind. Throughout the journey there is an anticipation of the journey’s end. Commandments given on the journey are expected to be accomplished, complied with, when the possession is inhabited. Such a compliance with the journey commandments will lead to the blessing of the ‘olam inheritance. The opposite occurs with failure to do so.

The most common Hebrew word used in the ‘Ebal cursings is ‘arar (ארר):

Cursed is he that establishes not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen. (Deuteronomy 27.26)

This word is also used in Genesis to describe the bad outcome for the man and his future tillage of the land following the disobedience of the man and woman in the garden:

And to the man he said, Because thou hearkened to the voice of thy woman, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shall thou eat of it all the days of thy life; (Genesis 3.17)

The outcome of the disobedience of the man is a deteriorating and less fruitful existence leading to his return to the ground from which he was taken. Death as an outcome of disobedience to the one commandment they were given was foretold. They were warned of the consequences of disobedience. From that point on they were expelled from the garden and the way to the tree of lives was guarded by kerubym. However, in the proclamation of such devastating consequences, there was still a hope of another journey and destination set out before them by the victory of the woman’s seed over the seed of the serpent.

The blessings, as the counterpoint to cursings, are seen in the promises made to ‘Abraham which, as in Genesis 3, look forward to an obedient seed to cause their fulfilment. The Hebrew word used here is one of two words used to describe ‘blessing’. Here, as in the blessings of Gerizym, the word used is barak (ברך). It describes the blessedness of man, and the prospect of his ensuing fruitfulness, in Genesis 1; it is used to describe the blessedness of the seventh day following the six days of creation; and it is used to describe the outcome of the promises on ‘Abram on account of his obedience:

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shall be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curses thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12.2,3)

These positive sayings about positive outcomes are repeated in the following chapters. They are used concerning the words that Melkytsedek, the king of Shalem and the priest of the most high ‘el (אל), pronounces upon ‘Abram and which ‘Abram reciprocates by giving tithes and his subsequent words to the king of Sodom. It is used concerning Sarah and the son that will be born of her (Yitshaq) who, being ‘Abraham’s seed, prefigures the seed (Iesous) who will proceed from him, both genealogically and in spirit. It is used to ‘Abraham by the angel who stayed his hand from slaying his son Yitshaq, the promised seed, who ‘Abraham, in figure, killed and received back from the dead:

By belief Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaak: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, towards whom it was said, That in Isaak shall thy seed be called: Accounting that Theos was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. (Hebrews 11.17-19)

As we saw with cursings, there is evidently a journey of speech leading to outcome. This is clearly the case with blessings too. The believing and obedient ‘Abraham was to be the recipient of positive outcomes. There were some of these positive outcomes in his life: the positive words spoken to him by Yahweh and by his representative, himself a figure for Iesous, but the positive outcomes that were promised were not realised in his lifetime, neither in the lifetimes of his natural descendants, the children of Yisra’el, unto whom it appears that these promises were made. The positive outcomes, the fruitfulness and blessings, can only be achieved through his seed and will only be realised when ‘Abraham is there, in his resurrected form, when the possession he was promised is an ‘olam inheritance.

The other word for ‘blessing’ in the Old Testament is the Hebrew word ‘eshrey (אשרי) and it comes from the word ‘asher (אשר). We can see the correlation in the naming of one of the sons of Ya’aqob:

And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name ‘Asher. (Genesis 30.13)

We have seen in previous posts that the word ‘asher (אשר) is at the heart of the meaning of Yahweh’s name. In Exodus ‘elohym says unto Mosheh, in response to Mosheh’s question as to what he shall say to the children of Yisra’el when they ask the name of the one sending him:

And ‘elohym said unto (אל) Mosheh, I will be who I will be: and he said, Thus shall thou say to the children of Yisra’el, I will be has sent me unto (אל) you. (Exodus 3.14)

The word ‘who’ here is the Hebrew ‘asher (אשר) and denotes that medium through which the ‘I will be’ will appear unto those who he will become. This blessed medium is, in this context, Mosheh but looks forward to the mediator of the New Covenant, Iesous. It also, however, embodies all ‘who’ manifest that name of Yahweh in word and work, thus:

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of Yahweh; and in his law does he meditate day and night. (Psalm 1.1,2)

We see here the word for ‘blessed’ (‘eshrey אשרי) alongside the word for ‘who’ (‘asher אשר), showing a close juxtaposition of the two words. The man ‘who’ is embodying, and walking in, the way of Yahweh, revealed in his law, and who has these precepts dwelling in him day and night, is/will be blessed. Furthermore, his behaviour is characterised by a series of negative propositions. He does not walk, sit or stand in evil ways (the negative) because (the positive) he delights and meditates continually in Yahweh’s law.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Yahweh imputes not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. (Psalm 32.1,2)

The outcome of this manifestation of Yahweh’s way is that sin is removed from the blessed man. This man (‘adam, as in Genesis 3) is any man who declares Yahweh in himself but, primarily, it is that second ‘adam in whom there was no fault. This faultlessness as an outcome of absorption of, and immersion in, the words of Yahweh is the same principle we saw outlined in the day of the atonements when the blood of the offerings for priest, his house and the people were all sprinkled on the kaporeth, that symbol of reciprocal manifestation.

Psalm 32 gives us a route into the New Testament as it is quoted in Romans 4:

Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. (Romans 4.7,8)

Here we have the use of the words who/whose that are, perhaps, implied but not uttered in Psalm 32. As in the quotation from Deuteronomy 32.43 into Romans 15.10, which we looked at in the ‘homographs’ section (in regard to the homographic nature of ‘with’ and ‘people’), the homographic relationship of ‘blessed’ and ‘who’ is made explicit in the New Testament quotation. This reference in Romans 4 also gives us a New Testament link to the Hebrew ‘eshrey (אשרי). The Greek here is the word makarios (μακαριος) and this is used in, what is commonly called, the sermon on the mount:

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see Theos. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of Theos. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Math.5.3-12)

Set on top of a mountain, Iesous proclaims 9 statements of blessedness which is concluded with a commandment to rejoice. It is as though we have a new ten commandments here being offered to a plural blessed group, as the word ‘blessed’ appears in its plural form. These are positive propositions which are based on manifestation. Therefore, those who are merciful will obtain mercy. The positive propositions are, however, contrasted with their antitheses. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled; those who mourn will be comforted; and, above all, and offering us the one command form – ‘rejoice and be exceeding glad’ – is the idea that, in this age, those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness shall receive the reward of the heavenly values of the age to come. Ultimately, those who are cursed by those of this present, evil age shall be blessed in the future by Theos. All of the ones who attempt to show in themselves the qualities of Theos are offered future reward, future comfort. The contrast, where there is one is in the present (wilderness journey) and the future (the inherited possession). This is the blessing/cursing antithesis.

We have seen, in the above, and, particularly referring back to ‘Ebal and Gerizym, that the future reward is dependent on the present obedience while en route to that aionian destination. The two mountains that represented that antithesis between blessing and cursing were juxtaposed opposite one another to show the divergence of these two behaviours and outcomes. The one mountain of Iesous’ teaching offers one set of outcomes based on one set of behaviours. These behaviours were seen in him who sat at the mountain top and led to him being without fault before Theos. If we walk after the example of that manifesting kerub, hearken to his voice and are reciprocal to it in word and deed, we too can be heirs of him. The antitheses of blessing and cursing show the difference between the now and the future and those who will inherit it. Cursing is of the now, it was the failure of the man and the woman in the garden that led to the curse of suffering and death. The blessing that was offered to ‘Abraham and to his seed is the obedience to the covenant of the cutting off of the flesh and holds promise for the undoing of the curse of ‘Eden and the return via the kerubym to the tree of lives and its fruit. The man and woman failed in kerubic manifestation, the woman teaching, falsely, the man how to behave and undermining the teaching of ‘elohym. The true pattern was the command of ‘elohym to man and the man’s reciprocation by receiving, reciprocating and turning to become the manifesting kerub to the woman. In ‘Eden this pattern was usurped. In the blessings of Gerizym, and the mountain of Iesous’ teaching, the true pattern is followed. In the cursings of ‘Ebal, and the failure of the children of Yisra’el to keep the covenant offered to them by Mosheh from the mount, we have the continuation of the expulsion from ‘Eden. Entering into Yahweh is dependent on the obedience of Iesous and those who are blessed in him through obedience to him. The identity of ‘el (אל) is premised on these contrasts.

These are the journeys of the children of Yisra’el, which went forth out of the land of Mitsraym with their hosts under the hand of Mosheh and ‘Aharon. And Mosheh wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of Yahweh: and these are their journeys according to their goings out. (Numbers 33.1,2)

This chapter of Numbers describes the journeys of the children of Yisra’el from the time they left the land of Mitsraym until they are on the brink of crossing the Yarden and entering the land proper under the hand of Yehoshua’. As the chapter progresses we follow them from the passover night through to their passing through the Red Sea and out the other side through the wilderness of Sin until they reach Horeb, the mountain of ‘elohym. After receiving the commandments and the pattern of the tabernacle they proceed, again by stages, until they reach Kadesh and are on the verge of entering into the land. Each stage is described like the following one:

And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinay. (Numbers 33.15)

There are 3 words being used in this chapter that we will focus in on because of their relation to the theme of journeying. Firstly, in the first three verses particularly, we see the use of the word yatsa’ (יצא) translated as ‘went forth’ or ‘brought forth’. Next we see the word ‘departed’ (as in the verse above) which is also translated ‘journeyed’ and is related to the word ‘journeys’ in the first two verses. This is the Hebrew word nasa’ (נסע). Finally, we have the word translated ‘pitched’ in the verse above. This is the Hebrew word hanah (חנה) and it is closely related to the word for ‘grace’. The journeys of the children of Yisra’el are associated with their going forth, the pitching of the camp is associated with grace.

Firstly, therefore, let us consider ‘going (or bringing) forth’. The Hebrew word here, as we saw above, is yatsa’ (יצא). The noun which is related to this verb is motsa’ (מוצא) and it occurs in verse 2 of Numbers 33 and is translated ‘goings out’. This noun is used to describe springs of water because they proceed out of the ground. It is also repeatedly used to describe speech as well:

And thou shall remember all the way which Yahweh thy ‘elohym led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou would keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with the man (ha-man המן), which thou knew not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man shall not live by bread alone, but by all that goes forth from the mouth of Yahweh shall man live. (Deuteronomy 8.2,3)

Towards the end of their wilderness journey, therefore, Mosheh encourages the children of Yisra’el to reflect on the way which Yahweh has led them and to reflect on the fact that only by the words of Yahweh which go out of his mouth shall the man (ha-‘adam האדם) live. Of course, ultimately, it is the man who quoted this verse, while being tempted in the wilderness, who lives because of the utterances of his father.

The verb ‘to bring forth’ (yatsa’ יצא) is often used in journeys. For example, of ‘Abraham:

So ‘Abram departed, as Yahweh had spoken unto (אל) him; and Lot went with him: and ‘Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And ‘Abram took Saray his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of kana’an; and into the land of kana’an they came. (Genesis 12.4,5)

As with the children of Yisra’el, this journeying of ‘Abram was evidently a progression. He left ‘Ur and came to Haran. He left Haran and came into the land. He then separates from Lot when their cattle are too many for them to be together without strife. When he has accomplished these stages on his journey he has fuflfilled the command given in Genesis 12:

Now Yahweh had said unto (אל) ‘Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto (אל) a land that I will show (reveal/manifest to) thee: (Genesis 12.1)

‘Abram has to complete these stages of progression as he progressively receives more of the promises and the covenant. First, leaving the land (‘Ur), then his father’s house (Haran), and then his kindred (Lot). On his journey to the land, as he casts off these hindrances he progressively has more of Yahweh, and his will, manifested to him. Yisra’el, his descendants, also come out of a place of darkness and proceed in stages towards the land promised to their father. They should be following the same pattern although it is a small number of individuals who truly follow in the steps of their father ‘Abraham, namely people like Kaleb, Yehoshua’ and Mosheh.

Being brought forth, or going forth is also associated with birth. The birth of plants, as they proceed out of the earth, and the birth of children as they proceed out of their fathers. Thus:

And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and ‘elohym saw that it was good. (Genesis 1.12)

and:

And, behold, the word of Yahweh came unto (אל) him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. (Genesis 15.4)

Out of the darkness of the earth comes the birth of the plant. Out of the darkness of the woman’s womb, by the impetus of the man’s seed, comes forth the man, the heir to the promises. The fruitfulness of life out of death in respect of plants and people is beautifully articulated by Iesous:

Amen, Amen, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit. (Ioh.12.24)

It is through the bringing forth of Iesous out of the grave that there will be the creation of much fruit.

So we see the bringing forth of the children of Yisra’el from Mitsraym with the hope that out of death (that of the firstborn) will be born plenty and fruitfulness. That outcome is dependent on the journeys that will follow that first departure.

These journeys, as we saw above, are repeatedly characterised by the phrasing:

And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea. (Numbers 33.10)

The word translated as ‘removed’ here is the verb nasa’ (נסע). This word seems to carry the ideas of journeying, as in the patriarchs, of going forward and not back as in the case of the children of Yisra’el when pursued by the Mitsraym and, finally, of breaking down the camp in order to go forward on a journey. These ideas are particularly relevant in the context of the journeying of the tabernacle and, therefore, of the ark and the kaporeth upon it.

And when the tabernacle sets forward, the Lewyym shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Lewyym shall set it up: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death. (Numbers 1.51)

and:

And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Yisra’el went onward in all their journeys: But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. (Exodus 40.36,37)

We see, in the second passage that the journeying of the camp was dependent on the movement of the pillar of cloud. The journeyings of Yisra’el were an outcome of the determination of Yahweh that it would happen and were deemed to be in an onward trajectory. In the first passage we see the twofold nature of these stages in the journey. The outset is signified by the word nasa’ (נסע) while the conclusion of these stages is marked by the word ‘pitched which is the Hebrew hanah (חנה). This, as we have seen in a previous blog is from the word for ‘grace’. It signifies that the camp has come to rest after a period of disruption, but progress, that is a prerequisite to rest. We see an antithesis here. Disruption in travel which leads to progress is counterpointed by the rest of grace which is indicated when the camp is re-established, the tents are pitched once again and the tabernacle is reared up, according to its pattern.

We have considered the meaning of grace in the previous blog and determined that to reside in grace is to be in harmony with the revelation of the gracious utterances of Yahweh. It is to be in that kaporeth relationship associated with the revelation of his covenantal name. In figure, therefore we see the bringing forth, the birth, as it were, of the journeyings of Yisra’el out of Mitsraym. Furthermore we see the disruptive progress in a perpetual onward direction that is necessary before we come to a point of re-establishing the grace which goes along with that kerubic relationship at the heart of the tabernacle.

This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things: And when the camp sets forward, ‘Aharon shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail (paroketh), and cover the ark of testimony with it: And shall put thereon the covering of badgers’ skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof…And when ‘Aharon and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation. (Numbers 4.4-6,15)

Twice in the above verses we have the use of the verb to set forward (nasa’ נסע) and the noun ‘camp’ (mahaneh מחנה) which is closely related to the word ‘to pitch’, carrying with it the sense of grace.

This is when we see the relevance of the ark and the kaporeth to the journey. We have already seen that the movement of the camp was dictated by the movement of the cloud that was upon the tabernacle. We now see that the order of movement of the camp was thus:

And they departed from the mount of Yahweh three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them. And the cloud of Yahweh was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp. And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Mosheh said, Rise up, Yahweh, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. And when it rested, he said, Return, Yahweh, unto the many thousands of Yisra’el. (Numbers 10.33-36)

The word ‘rested’ is from the family of words that includes the name ‘Noah’. We noted, in the previous post, that the letters of Noah were an inversion of the letters for the word ‘grace’. Thus demonstrating a relationship of juxtaposition between Noah and the grace that he found in Yahweh’s eyes. The word ‘grace’ is part of a family of words that includes the words ‘to pitch’ and the ‘camp’ and one of the words for ‘host’, as in multitude. It was a multitudinous camp that pitched under the stability of the presence of Yahweh’s cloud above the re-erected tabernacle and ark that lay within. The word for ‘rest’ which is related to Noah’s name is used, as well as the occurrence above, in a description of the coming to rest of an entirely different ark on the mountains of ‘ararat. (We considered in a previous post the relationship of the ark of Noah with the ark of the covenant.) We also see a reference to ‘elohym resting on the seventh day:

For in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Yahweh blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20.11)

The above passage set, as it is, in the ten commandments, and giving the rationale behind the sabbath observance, notes that the sabbath is a time of rest because ‘elohym rested after creating the heavens and earth. We can see the rest of the sabbath as being a piece of anticipatory manifestation because it is a work undertaken by the children of Yisra’el not only in recognition of the past but in acknowledgment of the future. Thus the rest of the sabbath is the rest of the age to come. A time of rest from the struggle with the flesh.

Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, make me to know now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. And he said, My face shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. (Exodus 33.13,14)

As we have seen above, in the context of the revelation of Yahweh’s name to Mosheh, he seeks and finds grace in the eyes of Yahweh while he is leading his people and, because of the face of Yahweh being before them and leading them, he will find rest.

Remember the word which Mosheh the servant of Yahweh commanded you, saying, Yahweh your ‘elohym has given you rest, and has given you this land. (Yehoshua’ 1.13)

The rest that the children of Yisra’el were aiming towards was the inheritance of the land. We know, however, that, ultimately, Yehoshua’ could not give them a true rest as the writer to the Hebrews says:

For if Iesous had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest to the people of Theos. (Hebrews 4.8,9)

The name Iesous here, as in Acts 7, refers to Yehoshua’ who, clearly, gave them rest from their enemies, only inasmuch as keeping the sabbath day is observing the rest of Yahweh. However, what is clear in this is that the journey stands for another journey, or series of journeys which end up in encampments of rest for a time only but anticipate a greater, fuller and more permanent rest.

The order of the breaking down of the camp shows us the order of preeminence and the way in which the journey is effected. The first, in order, was the cloud which indicated ‘elohym and his directional intent to lead the people to rest. Secondly, came the ark, with the kaporeth on top of it, covered by the paroketh and the covering of badgers’ skins and carried, by means of the staves that ran through the rings on the side of the ark and that protruded outside of the covering, by the kohathy. After which came the rest of the elements of the tabernacle and then the camp, in order.

It is, after the cloud, the kaporeth on top of the ark that leads the congregation of Yahweh’s people to the land. It is the kerubic relationship of ‘elohym with man that is an outcome of the dwelling of ‘elohym with man, shown in the cloud, that leads the people to their next station of rest en route to the final destination of rest which is, figuratively, the land but is, in truth, the inheritance of Yahweh.

We see, therefore, an onward direction with a purpose looking toward and facing the rest to come but we also see the mechanism of accomplishing that in the kaporeth upon the ark of the covenant. In this sense there are two distinct, and yet conjoined, ideas of ‘unto’. The first being that of ‘unto the rest’ of the onward journey and that of ‘man unto his brother’ of the kerubym on the kaporeth. The latter is the means by which the former is attained.

The individual stages of the entire journey follow the pattern of the entire journey. That is, they commence with a ‘setting forth’ and end with an encampment, a rest of grace. We can see these stages in a number of ways. Firstly, as acts of anticipatory manifestation. The stages are microcosms of the whole. Enacting one in small form is to anticipate the enacting of the whole. Furthermore, we can see these progressions by stages to be necessary progressions, by stage, in understanding. Thus, it is necessary to put in place one step before being able to put in place the next. If we see the journey as a journey of understanding, which it must be if the impetus for that journey is the revelation of Yahweh, then the stages of that journey must be progressive. We already saw this, above, in the stages of journeying in ‘Abraham’s pilgrimage and how they mirrored his progressive relinquishing of the burdens of the flesh and, as a result, received more revelation from Yahweh and further indications of the substance of the covenant made with him. This must clearly be the same with individual believers who are following his, and the Lord’s, example. Furthermore, in future posts we will endeavour to look at this progression in stages in other journeys, particularly the journeys of Iesous around the land.

And Noah found grace in the eyes of Yahweh. (Genesis 6.8)

The word for ‘grace’ (hen חן) is related to the word for ‘graciousness’ (hanan חנן) and is an inversion of the name Noah (נח). The inversion in this case seems to show a relationship of juxtaposition between Noah and the one showing him grace. The word translated ‘grace’ here is also translated ‘favour’ quite often and perhaps this gives us an insight into its meaning.

Furthermore, perhaps the real starting point on this journey of understanding relating to grace/favour is an issue of perspective. From which direction do we see the favour? In a kaporeth type relationship, in which direction does it come from and unto whom is it delivered? In the first 46 of the 69 occurrences in the Old Testament of ‘hen’ (חן), the word is linked with ‘eyes’ or ‘sight’. A particular person finds favour in the sight/eyes of the benevolent giver of grace/favour, usually and ultimately it is Yahweh. As we have seen above, the words grace (favour) and gracious (favourable) are linked. Thus, the gracious shows grace to the receiver of that favour. The benevolent and superior shows a demeanour of kindness to the other which results in a beneficial outcome for the receiver of such an inclination.

This kerubic relationship of the one favouring to the one who is favoured and the reciprocity of acceptance of such favour is implicit in the revelation of the name to Mosheh:

For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou go with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. And Yahweh said unto Mosheh, I will do this thing also that thou has spoken: for thou has found grace in my sight, and I know thee in name. And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of Yahweh before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. (Exodus 33.16-19)

So, Mosheh indicates that grace is shown when Yahweh goes with his people, that is, he is in their midst mediating his teachings to them. Yahweh indicates that Mosheh has found grace in his eyes and that he knows him intimately and this is clearly a result of Mosheh’s willingness to submit to Yahweh. Because of this he is going to show his glory to him, reveal his name and his goodness to Mosheh. This revelation, this graciousness, is because Mosheh is someone Yahweh has chosen to speak to, to be gracious to and, implicitly, there is good reason to do so. Mosheh, like Noah, has already shown himself to be inclined towards Yahweh, to receive his words and to be obedient to them. As a result Yahweh is going to show mercy upon both of them. In saving Noah and his house through the construction of the ark and, in the case of Mosheh, in causing him and his house to be saved by the construction of a different dwelling place for ‘elohym. We see that Yahweh has a choice. Mosheh is talking about the people finding grace in the eyes of Yahweh but Yahweh is talking about Mosheh finding grace in his eyes. Yahweh chooses who to be gracious and merciful to based upon his criteria. Here the criteria must be the inclination of the recipient to willingly reciprocate.

And Yahweh spoke unto (אל) Mosheh, saying, Speak unto (אל) ‘Aharon and unto (אל) his sons, saying, On this wise you shall bless the children of Yisra’el, saying unto them, Yahweh shall bless thee, and shall keep thee: Yahweh shall lighten his face unto (אל) thee, and shall be gracious to thee: Yahweh shall lift up his face unto (אל) thee, and shall set (שם) to thee peace. And they shall set (שם) my name (שם) upon the children of Yisra’el; and I will bless them. (Numbers 6.22-27)

This time the graciousness of Yahweh is extended to the children of Yisra’el but it is clearly, like the name, set in the future at a time when, presumably, they will be responsive to the word. In a sense we can see this in the blessings being unto a singular ‘thee’. That is, the graciousness of Yahweh is extended to willing individual recipients of that favour on account of their inclination to hearken and do his will. In one individual this was more apparent than in any other. We see his graciousness being juxtaposed with the shining of his face toward them. He shows grace when he reveals himself to them through the revelation of his face, particularly his mouth.

In the New Testament we find a similar pattern of translations where the Greek word karis (χαρις) is rendered as ‘grace’, ‘favour’ and ‘thank(s)’. This last translation takes us back to another of our ‘prerequisites – minor detours’ series about the euangelion where we saw the use of the word ευ as a prefix to a series of words which lent the sense of reciprocity to the word to which it was appended. In the case of karis (χαρις) we saw the expansion of this word for grace or favour into the verb eukaristeo (ευχαριστεω) meaning ‘to give thanks’. To give thanks is the reciprocal side of favour. Theos shows us favour in the revelation of his word unto salvation; we give thanks in reciprocating that revelation. The ultimate embodiment of grace is, of course, the Lord Iesous:

And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of Theos was upon him…And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Iesous increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with Theos and man. (Loukas 2.40,51,52)

These verses recounting Iesous’ early years from shortly after his birth and leading up to the passover when he was 12 show that he was in a state of increasing favour primarily with Theos but also with man. We can assume that this was an outcome of his learning by the spirit of his father being ministered unto him. When he comes to the point of his readiness to engage in the ministry which has been set out before him, we find grace there too:

And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Ioseph’s son? (Loukas 4.22)

This is said after he has taken the scroll of Esaias and read in it the words concerning himself and, after handing the scroll back, proclaims that this scripture is fulfilled in their ears. The witness of the people is to the grace of the words which he has spoken. Therefore, grace is indicative of the words of Theos in the prophet and its explanation in the mouth of his son.

And the word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Iohannes bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that comes after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Iesous anointed. No man has seen Theos at any time; the only begotten son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him (Ioh.1.14-18)

We have already looked at Iohannes 1 and the phrasing in the first verses of the book relating to the relationship of the word toward Theos in the beginning. That is, a relationship of reciprocity. Here we see the word being made flesh, embodied, in the Lord Iesous. The outcome of that gracious word being embodied in him is that he embodies, and manifests in word and action, that favour of Theos toward man. Theos has been gracious to him in a kaporeth relationship. Iesous manifests that same kerubic relationship toward those who are willing to receive it. As favour was toward him from Theos in the ministering of the word to him, so he turns around and does the same to his followers. The favourable declaration of Theos by him towards his disciples is seen in a passage we have already looked at in regard to the mercyseat in the New Testament.

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in anointed Iesous: Whom Theos has set forth to be a mercyseat through belief in his blood, unto (εις) a declaration of his righteousness through the remission of sins that are past, in the forbearance of Theos; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Iesous. (Romans 3.24-26)

At the heart of the work of Iesous with respect to the taking away of sins is the kaporeth. It is in this figure that we see the declaration of the righteousness of Theos and the willing receiving of such and subsequent manifestation of it back to him and onward to others. By belief in, that is association with and participation in the same behaviour as, Iesous we can become righteous too, as Abraham was counted righteous by belief. It is the inclination of Theos towards the willing, or potentially willing, to unfold his merciful plan to accomplish this reconciliation with him that is covered by the terminology of ‘grace’ or ‘favour’. It is a phenomenon which behoves us to give thanks.

This gracious inclination is perpetuated in Iesous when he sends forth his disciples to declare the euangelion, the message of salvation, to the populace at that time. It was the grace of the Lord which was revealed to Paulos, the tentmaker, that offered him that opportunity to receive mercy and to be at peace with him and, having received such, to offer it to those potentially willing to receive.

For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the ekklesia of Theos. But by the grace of Theos I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of Theos which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so you believed. (1 Corinthians 15.9-11)

In language very similar to Iesous’ use of the ‘I am’, when he is showing that he is a fulfilment of the ‘I will be’ of Exodus 3, Paulos invokes the formula of that revelation of the name to Mosheh, saying that by Theos’ favour ‘I am what I am’ (echoing the ‘I will be who I will be’ of Ex.3.14). This reciprocal manifestation that is enshrined in the name has been offered to Paulos because Theos has shown him favour and the mechanism for the showing of that favour is in his (Theos’) gracious words.

Grace/favour is a directional phenomenon, rather like the bi-directional nature of the kaporeth. It is like this because it is accomplished by the bi-directional nature of the word. Grace is given by the word, it is received and reciprocated, by word. However, it seems as if, when this reciprocal relationship is fully under way the recipient may be deemed to be ‘in grace’. This state of grace, this dwelling of grace with the believer is because the word is in abundance in their soul. Thus:

And when the Ioudaioi were gone out of the synagogue, the nations besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Ioudaioi and religious proselytes followed Paulos and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of Theos. (Acts 13.42-43)

Here, the willing recipients of Theos’ words by Paulos and Barnabas are being encouraged to remain in that reciprocal relationship of giving and receiving of the word. They are encouraged to allow grace to abound and to dwell in grace. This dwelling in the abundance of grace, in the abundance of that reciprocal relationship of the gracious words of Theos, will become evident when we look, in the next post, at the pitching of the camp of Yisra’el after their journeyings.

The words that Paulos started his letters with hint at this reciprocal kaporeth relationship, dealing, as it does, with the reciprocal words of grace that lead to reconciliation, or peace. Thus:

Grace be unto you, and peace, from Theos our Father, and from the Lord Iesous anointed. I thank my Theos always concerning you, for the grace of Theos which is given you in Iesous anointed; That in every thing you are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; (1 Cor.1.3-5)

So the gracious utterances of Theos in anointed lead to the reconciliation of him with the willing recipients of that grace. While they abide in those teachings, in that grace, they have access to the mercy of Theos which is offered because of his inclination towards them.

And over it the keroubim of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. (Hebrews 9.5)

We have already seen that this is the only place in the New Testament where a word is used to describe the kaporeth of, for example, Exodus 25. The New Testament Greek word used here is ilasterion (ιλαστηριον) and is only used in one other place:

Whom Theos has set forth to be a propitiation through belief in his blood, to (εις) declare his righteousness through the remission of sins that are past, in the forbearance of Theos (Romans 3.25)

The link with the kaporeth is clear in Romans 3 as it is talking about belief in his blood which we can see in the blood of the animals shed and then sprinkled upon the kaporeth. While at the same time we see here the declaration of righteousness which has caused the remission of past sins. The declaration of righteousness is the mediation of one kerub to the other and, as we have seen and will see, is part of the journey of the kaporeth. This is a journey which will lead to the final destination of the utter removal of sins from man.

As we saw in the previous blog the word ilasterion (ιλαστηριον) is related to another word which is also translated ‘propitiation’ ilasmos (ιλασμος):

My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have a comforter with the Father, Iesous Anointed the righteous: And he is the propitiation concerning our sins: and not concerning ours only, but also concerning the whole kosmos. (1 Ioh.2.1,2)

and:

He that loves not knows not Theos; for Theos is love. In this was manifested the love of Theos toward us, because that Theos sent his only begotten Son into the kosmos, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved Theos, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation concerning our sins. Beloved, if Theos so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (1 Ioh.4.8-11)

We saw, in the previous blog post, that being a propitiation is closely linked with being a comforter in the first passage. This is highly relevant as the ‘other’ comforter that was to be sent in Iesous’ name to the disciples, that is the holy spirit, was being sent to reveal truth to them, as Iesous had previously done. He had declared the righteousness of Theos, having become righteous himself. This is then linked to the issues concerning, or surrounding, our sins. That is, the need for the declaration of Theos’ righteousness in him that leads to the removal of sins in himself and in others by their also taking up the stake and following him. So, the coming together of propitiation/mercyseat and comforter goes straight to the heart of the kaporeth. That is, the sprinkling of the sacrificial blood in the place where the faces of the kerubym were toward one another.

Related to this second word translated ‘propitiation’ is the Greek word ilaskomai (ιλασκομαι) which occurs twice in the New Testament. Thus:

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, Theos be merciful to me a sinner. (Loukas 18.13)

and:

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to Theos (προς  τον θεον), to (εις) make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Heb.2.17)

We noted that in the beginning of Iohannes 1 it also uses the terminology προς τον θεον to describe the reciprocal kerubic relationship between Theos and the word. The merciful and faithful high priest, Iesous (but seen figuratively in the work of ‘Aharon), is indistinguishable in his work from the kaporeth. His reciprocal relationship with Theos is the precursor to his kerubic relationship with the believers that instructs them and causes them to know, and to distance themselves from, their disobedience to the heavenly precepts. The publican in the parable is the one who, seeking to become a receiver rather than a giver, accepts that this humility is the route to reconciliation with Theos. The Pharisaios, contariwise, is intent on telling Theos about his own goodness. He has become the mediating kerub when he should, in all humility, be the one willing to receive before reciprocating.

These words for reconciliation and propitiation appear to be related to the New Testament Greek word ileos (ιλεως) which occurs in two passages and, possibly gives us the reason why the term kaporeth is translated ‘mercy seat’.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 8.12)

Interestingly, the form ‘I will be’ (esomai εσομαι) that precedes the word ‘merciful’, which we are looking at, is the New Testament equivalent to the Hebrew ‘ehyeh (אהיה) which we saw used in Exodus 3 in the phrasing ‘I will be with thee’ and ‘I will be who I will be’ which are used for the basis of the covenantal name of Yahweh, and are set at the beginning of that first return journey into and out of Mitsraym which led the people to the foot of the mount from whence they received the covenant, embodied in the tables of testimony and the ark of the covenant with the kaporeth on top of it. Indeed, this same Greek word (esomai εσομαι) is used earlier in Hebrews 8 which, like the verse above is being quoted from Yeremyahu 31:

Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Yisra’el, and with the house of Yehudah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Mitsraym; which my covenant they broke, although I was an husband unto them, says Yahweh: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Yisra’el; After those days, says Yahweh, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be to them for ‘elohym, and they shall be to me for a people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, says Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Yer.31.31-34)

Yahweh made an agreement with the children of Yisra’el in the wilderness which was embodied in the ark and its contents and by the kaporeth which sat on top of it and by the tabernacle in which it dwelt. They failed to keep that agreement and therefore their sin remained, their disobedience was evident. They failed to uphold the promise that is enshrined in his covenantal name. However, there is put in place a new covenant, a new agreement, which is embodied in the dwelling place of Theos in his son and the reconciling work which he undertook, firstly for himself and then for his house. This reconciliatory work, prefigured by the kaporeth, causes reconciliation with those who keep covenant with him, those who are obedient to the covenant and the meaning of it enshrined in the name of the son. These same believers, that true assembly of anointed, his bride, are the mechanism by which the new covenant is offered to, and accepted by, his natural people of Israel, who he first made covenant with. The mechanism by which this reconciliation is being offered is, of course, that which is seen in the kaporeth: mediation and reciprocation or giving and receiving.

The second occurrence of the Greek word ileos (ιλεως) is translated somewhat differently from ‘merciful’

From that time forth began Iesous to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Ierousalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Petros took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Petros, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou are an offence unto me: for thou savour not the things that be of Theos, but those that be of men. (Math.16.21-3)

This passage is very much an antagonistic kaporeth relationship. Iesous, the mediating kerub is giving understanding and the disciples should be in a position of receiving and reciprocating. Instead Petros is in a ‘not’ position, he is in opposition to Iesous’ true speech and, as such, must be rebuked with the appellation ‘satan’, an adversary to Iesous and therefore the will of Theos. The word translating ileos (ιλεως) here, which Petros uses, is translated as ‘be it far’. In what way can we see ‘be it far’ as being representative of ideas of reconciliation, to which family of words this word belongs? The answer, of course, is that reconciliation of people into a position of unity requires the removal of that which separates them. That is, the removal of antagonism or opposition, and particularly the ideas and propositions that cause it, must be accomplished in order that reconciliation may occur. Therefore, by instruction, opposing ideas can be removed, that is sin can be removed by teaching. Transgression can be removed far away, like the scapegoat and the remnants of the sacrifices were removed far from the camp. By removal of these faults far away reconciliation can occur. Thus:

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remember that thy brother has anything against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (Math.5.23-24)

Reconciliation requires the removal of that which lies between the two brothers. In the kaporeth the one kerub gives to the brother that which is required to remove the other’s alienation from the first so that they may become one. Regrettably, Petros had it the wrong way round. He was attempting to remove from Iesous the true path that lay ahead of him. He was attempting to subvert the way of taking up the stake with the broad way that, based upon the easy path of the flesh, leads to destruction. Thankfully, Iesous was the ‘not/not’ standing in the way of Petros’ ‘not’ and so established the yea and the amen.