This portion starts out with one of my most favorite of stories. Through the years, I have tried to read my Bible and take it for exactly what it says. That effort served me well in the early years of my walk with Messiah, and still does. Yet, as the years piled on, I found myself drifting from the early church precepts originally held. I started looking more toward the meaning and intent of the original Hebrew words behind the English words in my Bible.
As I stand now, I approach Holy Scripture strictly and purely from the Hebraic point of view. Of a certainty, I have come to understand that it is IMPOSSIBLE to correctly interpret Scripture from a western (church) point of view. If one desires to truly understand the secrets and mysteries written within Holy Scripture, they MUST interpret the same from a Hebrew perspective. They MUST first determine what it meant to the original writers and then put it into practice, even if it upsets their own culture or personal ways of doing things.
Father spoke through Isaiah and said the following. It is this Scripture that sets the stage for the introductory statement in Torah, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth".
"Remember the former events of old, for I am Ěl, and there is no one else – Elohim, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from of old that which has not yet been done, saying, ‘My counsel does stand, and all My delight I do.'" Isaiah 46: 9-10 (Scriptures 1998)
The English rendering of Genesis 1: 1 omits a virtual gold mine of evangelical material in just one word. Without consideration from the Hebraic, the student of His Word is left with little more than a beautiful creation story. The English rendering of Gen. 1: 1 omits the word, "et", (Alef Tav). Each Hebrew letter has a pictorial meaning. The "alef" means "strength", while "tav" means "cross". Hence, we have the combined meaning, "strength of the cross". From the very beginning of Scripture, the redemption of man was presented.
John the beloved disciple began his gospel with, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God". For many years, the teaching I received was that the "Word" written of by John was a "title" (Gk; Logos). This teaching is correct. However, with Hebraic understanding, the meaning goes deeper. John is making specific reference to the missing word in Genesis 1: 1 (Alef Tav). Yeshua is recorded by the same apostle in Revelation 1: 8 as saying, "I am the Alpha and Omega" (Greek). The Hebrew is, "Alef and Tav".
Luke records in Acts 7: 55-56, "But he (Stephen), being filled with the Set-apart Spirit, looked steadily into the heaven and saw the esteem of Elohim, and יהושע (Yeshua) standing at the right hand of Elohim, and he said, 'Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Aḏam standing at the right hand of Elohim!'" Herein is another aspect of the "Et" of Genesis 1: 1. Stephen saw heaven open and observed Yeshua "Et" the Son and Elohim the Father standing side by side, just as depicted by the "Elohim Et" of Genesis 1: 1.
What a powerful evangelical, prophetic presentation! But wait; there's more. The very first letter of the Torah is an emboldened and enlarged "bet". It is made in the shape of a house. With it and the letters that follow, we have the pictorial meaning of Father saying, "I will build a house for My Son".
Through the 12 sons of Jacob (Israel), Father began the building of His house. Two physical temples have resided upon His Holy Mountain in Jerusalem. Whether another will be built in their place remains a matter of debate. Prophetically, only the altar need to be established on the Temple Mount before the return of Messiah. Until that time, and through eternity, Jeremiah says in chapter 31 His temple now resides within the hearts of men--men that love Him AND keep His commandments (Torah).
In consideration of building a house, this letter suggests a Husband that takes a bride. Through the house of Jacob (Israel), the bride was chosen. For a time, the bride dwelt with her Husband in unity, blessed among all the nations. Isaiah writes of this marital union.
I greatly rejoice in יהוה, my being exults in my Elohim. For He has put garments of deliverance on me, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels". Isaiah 61: 10
Yet, a time came when the heart of the bride grew wicked and forsook her husband. Of her demise, Jeremiah writes.
"For thus said יהוה of hosts, the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, 'See, before your eyes and in your days, I am making the voice of rejoicing and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride to cease in this place.'" Jeremiah 16: 9
"And I shall banish from them the voice of rejoicing and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp." Jeremiah 25: 10
Even banished from their land and home, they were not to be utterly destroyed. They were banished because they violated His Torah at every turn of the road. Yet, Father had, and still has, a plan from days of old to restore a remnant to their land and rightful home. Jeremiah writes.
"The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who are saying, 'Praise יהוה of hosts, for יהוה is good, for His kindness is forever,' of those who are bringing the offering of praise into the House of יהוה. For I shall turn back the captivity of the land, as at the first,’ declares יהוה." Jeremiah 33: 11
Today, we are the subject of that "(turning) back". We have come out of religious organizations that say "God is finished with Israel" and "the law (Torah) has been done away with". We are those that have turned back to the "simplicity" of Father's Torah, given by Messiah Yeshua, and recorded through Moses. We're not perfect at it, but we have it in our hearts to earnestly try hard, not for salvation, but because we love Him.
Messiah Yeshua is our Husband. From before the foundation of the world, we are His chosen bride. Through us, Father will build a house for Yeshua that will last through eternity. As an earthly husband, we are the head of our home just as Yeshua is the head of "the bride". Yet, it is the lady that bares, rears, and nurtures the children, and is in charge of running the affairs of the home. In parallel, we as His remnant bride are charged with seeking out and encouraging Messiah's remnant chosen. Paul writes of his acceptance, and the simplicity, of that charge.
"For I am jealous for you with a jealousy according to Elohim. For I gave you in marriage to one husband, to present you as an innocent maiden to Messiah. But I am afraid, lest, as the serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Messiah." 2 Corinthians 11: 2-3
It should not be difficult to understand Satan cannot kill, do harm to, or otherwise trick Father. By the same understanding we should realize that one who remains obedient to Father's Word (Torah) has the same immunity. Satan had no power to deceive Eve in and of himself. He could only succeed because Eve departed from what YHVH told she and Adam. In giving His instruction concerning the forbidden tree, Father told them they "should not eat of it". Consider her response to Satan's temptation.
"And the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which יהוה Elohim had made, and he said to the woman, 'Is it true that Elohim has said, 'Do not eat of every tree of the garden’? And the woman said to the serpent, 'We are to eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, Elohim has said', 'Do not eat of it, nor touch it, lest you die.'" Genesis 3: 1-3
Satan merely approached Eve and asked a question in line with what Father actually said. If Eve had just responded in simplicity--i.e. "Yep, that's what He said"--the story might have ended right there. However, she committed a fateful error for all mankind. She added something to what Father actually said. She said, "...do not eat of it, nor touch it..." Herein lies the source of our trouble.
This is an example of a fun little game I've heard of and participated in. Several people (the more the better) sit in a circle. The first person whispers a statement in the ear of the second person. Then, the second person does the same for the third, and so on until the last person declares to the first the transferred statement. The final declaration is usually unrecognizable or totally alien to what the original statement was.
This is likely what happened to Eve. Father may well have told Adam not to eat of the tree. Then he told his wife (with a little emphesis in explanation), to which she added her understanding for Satan. Carried out through the generations, it is understandable how Scriptural precepts get distorted. To guard against this end, Moses writes.
A similar warning is given by John the Revelator concerning the restructure of this book of prophecy, and by extension to the whole of Holy Scripture.
This is likely what happened to Eve. Father may well have told Adam not to eat of the tree. Then he told his wife (with a little emphesis in explanation), to which she added her understanding for Satan. Carried out through the generations, it is understandable how Scriptural precepts get distorted. To guard against this end, Moses writes.
"Do not add to the Word which I command you, and do not take away from it (diminish), so as to guard the commands of יהוה your Elohim which I am commanding you."
Deuteronomy 4: 2
"All the words I am commanding you, guard to do it – do not add to it nor take away from it (diminish)." Deuteronomy 12: 32
The writer of Proverbs has this to say.
"Every Word of Eloah is tried; He is a shield to those taking refuge in Him. Do not add to His Words, lest He reprove you." Proverbs 30: 5-6
A similar warning is given by John the Revelator concerning the restructure of this book of prophecy, and by extension to the whole of Holy Scripture.
"For I witness to everyone hearing the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, Elohim shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, Elohim shall take away his part from the Book of Life, and out of the set-apart city, which are written in this Book." Revelation 22: 18-19
However the sequence of instructional transfer might have occurred, Eve's addition to Father's actual single item of instruction doubled in scope. Thus, the door was opened for Satan to lay temptation at her feet.
"And the serpent said to the woman, 'You shall certainly not die. For Elohim knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be like Elohim, knowing good and evil.'” Genesis 3: 4-5
With the temptation presented, Eve and her husband are led like a lamb to the slaughter. Herein lies the source of all our sinful nature. Moses writes.
"And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, and she took of its fruit and ate. And she also gave to her husband with her, and he ate." Genesis 3: 6
That which always puts us at odds with Father's righteous ideals is the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The lust of the flesh viewed the tree as "good for food". The lust of the eyes saw that "it was pleasant" to look upon. The pride of life observed that the tree was "desirable to make one wise".
Much is written in Scripture concerning the pitfalls of the lust of the flesh and eyes. Yet, foremost is the concept we were not created to "be like God". We have proved through the centuries we just weren't made to handle the position. We have the inate propensity to really mess it up. We were merely made to fellowship with Him.
I close with the following "wise" admonition, with reward, of the writer of Proverbs. Do not be wise in your own eyes by following the traditions of men. Seek Father's wisdom and prosper. Shalom in Messiah Yeshua.
"Trust in יהוה with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; know Him in all your ways, and He makes all your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear יהוה and turn away from evil. It is healing to your navel, and moistening to your bones. Esteem יהוה with your goods, and with the first-fruits of all your increase; then your storehouses shall be filled with plenty, and your vats overflow with new wine." Proverbs 3: 5-10
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