The Sign.

As I have said in the previous blogs that I have posted [since Jan 2021 in this regard] these are a series I have been led to prepare and share in accordance with the multi-faceted instruction I have been called into to "prepare the Way for those to come." 

Anybody believing we are, or have been, in anything other than normal times for the last few years is in my opinion sorely mistaken. Again I am not here to discuss the merits of the case one way or the other as we are not called to change the systems of this fallen world, but rather to be set aside to become a Light to the Nations for The Kingdom of YHWH so that they can be drawn to Yeshua thus I am here to share what I am given with the Body of Messiah (those whose names are recorded in The Book of Life). 

In this blog it can be seen that the topic at hand is "The Sign" - this has been more or less the main theme around which this series of blogs are centered: 

I will go into more detail within the body of this blog further explaining about "The Sign" from a Biblical / Hebraic perspective, but for now let me just summarise what I shall attempt to flesh out in the main hereunder:-

The definition of a sign is:

As a noun:-  

1. an object, quality, or event whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else.

2. a gesture or action used to convey information or an instruction.

As a verb:-

1. write one's name on (a letter, card, document, etc.) to identify oneself as the writer or sender. 

2. use gestures to convey information or instructions. 

In short then a "Sign" is - some observable quality, object, event, gesture, action or indication which one either pays heed to, reacts to; complies with, applies to, commits to or identifies to oneself with the expressed intention of conveying identity, information or instructions.

A "Sign" then is observable evidence of "something" by a portrayal through a visible physical example or action

Obviously this observable evidence can portray either fact or fallacy, truth or fiction (lies).

It is this observable evidential and its' Conventional importance that this blog will be dealing with. 

This observable evidence, because of differences in cultures, nationalities, disciplines, belief systems - in fact any differing thought / thought pattern / belief / ideological system brings differing concepts, emotions and understandings all emanating from the same point of fact and thus we have many different concepts surrounding the Signs - the observable evidence, we present - and this is in and of itself an indisputable point of fact and to right this difference only submission to The Ruach HaKodesh through Yeshua can bring about the unity and agreement required within His The Body! (See commentary on Eph 4:3-16 further down.) 

It is not the intention of this blog to investigate why we differ - this may be one of those times where we just need to accept that we are all different yet unique in our skill-sets (gifts) and functions, understanding, emotions, gender and much more (1 Cor 12:4-12) AND YET we are all equal in the Eye of our Creator and Elohim (Deut 10:17 arw Acts 10:34-35, Mat 22:16), therefore that is why, if we consider ourselves "Members of the Body of Messiah", we need the Truth, The Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit of Yeshua - John 16:12-15) only attainable through the actions instructed by Messiah in John 14:15-18. arw Phil 1:18-19.

This UNITY grounded in TRUTH, is made available to us through our redemption in and through Yeshua, so as to bring order to His House (Body) and to reveal The will of YHWH our Elohim as we go forward (Mat 7:21; Mat 12:50; Mat 26:39; Luke 11:2) thereby bringing His Kingdom to Earth as it is in Heaven: 

PLEASE NOTE: We do NOT NEED MAN, his systems and his opinions (again John 16:12-15) to lead us: It is The Ruach (Spirit of YHWH) Who is sent to The Body to teach us regarding Who Messiah is, what Messiah said (BUT never to add or change the Word - The SIGN - Deut 4:2; Deut 12:32; Prov 30:6 & Rev 22:18-19) and what is to come (John 14:15-17, 26 arw John 16:13) thereby being a Lamp to our Path and a light to our feet (Ps 19:8; Ps 43:3; Ps 119:105; Prov 6:3); therefore to that end YHWH has anointed people with certain functions to teach and proclaim the Word so as to build up The Body into a mature visible likeness (Sign) of Messiah (Eph 4:11-14 arw 1 Cor 12:28-31 & Rom 10:14-15).This is what it means to be His Disciple - to walk in HIS Disciplines and Way, immersed in HIM!

NB: Although I am convinced that prior to Yeshua's return, the present day Assemblies of Messiah are to "return to the Acts Assemblies as Yeshua left His Body because the denominations are not of Him but of man" maybe now more than ever, in what I believe are possibly the very last days (Mat 24:24, 1 Tim 4:1; 2 Tim 4:3-4), we need to test every spirit (1 John 4:1 arw Mat 24:4) to see if it confirms that Yeshua has come in the flesh and this testing is done as the Beroeans did when testing the teaching of Rav Sha'ul (NB: remember the Beroeans did not have a "New Testament" they only used The Tenach - Old Testament to test Sha'ul's teachings - Acts 17:11-13 and thereby they became a visible sign of what to do).

This Beroean practice applies especially when listening to any person claiming to have specifically received a "Word", "Prophecy", "Vision" etc for the Body or applicable to [a] specific member/s of The Body or to those claiming to having been elected to one of the commonly referred to 5 Fold callings; such  appointments / anointings are held to a higher standard than other members of The Body, and if indeed they have such a calling such an anointing holds far more responsibility (as expanded upon briefly above when referring to Eph 4:11-14 arw 1 Cor 12:27-31; Mat 18:16; Acts 20:27-28; James 3:1) because they are then witnesses of Yeshua, Signs specially tasked from and by Him and therefore by definition carrying His Authority, to assist and direct His Kingdom Function and Rule where necessary here on earth within His Body.

But knowing that the Word is a "Double-edged Sword separating & cutting through, even to the dividing of being and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." - Heb 4:12; Acts 2:37; Eph 6:17; Rev 1:16 - Just as those with such callings are no better than any other member of The Body, YHWH, exercising HIS right to Sovereign choice, has chosen and tasked such people to carry out such functions, SIMILARLY AS HE HAS CHOSEN OTHERS WITHIN THE BODY FOR LESS PUBLIC WORKS in His Kingdom, because ultimately we are all answerable to The Head, Yeshua our Messiah (1 Cor 12 and 13) and The Body must hold such Emissaries of Yeshua accountable - as the Beroeans did. 

This Double-edged Sword is The Ruach of YHWH, The Word of Yeshua (Eph 6:17) and therefore The Word of YHWH Elohim Himself - So if then YHWH in His Wisdom and Mercy does send one of His anointed over our path and we, having done due diligence, recognise that person as such and CHOOSE TO IGNORE WHAT THEY SAY WE DO SO AT OUR OWN PERIL BECAUSE YHWH HAS SENT THEM TO WATCH OVER OUR LIVES AND TO GIVE AN ACCOUNTING TO HIM REGARDING THIS TASK: WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO PRAY FOR SUCH (Heb 13:17) for they too are just people THAT YHWH HAS CHOSEN, and they too are growing in Messiah, so find out from YHWH how you are to approach His appointed and anointed because Opposing such may actually be opposing The Ruach HaKodesh Himself and for that sin there can be no forgiveness (Mat 12:30-32 arw Mark 3:28-30; Acts 5:1-3-5, 8-11) because such people carry The Anointing of YHWH Elohim as led by The Ruach and if operating correctly are A SIGN OF HIS AUTHORITY!

Remember we all are responsible in working out our own salvation with fear and trembling and bearing that in mind such judgements as publicly displayed in the Ananias and Sapphira episode are coming back, and in fact are already here - the time to sit on the fence has long past - we are needing to choose W/who we are committing our lives to - Jos 24:14-15; John 6:68: W/who we will be a SIGN for! This, as I alluded to above, is wherein the true unity of The Body resides - Eph 4:3-16.

Hopefully I am beginning to make sense on this most important matter of "The Sign" and what it means to be one.

Before we go further though we may need a little more grounding and clarity on the Biblical definition for a sign:-

I make no claim to any real proficiency in any language especially not Hebrew, however from my studies I am able to submit the following for consideration:

Strongs H226 - oth - from H225 (in the sense of appearing); a signal (literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.: Thus a sign in the Hebrew context means - to come, to assent (to express approval or agreement) to a signal such as a flag, mark, miracle, (en-) sign, token.  

And in The Greek rendering is from - G4592 - semeion - from G4591 - to indicate or to signify - [by] giving an indication, especially ceremonially or supernaturally: [by] miracle, sign, token, wonder.

This now brings us to a very interesting word in The Hebrew Language which appears over 7300 times in the Hebrew manuscripts and that word is H853 - eth - and is described in the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon as a: Part of Speech: untranslated particle : It is described in Strongs as - eth - Apparently contracted from H226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely): - (As such unrepresented in English.)

Apart from being described as an "untranslated particle" what has eth to do with a "Sign"? Well firstly it is described as an:-

"apparent contracted from H226 in the demonstrative sense of entity [with [a] distinct and independent existence]" 

Following on from as seen above H226 is the Hebrew word translated as sign/s; mark/s; token - and spelt from right to left tav, vav, alef. So this Hebrew Word, this untranslated particle Eth is contracted [shortened] from tav, vav, alef  to [from right to left] tav, alef - in English this would be stated as "A" and "Z", in Greek "Alpha" and "Omega"; The first and the last: See Rev 1:7; 1:8; 1:11; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13.

Alef in the Hebraic Alefbet (alphabet) is first letter and represents The Leader of the house, astrong, silent Ox - Father, Elohim: The last letter of the Hebrew Alefbet is the Tav - a mark more like an "X" - representing a Mark, sign, signature - Covenant. In a Hebrew context then this has the understanding that Tav, Alef means "Stength of The Covenant" That is YESHUA.

Now looking at the word for "Sign" - tav, vav, alef the paleo representation of the letters are as we know - 

Alef - The strong leader of the house, Father, Elohim, 

Vav - Tent peg, connecting hook, a bridge connection of opposite sides. The vav is said to represent Yeshua bridging Heaven and Earth, the Spiritual and the flesh - The Man-Elohim, Immanuel. The one "nailed" (connected) to the Stake ... and much more.

Tav - a mark more like an "X" - representing a Mark, sign, signature - Covenant - a symbol of Truth, perfection, completion, restoration of everything thus a return to the essence and purpose of life and Hebrew thought being that it is cyclical and not linear (as is our Greek way of thought), the Tav of Truth, perfection etc, The Covenant signed by Yeshua in His Blood begins again at the Alef - The Father and so the cycle of life continues eternally. The first use of this "untranslated particle" is found in the first verse of The Bible - 

Beresheet bara Elohim (eth) hassamyim waet ha eretz

In the beginning created Elohim (GOD) (eth - alef-tav - through theStrength of The Covenant - Yeshua?) the heavens and the earth.

Yeshua is the Word, the Word is made up of Letters, Elohim accomplished the Creation work and redemption through Yeshua, the first and last letters, used by Yeshua to refer to Himself, encompasses the entire Alefbet - iow the fullness of the Hebrew (The Creation Language?). The word eth,(Tav, Alef) used by Yeshua to refer to Himself is the contracted word from oth (Tav, Vav, Alef = SIGN) a word constructed from the three letters to mean Hebraically -

A physical Covenant  sign or mark of eternal Truth, perfection, completion, restoration of everything thus a return to the essence and purpose of life joining the Father of Heaven to Earth through His Son Yeshua's Signature in blood shed through being nailed to The Stake. Yeshua in His entirety,  THE WORD, is THE SIGN OF YHWH, THE COVENANT, THE RULE OF HEAVEN, THE AUTHORITY OF YHWH, THE MT SINAI TORAH & THE BETROTHAL AGREEMENT!

Now bearing in mind the paleo meaning of The Alef-Tav expanded above read these verses from Revelation 21:5-7 and substitute Alef Tav for Alpha and Omega - it may surprise you. Now continue to read  Rev 21:8 - included in this group excluded and destined for the Lake of fire is those who are "False / Liars"

In Ex 17:15 we are told that Moshe built an altar (a physical token, sign) to YHWH and called it YHWH NISSI (YHWH is our BANNER, Sign, Signal, Token, Flagstaff gleaming and visible from afar). 

A Banner is the Emblem, the Ensign that goes out before the Army - and Who goes before us? The Banner of YHWH Elohim, Yeshua (YHWH of HOSTS) Tsve'ot, The Word of YHWH .... Ex 13:21-22; Rev 19:11-15.

Ex 20:16 tells us we are not to bear false witness against our neighbour. Who is The Greatest of our Neighbours? It is Yeshua Himself, it is Elohim (Deut 6:4-5; Deut 10:12-13; Deut 11:13-14; Mat 22:37-40)

His Word is His never ending, continually growing Creative Power and thus a SIGN of His Authority, Majesty, Kingdom etc - Is 9:2 - Yeshua is The Light; Is 9:4 arw Lev 26:13 - Yeshua will break the yoke of the oppressor [read from Lev 26:14 ff to see what will happen to us if we do not obey His Torah - His Sign]; Is 9:6-7 - Yeshua is the fullness of Abba Father, our Elohim and there is no end to His Kingdom and Growth with is established on, in a,d through HIM, our Light and Sign. 

See the same applies to Rom 1:18-32 arw 2 Thes 2:9-12. His Creation is au unmistakable SIGN of Whom He is!

Here are a few eternal Biblical Signs the Word Biblical gives to us, some are just there as consecrated by YHWH Elohim and which we need just to observe as He points us to His Creation and Rule:

Gen 1:14 - Sun, Moon and Star constellations which link the Creation with His calendar and the Moedim - Festivals of YHWH our Creator (Lev 23).

Gen 9:12 - the Rainbow given to Noah to remind man of the expansion of the Adamic Covenant and a promise to never ever flood the earth again. 

And some of the Signs, which we are commanded to physically keep serve as signs, indicators, Lights show to the lost and dead world of our decication to and exercising of The Authority of Yeshua our Betrothed Creator and King.

Gen 2:2-3; Ex 20:8-11; Ex 31:12-17; Ex 20:12; Ex 20:20 - The Divine institution and keeping of The Sabbath as a Sign of The Creator, His Creation and His Marriage Covenant.

Lev 23 - The mandated Moedim (Feast days) of YHWH. 

Lev 11 - YHWH mandated diet for His House.

Gen 17:10-14 arw Lev 12:3 and Luke 2:21 - The institution of the Circumcision of males and the application of this Sign on Yeshua by His parents. 

Num 15:37-41 - Wearing of Tzitzit - Tassles on the corners of our garments so that we can look upon them and remember His Commandments and not stray from them.

Please note - the keeping / application of these Signs DO NOT SAVE/REDEEM US, that can only be achieved through Yeshua - BUT they do show our LOVE and COMMITMENT TO YESHUA; HIS RULE AND THE BODY OF YESHUA (MARRIAGE COVENANT John 14:15; 1 John 5:2-3) to the world around us our: They are Signs [LIGHT] to the world in which we live BUT WHICH WE ARE NOT A PART OF (John 17:9-12 & 15-20) POINTING OUT Who our Elohim is, what is His Rule in our Lives and our commitment to Him through His Rule / Covenant.

All these signs point to The Covenant given by YHWH Elohim to His People AND are all Signs of His Promise to return back to His perfect rule across the entire earth once again - Is 2:3 arw Hab 2:14. Remember again Ps 119:105; Ps 43:3; Pro_6:23; Eph_5:13; 2Pe_1:19 - we really need to appreciate that ALL mention of The Word, The Commands, The Light, The Torah are referring to Yeshua - so to be a light to the Nations as required and instructed by Yeshua can only be achieved in walking in Him, in His Word, applying His SIGNS as led by the Ruach HaKodesh (Mat 5:13-16) and The Ruach HaKodesh CAN NEVER SPEAK AGAINST THE WORD - YESHUA (John 16:13-15).  

To sum this post up allow me to make mention of what is not a SIGN or LIGHT according to the Word - Yeshua:

Sunday is not a Sign.

Sharing / mixing both Shabbat and Sunday is not a Sign.

Christmas, Easter, Lent are not signs.

Sharing / mixing YHWH's Levitical feasts with any other Feast is not a Sign.

Eating non-kosher food is not a Sign.

Non-circumcision is not a Sign.

Keeping the Gregorian Calendar to work out Holy Festivals is not a Sign.  

Mixing and putting foreign substances into our bodies is not a Sign.

Bowing to the ways of the world is not a Sign - 

Now - Please ask yourself this - How can doing what the world (Babylon / Egypt) is doing be a sign of their Enemy - Yeshua?  (John 15:18 & 17:14) or aligning with the world and it's way  Prov 25:26 arw Col 3:17; John 14:31 arw 1 John 2:15-17 be a true witness of Yeshua and His Kingdom? 

We may also then need to each ask ourselves - what W/witness; S/sign are we presenting to the world as a L/light. Is our Testimony False or True and Authoritative or deceptive?

In these most crucial of times can we say we are in line with Scripture as recorded in Rev 12:17 or Rev 14:12; Rev 19:10 and can ask Yeshua, according to John 14:15 request from the Father on our behalf The Spirit of Truth to lead us into all Truth and Righteousness - because that and that alone is what we will need in the crucial and troubling times - NOTHING ELSE WILL HELP!

The Torah is the very Identity of Israel, The Body of believers, and Yeshua makes it complete. And please remember we do not keep His Commandments, His Torah to be saved, THEY (HIM) KEEP US - THEREFORE WE KEEP IT (HIM) BECAUSE WE ARE SAVED and therein lie the blessings of The Kingdom of Heaven coming to earth - Deut 28:1-2.

And now for the final SIGN which we are witnessing right now in our day read from Deut 30 - the entire chapter - Take time to read this chapter it is awe inspiring, it is uplifting, it is such a LIGHT unto our feet and a LAMP unto our path especially as we walk into these deep, dark days - ponder Deut 30:1-8 here we see the REVELATION of YHWH's eternal Covenant promise to us. 

So -  DO YOU RESPECT (LOVE) YESHUA ENOUGH TO OBEY HIS COMMANDS AND BE A SIGN FOR HIM - A LIGHT TO THE NATIONS? Mat 10:33; Luke 12:9 - The choice remains ours!

Remember that Yeshua HAS TO DO ALL THAT IS CONTAINED IN THE TORAH, THE COVENANT, BECAUSE THAT IS WHO HE IS, JUST AS WE, IF ACCEPTING HIM HIS COVENANT, NEED TO DO - so we are told to LOVE YHWH our ELOHIM with all our heart, soul and might AND OUR BROTHER AS OURSELVES - YESHUA MUST DO THE SAME!

We are told to keep, guard, do and protect His Word - WELL YESHUA MUST ALSO DO THE SAME - NOW PLEASE READ AND PONDER THIS VERY CAREFULLY: YESHUA TOO, MUST KEEP, GUARD AND PROTECT THE WORD, HIS WORD - AND IF WE ARE WALKING IN HIS WORD HE IS BOUND BY HIS OWN COVENANT, TORAH, WORD BY HIS VERY DIVINE BEING TO PROTECT, KEEP, GUARD, PROVIDE FOR US! Do you get that...! Read it again if you must. Walking in His Word as led by The Ruach brings untold blessings and Divine protection, provisions and so much more from Him under Who ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND EARTH IS ETERNALLY VESTED! - Mat 6:25-34! 

The next blog, Abba willing, will cover in more detail what His blessings and / or curses are depending on if we choose to be a SIGN for Him OR NOT - if we choose to walk in His Covenant, in His Torah IN YESHUA OR NOT!

Again do not believe all that I have written here - read, pray and like the Beroeans check everything out against His Word, HIS Light, HIS Sign.

Shalom

Boaz