The Clarion, May 2023
Welcome
Welcome to May. May is such a great month. The days are longer, the sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, and Summer is beginning to come into our sight. Before long, people will be going on picnics and schools are coming to a close, and people will start coming out of their homes more and more, and enjoying the month of May. Have a great month and God bless you!
Mishkan, the House of Holiness Part 4
Last month we ended with Yeshua speaking to the churches to repent. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us,” 1 John 1:8. So let us quickly recap from the beginning to bring it all forward. We have learned that holiness is what adorns God. Everything about God’s House had to be holy from the priests, to the animals being sacrificed, to the utensils, all had to be holy. We also learned that God required things to be done in a certain manner, and if they were not done in this manner then God was not glorified, and God did remove His glory, and His presence as we see in Ezekiel 9-10. Ezekiel 10: 18 tells of that moment. “Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim.” We must understand that God is God, and He does not change. We say that now we are in the New Testament and Yeshua is our sacrifice. Yes, He is, and that’s why He was the perfect Lamb of God, without spot or blemish, just as we must be. Ephesians 5:25-27 says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Messiah loved the congregation and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, that He might present to Himself the congregation in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”
1 Peter 2:1-8 says, “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, and like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by people, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Messiah Yeshua. For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, and the one who believes in Him will not be put to shame.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers, “A stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief cornerstone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the Word, and to this they were also appointed.”
As priests, being built up as a spiritual house to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God then we too, must be holy. Paul also tells us in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
The Mishkan/Temple no longer exists, but nonetheless, we gather in churches, and we proclaim that God is in our midst, but is He? Are we holy? Is our Pastor holy? Are our deacons and elders holy? We must be holy in our private lives as we are in our public lives. The people in the wilderness put up their dwellings all around the Mishkan and even at that, it was all according to their tribes according to God’s command. God has an order for everything. We are to walk in the Spirit, and live in the Spirit, for the Spirit is Truth. Yeshua told us that He is the Truth, so we know that the Spirit of Truth is the Spirit of Messiah. Ephesians 6:17 tells us about the Sword of the Spirit that it is the Word of God, the Spirit of Messiah. So because we are to walk and live and operate in the Spirit of Messiah, then we must have the Fruit of the Spirit, which is the evidence of having the Spirit. Galatians 5:21-25 says, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law (by doing these things we are keeping the law). Now those who belong to Messiah Yeshua crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit as well. Let’s not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.”
Today we have this church, and that church, and this belief, and that belief, but Yeshua wanted us to be one, as John 17: 22-23 tells us, “ I have given them the glory that you gave Me, that they may be one as We are One, I in them and You in Me, so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.”
Maybe this is why the world has not accepted us. 1 Corinthians 3:3-17 says this, “For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like ordinary people? For when one person says, “I am with Paul,” and another, “I am with Apollos,” are you not ordinary people? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each person must be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Messiah Yeshua. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one’s work. If anyone’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet only so as through fire. Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.”
We are not united because our forefathers have changed Yeshua’s Words, and they have changed our Jewish Messiah to be something other than Jewish. This is why the Jewish people will not accept Yeshua as Messiah. We have had one doctrine after another and hundreds of interpretations of the Scriptures, plus we removed the Jewisness from God’s Word. (Listen to our podcast on the Sins of our Forefathers.) Our forefathers changed the Scriptures to agree with their doctrine instead of changing their doctrine to a line with the Scriptures. We are still responsible for truth, because the Holy Spirit will lead us in all truth if we are walking in the Spirit of God. 2 Timothy 2:15-26 speaks about the true worker of the Lord. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth, claiming that the resurrection has already taken place; and they are jeopardizing the faith of some. Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His;” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to keep away from wickedness.” Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver implements, but also implements of wood and of earthenware, and some are for honor while others are for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be an implement for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, skillful in teaching, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”
The laws of purity still exist, maybe in a different way, but we too, must walk and live in purity. Yeshua was the perfect Lamb of God and Titus 2:14 tells us why, “Yeshua gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works. “
Purity is for the young and the old as 1 Timothy 4:12 tells us, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
If we set an example for our children, then they will also set an example to their peers. Psalm 119:9, “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to Your Word.” This must be our prayer, Psalm 51 :10, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Join us next month as we conclude our series on the Mishkan
Recipe Corner: Vanilla Meringue Cookies by Taste of Homes
Ingredients: 3 large egg whites 1-1/2 teaspoons clear or regular vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar Dash salt 2/3 cup of sugar
Directions
- Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 250°. Add vanilla, cream of tartar and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition, until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form, about 7 minutes.
- Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag; insert a #32 star tip. Transfer meringue to bag. Pipe 1-1/4-in.-diameter cookies 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake until firm to the touch, 40-45 minutes. Turn off oven; leave meringues in oven 1 hour (leave oven door closed). Remove from oven; cool completely on baking sheets. Remove meringues from paper; store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Why are my meringue cookies flat?
- Flattened meringue cookies are typically the result of too much air collapsing out of your meringues. To prevent this collapse, make sure that you have your egg whites at room temperature before you begin. Start whisking the egg whites in your mixer slowly until they are foamy. Gradually increase your mixer speed and add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, not all at once. When the sugar is completely added, continue beating to incorporate more air, bringing the mixture to stiff, glossy peaks.
- What other flavors can I use in meringue cookies?
- This recipe calls for classic vanilla, but feel free to use other flavors of extract instead, such as almond, lemon, orange, peppermint, coconut, cherry or raspberry.
Hebrew Corner: The Giving of the Holy Spirit
When we think of Pentecost we think of the tongues of fire that came upon the apostles as Acts 2 :1-4 tells us, “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a noise like a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And tongues that looked like fire appeared to them, distributing themselves, and a tongue rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with different tongues, as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out.” Now when we think about this passage we think that the apostles were in the upper room. This is not the case. The apostles were devout Jewish men and it would have been the Biblical Appointed time of Shavuot. This means that they were most likely at the synagogue (the house of worship) at this time. The sound of violent wind must have been like the sound of a tornado which caused people from all over to come out and gather when they realized there was no tornado. And when they heard the apostles speaking in all of their own languages it must have been quite the scene. But let’s step back in time for this day was also Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks. Deuteronomy 16:9 says, “You shall count seven weeks for yourself; you shall begin to count seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain.” The people were to count out seven weeks from the Feast of First-Fruits. In the day of the apostles, The Feast of First-Fruits was the day that the Messiah rose from the grave. Two days prior was the Passover, the day that the Messiah was crucified. So what took place on Shavuot in the day of Moses? It was the giving of the Torah (God’s teachings). The story begins at Exodus 19:1-2, “In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain.” Exodus 19:16-20 goes on to say, “So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud over the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the entire mountain quaked violently. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder. Then the Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.” We see that these two events are very similar, because when we read about the armor of God we see that the “Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.” First God gave man His Word, then He gave man His Spirit so man could live by His Word through the great teacher, the Holy Spirit. The Messiah tells His disciples this in John 16:7, “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I don’t go away, the comforting Counselor will not come to you. However, if I do go, I will send him to you.” John 14:26 also says this, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything; that is, He will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
And Again in 1 John 2 :27 it says, “ And as for you, the anointing (the Holy Spirit) which you received from Him remains in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you remain in Him.”
What a great day, what a great gift, the Ruach Hakodesh, the Holy Spirit, the wind of God.
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