The feast of שבועות Shavuot / Pentecost is upon us. We have just finished reading Parshah Nasso (Numbers 4:21 – 7:89) which contains the test for adultery, then the Nazarite vow followed by the Aaronic blessing of Israel, and then ends with the list of all the offerings for the tabernacle. We are told in the New Testament that the Lord is looking for a Bride ‘without spot or wrinkle’ (Ephesians 5:27). We are also told that the body of Messiah is the temple. So that which Moses wrote about regarding the tabernacle and later temple is actually what we are being built into spiritually as ‘living stones’ (1 Peter 2:4-5) with Messiah as the ‘chief corner stone’ (Ephesians 2:20). In the last days there shall be a bride that makes herself ready (Rev 12) and a whore that will be judged with fire (Rev 18). The test for adultery in this Pashah contains the seeds of the truth regarding the separation between those that are of the seed of the woman, and the whore of Babylon.
We are living in a period before such judgement, a time where the bride has not yet made herself ready, a period of time where the body of Messiah is still in formation. This process began in Acts chapter 2 when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples gathered in Jerusalem. They were gathered there as believing Jews who were observing the feast of Pentecost, 50 days after Yeshua was crucified as the Passover Lamb of God. Pentecost is the fourth feast, the middle feast.
The 7 feasts mentioned in Leviticus 23 contain God’s plan of redemption for Israel and the nations. And within its cycles are hidden the perfecting of the bride, the congregation of Israel, or the Church as we say in English. The Church is the congregation of Israel. It is part of Israel but also separate from it. It is the tabernacle. And if you remember Numbers chapter 2 places the tabernacle at the centre of the Israelite encampment. All 12 tribes were arranged around in 4 groups of 3 which represent the 4 cherubim and the 4 points of the compass, the 4 gospels, the 4 species during sukkot (tabernacles) and many other correspondences. These all represent the same thing, A New Man.
The 7 feasts in Leviticus 23 are introduced with the mention of the 7 days of creation (6 days of work plus one day of rest, the Sabbath). So we see that the number 7 is related to 7 days of creation and the 7 feasts. So the purpose of the creation is related to the feasts of redemption. And Pentecost is at the centre of that purpose because it is the central feast.
Furthermore, the 50 days from Passover to Pentecost are made up of 7 lots of 7 weeks which equals 49 days plus one. Again the number 7 is emphasised.
If you will recall Yeshua addresses the 7 churches of Revelation 2 and 3. He is in the midst of the 7 candlesticks (or Menorahs). Thus the Menorah is related to the Church. The central stem of the Menorah is called the Shemesh שמש which is related to the word for sun שמש in Hebrew. And the name Samson שמשון is also related to it. The central shaft of the Menorah represents the male seed of the woman in Genesis 3, the one that will crush the serpents head. This ultimately is the Messiah, Yeshua who rules with the rod of Iron. But it is not Yeshua alone, it is also the overcomers of the Church of Thyatira, the 4th Church, the middle church of Revelation 3. The overcomers of Thyatira are the most masculine offspring of the church, the congregation of Israel, and they have the most masculine promise of rulership over the nations with a Rod of Iron, just like Messiah. They are living in a period of time where the church is most pagan.
Joseph was a ‘Nazir’, a Nazarite, in the sense that he was ‘separate’ from his brothers (Gen 49:26). If you will recall the life of Joseph you will remember the two dreams He was given. These both witness to the same, thing, that his brothers would bow down to him. The first dream depicts the the Harvest of grain and his brothers stalks of grain bowing down to his, The Second dream depicts the sun and the moon and the stars bowing down to him. The stars represent josephs brothers. The sun and moon represent his father Jacob and mother (actually Lea). Both dreams represent the 4th feast, Pentecost, and the 4th day of creation. And thus both allude to the Hebrew calendar. Therefore Joseph’s two dreams relate to God’s central purpose of redemption as seen in the middle feast and the middle day of the creation week. The central purpose is the creation of a New Man, the promised Seed of the Woman. This New Man is depicted as the man child of Revelation chapter 12. Joseph is a picture of that one. This New Man rules with Messiah over the Nations with a rod of Iron. Joseph did this to some small extent as viceroy over Egypt when He fed the nations. His dreams were the dreams of the firstborn. There is a remnant amongst the Church of the Firstborn that shall overcome and rule over the nations and crush the seed of the serpent (Gen 3). Messiah is the Head but he has brothers that shall rule with him, and these shall also rule with a rod of Iron.
There is an aspect of David in this Man Child, this New Man since David’s line contained Ruth the Moabitess who became his progenitor while gleaning during the harvest. The book of Ruth is read during Pentecost. So the New Man contains both David and Joseph and the Gentiles (Ruth). Thus both houses of Israel are present in the Man Child that rules with a rod of Iron. And the gentiles are there too as the remnant of her seed (Rev 12:17)
The counting of the Omer has 7 lots of 7 weeks which really emphasizes the number 7. There are 7 qualities that equip us for rulership with Messiah and these are listed here…
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence,
2 Peter 1:4-8
add to your faith virtue;
and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance;
and to temperance patience;
and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness;
and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
PS. If the 4 cherubim represent the four encampments of Israel and the four gospels, then the 5th Cherub is the tabernacle itself which is the Church and was inaugurated by tongues of fire in Acts chapter 2. The Torah is being made flesh in the Church, the congregation of Israel that sits in the midst of the 12 tribes gathered around her. Her Man Child is the seed of the woman mentioned in Gen 3 and Rev 12 and this is what Pentecost is ultimately about, the bride and her son.
Related topics
- When the World was ‘Tohu’
- The Church & Israel
- Eden’s Two Trees
- 4 Square & the 5th Encampment
- Pyramid Power & the 5th Element
- Manchild
