--Sharing our Saviour Yahushua the Messiah to the World!--
-Please Read this FIRST- On this site
we prefer to use the actual Name of our loving Heavenly Father as it was
written in the Word, and thus you will note that we will use the Four
Letter “Memorial Name” of
- YHVH,
which is pronounced as YaHVaH or YaHWaH. In addition we will also
use our Heavenly Father’s attribute/title, which is Elohim rather
than “God,” which sadly is the name of a pagan god. In addition we
also love to use the actual and real Name of our beloved Messiah which
is 
- Yahushua or Yahshua in short, for
this is our Saviours original Hebrew Name as given to Him at birth in Lukas - Luke 1:31. This was the only Name ever used
when He was on the earth by His family, disciples and His followers OVER THE
centuries, even until today! However, it was changed to a foreign name by the
founder of the new “pagan church of Rome.”
Occasionally, we may also use other Hebrew or Greek names as well as different
words in our studies for certain common words used are from pagan backgrounds
and thus are not suitable. All names will be translated when they are FIRST
used in a study or at various times as needed for clarity. There is a full
explanation of YHVH’s blessed “Memorial Name” as well
as the wonderful blessed Name of our Messiah and Saviour, thus please
read … “The Memorial Name.”
Yeshayahu - Isaiah, that much-loved prophet,
speaks more than any other prophet regarding the coming of the Messiah. It is
through him that YaHVaH
Elohim (the Lord God), blessed be His
Sanctified Name, delivers a powerful message to the Children of Israel.
“Comfort, yes, comfort my people,
says your Elohim. Speak comfort to Jerusalem
and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for
she has received from YHVH's hand double for all her sins.”
Yeshayahu - Isaiah 40:1-2.
Also online is my study entitled, “Comfort
after Challenge” that deals with this very verse in its entirety for
there is so much more to this verse than what appears from first reading it!
However, let us ask the question, “What should we make of the word
“double” at the end of verse two”?
“For she (Israel)
hath received from YHVH’s hand double for all her sins.”
Does this verse mean that Israel
received double the punishment that was due? Most theologians believe
that this statement deals with the two major dispersions of Israel.
The first is the dispersion being to Babylon
and the second being the scattering of Israel from the land in
69AD until the restoration of the State of Israel in 1948 or the reunification
of Jerusalem in 1967.
However, in order to fully understand what Isaiah is saying here, we need to
turn to the book of Vayikra - Leviticus and look at the Word that relates to
punishments, should Israel
depart from Elohim’s ways.
The first thirteen verses of Vayikra -
Leviticus 26 clearly describe the many blessings YaHVaH Elohim, blessed be His
Sanctified Name, would bestow on Israel “If you walk in My statutes and
keep My commandments, and perform them” (verse 3). However in this same
chapter, we also find a vast list of punishments, “if you do not obey Me,
and do not observe all these commandments” (verse 14).
Sadly, we realise that Israel
has been under punishment during the past two thousand years and without doubt,
the punishment was severe. The Almighty allowed Jerusalem and the second Temple to be destroyed, and all twelve tribes
of Israel
were scattered among the nations. As Israel
was driven out into the land of their “enemies,” much evil has been
poured upon them. This evil came from many sectors including those claiming to
be followers of the Messiah. It came from the evil inquisition, right up to Luther’s
fanatical outbursts against the Children of Israel in his booklet of 1543
entitled, “Von den Juden und ihren lugen” or “On the Jews
and their lies,” culminating with HaShoah, the Holocaust being the
final solution and Hitler used Martin Luther’s book to justify what he
was doing, for Luther wrote much the same things!
In spite of all this, did Israel
receive “double” the punishment due for her sins? No
certainly not!
Isaiah, speaking the Word that Elohim gave
him, clearly stated, “she has received from YaHVaH’s hand double
for all her sins.” What would really come “from YaHVaH’s
hand” and what was meant by the word “double?” The word
in Hebrew for "double" is “Kephal.”
The first time the word “Kephal”
is used in the Scriptures, it speaks of the “breastplate” of
the high priest.
“They made the breastplate square by
doubling it; a span was its length and a span its width when doubled.”
Shemos - Exodus 39:9.
The embroidered cloth behind the breastplate
was folded “double – kephal” to form a pocket
which would carry "the Urim and the Thummim."
“Then he put the breastplate on him and
he put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastplate” Vayikra - Leviticus
8:8.
Obviously, “kephal – double”
is a special word with a particular meaning. Let us look at other Hebrew words
for double. Shemos - Exodus 22:4 states, “If the theft is certainly found
alive in his hand, whether it is an ox or donkey or sheep, he shall restore double
… shenayim.” In this case, the thief would be fined
double the value of the theft. In Bereshis - Genesis 43:12 another word for
double is used when Ya’akov - Jacob exhorts his sons to take twice the price to be
paid for corn, “Take double … mishneh … money
in your hand.”
Thus, when we read in Yeshayahu - Isaiah
“For she hath received from YHVH hand double (kephal) for all her
sins” we can be assured this has a special meaning. The Word of Elohim
contains many wonderful treasures, especially when the Word is read in Hebrew
with an understanding of the time, and to whom it was addressed? Elohim,
blessed be He, speaks to His people in a language clearly understood and often
using customs of the time. If we look back into the ancient customs of Israel
the picture becomes clear in relation to many Scriptures.
It is quite within the rules of Hebrew grammar
to supply the indefinite article to help to convey the proper sense of a word
into English. Thus, we can now translate the verse as follows, “For she
hath received from YHVH’s hand a double for all her sins”
Was there such a thing as “a double, a kephal” Yes there
was! Let me illustrate it with a fictional story based on Hebrew custom in
Biblical days.
In Jerusalem,
there was a man named Joash who was a well-respected and hard working spice
merchant. Through no fault of his, he falls into financial difficulty after he
has to take time off to care for his ailing parents. Soon his bills pile up and
he is unable to keep up with his payments. In due course, the merchants of Jerusalem
hold a special meeting and decide to nail a notice of debt to the city gates
for all to see.
(To nail a notice of debt to the gate was a
regular means of a notification in those days.)
Several days later a wealthy man, who knew
Joash to be an honourable man looked at the notice of debt and he decided to do
something for him in his hour of need. He folds the notice double and
writes on the top of it, “If the creditors named on this list will
apply directly to me I will pay the amounts owing by Joash the spice merchant
upon proof of debt.” He then signs it, “Eliezer ben Ya’akov.” This man has become what was known
in those days as “A double - a kephal.” The merchants soon
called on Eliezer and they all received their payments.
Eliezer double folded the debt in the same way
the cloth of the breastplate was folded. It is interesting to note that when
the notice was folded, the details of the debt were hidden from public gaze.
Eliezer was a good man, a fine double indeed!
Beloved, this is what YaHVaH Elohim
did for Israel
and the world for that matter, when He provided “a Sacrificial
Lamb” – “a double” and the story of Joash illustrates
the point so beautifully. Yeshayahu - Isaiah 40:2 so clearly describes the
loving mercy of YaHVaH our Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name!
“Speak comfort to Jerusalem
… her iniquity is pardoned … she has received from YHVH’s
hand a double for all her sins.”
Beloved in Messiah, just think about it, what a
wonderful Eternal Father we have, for He gave Israel
a “double” - Yahushua, the Lamb of
Elohim who shed His blood so that all who would believe and
repent and be immersed would be redeemed from their sins. Now this is the
same double every one needs in the world that are not saved, or those do not
praise and worship Messiah Yahushua!
Praise Elohim, the faithful of Israel did
believe in Messiah, however, as it is today in every land, many of the nation
were unfaithful and it was them who stood there and cried out crucify Him, for
the one in faith were obviously at home preparing for Passover, and the
unfaithful rejected Him! Yet, ministers and pastor’s continue to tell the
same old Roman Catholic lie that “The Jews Killed Christ” or if not
that, they will say that “The Jews Rejected Christ.”
As Elohim had spoken those famous words to
Yeshayahu - Isaiah, He was not thinking of the houses and the walls as He
addressed Jerusalem, but His
words were aimed directly at the people, that resided within her walls. We
might then ask, “Did Elohim provide this double only for those that lived
in the city of Jerusalem?” No!
The Elohim of mercy provided a double for all Israel and for the entire
world, for Israel
and all Gentiles in order to make them one in the Body!
Yahushua the Messiah is our and Israel’s “kephal - double,” He took on Himself our
debt of sin. For all who will believe in Him and repent of their sins are
free from the debt of sin. Praise be to the Elohim of mercy!
“Comfort, yes, comfort My people! Says
your Elohim. Speak comfort to Jerusalem,
and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned;
for she has received from YHVH’s hand (a) double for all her sins.”
Comfort can only be given when Israel or any
sinner, repents and is restored and Reconciled to the love and favour of YaHVaH Elohim
through His only begotten Son, Yahushua the Messiah, who is our
“double” our “kephal.”
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
I Yochanan - John 1:9.
“Return to the stronghold, you prisoners
of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore … mishneh
… double to you” Zecharyah - Zechariah 9:12.
All those who have returned to Elohim and Him
who is “the Hope” –
“Hatikvah” the Saviour Yahushua will receive a “mishneh”
– “double” reward. For the faithful in Yahushua THE
Messiah, all sins are forgiven and we have the promise of ruling with Him
during “the Millennium” and eternal life in the “New Heaven
and the New Earth!”
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My
reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” Revelation
22:12.
As you go and share the love, mercy, and
forgiveness that our beloved Messiah offers, may the Spirit of YaHVaH Elohim
touch and change them, that they may also receive the REWARD … FOR
…
“Great is your REWARD in HEAVEN!”
Mattityahu - Matthew 5:12.
“Teach me Your way, O YHVH. I will walk in Your truth.
UNITE MY HEART TO FEAR YOUR NAME!”
Tehillim
– Psalms 86:11
May YHVH Elohim bless and keep you in the palm of
His hand always, in Messiah Yahushua’s loving Name!
The RETURN Movement
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Yahushua
said; “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me
draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the
Prophets: They will all be taught by Elohim. Everyone who listens to the Father
and learns from Him comes to Me. No one has seen the Father except the One who
is from Elohim; only He has seen the Father. I tell you the truth he who
believes has everlasting life.” Yochanan
(John) 6:43-48.
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