Midrash and Remez
He built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD has said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name.” 2 Kings 21:4 NASB
Put – In the conversation with Nicodemus, Yeshua says that He must be “lifted up” just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. This appears to be a midrash – the application of a story from a different context in order to explain or amplify the meaning in another context. In order to understand what is happening on the cross, we are told to look at the event of the serpent on the pole. The Hebrew verb for “lift up” is rum. We know that this verb is found in other wilderness stories (e.g., Exodus 17:11) but it isn’t found in Number 21:9, the story of the snake on the stick. That doesn’t prevent Yeshua for using the verb to describe what Moses did – and in so doing provide us with a hint at the meaning of rum in the context of Moses’ action. But there is another clue that must be considered. The verb found in “and set it on a pole” is sym. That verb tells us something else about the relationship between Moses’ action and Yeshua’s crucifixion.
In this passage in 2 Kings, we see that the verb sym is used to describe the placement of the divine name. It is also used in 2 Samuel 17:25 and 1 Chronicles 11:25 to describe putting someone in a position of authority. In Genesis 21:18 we find the verb used to establish a new relationship. Finally (although there are other uses as well), we see the verb in Exodus 9:5 as a description of God’s appointed times. TWOT notes that this verb is often connected with YHWH. He “sets” the boundaries of creation. He “makes” the descendents of Abraham as the dust of the earth. He “makes” the seed of David endure. He “appoints” the Torah as the law of Israel. He “brings about” miracles and afflictions. And He will “make” Israel His instrument of righteousness (Isaiah 41:15). It seems quite unlikely that Yeshua would not have known the connections with sym from His hint toward Numbers 21:9.
We are suggesting that there is a midrash and a remez in Yeshua’s claim. The midrash ties rum (lifted up) to the event in the wilderness and points us toward exultation. The remez ties sym to the cross and points us toward God’s sovereignty. Both of these connections demonstrate the authority, power and divinity implicit in the two terms. Neither one points toward forgiveness.
If we follow the clues provided in the text, we do not arrive at the conclusion that the cross is the place of forgiveness of sin. Of course, we still have to deal with the way Paul understands the cross, but it seems clear from Yeshua’s comment to Nicodemus that the cross is a sign of power, authority and appointment. That begs the question, “Power and authority over what?” And this leads us to the startling conclusion that the cross is God’s sign of power and authority over death. We might put it like this: sin was forgiven when the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world. The sin sacrifice occurred in the heavenly Temple at the heavenly altar by a priest of the order of Melchizedek. Forgiveness was accomplished for Abraham and Paul in exactly the same way. But the broken world still experienced the result of sin – death – in spite of the forgiveness and grace of God. Death also had to be defeated. The world had to know that death had been overthrown. And the cross, the instrument of death, became the vehicle for the demonstration that death no longer reigned supreme in the world. The guilt of sin was removed long before, but the world waited for the sign of the end of the curse that comes with disobedience. That sign is the cross. Death is the sine qua non of sin. All die because all have sinned. All are victums of death. But not after the cross. After the cross, sin no longer holds all captive. Death could not hold Him and neither will it hold all who follow Him. The ultimate and final threat of the power of sin has been destroyed.
And that’s why Yeshua points to the snake.
Topical Index: cross, death, sym, set, Number 21:9, 2 Kings 21:4, rum, Exodus 17:11, John 3:14
I heard a sermon on the radio several months ago (at least I’m thinking it was on the radio.) I hope I’m not plagiarizing one of your Today’s Words Skip :-))
But, at any rate I’ll go ahead and mention what I remember because I thought it was SO important…I’m just not certain of the original source.
At any rate, it was pointed out that BOTH the serpent AND the cross had very negative connotations. The serpent was, and still is associated with the evil one and was often used in pagan rituals. The cross was the epitome of the evil and tortuous power of the Romans and was equated with a painful and humiliating death.
Yet G-d still chose these two objects to demonstrate His power and show us that He could take ANYTHING and turn it into something that would glorify Himself…which is exactly what He did. In fact, it was suggested that He very intentionally chose the serpent and the cross to drive home this point. Amazing!!
Wait until you read my book. There’s even more to it.
“but it isn’t found in [Numbers 21:9,] the story of the snake on the stick”
After reading Numbers 21, I thought about why I have never been afraid of snakes. It’s due to when Mom would read scripture to us when I was younger. The thing I most remembered was that “the snake” was cursed. I couldn’t figure out why people were so afraid of them. I used to keep baby snakes as pets – until Mom would find it/them in the Mason jar with holes poked in the top, and have me take it out of the house and turn it loose. My Mom does not like snakes. The chickens would always eat the poor little things. Of course, I would not like for one to fall out of the sky on me tho. Something kind of like that happened to me once. Not out of the sky, just dropped right at my feet from a tree I was playing under one day. If I see the snake first, I’m good. That helps me better understand your reference about Yeshua and the Cross.
Of course, now that I know that the reference in Genesis really wasn’t about an actual snake, it gives me pause to think about the reference in Revelation 20:3. The Book of Revelation is my second favorite. The Book of Job is my first. I love all of the books though. And when I read Revelation 20:3, I can hardly fathom the amount of love it takes to do that, and I want to sing HOW GREAT THOU ART!
Midrash, Remez, En regle. En regle was the word for the day in my dictionary dot com post just the other day! I haven’t been able to find Remez. What does that mean?
I am reading your posts strictly from my email for a while, so if anyone wants to shed light on Remez, pls reply to this (and lo and behold, posting brings you straight to the site!) I wouldn’t want to think that someone thought I was ignoring him or her. That would interrupt my sleep cycle.
Enjoy the sunshine (or the clouds, whichever the case may be in your neck of the woods.)
Shalom,
jeanette
Yes, Jeanette,
We should also enjoy the clouds…YHWH manifested His Presence oftentimes “in the clouds”. Our Portion from last week mentioned His keeping of Israel through the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud. Sunshine and clouds…it takes both for life! Shalom
~ For He has made Him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him ~ (2 Corinthians 5.21)
~ and being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross ~ (Philippians 2.8)
~ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live. ~ (Numbers 21.8)
~ and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up;that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ~
(John 3.14-16)
Jeanette,
Remez is a technique that ‘hints’ back to a larger context of Scripture through use of a word or phrase.
This technique was used by Yeshua and His rabbinic contempories because of the peoples’ familiarity of the Tanakh and its stories. They could say one word or phrase and other passages with the same use of word or phrase would come to the mind of the hearer or hearers. Skip gives an example through the use of the verb “sym.”
Another example that I love to share with people is when Yeshua is confronting the religious leaders of His day who were claiming He was casting out devils through the Prince of devils, Beelzebul.
Luke 11:17-20 (ESV) But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the FINGER OF GOD that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. {emphasis mine}
Finger of God is the phrase that I want to mention in this hinting by Yeshua. The phrase “finger of God” is found only three times in the Tanakh: Exodus 8:19; Exodus 31:18; and Deuteronomy 9:10.
Exd 8:19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
Exd 31:18 And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
Deu 9:10 And the LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written with the finger of God, and on them were all the words that the LORD had spoken with you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. (All of these passages are taken from the ESV.)
This particular passage in Exodous 8 is during the plague of gnats, in which, the Egyptian magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not.
I believe that there is a high probability that Yeshua is saying to His religious contemporaries in a stunning remez way, that those evil magicians could recognize the power or Spirit/finger of God, but they who claim to know YHWH cannot recognize His power or Holy Spirit. Ouch! All this through the power of one phrase!
Thanks Brian, you answered more than just Jeanette’s question.
All three of you above, I found the comments so interesting, and Brian your teaching is outstanding, I am blessed studying it. These teachings and the word remez, I had never heard a definition of previously! I remember my own dear father teaching on the lifting up of the serpent on the pole and now, after all these years, I am recalling his teaching in a SS for adults, I had never understood it until studying what you wrote Brian. Thank you for taking the time to write and explain it so clearly!
I just talked tonight 9:00 pm. Central time, to my husband, and he is doing so well. He has not needed oxygen for the past two days, the new drip drug he is on seems to be doing him a lot of good, he is eating half of his diet food ( NO salt, fat, sugar). He has lost about 30 lbs in past four months, he was never overweight, but has a 6’5″ frame, and now looks very thin. We are rejoicing over some good news for him, and giving our Heavenly Father all the glory, using the well trained medical people!
We are walking tonight in wonder at all the great marvels of our God! May you all give thans to Him for life, and the ability to breath. In His Great Love, LaVaye
Hi Brian! Hi Carl! Hi All!
Thanks for the explanation Brian. Of course, by the time I read yours I had already found this:
http://www.betemunah.org/remez.html
I enjoyed reading your examples. Thank God that He used you to turn a light on in my Spirit! But I must tell you that I didn’t need remez to make the connection in your last paragraph. It pretty much says so just like it is. Reminds me of a saying: If it had been a snake……
After I read the above I thought, oh no. Here we go again. Kabhalla (or however you spell it.) A 4-step process no less with remez #2. PaRdEs. Humph… All of it reminded me of the Tower of Babel story. I almost went there once, but thank God when I read most of it I could see it for the nonsense it is. It is, after all, from the BABYLONIAN Talmud isn’t it? Talk about culture shocked. No, that’s more like brainwashed. Reminds me of Jim Jones.
Thanks to you now I completely understand those verses referencing magicians and such. I read somewhere that Our Father said don’t do such things. It’s a good thing that vengeance is not mine LOL!!! That must be why Abba gave me so much joy. He IS an ever present help!
There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God will drive them out before you. Deuteronomy 18:10-12
I don’t trust man as far as I can throw a stick. Woman either, myself included. I read somewhere that we are not to put our trust in mortal man. I put my trust in God and His son – my Lord and Savior – and His sweet and Holy Spirit (I wish you could hear me say the Hebrew words.)
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Num. 23:19 HALLELUYAH!
Not for me. I’m opting out. In Yeshua, covered by His blood, I’m gonna stick to the road less traveled. If I have to go it alone. Joyfully singing and skipping as I go.
You know that passage, 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7? I know exactly who fits that description.
I’m going to sleep extra good tonight. I have so enjoyed my brief journey with you all and I have learned much. But I am ready to be taught by Him alone now. God is so full of wonderful surprises! Pray for me. I’ll pray for you.
His handmaiden-in-training
jeanette
LaVaye Billings,
Thanks for your kind comments concerning my sharing on remez.
Glad to see and rejoicing with you over some good news concerning your husband. Walking with a loved one who is very ill is a moment to moment journey of incredible swings of emotions that can leave you exhausted on every level. Praying in the midst of that you will know the unfailing strength and peace of our great King.
The Holy Spirit has allowed me to remember something very important. There is a huge difference between a Nazirite Vow (which is clearly written in scripture – and does have a step by step process, no hints) and that other way which uses remez, and has a step by step process. Be vewy, vewy cautious. You wouldn’t want to ‘nique up on the wrong rabbit. Been there. Almost done that.
Thank you Father, for it is written! Amen. Thank you Yeshua! For it is written that you told us to be mindful of the vows we make (my childlike mind interpretation. Read it for yourself.) Thank you Holy Spirit for weaving it together in me!
Thank you Grandma! Now I know what you meant when you told us to have some “gumption” about us.
Lo and behold! Scripture does interpret itself! The Book of Jasher was insightful too tho. After reading it I graduated from calling myself silly, even tho I was doing it in a joy filled way. How can one read about that book in scripture and not want to read it? Be careful if you look for it though. Pray about it first.
Skip, you remind me of a friend of mine. That’s a definite compliment.
Shalom and Rainbows!
Skip, “The sin sacrifice occurred in the heavenly Temple at the heavenly altar by a priest of the order of Melchizedek.” Can you point me to scripture for this statement or is it inferred? Shalom.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/books/review/why-priests-by-garry-wills.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Apostolic Transgression
‘Why Priests?’ by Garry Wills
Hi Ida,
If you cut and paste the url above into your browser, there is a new book out on this subject
I think Wills makes a very powerful argument
Michael,
No disrespect, but I meant biblical scripture. I have read many doctrinal dissertations on the subject, and I really want to see the scriptural reference that ‘the sin sacrifice occured in the heavenly Temple at the heavenly altar”
Ida
I will read your reference, though. I could not open that link, so I found this one.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-priests-a-failed-tradition-by-garry-wills/2013/02/15/aa79a040-715f-11e2-8b8d-e0b59a1b8e2a_story.html
Just read it. So, my question to Skip still stands. Shalom!
why-priests-by-garry-wills.html
Hi Ida,
If folks Google the statement above, they’ll get the NY Times link, I think
The piece in the Washington Post is more Opinion than argument IMO
“No disrespect, but I meant biblical scripture. I have read many doctrinal dissertations on the subject, and I really want to see the scriptural reference that ‘the sin sacrifice occured in the heavenly Temple at the heavenly altar”
Hi Ida,
None taken
As far as I know there is no reference to Jesus in Hebrew “scripture”
Jesus tells us that he is a “Son of God” or “Son of Man” in the gospels
Sons of God can be found in Hebrew wisdom literature (Job 1:6-7)
Up there in the Heavenly court with Yahweh God and Ha Satan
A lot of inference needed there to make a connection. Sons of God in Job refers to messengers of God, i.e. angels. My question still stands how there can be a sin sacrifice in a heavenly Temple – no scripture in the OT or NT for that that I know of.
But what do you do with Revelation 13:8? Is the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world not a sacrifice? And if not for sin, then what was the sacrifice for?
Of course, some of this you have to conclude from Scripture that talks ABOUT it without giving you the exact words you are looking for. So, in Hebrews we find that passages that talk about Yeshua entering the Temple not made with human hands and Yeshua as a priest of the order of Melchizedek. In Revelation and 1 Peter we find references to the sacrifice before the foundations of the world. And we know that contemporary Jewish thought supported the idea of two Jerusalems and a heavenly tabernacle (temple). Will you find a SPECIFIC verse that says, “Jesus was sacrificed on the altar of the heavenly temple’? No. But how else can you explain the references to a different order of priesthood, a temple not made on earth and the references to “before”?
I don’t know, Skip! I honestly don’t. But anything said in the Apostolic writings must be in the Tanakh as well. Otherwise, it is an introduction of something new or altered, which is forbidden. This should be a no-dispensation zone! We need two witnesses at least, otherwise we open the door for men to introduce doctrine with any kind of agenda that they want.
I have heard so many discussions on ‘davar’ of Melchizedek, meaning ‘order’ or ‘word’ or ‘decree’, that one can make anything of that word. I am weary of building a whole doctrine of ‘priesthood’ on it, because that is ONLY in the book of Hebrews. Nothing in the Tanakh.
Hard to accept that there is a Temple (not made with human hands) in which a sacrifice for sin was made. Anything is possible, if only we can find proof text for it. If we look at a heavenly Temple as a model of the earthly – there is a throne room in heaven (which references the lid of atonement –in the Holy of Holies in the earthly) but all the other ornaments in the Holy Place in the earthly point to our cleansing and need for atonement. Why would that exist in heaven?
Revelation 13:8 could just as easily refer to the ‘fait accompli’ with YHWH; that this was a decree by YHWH and an accomplished fact in the heavenlies, but in our ‘time’ Yeshua was impaled when the act took place on the earth. Dangerous to build a doctrine on that one sentence, when there is no other witness in the Tanakh for that statement.
We have been deceived for so many years by church doctrine, that I am just trying to be a Berean. I am completely open for correction if I missed any scripture! I love to learn! Shalom
You are too quick to judge on this. If you don’t accept the New Testament as inspired, then why do you accept the claims of Yeshua to be the Messiah. You won’t find all of the prophetic fulfillments offered in the gospels in the Tanakh. What do you say about Matthew 2:23 or 2:6 or 13:35? How would you account for Paul’s discussion in Galatians or Romans concerning authorities? And where do you find even the NAME of the Messiah in the Tanakh without reading it back into the text from the revelation in the New Testament?
I realize that you are gun-shy of past abuse, but is that sufficient for you to discount all the New Testament as merely the “words of men”? If so, then you will have to stop talking about the teachings of Yeshua since the only source of these is New Testament documents.
Michael, I questioned not only the validity of the Melchizedekian priesthood, but also the heavenly Temple in which a sacrifice of sin could be made. I wanted a scriptural reference for that part of the statement.
I did read the article, and I understand his basis of disillusionment in the Catholic priesthood. But the Bible does speak to the children of Israel as a ‘kingdom of priests’ in Exodus 19:6 and also when we are grafted into the commonwealth of Israel, Kefa says the same in 1 Peter 2:5. So, ‘priesthood’ per se is not unscriptural. But we have made a huge doctrine out of Melchizedek (Righteous King) in Genesis. The book of Hebrews speaks of this, but there is no equal witness in the Tanakh to base this doctrine on, so we have to be Bereans at all times.
Are use suggesting that because you don’t have an “equal” reference in the Tanakh, it is therefore not to be treated as inspired by God?
Sorry, there is no ‘reply’ link on your post. I would say, ‘yes.’ I have just seen too many alterations and corrections and introductions into the Apostolic manuscripts. So, my only test now is the Tanakh correlation and at least two witnesses in the Tanakh.
Sorry to say, but once bitten, twice shy!
“I questioned not only the validity of the Melchizedekian priesthood”
Hi Ida,
I don’t know about the validity of the Melchizedekian priesthood
It is kind of like knowing that a Son of God is an Angel/messenger
And therefore Jesus is an Angel/messenger, because he is a Son of God
The first time I read the Bible, I had read about 2000 pages when I began to wonder
Where in the world did Catholicism come from?
When I got to Paul’s Letter, Hebrews 7, I said to myself
“Oh, so Paul created Catholicism!”
Paul was advocating a priesthood higher than the Levitical priesthood
Which dates back to Abraham, who was not a Jew, and most famous for
His willingness to sacrifice his son
And related to Melchizedek, a king of Salem (peace) and priest of the God “Most High”
In my view, this was a completely different view of Jesus than the one
I had discovered in the previous 377 pages of the New Testament
That Jesus was a man of the people, concerned primarily with the “wretched of the earth”
That Jesus seemed to be a revolutionary leader, who reminded me a lot of Gandhi
A man who was hostile to the Jewish priests, who were corrupt
And were collaborating with the Roman imperialists
On their way to becoming a Roman Catholic
BTW I’m not anti-Catholic but when it comes to Catholicism
I like the Mother Theresa model 🙂
Let me rephrase that. If I don’t find an ‘equal’ reference in the Tanakh, I put it on the shelf. I don’t outright reject it. My personal testimony causes me to believe in Yeshua as my Restorer; i.e. that YHWH sent Him to restore me to YHWH through repentance. Yeshua came as the One Moses spoke of – the Prophet who would be raised up among us and teach us the Words of the Father. (John 17) He is the Restorer of Israel; through Yeshua I came to know Yehovah and was reconciled to the Father. Yeshua said He came only for the lost sheep of Israel and I am grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel, follow the Torah to the best of my ability, and have attached myself to Israel. (Isaiah 56) Yeshua will come as the Messiah King when he comes BACK; He has not come as reigning King yet, because the lion does not lie with the lamb yet. I don’t see Jeremiah 31:31 fulfilled yet, so I see the Renewed Covenant as future – not all ‘know’ YHWH and have no ‘need to be taught’ of Him. I probably have a different view of Yeshua than most Messianics or Hebrew Roots folks. I cannot decipher it all, I just trust that YHWH will teach me by His Spirit what it all means and what Yeshua did for me (without the Christian baggage that I have had for so long).