Flagpole
Moses built an alter and named it The LORD is My banner. Exodus 17:15
Banner – Moses called it YHWH nissi. Actually, he names this altar with a compound divine name. “The LORD is my banner” is not a declarative statement applied to the alter. It is God’s name memorialized by the altar.
Why should we care about this obscure reference to a name of God? The reason we care is because this obscure connection draws together Yeshua’s remark to Nicodemus (John 3:14), Isaiah’s declaration of the sign of the Messiah from the root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:10) and the pole of the serpent (Numbers 21:9). How does it do this? This verse reveals that the ensign (the nes), translated as “pole” in Numbers 21:9, is connected to God’s name as the king of Israel. Nahum Sarna adds an important element: “The practice of giving names to altars is attested in Genesis 33:20, 35:7, and Judges 6:24. In none of these examples is any sacrifice mentioned. In fact, Joshua 22:26-27 explicitly excludes sacrificial rites from such a commemorative altar. The practice of designating commemorative altars seems to have ceased with the founding of the monarchy.”[1]
Add this to the background of Yeshua’s statement to Nicodemus. It seems to imply the following:
1. The imagery of the serpent on the pole is also an image of God’s very name lifted up.
2. The imagery of the serpent on the pole carries suggestions of kingdom, power and military victory.
3. The serpent seems connected to Egyptian royalty. The pole (nes) seems connected to God Himself.
4. There is no connection to sacrifice or forgiveness.
5. If Yeshua intends Nicodemus to see the cross as an altar named for God, then the cross is associated with kings and kingdom (as is clear from the discussion with Pilate), not forgiveness.
6. The actual ensign on the cross is once again a name of the implement of torture, but it is the name “King of the Jews.”
Is Yeshua’s name memorialized on the cross? Certainly. Is His name truly “King of the Jews’? Yes, it is. Is the cross a sign of power, a vehicle of transferred authority? Yes. Does this fit the exegesis of statements in the Tanakh about the “pole”? Yes. Is there any hint of sacrifice? No. Does that diminish in any way the cosmic impact of the event of the cross? Not at all. It only means that Christian interpretation of the event must be re-evaluated in terms of the Tanakh on which it is built.
Topical Index: YHWH nissi, banner, nes, pole, cross, Exodus 17:15, John 3:14
Thank you Skip, slowly it is becoming clearer for me. But we do also see the Death of our Saviour on the cross as the propitiation for our sin. This is love and in such love we come alive. We love because He first loved us. 1 Jn 4v10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Now I see the pole as a sign of victory of The King of King’s. It’s about life and death is conquered.
Shalom, I hope you are enjoying SA.
Just a thought.
Could it be that when we lift His Name (pole), our weaknesses (snake) are carried by Him?
Hey Skip,
I love your teaching. I really challenges my inherent lens to the Word.
I’m not sure I get the point about the cross not representing blood sacrifice? Is your point that is our ‘symbolism’ of the cross representing the sacrificial system is not accurate? The ‘blood’ on the cross was all about the sacrificial system but not the cross? The blood shed on the cross was about the sacrificial system Romans 3:28, Hebrews 9:11-18 seem very clear.
Shalom
My point is the the blood on the cross doesn’t fit any of the requirements that any first century Jew would recognize as a blood sacrifice for sin. What does this mean? First, it means that Christianity reads the text as if the first century audience doesn’t exist. Second, it means that there is no explanation for why first century Jews would have believed Yeshua was the sacrificial Lamb of the Tanakh or why they found salvation in Him. Third, it means that the cross and its torturous execution doesn’t seem to be about forgiveness – it is about something else. And finally, it means that the Christian idea of the cross does not originate within the context of the first century believing community (it is quite significant, I believe, that Christianity is not identified with the symbol of the cross until Constantine).
Sad thing is, someHow it got so twisted that the Tribes thought that they all became Jews. Nope, only those from the Tribe of Judah were referred to as Jews back in that century you refer too. i can kind of understand it when i think about slavery in the good ‘ole US of A. I AM looking forward to the day when the “ethnicity” boxes are: Child of God or Not Child of God.
Funny thing, My Mother asked me a few days ago “What are you?” I asked, What do you mean? She said “What color are you?” I told her, I’m just a Child of God.
Have a groovy day Skip!!
Selah
Blessed are the Peacemakers, Christ says, for they shall be called the Children of God.
In my View, this transcends Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Atheism.
Mentioning slavery, I was wondering why there is a differentiation between the Seed of Abraham born of the slave woman, (Arabs) and the Seed of Jacob and the Tribes of Israel born of slave women in the Inheritance?
But the scripture has concluded all under sin, that the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
But before Faith came, we were kept under the Law, shut up to the Faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Wherefore the Law was our sSchoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be Justified by Faith.
But after that Faith is come, we are no longer under a Schoolmaster. (The Law/Bible?)
For you are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And IF YOU BE Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3
Unfortunately, this isn’t true. The Greek text of the NT commonly refers to Jews with the term for Judahites, but the meaning covers all those of Jewish ethnicity.
You lost me somewhere. What isn’t True?
My point is the the blood on the cross doesn’t fit any of the requirements that any first century Jew would recognize as a blood sacrifice for sin.
When Abraham took his son to offer him to YHWH, what was the answer of Abraham to his son when Isaac inquired of his father, “where is the (propitiating) sacrifice? And Abraham’s answer? “God will provide Himself the Lamb..” Unless we are blind in one eye, and can’t see out of the other.. (which may full well be the case for some) the Lamb of God was the Name used by John the Immerser and Christ Himself was crucified during Passover (the Passover Lamb?- Hello?) and Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world was lifted up upon the execution stake to become (is this in the Bible?) the Atoning (covering) substitutionery Sacrifice for the sins of the world. ~ For He has made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us…
So, do I have to pay in my own blood for my sins then? Where is the lamb who takes away they sins of the world?
what about 1. John 2:2, galatians 1:4 and John1:29? what am I missing here?
Innocent blood must be shed If the guilty shall recieve forgiveness, no?
Go read Revelation 13:8 (where all this discussion started) and you will see that Yeshua’s sacrifice in blood HAD ALWAYS BEEN the means of salvation. Just take off the theological hat that says it must have happened “on the cross.”
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Revelation 13:15
Everything is open for discussion, but I wrote about my view and understanding of the image of the beast 2 years ago.
IMAGE OF THE BEAST
February 26, 2011
http://ray032.com/2011/02/26/image-of-the-beast/
Ok Skip, I see What you’ve been alluding to now. I love that you have brought up this discussion in this season when so many of us have begun the task of the cleansing of the leaven from our houses.
“Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” I think we have missed the point of the Pesach lamb in Egypt. That Lamb was sacrificed by the people for the single event of the exodus from a destroyed Egypt. Unfortunately I don’t have a Mishna handy to give direct quotes of page and paragraph so please bare with my memory of the account.
The passover lambs that were being slaughtered were prepared by first slitting the throat and shedding the blood which. The animal was then skinned, the belly slit open and the guts pulled out and wrapped around the head. It was then hung upright on a pole in and a cross bar was inserted into the chest cavity between the shoulders to hold it open as it roasted in and open fire. (If you come to Nevada in the spring when the Basque shepherds are moving their flocks you can see a live demonstration of this technique even today.)
It was called “the crowned sacrifice”
As far as I’ve been able to figure out, all these little lambs were being hung up to roast in the fire that day as Yeshua’s body was being taken down. WHAT A PICTURE!!! This is only one of the parallels of the passover ritual that points squarely to Yeshua as THE Passover Lamb.
The blood was shed for the one (echad) event of removing ALL Israel and any who would come from Egyptian bondage and idolatry. As the children of Israel and any who would come moved away from the idols of Egypt and Pharaoh came after them, they beheld ET YESHUAT YHVH the salvation of the LORD as He parted the sea.
Ps 37:40 And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked and save them, because they trust in Him.
Ps 145:20 The LORD preserves all them that love Him, but all the wicked will He destroy.
Ps 146:9 The LORD preserves the strangers, He relieves the fatherless and the widow; but the way of the wicked He turns upside down.
Ps 147:6 The LORD lifts up the meek; He casts the wicked down to the ground.
And my personal favorite for this application; Pr 21:18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
Notice these verses are in present and future tenses despite the fact that the Passover was past history when they were written.
The passage through the sea was life to those that were semi-voluntarily (their hearts still needed to be dealt with) moving out of bondage and idolatry and death to those who would seek to drag them back into it. It was their obedience to YHVH’s voice that saved them not their heart condition.
The exact phrase Stand still and behold “ET YESHUAT YHVH” is found in one only other place in the Tanakh;
2Ch 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle. Set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Fear not, nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD will be with you.”
The story of the battle of Jehoshaphat is a mirror image of the story of the exodus in a sense.
In Egypt God came, tore down the high places, and brought them out of bondage and idolatry. In 2 Chr. 20 the people were forced to repent of their idolatry because Jehoshaphat (look up the meaning of that name!) had torn down all the high places in the land. Lets not kid ourselves into believing the Israelites were happy about this. These were their churches that he tore down. They had been there for hundreds of years and they liked them. Their hearts were torn but now there simply was no more opportunity to practice their blended idol worship of torah.
The result of this was identical. The enemy was confused and smashed before the eyes of Israel (and the strangers with them) as they stood there in their battle array/arrmor.
So now fast forward to the book of The Revelation and read it again. And then ask yourself “what is the testimony of Yeshua” Could it be the memorial of his death until He comes? Is it the blood of his Passover sacrifice that covers our house when He comes for us His bride? Hmmm!
Shalom
Pam, adding to the verses from the Psalms is this from Isaiah 53
[9] And he made his GRAVE with the wicked, and with the RICH in his DEATH; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
If hardly ever will a rich man enter the Kingdom of Heaven, on the flip side, do the rich prevent the Kingdom of Heaven on earth?
According to Scripture in James 5, it implies on the return of Christ, there will be “regime change” of the Global Plutocracy running this world.
There are so many pictures in the Passover it’s overwhelming to me. The Passover offerings did not save from sin, they redeemed the people from death.
I really want to digest what you say and respond but internet is so pitiful here in Durban that it may take many days
No worries Skip.
My mind is always pregnant this time of year and whats worse is I’m refreshing our haggadah so my mind is in the process of collating information which is fine for you but not so much for this old field hand.
Simplicity is the key for me. These days I just read my bible and do what it says. I don’t pretend to be any kind of scholar.
What is becoming clear to me as I do this is that I will be redeemed from death in THAT DAY because of His blood so that I can approach Him in His unapproachable light.
The purpose of the bronze(a type of suffering) alter and the bronze serpent is to be able to draw near. Israel was redeemed from Egypt to be able to draw near to YHVH. All of this is for nothing if in the end I do not find myself approaching My King as He holds out the golden scepter for me.
Preparation day (and now compounded with preparation month) always reminds me that I’m preparing myself to (quite literally) meet the King of kings and Lord of lords.
I want the golden crown! That is what I’m working (good gollie there’s that ugly word) for.
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my heart be consumed within me.
Pam, this is awesome to consider. I wonder if Moses’ intercession on behalf of the Nation after they are indicted for idol worship, ie golden calf, does not just delay the judgment to come without repentance? Moses argues with YHWH against destroying Israel to guard His reputation and His mercy to deliver out of bondage. Makes me wonder how I could have taken His mercy for granted for so many years! I could have been one of the 3000 slain by the Levites!
I think I may have be taught to do so…because I was not born and raised Jewish?
That very much ties to Yeshua’s plea on the cross; “Father forgive them they know not what they do” I had a dream last night. It’s posted below all this.
Just take off the theological hat that says it must have happened “on the cross.”
so what about the cross? – was it necessary?or needful?
And on that cross as Jesus died.. the wrath of God was satifsifed.. for every sin on Him was laid..- Here in the death of Christ, I live.
Yes, what did happen on that cross? We (apparently) don’t know even the half of it..
Was death defeated on “that day?”
Was the grave overcome on “that day?”
Did Christ humble Himself to the point of dying a death that was not His to die?
~ Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil..~ (Hebrews 2.14)
Through (His own) death, He destroyed Death and now holds “all” the keys. And according to the scriptures “all” authority has been given unto Him..and He (now) has a Name which is above every Name.. This is found in Philippians 2. 8. Philippians 2.7 tells us why.
What else “happened” on the cross? When He died, “I” died. ~ ~ for you (also) are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God ~ I (also) have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live- yet NOT “I”- but Christ ..
this “Not I- but Christ” is the center and core of the Christian life. Romans chapters 6,7 and 8 gives us further instruction.
Interestingly enough, there is a strong possibility from the Aramaic that instead of Lamb of God it could have been Servant of God. The Passover offerings did not save from sin, they redeemed the people from death
Sorry this is supposed to be in reply to Espen
So his blood at the cross happening didnt count for nothing?
Only his slaughter from the foundations of the world?
What about isaiah 53:10 ?
Oh my no Espen! The first passover lambs shed their blood to redeem the first born of Israel from the angel of death. Thus all Israel, even the first born, was saved. It was payment for their life. Death passed over all of Egypt that night. But all who listened and obeyed the voice of YHVH walked out the next day alive.
Death can’t have us. We’ve been redeemed. We will be resurrected. Eph. 1:13 In Christ ye also trusted after ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation. In Him also after ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,
14 which is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession —unto the praise of His glory.
Sin is a different matter. This is why a Torah life has become so important to me. Sin is the transgression of the Torah. 1Jo 3:4 It is dealt with in different ways. There is no sacrifice for intentional sin. But when a person repents and turns back to YHVH’s Torah forgiveness is granted because of what Yeshua did before the foundations of the world and relationship is restored.
The tabernacle was still another matter. It was the place where YHVH dwelt on earth and where the children of Israel and the strangers with them could draw near for a close encounter with YHVH. The sin sacrifice was brought first to cover any and all unintentional unknown sin for that particular event. It covered the sins of the blameless worshiper as they approached this dangerous place.
Yeshua shed His blood as the redemption price to buy us back from (the angel of?) death. Eph. 1:7 In Christ we have 1. redemption through His blood, 2. the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,
Again, Blameless is someone who is not intentionally or knowingly sinning. Sinless is something totally different. We lump these things all together as the same thing. They are separate and different.
I don’t have this all worked out by any means. I’m just grateful to not be trying to work it all out by myself.
ok, thanks for clearing that up. Learning new things every day. It takes time to digest all the meat 🙂
I had a dream last night. One phrase kept repeating itself over and over.
“One lamb for a household.” Ex. 12:3
When I woke up I realized Avinu was telling me Yeshua is the Lamb for the household of Israel. YHVH has never ever called His congregation anything but ISRAEL.
The church likes to call itself spiritual Israel but there is no support for that in the scripture. The multitude that left Eygpt with Israel were given the same Law as the physical descendents of Jacob.
When I shared with a friend, she pointed out that this is also alluded to in Ex 12:6 And ye shall “keep “IT” (not them [the lambs]) up until the fourteenth day of the same month, and the “WHOLE ASSEMBLY OF THE CONGREGATION ‘OF ISRAEL’ “shall kill “IT” (not them) in the evening.
Isn’t Pesach amazing?
i’m feeling like it’s going to be a beauty full day. Sooooo beauty full. Just wanted to share this site. Go smell some roses! Not those hothouse ones. they don’t smell like the ones God created.
http://michellebentham.org/2010/07/05/jehovah-nissi-the-lord-is-my-banner/
Lifting up His banner, I AM.
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
Song of Solomon 2
As far as I’m concerned, I’m already enjoying the Marriage Feast of the Lamb, yet the eye has not seen, nor the ear heard, the things prepared by God for those who LOVE God.
TODAY is The Day The LORD has made.
Let’s Rejoice and BE Glad in it.
The LORD IS my Shepherd. I shall not WANT.
“The imagery of the serpent on the pole is also an image of God’s very name lifted up.” (Skip)
“Just as Moses lifted up the “snake” in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.”
John 3:14
Hmmm
Yesterday I mentioned a Sikh yogi, whom I studied under after HS and before attending UCSD
Yogi Bhajan was a master/teacher of Kundalini yoga
In Sanskrit, Kundalini, which literally means “coiled,” is a form of “corporeal energy”
An unconscious, libidinal force also known as Shakti that lies coiled at the base of the spine
It is envisioned either as a goddess or a sleeping “serpent”
In English, this energy has been referred to as “serpent power”
Awakening the Kundalini can result in deep meditation, bliss, and enlightenment
WIKI: In practical terms, one of the most commonly reported Kundalini experiences is the feeling
Of an electric current running along the spine
When the current reaches the top of one’s head, one could think of it
As entering the Kingdom and wearing the crown (Keter)
In Hebrew, Snake is represented by “t” and sounded as Teth
In Hebrew, Cross is represented by “t” and sounded as Tav
Somehow this all seems to be related at least in my mind
A gift from my inner child to yours! WARNING: VIEWING THIS VIDEO MAY MAKE YOU WANT TO JUMP IN THE NEXT MUD PUDDLE YOU SEE, lol…….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E93dYbhqBwQ
hopping, skipping and jumping,
me
THE NEXT MUD PUDDLE
Hi Jeanette,
Thanks for sharing your “inner child”
Nothing my dog Max loves better than playing in a mud puddle
Yes in my response above
I was playing with words and my personal relationships with Hebrew letters
And sharing experiences from other Eastern religions
My old brain, which can’t remember much “short term” stuff anyway
Works in “reverse” when compared to Skip
Skip takes a few simple words, such as the “LORD is My banner”
And creates a whole “tapestry” of meaning
I take a few “threads” from his tapestry
And relate them to my personal experience
We have so much in common Mikie 🙂