Messyanic

The Greek word “Christos” (G5547), translated as “Christ”, and the Hebrew word “Mashiyach” (H4899), translated as “Messiah” in English, both mean, “Anointed”.

Looking back in the Old Testament (Tanakh), we see there are two particular offices that are clearly anointed: the Priesthood and the Kingship.

The LORD (YHVH) makes covenants with two particular clans concerning these offices: the house of Levi for priesthood, and the house of David for kingship.

The Priesthood

“Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish, and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban. You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them, and you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons. (Exodus 29:1-9 ESV)

The Kingship

Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.‘” (2 Samuel 7:8-16 ESV)

These offices are clearly established to continue through the seed of man: through the line of Aaron for the priesthood and through the line of David for the kingship. YHVH specifically chose them, selected from among their brothers.  Continue reading →

When reading through the Bible, various references to documents outside of the Bible are found suggesting the writers of these books had access to additional knowledge besides what is contained in our Bible…books such as:

The Book of Jasher

(Joshua 10:13 KJV) And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

(2 Samuel 1:18 KJV) (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

The Book of the Wars

(Numbers 21:14 KJV) Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon,

The Book of the Acts/Words (or Life) of Solomon

(1 Kings 11:41 KJV) And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?

(1 Kings 11:41 Brenton LXX) And the rest of the history of Solomon, and all that he did, and all his wisdom, behold are not these things written in the book of the life of Solomon?

We have Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes, but I don’t believe this is referring to them. We also have Proverbs, which could be what this is referencing, but it says “and all that he did”, but there are no references in Proverbs that I’m aware of concerning what Solomon did.

The Book of Enoch

(Jude 1:14-15 KJV) And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

Letters to Paul

The New Testament contains several letters written by Paul to various assemblies in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Phillipi, Collosi and Thessalonica. We do not have access to what Paul was told concerning these assemblies; rather we only have his one-sided correspondence.

Furthermore, there are countless mentions of things throughout the Bible that are not introduced in the Bible. They are referenced as if the reader should already know about them. This begs the question, where did these authors get their information? Perhaps if we as readers of the Bible had access to the same body of knowledge as they did, we would better understand what it is they are talking about.

Sadly, however, most of us just skip right past these mentions. I know I did this for years.  Continue reading →