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Date of Discovery: 1975 from an Antiquities Dealer in East Jerusalem
Date of Writing: 700 - 600 BCE
Current Location: Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Language: Hebrew, Writing Surface: Clay
Transliteration: Line 1: l'berekhyahu; Line 2:ben Neriyahu; Line 3:hasepher
Translation: Line 1: (Belonging) to Berekhyahu; Line 2:the son of Neriyahu Line; 3:the scribe
Comments: Clay bullaes such as this one are made by placing a lump of wet clay on a document then using a signet ring to impress the seal of the owner on the clay. It is possible that this seal belonged to Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe
(see Jeremiah 36:4)
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The Kinsman Redeemer Series
Establishing the Signet
by haRold Smith
a citizen of the Commonwealth (Ephesians 2:19)
"Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My Covenant (commandments), then you shall be
MY OWN POSSESSION
among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Exodus 19:5-6
"And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints and MEMBERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF YaHoVeH." Ephesians 2:17-19
"Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him YaHoVeH the Father
HAS SET HIS SEAL." John 6:27
This series of articles on the Kinsman Redeemer are probably the most significant of any in understanding the purpose of haMashiach (Hebrew for "the Messiah"). Those having bought into the traditional religious portrayal of Who the Son Is will find this information difficult to comprehend without a paradigm shift in approach to scripture.
That tradition (click on the highlighted words to view scripture verses)
is the only thing Yeshua ever pointed to that could nullify
the Word of YaHoVeH
(with emphasis on verse one). Most people read scripture as though it was written yesterday just for them through the lens of current culture without comprehending that all of the words in their bible were written by Hebrews from a Hebrew perspective formed out of a Hebrew mindset that was influenced by Hebrew culture and were addressed primarily to a Hebrew audience which understood the nuances of the Hebrew language. It is only when we set aside these blinders of tradition that we find these words take on a context different from those of our contemporary culture. Consequently, it is important to understand, from a scriptural perspective, what the atonement inherent in the celebration of the feast of Pesach (re-named Passover) actually was in order to restore the inheritance of the Breath of Life that was released through the resurrection of Yeshua, the Kinsman Redeemer of Israel, for those who would become part of YaHoVeH's family in
manifesting
the Words of His Father in the same manner of Life He exampled before us.
From the beginning with Adam and Eve in gan edan (Hebrew for the garden of delight), the Plan and Purpose of YaHoVeH has been to have a people that would show forth His Glory. His Desire is for a family through whom
the Glory
of YaHoVeH, the Essence of His Nature and Character, would be manifested to the rest of mankind -
a Light to the Nations,
that those nations would desire to come and to enter into His Family as well. In YaHoVeH is LIFE and that
LIFE
was the Light of men. Adam was the
first Hebrew son
of the Hebrew family of YaHoVeH fashioned in the image of His Glory - the first to be set apart (the meaning of the Hebrew word for holy -
kadowsh),
from the rest of mankind existing at the time. That there were
other people on the planet
when Adam was formed is evidenced in several ways but, primarily, with the mark of protection placed on Cain that he not be killed by others and that he took a wife from the land of Nod - outside of the land of Eden before Adam and Eve had given birth to other sons and daughters as recorded in
Genesis 5.
The Hebrew word for "mark" is
'owth
and actually means "sign (token) or seal". Thus, the verse in
Genesis 4:15
should be more accurately translated, "...and YaHoVeH appointed to Cain a sign or seal..." The record does not say that this sign was placed on Cain's person in any way. The "sign" likely consisted of YaHoVeH's solemn decree itself, known and observed by others throughout the world
(compare verse 24
where that decree is referred to by Lamech). Whatever the seal was, it was obviously distinguishable enough for assurance that no person would be allowed to slay him. Just as the
rainbow was a sign
given to Noah, this sign was there to protect Cain - not curse him. The "curse" resulting from the slaying of his brother was Cain's inability to cultivate crops and thus was forced to lead a nomadic life
(Genesis 4:12),
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...the High Priest
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In Song of Solomon 8:6
the Hebrew word k'owtham
is also translated as the English word "seal". This word describes a cylindrical piece of stone with an external carved inscription. When this cylinder is "rolled" over a soft material, such as clay, it leaves a raised impression that establishes legal ownership over the possession and was often carried on a chain worn about the neck of the owner or on the finger as a ring. In near-Eastern cultures of the time, a seal was recognized as permanently establishing an unbreakable legal and moral bond. The passage from Song of Solomon describes this seal being placed over the heart and on the arm. This same Hebrew word used for "seal", k'owtham, is also found to be used for the word "signet" in
Exodus 28:21
describing the engravings on the stones of the breastplate worn by the High Priest, covering the heart. These stones carry the names of the twelve tribes of the Family of Israel. It is also the seal of Holiness engraved upon the plate of gold fashioned into the forefront of the
mitsnepheth
(Hebrew for the turban or mitre
worn on the head of the High Priest). These are the "breastplate of righteousness" and the "helmet of salvation" depicted by Sha'ul (the Hebrew apostle Paul) in
Ephesians 6:13-18
as part of the whole armor of YaHoVeH that members of the family of YaHoVeH, who now (because of Yeshua's resurrection) are each a priest in their own right, are told to "put on" to manifest to the rest of the nations the priesthood of YaHoVeH's purpose.
The Hebrew word translated "own possession" (or "peculiar treasure") in the passage from
Exodus 19:5
at the start of this article is
segullah
and means "a valued property to which one has an exclusive right of possession." This passage says there are no other people on the face of the earth who are segullah to YaHoVeH besides Israel. You read that correctly - no other people. Israel is YaHoVeH"s exclusive possession and holiness is the mark, the sign, of His Ownership upon those people - His Family. The seal by which those who are segullah to YaHoVeH (who are set apart for His Purposes) and are identified from the rest of mankind is by their obvious holiness. This passage in Exodus, along with similar ones in
Deuteronomy,
Psalms,
and Titus
all point in the same direction - only through obedience to His Voice are we considered holy and righteous. It is why
Abraham's action of faith
was considered righteous
(Genesis 26:4-5).
Without that distinguishing Seal of Ownership, His People are nothing more than the mixture of other nations
(see what it means to Become Human).
Whether YaHoVeH summarizes holiness in a single commandment as with Adam, in the constitution of a nation as with Moses, or in the expression of His Life as exampled by Yeshua, the requirement is the same - there is only obedience or disobedience to His Word. "IF you will obey My voice and IF you will attend to My instructions by following them, THEN will you be My Holy People and THEN will you abide in the Presence of the Eternal One - the Source of LIFE" (Exodus 19:5-6). Obedience to His Direction IS Holiness and the fulfillment of His Purpose as His Family, His People. Obedience makes His People who they claim to be. Holiness is the mark, the seal, the signet of YaHoVeH's Family and Yeshua was
the Kinsman Redeemer
- the One upon whom YaHoVeH's seal was embedded as the rightful heir with the authority to restore the Kingdom of YaHoVeH to
His family of Israel.
The Tanakh (re-named OT) is a chronicle of the passage of this seal, this signet, upon the status of first born through the Hebrew lineage beginning with
Adam
and culminating in
Yeshua.
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"COMMIT
your works to YaHoVeH and your thoughts will be established." Proverbs 16:3
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The Hebrew word translated as "commit" is
galal
and means "to roll over". Commitment is a voluntary, thoughtful choice of will. Commitment means giving up my rights to myself and placing those rights into the hands of another. To commit to another is a voluntary relinquishing of self-ownership. The first step in establishing a relationship in the Family of YaHoVeH is galal, to allow that cylinder of ownership to roll over my actions, my attitudes and my thoughts. They don't belong to me anymore. When the psalmist instructs us to commit our works, our way to YaHoVeH, he is telling us to allow the Father's seal of ownership to make its permanent impression on our lives. He is telling us that YaHoVeH must take complete control of our very existence. From this point on, we are "owned". To commit is to be "rolled over," to submit to ownership - an unbreakable covenant bond of holiness.
"Whoever receives Yeshua's testimony
SETS HIS SEAL TO THIS,
that YaHoVeH is true."
John 3:33 and 2Timothy 2:19
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...elders at the gate accepting strangers
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The Hebrew language differs from English in that it often contains a duality of meaning for words and phrases. In Hebrew, the meaning of hearing is not just sound waves striking the sensory portion of the ear but has a concurrent meaning as well. The Hebrew word for "listen" or "hear" in
Exodus 15:26
is shama'
- but, in Exodus 19:5,
this same Hebrew word is also found to be translated "obey". From a Hebraic perspective, to hear IS to obey, to obey IS to hear. Whether you hear what is spoken or not is measured by how you obey what you hear. Conversely, how you obey determines whether or not you heard what was said. Yeshua said of those who hear, who know Him in this fashion, no man is able to
snatch them out of His Hand
or out of the Hand of His Father.
Hearing His Voice
is essential for remaining within YaHoVeH's Kingdom; otherwise, the sheep would be led astray by other voices. The sheep that know Him,
know
His Voice. Many would counter this statement by saying that the only requirement for remaining in the Kingdom is just to believe the Son existed. These folks are not hearing the Voice of the One in scripture but the voice of a traditional religion of men and would be well served by heeding to the definition of what it means
to believe
- "to trust in, to adhere to, to rely upon, to fashion one's life after". The example Yeshua set was twofold - He did not do anything without first
hearing
the Voice of the Father and He said He knew He was loved by the Father because He
kept the Commandments
of the Father. Committing to obey His Voice and keep His Covenant IS to become His Possession and is evidenced by my actions in response to His Words. Commitment to His Words is my choice to receive His impression of ownership - to be holy even as He is Holy
(Leviticus 20:26).
This is the seal seen by the rest of the world - the mark of ownership showing separation into His Family, Israel. Throughout the Original Book, there has always been an accommodation for the foreigner, the stranger to come into the family of YaHoVeH
(Leviticus 19:34).
That accommodation was for the stranger who behaved as the rest of the family, to obey the Voice and keep the Words of YaHoVeH (translated as the Commandments), to be treated as a member of the family
(Isaiah 56:1-8,
see the Word).
Choosing for the Words of YaHoVeH to be actionable in my life is to be obedient to those Words, even as Yeshua said He was obedient to them in
John 14:23-24,
and in John 15:10.
As YaHoVeH's Words establish my heart and my thoughts, they cause me to become as He Is -
Light.
Light and darkness cannot abide in the same space at the same time
(see the Law of Grace for more explanation).
If YaHoVeH's Word is LIFE and His LIFE is the Light of men, then DIS-obedience to His Word of LIFE is to move into darkness and death - a place of UN-holiness. Adam, created in the image of YaHoVeH with the free will to make choices, placed himself into darkness by his DIS-obedience to YaHoVeH's Word, corrupting the pure blood of LIFE that was breathed into him, causing
a separation
(the definition of "condemnation" used in John 3:16-18)
and necessitating a redemption.
Next, we will look into the inheritance of ownership, how that inheritance can be forfeited; the results of forfeiture and why a ransom is required to reclaim it.
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Establishing the Signet - a discussion
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"For when I brought your forefathers out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, but I gave them this command:
OBEY ME, and I will be your God and you will be my people.
Walk in all the ways I command you that it may go well with you."
Jeremiah 7:22-23
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The Kinsman Redeemer Series
Part One: Evidence of the 1st Hebrew
Part Two: Establishing the Signet
Part Three: the Inheritance
Part Four: the Need for Atonement
Part Five: theBlood
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???Questions???
Please feel free to email me at harold@hethathasanear.com.
While not claiming to have all
the answers, it would be an honor to partake with you of what Spirit is uncovering.
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