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I WILL MAKE YOU FISHERS OF EPHRAIM: The Complete Study SOWING THE WORD OF GOD·SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2016

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And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Yehoshua (Jesus) said to them, “FOLLOW ME, AND I WILL MAKE YOU BECOME FISHERS OF MEN.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Mark 1:16-18 Then Yehoshua (Jesus) said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “CAST THE NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BOAT, AND YOU WILL FIND SOME. ” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in BECAUSE OF THE MULTITUDE OF FISH. John 21:5-6 “Fishers of men.” We’ve all heard this phrase, but did you know that these Scriptures are a key part to one of the greatest mysteries in the Bible? The Mystery: For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of THIS MYSTERY, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that BLINDNESS IN PART HAS HAPPENED TO ISRAEL UNTIL THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES HAS COME IN. And so all ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” Romans 11:25-27

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To find the answers to this Mystery we must first go back to the book of Genesis chapter 48, when Israel (Jacob) blesses Joseph’s children as his own. Regarding this mystery, Paul said “BLINDNESS IN PART HAS HAPPENED TO ISRAEL.” Then ISRAEL SAW Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?” And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place. ” And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.” NOW THE EYES OF ISRAEL WERE DIM WITH AGE, SO THAT HE COULD NOT SEE. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. Genesis 48:8-10 The text in Genesis first tells us that Israel saw the children, then immediately afterward tells us that he could not see. The text is indicating that Israel was “blind in part” just as Paul alluded. Spiritually speaking, this points to the partial blindness over God’s people (Israel) until this day. We’ll address this again later. Next, recall in John 21:6 that Messiah told the men, who weren’t catching any fish, to cast their net on the RIGHT side of their boat. “CAST THE NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BOAT, AND YOU WILL FIND SOME.'” But as we continue we read a key passage. “So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in BECAUSE OF THE MULTITUDE OF FISH."

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If we go back now to Genesis 48 and read on in verses 15-17, we will also see these same words “multitude” and “fishes” as Israel blesses Joseph and his children as his own. Keep in mind that Joseph married a Gentile woman, and his children were the product of that marriage. And he blessed Joseph, and said: “The God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me since I was born until today; The Angel that redeemed me from every evil, may He BLESS THE YOUTHS; and may my name be called upon them, And the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac; AND MAY THEY LIKE THE FISHES INCREASE INTO A MULTITUDE IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH.” And Joseph saw that his father WAS PUTTING HIS RIGHT HAND ON THE HEAD OF EPHRAIM; and it was evil in his eyes. And he took hold of his father’s hand to turn it from Ephraim’s head to the head of Manasseh. Genesis 48:15-17 **Note: The Hebrew word for “fishes” as used above, is “Dagah” and means to spawn, to become numerous (as fish), and comes from the root word “Dag” which means “fish.” You’ll find that most translations do not translate the word “Dagah” as “fishes.” For example, the King James Version translates it as “grow” which is not as accurate as the translation I’ve used above which is from the Green’s Interlinear Bible. This emphasizes the importance of digging deeper than the translation in order to find the hidden treasure buried beneath. According to Israel’s blessing, the descendants of

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Joseph’s children will increase “like fishes” into a “multitude” in the earth, and this is precisely what was indicated in John 21:6 with the “multitude of fish” in the disciples nets. But that is not all; notice that it was Israel’s RIGHT hand that was on the head of Ephraim, who obtained the birthright of Joseph, and this is where our minds should make the connection to Messiah’s instruction to the men to cast the net on the RIGHT side of the boat. The multitude of fish is found on the right hand side of the boat. Next, back in Romans 11, Paul says blindness in part has happened to Israel “UNTIL THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES HAS COME IN." We must continue in Genesis 48 for the next piece of this mystery. Joseph objects to Israel’s right hand being placed on the head of his younger son Ephraim, rather than on the head of his older son Manasseh. And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father! For this one is the firstborn [Manasseh]; PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND ON HIS HEAD.” And his father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall be a people, and he shall become great. BUT HIS YOUNGER BROTHER [Ephraim] SHALL BECOME GREATER THAN HE, AND HIS SEED SHALL BECOME THE FULLNESS OF THE NATIONS.” Genesis 48:18-19

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Israel said that Ephraim’s seed would become “THE FULLNESS (or completion) OF THE NATIONS.” Now look at the Hebrew definition for the word “Nations” as used above. H1471 Original: *ּגוי ּגי* Transliteration: *gôy gôy* Phonetic: *go'-ee* *Strong's Definition*: a foreign nation; hence A GENTILE; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts: - GENTILE, heathen, nation, people. So what did Israel actually say? EPHRAIM’S SEED shall become “THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES.” We’ve just discovered the answer to the mystery Paul spoke of. "BLINDNESS IN PART HAS HAPPENED TO ISRAEL UNTIL THE FULLNESS OF EPHRAIM HAS COME IN." The house of Israel will remain partially blinded until Ephraim has been completed. But what exactly does this mean? To answer this, we need to properly identify who Ephraim is. The sons of Jacob (Israel) make up the twelve tribes of Israel, and there had been contention among even these brothers. This contention continued

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throughout history as their descendants began to multiply. After the rein of King Solomon, the house of Israel split in two and became a kingdom divided. When the House of Israel split the tribes of Judah and Benjamin along with some of Levi, stayed together and they make up the tribe of Judah as described in the Bible. A Jew is defined in Strong's Concordance as: H304 - Yehudiy: A Jehudite (that is Judaite or Jew), or DESCENDENT OF JEHUDAH (that is, Judah) - Jew. There were ten more tribes of Israel that did not join themselves to the tribe of Judah and, therefore, are not Jews. After this split these ten tribes together are identified in the Bible as either “Israel,” “Joseph,” or “Ephraim.” Jacob’s blessing to Joseph was passed to his sons Ephraim and Manasseh, with Ephraim obtaining the birthright, so when we see “Ephraim” we should think “Joseph.” When Messiah walked the earth He said: “I was not sent except to the LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.” Matthew 15:24 The Ten tribes of Ephraim became lost because they were scattered amongst the Gentile or heathen nations (Gentiles or heathen are anyone outside of God’s chosen people called Israel).

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They shall come with weeping, And with supplications I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, In a straight way in which they shall not stumble; FOR I AM A FATHER TO ISRAEL, AND EPHRAIM IS MY FIRSTBORN. “Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, And declare it in the isles afar off, and say, ‘HE WHO SCATTERED ISRAEL WILL GATHER HIM, AND KEEP HIM AS A SHEPHERD DOES HIS FLOCK.’ Jeremiah 31:9-10 Ephraim became a lost son because he has lost his identity and doesn’t know or understand that he should be called by the name of ISRAEL. And he blessed Joseph, and said: “The God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me since I was born until today; The Angel that redeemed me from every evil, may He bless the youths; and MAY MY NAME BE CALLED UPON THEM, And the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac;” Genesis 48:15-16a I highly recommend doing a word study on the name Ephraim, to see how the tribe of Ephraim strayed from the Way of the Law of God and onto his own wicked paths. Ephraim are “lost sheep,” EPHRAIM IS THE PRODIGAL SON who went away from the Father and from his brother Judah (Jews). How so? Ephraim abandoned the Father by abandoning the Law (Torah) of the Father.

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The word “Law” in Hebrew is “Torah” and means instruction. The Torah consists of the first five books of the Bible. It is the God given instruction book that teaches us how to live a life that is pleasing to YHVH. But many well-intentioned people believe this Word is not for them, to this very day. You see, Ephraim is so lost to the Father and His Torah in the sin of this world that he has taken on the identity of a Gentile. Interestingly, Ephraim was the son of Joseph, who similarly became estranged from his brothers and was sold into slavery. He too lost his identity for a time and lived as a Gentile in Egypt. If we stray from God’s Law, what do we become? We become slaves of men rather than servants of God, servants of the flesh rather than of the Spirit. For we know that THE LAW IS SPIRITUAL, but I AM CARNAL, SOLD UNDER SIN. Romans 7:14 As I mentioned before, Ephraim is the prodigal son illustrated in the parable told by Messiah in Luke 15. Before you read the parable below, I’d like you to keep a few things in mind. I’d like you to read it as if the father is our Heavenly Father, the older son is Judah (The Jewish people), and the younger son is Ephraim (the ten lost tribes). The “famine” spoken of in the land is a famine for

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hearing the Father’s Word (Amos 8:11), which is the bread of life, and apart from it we will indeed perish. The prodigal son joins himself to a foreign citizen, representing Ephraim who has joined himself with the Gentiles. While sitting in the midst of unclean beasts, and being brought to such great affliction apart from his Father, he remembers the bread (word) of his Father’s house and repents of his sin, which is transgression of the Father’s Word or Law (1 John 3:4). Ephraim “comes to himself” and returns to the Father not as a prideful son, but as a repentant and humble servant who vows to keep his Fathers commands, and is received with loving arms. The text says the father received him even when he was still a long way off. This represents those of us who have begun the journey to return to the Father’s Law. We may have a long way to go, and a lot to learn, but He sees that we are coming and trying and has much mercy upon us as we learn to walk in His Way. Just as Joseph’s older brothers were jealous of him and Jacob’s love for Joseph, the older brother in this parable is jealous of his younger brother because of his father’s love for him. The older brother (Judah) is jealous because he never strayed from the Father and had always kept his Father’s commandments and Laws of the household; he did his Father’s work, just as the Jewish people have not strayed from the Torah. He was continuously working in the Father’s field, which represents the world (Matt. 9:37-38), while the younger brother (Ephraim) went out and lived a sinful life of

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harlotry, or transgression of their Father’s Law, illustrating a loss of love for the Father. After hearing of the news of his brother’s return, and that the fatted calf had been slaughtered for the household, now the older brother (Judah) refuses to return to the house. His choice of words reveals his jealousy (see Deut. 32:21, Rom. 10:19), rather than receiving his younger brother home and calling him “brother” he refers to him as “this son of yours.” The older brother illustrates a lack of brotherly love. It would appear that both brothers have an important lesson to learn. “Teacher, which is THE GREAT COMMANDMENT IN THE LAW?” Yehoshua (Jesus) said to him, “‘You shall LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40 In the parable of the prodigal son, I believe that the fatted calf being killed for the household represents the Messiah being sacrificed for the whole house. The older son makes the remark that his father didn’t even kill a goat for him, but he killed the fatted calf for the younger brother. This indicates that the fatted calf was of great value to the father, just as the Son was to our Father. But in reality, the fatted calf was killed to bring the entire house together. It’s also interesting to note that the text never says whether or not the older brother (Judah) comes

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back into the house, which I believe would represent his acceptance of not only his brother, but of the fatted calf which is Messiah. I believe this represents our brother Judah today, who is also blind in part. The day will come when Judah will not only accept that Ephraim is his brother, but he will also believe that Yehoshua is the Messiah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Just as illustrated in this parable, our Father waits for His divided house to repent and return to Him, to become one in His hand. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9 Keeping these things in mind, please read the parable of the prodigal son. Then He said: “A certain man had TWO SONS. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So HE DIVIDED TO THEM HIS LIVELIHOOD. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, THERE AROSE A SEVERE FAMINE IN THAT LAND, AND HE BEGAN TO BE IN WANT. Then he went and JOINED HIMSELF TO A CITIZEN OF THAT COUNTRY, and he sent him into

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his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘HOW MANY OF MY FATHER’S HIRED SERVANTS HAVE BREAD ENOUGH AND TO SPARE, AND I PERISH WITH HUNGER! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “FATHER, I HAVE SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN AND BEFORE YOU, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. MAKE ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR HIRED SERVANTS.”’ “And he arose and came to his father. But WHEN HE WAS STILL A GREAT WAY OFF, HIS FATHER SAW HIM AND HAD COMPASSION, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. AND BRING THE FATTED CALF HERE AND KILL IT, AND LET US EAT AND BE MERRY; for this MY SON WAS DEAD AND IS ALIVE AGAIN; HE WAS LOST AND IS FOUND.’ And they began to be merry. “NOW HIS OLDER SON WAS IN THE FIELD. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and BECAUSE HE HAS RECEIVED HIM SAFE AND SOUND, YOUR FATHER HAS KILLED THE FATTED CALF.’ “BUT HE WAS ANGRY AND WOULD NOT GO IN. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So

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he answered and said to his father, ‘LO, THESE MANY YEARS I HAVE BEEN SERVING YOU; I NEVER TRANSGRESSED YOUR COMMANDMENT AT ANY TIME; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as THIS SON OF YOURS came, WHO HAS DEVOURED YOUR LIVELIHOOD WITH HARLOTS, YOU KILLED THE FATTED CALF FOR HIM.’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for YOUR BROTHER WAS DEAD AND IS ALIVE AGAIN, and was LOST and is FOUND.’” Luke 15:31-32 What you may not have realized is that this concept is written about all throughout Scripture, but if we don’t understand whom Ephraim and Judah are and what has happened to them, much of Scripture is incomprehensible. In fact, this is the very thing that Paul writes about in Ephesians 2. And YOU HE MADE ALIVE, WHO WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES and SINS, in which YOU ONCE WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, according to the prince of the power of the air, THE SPIRIT WHO NOW WORKS IN THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE WITH WHICH HE LOVED US, EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES, MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER

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WITH CHRIST (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, AND MADE US SIT TOGETHER in the heavenly places in Messiah Yehoshua (Christ Jesus), that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Messiah Yehoshua (Christ Jesus). For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah Yehoshua (Christ Jesus) for GOOD WORKS, which God prepared BEFOREHAND that WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM. Therefore remember that you, ONCE GENTILES in the flesh—WHO ARE CALLED UNCIRCUMCISION BY WHAT IS CALLED THE CIRCUMCISION made in the flesh by hands— that at that time you were without Christ, being ALIENS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF ISRAEL and strangers from the covenants of promise, HAVING NO HOPE and WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD. Ephesians 2:1-12 When Paul said there was once “No hope” he is making a connection for us. In case there was any doubt, lets read below in Jeremiah 31 to see that connection and the reference point for the parable of the prodigal son. Take note that it is Rachel, the grandmother of Ephraim and Joseph’s mother, who is weeping for her children. She is weeping for Ephraim, but YHVH tells her, “There IS hope,” and comforts her. Note that Rachel means “ewe” or female sheep. She is a female sheep weeping for her children who are “no more.” She is a mother sheep, weeping for her “lost sheep” in a land called Ramah,

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which means a high place of idolatry. Just as in the parable of the prodigal son, Ephraim is cut off from the Father and finds himself punished and humiliated in a land of harlotry or idolatry, but he repents and returns, and the Father remembers him. Thus says the Lord: “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, BECAUSE THEY ARE NO MORE.” Thus says the Lord: “Refrain your voice from weeping, And your eyes from tears; For your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord, And THEY SHALL COME BACK FROM THE LAND OF THE ENEMY. THERE IS HOPE in your future, says the Lord, That YOUR CHILDREN SHALL COME BACK TO THEIR OWN BORDER. “I have surely heard EPHRAIM bemoaning himself: ‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised, Like an untrained bull; RESTORE ME, AND I WILL RETURN, For You are the Lord my God. SURELY, AFTER MY TURNING, I REPENTED; AND AFTER I WAS INSTRUCTED, I struck myself on the thigh; I was ASHAMED, yes, even HUMILIATED, Because I bore the reproach of my youth.’ Is EPHRAIM MY DEAR SON? Is he a pleasant child? For though I spoke against him, I EARNESTLY REMEMBER HIM STILL; Therefore MY HEART YEARNS FOR HIM; I WILL SURELY HAVE MERCY ON HIM, says the Lord. Jeremiah 31:15-20 The text tells us that Ephraim was ashamed and repented of his idolatry and YHVH says He will have mercy on Ephraim. When we cry out in our affliction, He hears us

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like a Shepherd who hears his lost lamb bleating for help in the wilderness. But this mystery is not yet complete. Paul also quoted something else, in Romans 11:27, about YHVH’s covenant with Israel. “For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” If we continue on in Jeremiah 31, we will read about this very thing. “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a NEW COVENANT with the house of Israel [Ephraim] and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I WILL PUT MY LAW IN THEIR MINDS, AND WRITE IT ON THEIR HEARTS; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I WILL FORGIVE THEIR INIQUITY, AND THEIR SIN I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.” Jeremiah 31:31-44 YHVH is patiently waiting for His prodigal son, His lost sheep, to return; for the fullness of Ephraim to come in.

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He sent His Son, Yehoshua Messiah, to make the way for Ephraim to come back to the Him. “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and ONE OF THEM GOES ASTRAY, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so IT IS NOT THE WILL OF YOUR FATHER who is in heaven THAT ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES SHOULD PERISH.” Matthew 18:12-14 There is an awakening happening in Ephraim, and their sight is being restored. The sheep are beginning to hear their Master’s voice again and return to the Law/Torah (instructions) of the Father. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, AND I KNOW THEM, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE.” John 10:26-30 Messiah said that He and His Father are One, and HIS sheep hear His voice and “He knows them.” But who will Messiah profess to know?

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Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “THE LORD KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE HIS,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ DEPART FROM INIQUITY.” 2 Timothy 2:19 Now by this WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW HIM, IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM. But whoever KEEPS HIS WORD, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to WALK JUST AS HE WALKED. 1 John 2:3-6 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And YOUR LAW IS TRUTH. Psalm 119:142 Sanctify them by Your truth. YOUR WORD IS TRUTH. John 17:17 He knows those who have departed from sin because they keep the Father’s commandments and walk “in truth” which means they walk in the Father’s Word or His Law/Torah. But He will say He never knew those who practice lawlessness (without Law/Torah), because the Law/Torah is the instruction and will of the Father. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter

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the kingdom of heaven, but HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU; depart from Me, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS!’” Matthew 7:21-23 Messiah will “know” those who abide in the Law (Torah) of YHVH, and this is confirmed as we conclude the Mystery Paul spoke of in Romans 11. For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “THE DELIVERER WILL COME OUT OF ZION, AND HE WILL TURN AWAY UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB; FOR THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” Romans 11:25-27 It would appear that Paul is quoting Isaiah 59, but in a rather mysterious way. As usual, we must look beyond the surface for this final puzzle piece. Paul quotes Isaiah 59:20 to give us a reference point when he says: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;”

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“The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” Says the Lord. Isaiah 59:20 But it’s what Paul writes next that is hidden from plain sight. Paul gave us the direct reference so we would go to Isaiah, but when we continue into verse 21 of Isaiah, it doesn’t seem to match what Paul went on to write in Romans. Paul gave this description of the covenant that YHVH will make with Israel: “For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” But Isaiah gives this description of the covenant: As for Me, this is My covenant with them, says YHVH; My spirit who is on you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your seed, or out of the mouth of your seed's seed, from now on and forever, says YHVH. Isaiah 59:21 On the surface these two Scriptures don’t seem to match up, but I propose that they do match indeed. If you aren’t familiar with Paul and how he writes, he often uses what I like to call “equations” in his writings. It’s very mathematical. It would appear that Paul is saying that “This is My covenant with them, when I take away their

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sins” IS THE SAME AS “This is My covenant with them: My spirit who is on you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your seed, or out of the mouth of your seed's seed, from now on and forever, says YHVH.” Now did you notice in Isaiah that YHVH went from saying “them,” meaning Jacob or Israel, to saying “You”? The Spirit of YHVH is upon “You” not “them.” Who is the “You” referring to? Into whose mouth were YHVH’s words placed? What exactly did Paul want us to see here? So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. AND HE WAS HANDED THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” SO ALL BORE WITNESS TO HIM, AND MARVELED AT

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THE GRACIOUS WORDS WHICH PROCEEDED OUT OF HIS MOUTH. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” Luke 4:16-22 Remember, “Blindness in part has happened to Israel.” As Messiah said above, He came to restore Israel’s sight. In Isaiah 59:21, the covenant with “them” is referring to God’s people, but the “You” that the Spirit of YHVH is upon is OUR REDEEMER, Yehoshua Messiah, the Rod from the stem of Jesse, the Righteous Branch, and the words of YHVH are in His mouth! Isaiah 11:1-2 speaks of the prophesied Spirit that would be placed upon Messiah. There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SHALL REST UPON HIM, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. Isaiah 11:1-2 John the Baptist witnessed this very thing take place when Messiah came to be baptized. Notice, just as Paul wrote, John knew that Messiah would “take away the sin of the world,” as it was written in Jeremiah 31:34, and knew to recognize Messiah because of the Spirit that was placed upon Him, as was written in Isaiah 11:2 and 59:21. The next day John saw Yehoshua (Jesus) coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God WHO TAKES

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AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” And John bore witness, saying, “I SAW THE SPIRIT DESCENDING FROM HEAVEN LIKE A DOVE, AND HE REMAINED UPON HIM. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘UPON WHOM YOU SEE THE SPIRIT DESCENDING, AND REMAINING ON HIM, THIS IS HE WHO BAPTIZES WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.’ AND I HAVE SEEN AND TESTIFIED THAT THIS IS THE SON OF GOD.” John 1:29-34 The covenant spoken of in Isaiah 59 also said that the words of YHVH would be in the Messiah’s mouth, and in the mouths of His seed, and His seed’s seed, forever and these words are the words of the Book of Law (Torah) of YHVH, as prophesied through Moses. “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and WILL PUT MY WORDS IN HIS MOUTH, AND HE SHALL SPEAK TO THEM ALL THAT I COMMAND HIM. AND IT SHALL BE THAT WHOEVER WILL NOT HEAR MY WORDS, WHICH HE SPEAKS IN MY NAME, I WILL REQUIRE IT OF HIM.” Deuteronomy 18:18-19 God’s covenant with His people is indeed taking away their sins through Yehoshua Messiah, but what else did YHVH say in Isaiah 59:21? YHVH said that the same word would be in the mouth of Messiah, AND in the

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mouth of HIS SEED and His seed’s seed FOREVER! As for Me, this is My covenant with them, says YHVH; My spirit who is on you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, OR OUT OF THE MOUTH OF YOUR SEED, OR OUT OF THE MOUTH OF YOUR SEED'S SEED, FROM NOW ON AND FOREVER, SAYS YHVH. Isaiah 59:21 Who are the seed of Messiah Yehoshua? For YOU ARE ALL SONS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN MESSIAH YEHOSHUA (Christ Jesus.) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Messiah Yehoshua (Christ Jesus.) And IF YOU ARE CHRIST’S, THEN YOU ARE ABRAHAM’S SEED, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:26-29 Scripture told we would recognize Messiah by the Spirit of YHVH upon Him and by His Law in His mouth, and it makes sense that this is the same way that we will recognize His seed. 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. BUT WHOEVER KEEPS HIS WORD, TRULY THE LOVE OF GOD IS PERFECTED IN HIM. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him

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ought himself also to walk just as He walked. Brethren, I WRITE NO NEW COMMANDMENT TO YOU, BUT AN OLD COMMANDMENT WHICH YOU HAVE HAD FROM THE BEGINNING. THE OLD COMMANDMENT IS THE WORD WHICH YOU HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING. 24 THEREFORE LET THAT ABIDE IN YOU WHICH YOU HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING. IF WHAT YOU HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING ABIDES IN YOU, YOU ALSO WILL ABIDE IN THE SON AND IN THE FATHER. AND THIS IS THE PROMISE THAT HE HAS PROMISED US—ETERNAL LIFE. 1 John 2:3-7, 24 25 Only be strong and very courageous, THAT YOU MAY OBSERVE TO DO ACCORDING TO ALL THE LAW WHICH MOSES MY SERVANT COMMANDED YOU; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. THIS BOOK OF THE LAW SHALL NOT DEPART FROM YOUR MOUTH, BUT YOU SHALL MEDITATE IN IT DAY AND NIGHT, THAT YOU MAY OBSERVE TO DO ACCORDING TO ALL THAT IS WRITTEN IN IT. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9 Many believe in Yehoshua, but they disregard the Law/Torah (instruction) that the Father has given to His people. For example, they make no distinction between

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the clean and the unclean (Leviticus 11, Deuteronomy 14); they mix the holy with the profane by doing things such as honoring Him with pagan holidays rather than with His commanded and appointed Holy days (Deuteronomy 12:29-32, Leviticus 23), they do not keep the fourth commandment, etc. (Exodus 20, Jeremiah 17:19-27). Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Ezekiel 22:26 The Spirit that YHVH placed upon Yehoshua Messiah is the same Spirit that He places upon those who believe on Him. And if we abide in His Word as we are told to, by studying it daily, and if we truly listen to YHVH’s Spirit within us, it will only cause us to walk in HIS Way, which is according to HIS instruction, and not in the way of the world as we ONCE did when we lived as the Gentiles. If we listen to the teaching of man over God’s Word, it becomes more and more difficult to hear the still small voice of God’s word and His Spirit within us. You see, Messiah redeemed us, but once we are redeemed it is our duty AS ISRAEL to walk according to YHVH's commands, and not man's. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in MY STATUTES, and YOU WILL KEEP MY JUDGMENTS

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and DO THEM. THEN you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:27-28 If we aren't walking in HIS Way, then we are still "lost" sheep. All creation is waiting for Ephraim (the Fullness of the Gentiles) to be JOINED as ONE once again with his brother Judah (the Jews) in God’s hand. Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘FOR JUDAH AND FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, HIS COMPANIONS.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘FOR JOSEPH, THE STICK OF EPHRAIM, AND FOR ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, HIS COMPANIONS.’ THEN JOIN THEM ONE TO ANOTHER FOR YOURSELF INTO ONE STICK, AND THEY WILL BECOME ONE IN YOUR HAND. “And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Will you not show us what you mean by these?’— say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “SURELY I WILL TAKE THE STICK OF JOSEPH, WHICH IS IN THE HAND OF EPHRAIM, AND THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, HIS COMPANIONS; AND I WILL JOIN THEM WITH IT, WITH THE STICK OF JUDAH, AND MAKE THEM ONE STICK, AND THEY WILL BE ONE IN MY HAND.” ’ And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes. “Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Surely I WILL TAKE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FROM AMONG THE NATIONS, WHEREVER THEY HAVE GONE, AND WILL GATHER THEM FROM EVERY SIDE AND BRING THEM INTO THEIR OWN

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LAND; AND I WILL MAKE THEM ONE NATION IN THE LAND, on the mountains of Israel; and ONE KING shall be king over them all; THEY SHALL NO LONGER BE TWO NATIONS, NOR SHALL THEY EVER BE DIVIDED INTO TWO KINGDOMS AGAIN. THEY SHALL NOT DEFILE THEMSELVES ANYMORE WITH THEIR IDOLS, NOR WITH THEIR DETESTABLE THINGS, NOR WITH ANY OF THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS; BUT I WILL DELIVER THEM FROM ALL THEIR DWELLING PLACES IN WHICH THEY HAVE SINNED, AND WILL CLEANSE THEM. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God. “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; THEY SHALL ALSO WALK IN MY JUDGMENTS AND OBSERVE MY STATUTES, AND DO THEM. Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. MY TABERNACLE ALSO SHALL BE WITH THEM; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. The nations also will know that I, THE LORD, SANCTIFY ISRAEL, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.’” Ezekiel 37:15-28 My sheep HEAR My voice, and I know them, and they FOLLOW Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them OUT OF

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MY HAND. John 10:27-28 As you can see from reading Ezekiel 37 above, we are waiting for Ephraim (the Fullness of the Gentiles) “to come in” and he will be JOINED to Judah (Jews) in YHVH’s hand, and not the other way around. Recall that there are TEN “lost” tribes of Ephraim. “THUS SAYS THE LORD of hosts: ‘In those days TEN MEN from every language OF THE NATIONS [or Gentiles] shall grasp the sleeve OF A JEWISH MAN, saying, “LET US GO WITH YOU, FOR WE HAVE HEARD THAT GOD IS WITH YOU.’” Zechariah 8:23 Do you HEAR the voice of your Shepherd, O Israel? Do you HEAR the Torah of your Father, O Ephraim? His Spirit is leading you home. YHVH’s plea to His people did not change from Genesis to Messiah. YHVH’s call to HIS sheep has always been to HEAR Him, LOVE Him and OBEY Him and that is what it means to truly BELIEVE IN HIM. “HEAR, O ISRAEL: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And THESE WORDS which I command you today SHALL BE IN YOUR HEART. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when

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you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” Yehoshua (Jesus) answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall LOVE your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31 Then Yehoshua (Jesus) cried out and said, “HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME, BELIEVES NOT IN ME BUT IN HIM WHO SENT ME. AND HE WHO SEES ME SEES HIM WHO SENT ME. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. HE WHO REJECTS ME, AND DOES NOT RECEIVE MY WORDS, HAS THAT WHICH JUDGES HIM—THE WORD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN WILL JUDGE HIM IN THE LAST DAY. FOR I HAVE NOT SPOKEN ON MY OWN AUTHORITY; BUT

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THE FATHER WHO SENT ME GAVE ME A COMMAND, WHAT I SHOULD SAY AND WHAT I SHOULD SPEAK. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, JUST AS THE FATHER HAS TOLD ME, SO I SPEAK.” John 12:44-50 Put away your idols O Ephraim, love your Father with ALL of your heart and hear the Torah of your God, the Living Word of YHVH. Love your brother, O Judah, and see your Savior! Your brother, the prodigal son, is coming home. “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that it shall no more be said, ‘The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had driven them.’ For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers. “BEHOLD, I WILL SEND FOR MANY FISHERMEN,” SAYS THE LORD, “AND THEY SHALL FISH THEM; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. Jeremiah 16:14-16 “Fishers of men.” I believe the day will come when we will stand before our Father, in the same way that Cain and Abel stood before Him. And what if when we return He asks us the same

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question that He asked Cain when he returned to Him without Abel? “Where is your brother?” I pray that we may stand unashamed before Him and answer, “I am my brother’s keeper, Father, and I have brought him with me as you’ve asked.” Let’s go fishing, Israel.