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Sunday, August 19, 2012

Passover Lamb of YHVH

Behold!  The Passover Lamb of YHVH, who takes away the sin of the world.
by Paul Sides
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Yahshua the Zadok High Priest... "Melchizedek" who offered the final sacrifice and put to death sin in the world!
 
 
 
 
Introduction
I am accused by Christians as a false teacher.  My "doctrine" they say does not line up with scripture.  Is this true?  Or is what they are really saying is that my doctrine does not line up with Christian Doctrine?  I openly admit my doctrine does not line up with Christian Doctrine.  But does it line up with Scripture?  I am about to fully document my belief, the scriptural support for it, and let this document be the foundation for what I believe, for what I write, and for what I say.
 
In my previous articles, I discussed how it took the MAN Yahshua to break the Law of Sin and Death established by the MAN Adam.  This was followed by the article I wrote I am god, I am the son of YHVH, and I am ONE with my Father! establishing the birthrights of all the sons of YHVH in Scripture.  However, I didn't go further to explain it in detail the reality of the human nature of the Messiah, which is the purpose of this article.  In this article, I am going to explore how Yahshua, as Melchizedek and Passover Lamb, took away the sin introduced into the world by Adam.  I will explain the significance of The Torah in the life of Yahshua as it applies to The Passover Lamb, human Messiah, and Eternal High Priest.  The goal in this article is to truly understand the depths of the sacrifice and blood of Yahshua the Messiah.  I will attempt to break free from the context of "YHVH had to die" in the form of the second member of The Trinity named "Jesus".  Realizing this is what we all have been taught as the Plan of Salvation.  I will explain why the sacrifice that freed humanity from The Law of Sin and Death... had to come by the blood of a human Messiah and High Priest, not the death of God.  It is important to fulfill The Torah, Prophets, and Plan of Salvation as YHVH had laid out.
 
This article on the meaning behind the baptism of Yahshua is central to the Plan of YHVH from the beginning to purchase His Elect's salvation from death.  This Plan of Salvation is expressly laid out in prophecy from Genesis to Revelation.  It is given to us in the Priesthood, the sacrifices, and detailed in "rehearsals" or physical metaphors found in The Torah.  The Torah is the foundation of Yahshua's claim to Messiah.  All the prophecies and rehearsals were designed to point to The Messiah.  They explain his role on Earth to take away sin in the world that holds us all hostage to death.  Yahshua literally put to death "sin" by literally dying sinless. Yahshua was then able to defeat the curse of death passed on to mankind through the genetic structure all men inherit from Adam.  I want to explore what "spotless or sinless" means and from what point was Yahshua considered "sinless" by YHVH?  Is there any real evidence is scripture that would help us determine Yahshua's state of perfection vs. sin? 
 
If we are truly "saved by faith in the promises of YHVH", then we all should know and understand those promises.  We should know how YHVH fulfilled them to bring about our salvation through Yahshua the Messiah.  Faith is not faith if what we have trusted in was not promised by YHVH!  So what we claim as "faith" had better be firmly grounded in a promise made by YHVH or we are going to be disappointed.  I want to look at the events in the life of Yahshua in light of The Torah so that we have a full understanding of... "The Plan of Salvation" and that plan was fulfilled in him.  We were given an entire revelation of YHVH (The Bible) for a reason.  None of us should be happy with the simplistic explanation that "YHVH came to Earth as Yahshua, and died for us" as though that was the Plan of Salvation when YHVH made no such promise.  Because that explanation is not in The Bible at all.  It is not what is revealed by YHVH as "The Plan of Salvation".  YHVH promised a human Messiah that would die and gave us everything we needed to know about that Messiah in The Passover Lamb, Feast Cycle, and the role of High Priest.
 
This article is centered around the baptism of Yahshua when he was introduced to the world by his cousin John the Baptist with the bold declaration:
John 1
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
It is from this point that Yahshua is consecrated as "The High Priest" in the order of Zadok (literally re-establishing the Priestly Order of Zadok and taking on the title Melchizedek which means "High Zadok" Zadok meaning "Righteous Priest").  It is also at this point that Yahshua is made The Passover Lamb of God and the sins of the world are placed on his shoulders to later be destroyed by his own sacrifice.  Also, at this event, John transferred all authority of High Priest over to Melchizedek.  Yahshua's documented journey as Messiah begins here at his baptism and ends a little over a year later on Passover when he makes the final sacrifice as "a spotless lamb of about a year" as defined in The Torah.  In this article, I am going to address the following topics:
  • The Birth of two High Priests:  John the Baptist and Yahshua the Messiah. 
    • Yahshua was the greater High Priest in the Aaronic line of Zadok, John, an Aaronic High Priest, was born to transfer all authority of the priesthood to Yahshua
    • Both born miraculous births
    • Both perfected and learned obedience through suffering
    • Both High Priests
    • Both prophesied to come
  • What is water baptism?
    • The righteous requirements and meaning of the Mikveh
    • Why was John baptizing in the middle of the wilderness instead of in the Temple?
    • Mikveh to ritually cleanse from sin
    • Mikveh to consecrate a priest.  How does this apply to Yahshua, how does this apply to you and I?
    • The righteous requirements of ritual cleansing before building the Temple of YHVH:  Yahshua is the chief architect and corner stone of the Temple
    • Yahshua, the Living Water
  • The Passover Lamb
    • The righteous requirement in The Law concerning the laying on of hands of the High Priest to transfer the sins of the people onto the Passover Lamb
    • Must be a "yearling"
    • Chosen from Bethlehem
    • "Palm Sunday"
    • The inspection process
    • "It is finished!"
 
The Birth of two High Priests
I want to clearly cover the position of High Priest both John and Yahshua were born into.  YHVH carefully destined the bloodlines of these two men and prophesied their arrival far in advance.  We all have been taught as much, so I am not going to document the prophesies concerning these two men.  What I do want to establish is their positions as High Priests through lineage.  This is of the utmost importance in The Plan of Salvation. 

Prophecy of Yahshua The High Priest, The Branch, and Eternal Judge in Zachariah Chapter 3

There is one prophecy, however, I would like to bring to everyone's attention that relates to this topic.  That is the prophecy of Yahshua the High Priest seen in a vision to Zechariah in Zechariah Chapter 3:

Zechariah 3
Clean Garments for The High Priest, Yahshua
 1 Then he showed me Yahshua the high priest standing before the angel of YHVH, and Satana]">[a] standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 YHVH (through His proxy The Angel before whom stood Yahshua and Satan) said to Satan, “YHVH rebuke you, Satan! YHVH, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” 3 Now Yahshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then YHVH said to Yahshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”  5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of YHVH stood by.  6 The angel of YHVH gave this charge to Yahshua: 7 “This is what YHVH Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here. 8“‘Listen, High Priest Yahshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. 9 See, the stone I have set in front of Yahshua! There are seven eyesb]">[b] on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says YHVH Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day. 10 “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares YHVH Almighty.”
Wow!  In this one prophetic vision, YHVH reveals clearly His Plan of Salvation through the High Priest Yahshua.  We see Yahshua standing before "The Angel of YHVH' who was acting as YHVH's proxy speaking for Him.  Yahshua is joined by Satan who is accusing Yahshua vigorously saying probably something to the effect "look how dirty this lowly man is, covered in sin!"  Yahshua is covered in filthy rags as he stood before YHVH's proxy, the Angel of the LORD.  After just spending 40 days/night in the desert sun starving to death, Yahshua looks like a "burning stick snatched from the fire".  After being cleansed of sin, Yahshua is stripped of his filthy rags and clothed in the garments of a High Priest.  YHVH declares "See (as I promised you), I have taken away your sin, and put fine garments on you".  And then it goes on to describe the garments of The High Priest that were put on Yahshua.  Then YHVH tells Yahshua to "listen" because YHVH was bringing his servant, the Branch, promising Yahshua the Messiahship.  And if Yahshua "will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here".  This is an "if... then..." statement.  If Yahshua will do that, then YHVH will engrave in stone that He (YHVH) will remove the sin of this land in a single day because of Yahshua's piety.  This is a vision given to Zechariah of an encounter between Yahshua The High Priest, and YHVH (through His proxy), and Satan.  In this vision Yahshua has been previously cleansed of sin and made ritually clean and consecrated, now his garments are removed and he is given the garments of a High Priest.  Then YHVH declares to Yahshua that he is the Messiah and lays out what Yahshua must do and the rewards of obedience.
 
I wanted to bring this prophecy to light for several reasons.  First let me explain what Zechariah was seeing.  YHVH gave Zechariah a vision so that we would know the "conversation" that occurred after Yahshua was baptized by John and went in the desert for 40 days and fasted.  Believing himself to be the Messiah (Yahshua knew the prophecies and they fit him uniquely, he had to be it) went into the desert to seek confirmation from YHVH.  Yahshua was brought to the point of death by starvation and dehydration in the desert after 40 days and nights.  At the point of near death, Satan came to Yahshua and tried to convince Yahshua that he wasn't the Messiah.  Satan explained that YHVH didn't answer him with confirmation and left him to die in the desert because he wasn't it.  Satan then proceeded to offer Yahshua the Kingdom of Israel by force.  Satan argued that since he wasn't the Messiah, after all, Satan would grant him everything promised the Messiah.  
YHVH was testing Yahshua's faith that he was in fact the prophesied Messiah even to the point of death.  Understanding now why YHVH waited until Yahshua was near death before confirming his Messiahship, because death would be required of the Messiah.  Once Yahshua proved he would rather die then face the reality he wasn't the Messiah and would never take by force what YHVH had given the Messiah by birth...  YHVH sends The Angel of YHVH to minister to Yahshua in the desert.  Satan right there with them.  Now, this is where the vision in Zechariah begins.  We see Yahshua in filthy rags laying in the desert (looking like a burning stick taken out of the fire) and Satan so angry Yahshua refused his offer that now Satan (knowing Yahshua is the Messiah) resorts to accusing Yahshua before YHVH.  We see YHVH confirm Yahshua's Mikveh by John cleansing him and confirming to Yahshua he was in fact The Messiah (the Branch).  YHVH lays out what is required of Yahshua and the rewards if Yahshua obeys.  We all know the rest, Yahshua came out of the desert with the confirmation he was seeking and the rest is history.

Note about Yahshua III, High Priest of Israel vs. Yahshua The Messiah!

I am convinced this vision is of The Messiah not Yahshua III, High Priest of Israel.  It could possibly be a dual vision and prophecy as Yahshua III was a prototype and forerunner of The Messiah as High Priest and Temple Architect.  However, the clarification in Zachariah's vision that the High Priest in the vision was like "a burning stick coming out of the fire" is a clear picture of the burning starving Messiah coming out of the fire of the hot sun in the desert.  How that relates to Yahshua III is a mystery to me.  Then the promises to rule over YHVH's House or kingdom in that vision are messianic (Isaiah 9:6) and does not apply to Yahshua III.  Not to mention there was never a time when Yahshua III stood before the Angel of YHVH with Satan accusing him recorded in The Bible or history.  That is the Messiah.  Yahshua III was a historical High Priest in Israel after this vision but his life was not significant enough to warrant such a "vision" from YHVH to a Major Prophet.  In every case of such a vision, the subject of the vision is a major player in the Plan of Salvation not just an insignificant figure in the history of Israel.  There is no mention of Yahshua III by the Messiah or his disciples and apostles.

Then we have the statement by YHVH when He told Yahshua to "listen, I am going to bring my servant, The Branch" which is The Messiah.  Confirming the very thing Yahshua was seeking by fasting in the desert for 40 days/night.  "Am I truly the prophesied Messiah?".  YHVH was explaining to Yahshua that everything he was going through was because YHVH was bringing forth the Messiah in Yahshua.  this entire vision is identical to the scene where The Angel of YHVH came to minister to The Messiah in the desert after he withstood the temptation of Satan.

The reason no one has the foresight (or nerve) to understand the prophecy in Zachariah is because the High Priest Yahshua is ritually cleansed of sin and consecrated High Priest through Mikveh.  No one wants to be the one to have to explain why The Messiah had to be cleansed of sin, so to avoid that discussion we would rather not properly interpret Zachariah's vision.  However, if we understand Mikveh we can come to the understanding of Yahshua's state of Righteousness vs. Sin at his execution.  All sin had been washed clean at his Mikveh so from that point forward he was sinless and spotless before YHVH.  We should properly put our faith in the promise YHVH made through Mikveh and properly credit the Zacharian vision to The Messiah.  This is the entire reason for this article is to demonstrate it was in fact The Messiah who Zachariah saw.  "The Branch" referred to in Zachariah 3 is the same "Branch" in Isaiah:

Isaiah 11:1-2
“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of YHVH 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 YHVH”
Again here we see The Messiah is not YHVH but a human from the "stem or righteous branch of Jesse" and this man will embody the fullness of deity or rather be FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Yahshua was "God in the Flesh" but that is clearly defined not as a half man/half god or YHVH taking up human form... but rather the "Spirit" of YHVH resting fully on and anointing the Messiah in Wisdom, Understanding, Council, Might, Knowledge, and the fear of YHVH.  This is extremely important to understand The Plan of Salvation.  Because no where does it define that plan as YHVH having to come to Earth to die.  That Plan was defined as YHVH would send a human High Priest in the order of Zadok, YHVH would purify him, and anoint him as the Passover Lamb.  Transfer the sins of the world onto his shoulders, then sacrifice that Messiah to defeat the Law of Sin and Death.  That man would also be YHVH's firstborn son.  Because YHVH would beget that Messiah as the firstborn son of the resurrection into His family.  As first born son and heir to all things, Yahshua was made King to govern the House of YHVH/Kingdom of YHVH.  We need to trust the prophetic words concerning the Messiah and have faith in YHVH's ability to fulfill His promises.
Now, let's look further at Yahshua the High Priest so that we understand fully who the priest was that Zechariah saw in his vision.
 
Melchizedek - Yahshua, the High Righteous Priest in the order of Zadok
Few people actually realize that Yahshua was a High Priest by blood lineage, much less do they understand the Zadok line of High Priest.  The Zadok line of High Priest was prepared for Yahshua specifically and we see in Yahshua's lineage that he descended from a long line of Zadok Priests.  For a very detailed examination of Yahshua's lineage through the House of Zadok and claim as High Priest by blood see:http://www.biblesearchers.com/yahshua/davidian/dynasty3.shtml 
 
The Zadok Priesthood established itself in the time that King David fought against the revolt of his son Absalom.   Zadok was a High Priest having descended down from Aaron.  He was not a Levi.  Only descendants of Aaron could be "High" Priests.  The entire tribe of Levi were Temple Priests not High Priests.  As the Dead Sea Scrolls indicate, Zadokites were "To be as one in following the Law and (sharing) wealth and reconciling (based on) the mouth of the sons of Tzadok the keepers of the covenant"... see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zadok
 
There were several High Priests in Israel that foreshadowed the coming Melchizedek.  One such High Priest named Yahshua III was the first High Priest seated that oversaw the construction of the Second Temple coming out of Babylonian Exile.  This was a foreshadowing of THE HIGH PRIEST who would oversee the construction of the 3rd and final eternal Temple... Yahshua the Messiah.  See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_the_High_Priest . 

Yahshua did not "pre-exist"... the proof

We also see that Yahshua's beginning was spoken in the word not as "pre-existence" but rather it was from his human birth that he was he was "cast" upon YHVH:

Psalm 22:9-10

9 But you took Me from My mother's womb, Yahweh! You made Me trust in You, even from My mother's breast. 
10 I was cast upon You from My birth; from My mother's womb, You are My Strength.

The word for word Hebrew translation of Psalm 22:9-10, from The NIV Interlinear Hebrew-English Old Testament shows the word fromin these Scriptures:


The Dictionary of Old Testament Words for English Readers, says that the Hebrew letter, mem, which has been circled in the previous copy, is prefixed to a substantive, which denotes the preposition.

However, it is The Hebraic Tongue Restored, by Fabre d'Olivet, which tells us what these prepositions mean when the Hebrew letter memis prefixed.

 EXTRACTIVE OR PARTITIVE ARTICLE.__The movement which this article expresses, with nouns or actions that it modifies, is that by which a noun or an action is taken for the means, for the instrument, by which they are divided in their essence, or drawn from the midst of several other nouns or similar actions. I render it ordinarily byfrom, out of, by; with, by means of, among, between, etc.

The New World Dictionary of the American Language, Second College Edition, gives a complete definition of the word from asbeginning at, starting with, out of.

The word translated from in Psalm 22:10, means beginning at, starting with.

Yahshua is prophetically pictured through King David to say that Yahweh was His strength from the beginning, starting with the point Yahshua Messiah was conceived in His mother's womb. Yahweh was Yahshua's strength.

This can only mean one thing: that before Yahshua was in His mother's womb, Yahweh was not His strength, because Yahshua did not yet exist. He had no need of strength. Yahweh was only Yahshua's strength, beginning at, starting with, His mother's womb.

We see below, that Yahshua's full birth into the family of YHVH and Divine Spiritual Body came AFTER resurrection, clearly stating AFTER resurrection Yahshua "has become" the first fruits into the family of YHVH.  And we clearly see in verse 21 that "BY MAN", not God, came the first born from the resurrection at which time Yahshua became fully Divine.  We also read that Yahshua is not unique in the process, but the FIRST of many more sons of God to come through resurrection in verse 22; each in our own order. Yahshua being the first born son and our elder brother NOT our God or part of a pagan Trinity.

1 Corinthians 15 (New King James Version)
20 But now the Messiah is risen from the dead, and has become (the firstborn son upon resurrection not birth to Mary/Joseph) the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man (Adam) came death, by Man (Yahshua the Second Adam too was simply a man) also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in the Messiah all (the sons of YHWH) shall be made alive (begotten by YHWH as sons through resurrection). 23 But each one (of the sons of YHWH) in his own order (after Yahshua, the eldest son):  The Messiah the firstfruits (first and only at this point of the sons to be resurrected), afterward those who are the the Messiah's at His coming (First Resurrection when the rest of the sons will be begotten).

I will stop here to keep this article short and on point.  Everyone can do their own research and study to find out about Melchizedek which is a "title" not a name as Christianity teaches.  It means "High Righteous Priest" and Yahshua was that High Priest in the order of the Zadok Priesthood which was the premier line in the Aaronic Priesthood.  In short, Yahshua was THE RIGHTEOUS HIGH PRIEST period.  John the Baptist knew it, so did the Apostle Paul.

Aaronic High Priest John the Baptist
John the Baptist was a High Priest in the Aaronic Order as well.  But not from the Righteous line of Zadoks.  John was born to transfer all authority of the Aaronic Priesthood over to Yahshua.  That is what occurred at Yahshua's baptism as I will demonstrate.  Again, to keep this article short and to the point, everyone can do their own independent research concerning John's lineage to Aaron through his father Zechariah (not the prophet but the Priest who served in the Temple when Yahshua and John were born).  It is very important to understand John's position when he Mikveh'd Yahshua.  Because John acknowledged Yahshua's greater authority as the High Priest in the order of Zadok.  That is why he told Yahshua he was not worthy to Mikveh him.  Because Mikveh is required to consecrate a Priest and a lower priest cannot Mikveh a High Priest that is over him generally speaking.  Since Yahshua was THE High Priest an exception had to be made to fulfill all righteousness so that Yahshua could be Mikveh'd and consecrated as Priest by Torah Standards prescribed by YHVH.
Now that we realize both John and Yahshua were prophesied High Priests for a REASON, let's look at a few more similarities as we see YHVH setting the stage to bring about His "Plan of Salvation" through a human High Priest consecrated by another human High Priest.  We will see both were born, raised, and prophesied in identical fashion.  And they both knew that and recognized that in each other.
 
Both born miraculous births
Both John the Baptist and Yahshua were born miraculous births as a "sign" of their unique and important anointing and their role in YHVH's Plan of Salvation.  The miraculous birth of John the Baptist is recounted in Luke’s Gospel where we learn of the elderly priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, who was barren. While Zechariah was performing his priestly duties in the temple, the angel Gabriel came to him and prophesied the birth of a son. Because Zechariah doubted the word of the angel, he was struck dumb until the day of the birth, at which time, filled with the Holy Spirit, he proclaimed his prophetic canticle (Lk 1:68-79).  I want to point out one very important truth.  Just because John was born a miraculous birth almost identical to Yahshua (an Angel of YHVH gave a child to a barren woman where with Yahshua and Angel of YHVH gave a child to a virgin woman) this did NOT make John the Baptist part of the GODHEAD.  We do not worship John as equal to YHWH and part of a polytheistic deity!  Why is Zechariah considered the biological father of John when it was YHWH who gave Elizabeth the child? Because YHWH used Zechariah´s seed in performing the miracle. The same is found with Yahshua, it was Joseph's seed used.  I cover this in detail here: http://www.sabbathcovenant.com/doctrine/virgin_birth.htm
Both perfected and learned obedience through suffering
The reason I want to quickly touch on this topic is for the same reason I briefly made my point about the miraculous births.  We are taught that Yahshua was YHVH because of the miraculous birth but for some reason that doesn't apply to John.  In the same way we are taught Yahshua was born without sin and perfect and never taught the truth concerning "Original Sin" and the fact that Yahshua was not born perfect but was perfected.  He was not born with the knowledge of YHVH but had to grow in it.  He was not always perfectly obedient to YHVH, but had to learn obedience through suffering.  Yahshua's life was exactly how the life of John the Baptist was described in scripture... identical.  Both born miraculously seemingly outside the physical seeds of their fathers by an Angel planting the seed in a barren woman and healing her womb, and then in a virgin woman.  Both born High Priest by lineage.  Both prophesied to come for a specific anointed purpose.  Both had to be perfected in obedience through suffering and had to come to know YHVH.  The only difference between them was their destiny!
What is water baptism?
Now John was actually the prophesied Aaronic High Priest following in the footsteps of his father Zachariah who served in the Second Temple during the time Yahshua was born.  With that understanding we need to look closer at baptism and what we have been taught by the Christian Church.  In an effort to distance itself totally from all things Holy to YHVH (His people, His Temple, His Eternal City, His Laws, His Feasts, and His Sabbath) the Church of Rome turned its back on the entire reality of Mikveh as well as the priesthood established by YHVH.  Leading to a "new" human priesthood in the form of Catholic Priests, Bishops, etc. and Christian Pastors.  Leading also to a "new" baptism.  That is why we are never taught what I am teaching now.  It destroys their authority and explains why they teach false doctrine after false doctrine.  Not laying the fundamental teachings concerning The Messiah, YHVH has limited their Spiritual Growth and Understanding of The Truth.  I will explain that further as well.  What John was doing was performing Mikveh in the desert.  But what is Mikveh and why was John performing it in the desert instead of the Temple?
What is Mikveh?  What does Yahshua the Nazarene mean?
Mikveh is the process of total immersion in water to ritually cleans a person for various reasons such as sickness, sin, consecration of a priest, etc.  Nazarenes were a sect among Jews, at the time the Messiah came, that bathed in the Mikveh daily expecting the arrival of the Messiah.  John, Paul, as well as many of the disciples (who were first followers of John), and even Yahshua were all... Nazarenes.  The term "Christian" has its foundation in the Nazarene sect but today has absolutely nothing in common with it.  Today, Christianity has totally lost its way from the "Gospel first given to the disciples" as Nazarenes were guardian of The Torah, Prophets, and Messiah.  The terms "sect of the Nazarenes" and "Yahshua of Nazareth" both employ the adjective nasraya (ܕܢܨܪܝܐ) , meaning branch, which is referring to the prophecy in Isaiah concerning The Branchand prophecy of Zachariah concerning The Branch.  The English word “Nazarene” (Greek “Nazaraios,” Aramaic “Natsraya,” or Hebrew “Notsri”) comes from the Hebrew word netser (branch), which itself is derived from the verb natsar which means “to guard, watch, keep, or preserve.” in context speaking of The Torah.
 
So, we have John "the prophesied Great Nazar" and "Teacher of Righteousness (Torah)" of the Nazarenes, mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls, initiating "Yahshua the Nazarene" through Mikveh defined in The Torah.  "Jesus of Nazareth" is mistakenly translated and should read "Yahshua the Nazarene". We have the Aaronic High Priest John, transferring all priestly authority to the Aaronic Zadok High Priest Yahshua through Mikveh. 
 
References:
The righteous requirements and meaning of the Mikveh
To understand the significance of John, the Nazarene Aaronic High Priest, Mikveh'ing the Nazarene Aaronic Zadok High Priest Yahshua in the desert... we must know the reason behind the Mikveh or baptism ritual as defined in The Torah.  We must also know who John was.  John was living a very excluded Essene lifestyle in the wilderness and had disavowed the corrupt Temple Priestly System in Jerusalem.  The same path Yahshua would later take.  The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls indicate many of Yahshua's teachings were inspired by John, the "Essene Teacher of Righteousness".  No wonder Yahshua gave John such high accolades as:
Matthew 11:11
“I tell you the truth, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is”
The Temple Priests had stopped honoring the Torah requirements of laying on of hands at Mikveh, this drove John into the wilderness so that Yahshua could be properly Mikveh'd outside of the corrupt Priestly System in Jerusalem.  You see Yahshua had to have all the Aaronic Priestly Authority transferred to him as THE RIGHTEOUS HIGH PRIEST (Melchizedek) by the process of Mikveh and laying on of hands by another Aaronic High Priest as the consecration of priest took place during Mikveh.  But not just any other High Priest, it had to be John who was prophesied to do just that:
Malachi 3:1
"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and YHVH, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith YHVH of hosts."
Yahshua said Malichi was speaking of John:
Matthew 17:11-13
"Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist"
Everything mentioned in the vision of Zachariah 3 concerning The High Priest Yahshua has come to pass in the life of The Messiah.  Below is what Paul wrote concerning the elementary teaching ABOUT Yahshua's Mikveh:
Hebrews 6

 1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again (the following teachings about Christ) the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites (Mikveh) and washing of hands, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting (us to mature), we will do so (only if we understand Yahshua's Mikveh).

So, let me make what Paul is saying crystal clear.  In vs. 1 he states these are teachings "about Christ".  Christ is Yahshua.  In vs. 2 he mentions "instructions" which in Hebrew is "Torah" concerning "cleansing rites" which is Mikveh.  So let me restate more clearly below how Hebrews 6 reads:

Hebrews 6

 1 Therefore let us move beyond and mature in our understanding, not laying again the elementary teachings about Yahshua:

  • Yahshua's foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death

  • and of Yahshua's faith in YHVH

  • 2 Torah requirements concerning Yahshua's Mikveh

  • and Torah requirements of washing and the laying on of hands at Yahshua's Mikveh (to transfer priestly authority and pass the sins of the world on to Yahshua as The Passsover Lamb)

  • How Yahshua was resurrected from the dead by YHVH who heard his cries because of his piety in life (Hebrews 5:7)

  • and how Yahshua now reigns as eternal judge over the House of YHVH (Zechariah 3:7)

3 And YHVH will only permit us to move on to maturity once we lay this foundation firmly.

YHVH will not permit us to move on beyond this point until "we get it".  We will remain "children" in YHVH and never progress to full maturity until we understand the concept I am explaining in this article about Yahshua.  That concept summarized so eloquently by the Apostle Paul, saw in a vision by Zachariah, and prophesied over and over by all Prophets of God.

Paul understood everything I am explaining here.  He listed baptism/ritual cleansing (Mikveh) and laying on of hands in context of Yahshua as sofundamental to YHVH that if we do not understand these doctrines... YHVH will stunt our growth in Him.  Paul went on to say that YHVH would not allow us to mature in understanding and Righteousness especially concerning what all this meant when Yahshua was Mikveh'd by John.  That is THE starting point and pivotal moment when Yahshua became The Messiah, The Eternal High Priest Melchizedek, and Passover Lamb of God.  Paul says these are "elementary teachings" ABOUT THE MESSIAH.  Yes, everything Paul listed next were concerning Yahshua and referring to his Mikveh:
  • Laying on of Hands - It was then that John laid hands on Yahshua, he was ritually cleansed through Mikveh, and when the sins of the world where transferred onto Yahshua's shoulder as The Passover Lamb.
  • Repentance from acts that lead to death - Yahshua repented of any acts (that he may have committed up to that point) that lead to death.  We don't know "what" because his life prior to that point was not documented for a reason, they were not just "missing".  They no longer "counted" in the eyes of YHVH and simply had no relevance to Yahshua's state of perfection from then on.
  • Instructions about cleansing rites - Torah is Hebrew for "instructions" and cleansing rites is Mikveh.  So this literally says "know The Torah about Mikveh"!  At that ritual cleansing, Yahshua was forgiven by YHVH, cleansed, and consecrated a High Priest exactly as portrayed in Zachariah's vision and instructed in the Torah concerning cleansing rites.
  • Exercising faith toward YHVH - Yahshua exercised faith toward YHVH that he was the Messiah (so much so he went to his death in the desert and again at the cross).  Yahshua was delivered from death by his faith in his own sacrifice that he WAS the Passover Lamb with total faith that YHVH would resurrect him. 
  • Resurrected from the dead - The Word says YHVH "heard Yahshua's cry to deliver him from death" BECAUSE of Yahshua's piety.  Not because Yahshua was part of a "Trinity".  Just like Zachariah's vision shows.
  • Eternal Judgment - As YHVH promised The High Priest Yahshua in Zachariah's vision, IF Yahshua would obey His commandments and demonstrate his piety toward YHVH, THEN Yahshua would "govern" the House of YHVH.  YHVH would also forgive the sins of the world in one day (the Passover crucifixion).  Exactly what is prophesied "unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given... and the GOVERNMENT shall be on his shoulders".  Yahshua now reigns as the eternal judge (as promised by YHVH in Zachariah). 

What else did Paul know being a Pharisee, master in The Torah, and teacher of The Law and Prophets?  He knew the plan of YHVH was to send a Zadok High Priest to offer the final Sacrifice of the Passover Lamb!  He knew that is what happened when John laid hands on Yahshua and Mikveh'd him consecrating Yahshua as Priest, transferring all authority to him, and transferring all sins of the world onto The Passover Lamb.  He probably knew right away when John let the cat out of the bag when he saw Yahshua approaching.  Paul also knew the blood of the Passover Lamb would cover the DECREES against us found in the Law leading to Grace.

Now, let us explore Paul's writings that confirm that he knew exactly what had transpired when John Mikveh'd Yahshua.

Paul knew Yahshua was descended by blood from the Priestly Order of Zadok to be The High Righteous Priest "Melchizedek"

Paul also knew that Yahshua was chosen in this role from among men.  Paul knew Yahshua was perfected by YHVH, forgiven by YHVH, and consecrated as Priest.  Paul knew Yahshua was heard by YHVH because of his piety and for that reason became the source (Passover Lamb) of salvation (for shouldering the sins of the world).  Paul also, as do I, found this hard to explain because everyone has become dull of hearing:

Hebrews 5

The Perfect High Priest

1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2 he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3 and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4 And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. 
5 So also Yahshua did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him

"YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU";

6 just as He says also in another passage,

"YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."

7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One(God, YHVH, The Shema) able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience (to the ONE GOD) from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect (Yahshua was not born perfect being simply a man), He became (he was not always, he BECAME after his submission and death on Passover) to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as a high priest (from among men verse 1) according to the order of Melchizedek. 11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

Paul knew Transferring The Priesthood and The Law over to Melchizedek had occurred in the desert with John at Yahshua's Mikveh

We see below Paul understood exactly what happened when John Mikveh's Yahshua.  Paul tells us clearly that the priestly office was transferred to Melchizedek as well as The Law by which the authority to offer sacrifices serves the priesthood:

Hebrews 7:12
"for when there is a transfer of the priestly office (to Melchizedek), out of necessity there is ALSO A TRANSFER of the LAW of the priesthood (by which the Priesthood has authority)"

Nailing the decrees to the cross

Being a Torah expert, Paul knew The Law contained 3 elements as stated verbally to Adam through Moses.  Then written down at the time of Moses.  We see below an obvious fact that Paul was well aware of, that The Law in all aspects was given to not only Moses in Deut., but also Abraham verbally, and Jacob verbally, and The Law was a vital part of every covenant YHVH made with mankind (Edenic, Adamic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and Yahshuaic)

Deut. 5
 30 "Go, tell them to return to their tents. 31 But you stay here with me so that I may give you all the commands,decrees and laws you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess."
Gen 26:5 - KJV
5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws .
Ps 147:19-148:1 - KJV
19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes (commands and laws) and his judgments (decrees) unto Israel. 20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.
Paul was well aware of the following 3 elements that are in totality called The Law:
  • His Commandments (10 Commandments)
  • His Laws (Dietary, Priestly, Sacrificial, Ritual Purity, Sacrificial, Judicial, Moral, Agricultural, Business, Sabbatical, Community, Prohibition, Tithes/Offerings, etc.)
  • His Decrees (Judicial Judgments amounting to a Certificate of Debt against us for our disobedience to His Commandments and His Laws)
Now that we understand that the "decrees" are only a part of The Law.  The part where judgment is pronounced by YHVH for our disobedience to His Commandments and Laws, it becomes obvious what Paul said was nailed to the cross:
Col 2:14-16
"Having canceled out the certificate of debt (levied against humanity) consisting of decrees (penalties for transgressing His Commands and His Laws) against us and which (these decrees which amounted to a certificate of debt) was hostile to us (because we did not keep His Commandments); and YHWH has taken it (the certificate of debt not the Torah) out of the way (sacrificing His Passover Lamb to cover us), having nailed it (the Certificate of Debt... THE DECREES AGAINST US for falling short of His Commandments and His Laws... NOT the entire Torah) to the cross.

So Paul clearly said only the decrees levied against us that are hostile to us is what YHVH has taken out of the way, nailing them to the cross with Yahshua.  Yahshua's blood covered the decrees pronounced against us for our sin against YHVH and disobedience to The Torah.  In this way, the sin of the world died with Yahshua the Passover Lamb.  Paul calls this "Grace".

Mikveh to ritually cleanse
Mikveh is a righteous requirement of The Law.  This is why Yahshua demanded John go forward with it even though John recognized Yahshua's authority over him as a Zadok.  But, being Melchizedek there simply was no human qualified to Mikveh Yahshua accept John who YHVH prophesied and gave the authority to do so.  Mikveh is for many reasons but the one important to this article is the consecration of priests, for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikveh
 
Yahshua's ministry as High Righteous Priest who would later offer the final Passover Sacrifice began with his consecration by the Aaronic High Priest John when he was Mikveh'd in the desert.  John laid hands on Yahshua's head, transferred all authority of the Aaronic Priesthood to the Zadok High Priest Yahshua then immersed him in water making him ritually clean of all sin before YHVH.  As we see in the vision  of Zachariah 3!  Now, Yahshua was ready to begin his ministry as The Messiah and was prepped as The Passover Lamb and the sins of the world had just been transferred on his shoulders.
 
We see in The Jewish Encyclopedia that an Aaronic High Priest was required lay hands on the "scapegoat" thereby transferring the sins of the people onto the spotless lamb on Passover and the goat on the Day of Atonement.
"When the offering, if a quadruped, had been brought within the precincts of the sanctuary, and after examination had been found qualified, the offerer laid one hand upon the victim's head (Lev. i. 4; iii. 2, 8, 13; iv. 5, 15). On the scape-goat, the high priest laid both of his hands (ib.xvi. 21). This "laying on of hands" ("semikah") might not be performed by a substitute (Aaron and his sons laid hands on the sin- and burnt offerings killed on their own behalf"

Read more: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=35&letter=S#ixzz1alhnHOY8
No wonder Yahshua "ran off into the desert" just like the scapegoats did!  What would you do if the sins of the entire world were just placed on YOUR shoulders?  I know I would seek the face of YHVH and I would not come out of that desert until I was reassured by YHVH that I was in fact The Messiah and Passover Lamb.  And I would get further instruction too, exactly like Yahshua did.
 
It is recorded in the days of Malachi that the High Priests in the Temple had stopped the process of laying on of hands.  John had to withdraw into the desert to sanctify himself from the general population and properly serve as a High Priest.  This was necessary to restore the role of the High Priest by Torah Standards.  Yahshua could not go to the Temple for consecration or preparation as the Passover Lamb because that system had been corrupted.  Yahshua went to John who was ordained by YHVH to consecrate and prepare Yahshua as High Priest and Passover Lamb.  John knew that was his job and as soon as he say Yahshua he couldn't contain himself and belted out...
 
"Behold!  The Lamb (that he was about to transfer all sin onto) 
who will take away the sin of the world!"
 
Exactly John... Exactly how I feel.  Behold my King, my Passover Lamb, my Yom Kippur, my High Priest, my brother... Yahshua who IS my Messiah!  HalleluYahweh!!!!!!!  His "word" or Plan had become "flesh"... YHVH had fulfilled His promise in Yahshua to send us a human Messiah to take away our sin.
Mikveh to consecrate a priest.  How does this apply to Yahshua, how does this apply to you and I?
Again for lack of knowledge and teaching "we" have no idea what we are doing at our own baptism either.  Christianity has totally banished the Mikveh process in favor of some (what is actually pagan in origin) doctrine of Baptism they got not from The Torah but from Rome (Catholicism).  What a surprise.  The truth is that YHVH declares us all Priests unto Him.  We must all be consecrated as such through Mikveh!  We must be ritually cleansed of all sin, just like Yahshua, and have another Zadok Priest lay hands and consecrate us.  Thereby we too become Priest unto YHVH in the order of Melchizedek, prepared for every good work and destined to defeat death.
Question? 
Which of us can say we were properly Mikveh's into the Divine Priesthood of the Children of YHVH in the order of Yahshua/Melchizedek?  The truth is we were all baptized into a paganized version passed down from the Catholic Church of Rome not Mikveh'd by Torah Standards.  Knowing this, I went to a river of "living water" almost two years ago in Oklahoma and was properly Mikveh'd by a Messianic Jew, follower of Yahshua, and teacher of The Torah named Monte Judah on Shavuot'.  I can rightfully claim I have been consecrated a Zadok Priest in the order of Melchizedek.  I can rightfully say I have firmly established the fundamental teaching surrounding Yahshua concerning his ritual cleansing as Paul stated in Hebrews 6.  And that YHVH has graciously enabled me to progress into full maturity in the knowledge of His Word.  That is why the home page ofwww.sabbathcovenant.com declares the Zadok Priesthood which is really the true priesthood of the sons of YHVH.  Yahshua is The Righteous High Priest "Melchizedek" and the rest of the sons of YHVH are Zadok "made righteous" priests.
The righteous requirement of ritual cleansing before building the Temple of YHVH
Yahshua is the chief architect and corner stone of the Temple.  In that role, he must be Mikveh'd to be ritually clean. YHVH made the High Priest Yahshua III the High Priest who watched over the construction of the Second Temple - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_the_High_Priest.  Yahshua III was a foreshadowing of the coming Messiah who would be the Chief Architect and cornerstone of the 3rd and final Temple of YHVH. Just like Yahshua son of Nun was chosen by YHVH to take over for Moses and lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land, they all too had to be Mikveh'd in the Red Sea crossing.  All these are types and shadows of the coming Messiah.
Yahshua, the Living Water - The Feast of Succot
Yahshua spoke some very specific words one day during the Feast of Succot that sent shockwaves thru the Temple courts. The verse John 7:37 reads: In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” Can you imagine a man standing up in the midst of the Temple on Succot and yelling THAT just as the High Priest was drawing water from a well?!?!?
 
Did you know there was a Water Ceremony done on the Altar the same day Yahshua spoke these words? Do you know what the significance of this ceremony was? Do you know from which well in Jerusalem they would get the water from? Did you know that the waters of the Well had a Name? Which Psalms were sung during this Temple service Ritual?  I want to encourage us all to know these things but that is not the focus of this article.  The Feast of Succot begins tonight at sundown.  I will be celebrating this Feast in honor of Yahshua in obedience to the Fall Feasts of YHVH.
 
To understand all these things, see: http://foundationsmin.org/studies/tabernacles.htm
Christian Baptism
In the Christian Church, the entire concept was taken from pagan rituals.  There is but a small mention of the Mikveh and not one word of the reasoning behind Yahshua's Mikveh.  It is taught as a "rite" establish by "Jesus" and they call it a "sacrament" or "religious rite of Jesus Christ".  This could not be further from the Truth and Yahshua admitted it when he said he had to do it to fulfill all righteousness which is The Torah.  From candidates being tapped 3 times (to represent their God, the Trinity) on the forehead with water to infants being "sprinkled" and given a name... it is all total paganism.  And to true Christian form, as with all their doctrines, the doctrine of baptism is a constant source of confusion and bickering between denominations.  Remember, who is the author of "confusion"?  Exactly.  There is NO confusion unless you "abolish The Law of YHVH".  Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptism you see one small confusing paragraph about the "Jewish Ritual" of Mikveh lost in a sea of human tradition.  When it is not a "Jewish Ritual" at all, but a Hebrew Ritual of YHVH given to Moses who was not a Jew!
The Passover Lamb and Daily Sacrifices
The Law requires that all the sins of the people be transferred onto the Passover Lamb by the laying on of hands by an Aaronic High Priest.  This was accomplished at Yahshua's Mikveh by John making Yahshua The Passover Lamb.  The Law requires the Passover Lamb be of about a year old.  From the time of Yahshua's Mikveh by John in AD 27 to the Passover Sacrifice Yahshua made as Melchizedek was just over a year in AD 28.  It was not 3 years as taught by Christianity.  Yahshua was "a lamb of about a year or a yearling".  The Passover Lambs were chosen from a flock outside of Bethlehem.  Just like Yahshua.  The Passover Lambs were then paraded down the streets of Jerusalem with all the cities inhabitants throwing palm branches in from of it shouting "blessed is he who comes in the name of YHVH", this is when Yahshua chose to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey.  Christianity calls it Palm Sunday.  The Lamb is then put on display and inspected for blemish, just like Yahshua was inspected for sin and later tried and found innocent.  The High Priest in the Temple would yell out in a loud voice after slaughtering all the lambs leading up to The Passover Lamb... "I thirst" and he would be given drink.  Yahshua as High Priest just before he made the Passover Sacrifice and died yelled "I thirst".  The High Priest in the Temple would slaughter and kill the Passover Lamb and then yell... "IT... IS... FINISHED!".  Yahshua as THE High Priest yelled "it is finished" and then died.
 
For a detailed and VERY good explanation of everything I just said and proof his ministry was a "yearling" not 3 years Michael Rood has produced an amazing video series everyone should see.  Documenting the entire ministry of Yahshua in detail, event by event, and proving it was little more than a year fulfilling Daniel's Vision of 70 Weeks literally.

Reference: http://jewsandjoes.com/blog/ministry-of-yeshua-jesus-3-years-or-70-weeks-490-days/

 
Did Yahshua have need of sacrifices for sin
The question concerning Yahshua is was he literally YHVH of the Old Testament in the flesh, or was he the second member of triune God, or was he a human High Priest filled completely with the deity of God through the Holy Spirit?  The sticking point is the qualification to serve as Passover Lamb and take away the sins of the world.  To be the Passover Lamb, Yahshua would have to be "spotless and without sin".  However, does that mean he must live a sinless life from birth?  And if so, then if we are to believe that Adam passed sin down genetically then he would have to be born outside of the seed of his father Joseph and born sinless.  This leads to the "Doctrine of the Virgin Birth".  But then, since he must have been born through the womb of his mother then we have to deal with her because she was born through the seed of a man and genetically pre-disposed to sin as well and would have passed her father's sin to Yahshua genetically.  This leads the "Doctrine of Immaculate Conception".   But if Mary was immaculately conceived, what about her parents?  Genetics is a difficult reality to escape!  If Adam passed sin down, then there is no way of escaping being born into sin no matter how many "fathers" you deny.  You would have to come up with some doctrine like "Yahshua just showed up from Heaven"!  Humanity has gone down a very slippery slope because of the misconception that Yahshua had to be sin free from birth.
 
This is why the Apostle Paul listed the Mikveh of Yahshua as THE FUNDAMENTAL and ELEMENTARY teaching about Yahshua.  Because YHVH had established that He would ritually cleanse the High Priest by Mikveh making the High Priest "spotless without blemish" and "without sin" in the eyes of YHVH.  Which is the only thing that matters concerning the forgiveness of sin.  So if we would simply "believe" in the promises of YHVH then no longer would Yahshua have to be born outside of his father's sinful seed (although the Doctrine of Original Sin is false, it is death not sin that is passed from Adam).  Yahshua would simply have to be Mikveh'd and consecrated a High Priest and his sin would be "taken away" by YHVH.  Then from that point forward he would have to be sin free.  Which is in fact the case.  Why do you think YHVH established Mikveh in the first place... for the Messiah!  It was a "rehearsal" for the coming High Priest Yahshua that all High Priests were consecrated that way to offer sacrifices.
 
 
Could Yahshua have sinned during his life and be qualified as The Passover Lamb?
Is it possible that Yahshua was not born perfect and over his lifetime achieve a state of perfection?  Yes.  In fact, we read concerning Yahshua this is exactly the case.  Below we see that Yahshua was "perfected" over the course of his life through suffering trials and tribulations then washed clean through Mikveh in the eyes of YHVH (the only judge that matters).  It was the same process of perfection that we all go through to learn obedience to YHVH.  After only having been made perfect did he then become the source (Passover Lamb) of eternal life to those who obey.
Hebrews 5:8-9
8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience (to YHVH) by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected(through obedience, suffering, Mikveh), He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him
We see that Yahshua had to be a human Messiah to qualify as the blood sacrifice for the human race.  He had to be fully human in every way, another way of saying this is, he was in no way anything other than human.  And that he had to "become" a merciful and faithful High Priest in service to YHVH.
Hebrews 2
17 For this reason he (Yahshua) had to be made like them (he was made human),e]">[e] fully human in every way, in order that hemight become a merciful and faithful high priest (who are chosen from among men) in service to YHVH
 We see that Yahshua was chosen High Priest from among men and in that role as High Priest made sacrifices for himself as well as for the people:

Hebrews 5

1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2 he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3 and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself

We see that it was YHVH who "made" Yahshua perfect, not that Yahshua in his own right was born and lived that way:

Hebrews 2:10-18

 10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that YHVH, for whom and through whom everything exists, (YHVH)should make the pioneer of their salvation (Yahshua) perfect through what he suffered.

When scripture is understood outside of the context of The Trinity, we not only find the Trinity is not taught anywhere is scripture but we find the emergence of a human High Priest.  The High Priest Yahshua spoken of by Zachariah who had been cleansed of sin through Mikveh.  Having been "made perfect" in the eyes of YHVH then qualified as The Spotless Passover Lamb.
Is there evidences Yahshua's conscience convicted him?
 If it is the case, as the Bible declares, that Yahshua had to be perfected and was not born perfect.  If it is true, as the Bible declares, that Yahshua did not live his entire life in a state of perfection.  Then is there evidence that Yahshua's conscience did convict him of his imperfection?
Matthew 19

 16And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?  17And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments (of God).

We see again, Yahshua's own will seemingly standing in the way of YHVH's, and Yahshua being convicted by it.  Having "second thoughts" about the whole Passover Lamb situation, Yahshua began to be very sorry and very unhappy with himself.  His own will even got the best of him here, he knew it was YHVH Will and his destiny to die as Passover Lamb and still... Yahshua asked if there was any way out of it, because it was not his will that he die like that:
Matthew 26

 37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.  38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

 
But, the Bible claims Yahshua was without sin!
We must come to grips with the reality in the Bible that Yahshua was not born perfect but perfected.  And that Yahshua had to learn obedience to YHVH.  And that Yahshua did not consider himself to be "good".  And that Yahshua's conscience convicted him of his will that was not in obedience to YHVH's.  Once we accept that Yahshua was indeed a "fully human in every way" High Priest then we must harmonize scripture that states Yahshua was without sin.  The doctrine that Yahshua was sinless because he was born outside of "Original Sin" and lived a sin-free life is not Biblical.  Adam did not pass sin genetically he passed death on to all men.  And the Bible says ALL men have sinned.  Yahshua was a man, you do the math.  I have already shown that Yahshua was not born perfect, but perfected.  So what about:
Hebrews 4
 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,f]">[f] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4 says we "have a High Priest" who was tempted and did not sin.  Yahshua became a High Priest when he was Mikveh's and his sins taken away.  And from that point foreword in the office of High Priest he was tempted and did not sin.  Hebrews 4 only makes the case of YHVH Plan of Salvation through a human High Priest who YHVH perfected through a life of suffering then cleansed of sin at Mikveh.
1 Peter 2

 22 “He committed no violence, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 2 quotes from the Prophet Isaiah who said (Isaiah 53:9) that he committed no violence, and did not lie.  Isaiah was addressing the accusations brought against Yahshua when he was tried.  They tried him for insurrection against the Roman Emperor (inciting violence) and lying that he was YHVH (blasphemy).  Yahshua was innocent of both charges.  Isaiah was stating nothing about Yahshua's state of sin.  The point of 1 Peter 2 is that he bore our sins in his own body on the cross as The Passover Lamb not that he was born and lived sin free his entire life. And that he was found innocent at his trial and executed anyway.   Again, he was ritually cleansed of his own sin, then the sins of the world were placed on his shoulders at Mikveh.  And the charges leveled against Yahshua were false.
 
The point I am making is that we are to understand the "elementary teachings" about the Messiah concerning his Mikveh as Paul teaches in Hebrews 6.  In THAT context, we put all statements that he was without sin as being from the point of Mikveh forward as both Paul states in Hebrews 6 and Zacharaih 3 shows us.  The only requirement to meet concerning sin was that in the eyes of YHVH he was ritually clean of all sin and had been consecrated a High Priest and the sins of the world were transferred onto him as The Passover Lamb.  There is no requirement to be Messiah that he must have been born free from sin (which he and all of us are anyway) and that he must live a life completely sin free which "all" have sinned and is impossible even for Yahshua.
 
Daily Sacrifices of Oblation and the High Priest Yahshua
Paul discusses the difference between Yahshua and other High Priests who went before him.  The main difference Yahshua points out is that the other priests died and no longer are in service to offer sacrifices.  Yahshua, however, defeated death and lives eternally in the office of High Priest. 
Hebrews 7

 23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completelyc]">[c] those who come to God through him, because he always lives (a living sacrifice) to intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their (he and the people's) sins once for all (time) when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

To understand what a Pharisee (expert in The Torah) is writing in this letter we must understand The Torah and put his letter in context.  Paul says Yahshua was a High Priest who was holy, blameless, pure, and set apart from sinners.  Again referring back to Yahshua's Mikveh when he was ordained and purified ritually.  Paul said that Yahshua was "unlike the other high priest" in the sense that he held a permanent priesthood because he conquered death.   All High Priests were Mikveh'd and holy, blameless, pure, and set apart from sinners who offered the Passover and Atonement sacrifices or they were struck dead by YHVH on the spot.  Read the Bible.  Then Paul says in context of Yahshua being a "living eternal sacrifice" who held a permanent position as High Priest, Yahshua did not need to offer the daily sacrifice of oblation for the sins of the people and himself.  Paul uses an "interjection" which is a short phrase to clarify the sentence when in the phrase set apart by commas he was sure to ADD "first for his own sins".  An interjection can be taken out of the sentence and the sentence is still a complete thought.  The sentence reads "Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer the daily sacrifice for the people".  Paul thought it necessary to further clarify that the daily sacrifices were also for the High Priest.  He was speaking about the Daily Oblation.  The point Paul was making had nothing to do with Yahshua had no need for sacrifices because he was perfect.  He was addressing the Torah requirements for the daily oblation and explaining that because Yahshua defeated death, his sacrificed body would stand as a living sacrifice meeting the Torah requirements of the Daily Oblation for himself and the people.
 
When Paul states that Yahshua sacrificed for "their sins" he is referring back to "their" which he defined in the previous verse as his own sin and then for the people.  Paul then ends with the same declaration he made on several other occasions that The Law appoints all high priests from among men in all their weaknesses including Yahshua (then Mikveh's them ritually clean before YHVH).  However, Paul sets Yahshua apart from the rest because of an Oath that came after The Law that applies only to Yahshua the High Priest, this oath he is referring to he wrote about a few verses prior in Hebrew 7:14 and quoted the Oath he is referring to:

Psalm 110:4

 4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

So Paul is saying here "28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever as THE HIGH RIGHTEOUS PRIEST "Melchizedek." Paul is simply stating that by The Law Yahshua was consecrated a High Priest with all his weaknesses just like very other High Priest and then set apart from sinners through Mikveh and consecration.  But in Yahshua's unique case, he was further made THE RIGHTEOUS HIGH PRIEST forever by an oath made to him by YHVH.  Again, demonstrating exactly why John said to Yahshua "I have need to be Mikveh's by you" to Yahshua because he was the greater High Priest in the Order of Zadok.  Yahshua held the title "Melchizedek" or "High Righteous Priest" for eternity.
A side note about the use of Interjections and the genetic lineage of Yahshua
I stated above the truth that Paul was using an Interjection to clarify the sentence "he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day for the sins of the people".   He interjected the phrase "and for himself" to clarify that the Oblation was also for the High Priest.  We must properly read the word of YHVH and know the structure of language to understand what is being said.  If we don't, we will end up falling for false teaching and then falsely teach others.  For instance, another VERY important place were an interjection is used to clarify the sentence is:

Matthew 1:16

"And Jacob begat Joseph, the Joseph who was the husband of Mary, of whom was born Yahshua, who is called the Messiah."

Christianity teaches that this verse says that "Mary" is to whom was born Yahshua and "Joseph" is the interject here.  This is totally false.  The interjection is "the husband of Mary" to clarify which Joseph.   The topic here is the lineage of Yahshua and the subject in that chain of genetic lineage is "Jacob who beget Joseph who begat Yahshua".  The interjection "the husband of Mary" is used to clarify WHICH Joseph beget Yahshua.  The word "beget" is used exclusively in reference to genetic lineage in the Bible.  The complete sentence stands when you take out the interject and that complete sentence is:
"And Jacob begat Joseph of whom was born Yahshua, who is called the Messiah."
There were many Josephs in Israel at that time and they didn't have last names.  So "interjections" were used to identify the subjects.  Such as Yahshua (the Nazarene) or Yahshua (the one born in Bethlehem) or James (the brother of Yahshua).  All these are interactions to clarify the subject of who was being talked about.  Yahshua clearly taught his genetic lineage through his father Joseph.
 
This is confirmed by what Yahshua told his disciples, that he was the son Joseph.  Yahshua clarified which Joseph by saying the one who is the son-in-law of Heli.

Luke 3:23

"And Yahshua Himself began to be about thirty years of age, being the son of Joseph, which was (Joseph) the son (in-law) of Heli." Heli was Mary's father.

 I wanted to be sure we all understand the use of interjections because if we don't we can never properly understand what is being said in the Bible about Yahshua.  This is important to this article because Yahshua had to be the genetic son of Joseph to fulfill prophecies concerning The Messiah. 
But I just can't accept the possibility that The Messiah had sin and no simple man could possibly fulfill the destiny of Messiah, Yahshua has to be God!
This is probably the #1 objection to everything I have written in this article.  This argument is to be expected given the 2,000 years of elevating The Messiah into YHVH in the flesh.  However, this argument is very dangerous.  This argument clearly demonstrates a lack of faith in the promise and example YHVH established through Mikveh.  Where YHVH promised that the Mikveh ritual would wash away completely the sin of a man in His eyes.  Having faith in this one promise made by YHVH completely makes the issue of "sin" in Yahshua a mute point.  It is only between Yahshua and YHVH because the acceptance of the Passover Lamb as a substitute for sin lies solely in the eyes of YHVH not man.  This argument puts judgment of Yahshua's state as "spotless and sinless" in people who make this argument.  As far as can a simple man possibly fulfill the role of Messiah, well yes... if that is his destiny YHVH will make him stand and fulfill it.
Romans 14
4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for YHVH is able to make them stand.
There you have the answer to this question.  We are not Yahshua's judge concerning his life prior to or after Mikveh.  YHVH said He cleansed Yahshua of sin at Mikveh and the Gospels record him sinless after.  As far as any mere man accomplishing the destiny of Messiah, well if YHVH so destined it in Yahshua, YHVH is more than able to make Yahshua stand and fulfill it.  Just because we can't "fathom" it, or "understand it", and it isn't what we have been taught... doesn't make it untrue.
Summary
YHVH laid out His Plan of Salvation through a human messiah from the seed of a woman in Genesis.  He provided examples and portraits of a Lamb substitute for our sin that saves us from death with Abraham/Isaac and during the Exodus from Egypt in The Passover.  YHVH further showed us that He would purchase our salvation from death through the scarlet (blood) thread of redemption.  YHVH gave us sacrificial systems and priestly orders to define the coming Messiah.  YHVH said He would purify ritually that Messiah/High Priest and transfer all sin onto his shoulder.  Then sacrifice that human Messiah on behalf of all mankind.  It would be through one act of obedience by one man that would overturn the one man's act of disobedience.  It would require the death of a sinless man to break the bondage death held over all mankind.  YHVH gave an oath that Messiah would be a High Priest in the Order of Zadok.  YHVH revealed this human High Priest would restore the throne of David and the priesthood genetically.  YHVH promised the Messiah eternal life because of his obedience and that YHVH would forgive the sins of the world in one day for the sake of one man's obedience.  And YHVH would make the High Priest/Messiah an eternal High Priest before Him and place the government of The House of YHVH or Kingdom of YHVH on his shoulders.
 
Yahshua then came and showed us The Way of that salvation plan.  He was perfected over time through trials, had to grow in wisdom and knowledge of YHVH, and be made perfect through Mikveh.  Then being consecrated High Priest he would have the sins of the world transferred on to him by the laying on of hands becoming The Passover Lamb.  Then as High Priest, Yahshua would offer a once for all time sacrifice to YHVH of his own body.  YHVH heard the cries of Yahshua to be saved from death because of Yahshua's piety.  YHVH would resurrected the High Priest and make him a High Priest forever with his body being a living daily sacrifice in place of the Daily Oblation.
 
We are taught to "follow Yahshua" in The Way.  We too are to be Mikveh'd, purified of sin, consecrated priests, and to be obedient to His Word, The Torah.  If we are, as 1 John states there are 3 witnesses in the Book of Life in heaven recorded by the Hand of YHVH to prove it.  They are the witness of The Father that we are truly His sons and gods.  The are the witness of His Word that were were obedient to The Torah out of love for Him.  And there is the witness of The Spirit of Life that sets us free from the bondage of death that we were born again into the Family of YHVH and ONE with Him through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
 
This is what I believe.  This is what is taught in His Word as The Plan of Salvation and demonstrated by the life of Yahshua the High Priest and Messiah.  My "doctrines" are in fact in line with scripture completely.  The church's doctrines are false.  YHVH never claimed or promised He would come down and die.  In fact, that is an impossibility for an Eternal God.  YHVH did not promise He would come to Earth as a man.  In fact, He promised He wouldn't.  The meaning behind baptism isn't the identification with Yahshua in death, burial, and resurrection alone.  It is FAR greater than that.  And the meaning behind the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb has absolutely nothing to do with YHVH dying.  The saving power behind sacrifice of Yahshua has nothing to do with Yahshua being part of a Trinity.
 
I have made my choice in life and I would rather like John flee to the wilderness to seek Holiness than ever be found in a "church" that has rejected everything (I mean EVERYTHING) Holy to YHVH.  I'm sure that makes me a "cult" in the eyes of that bogus establishment and a false teacher for not teaching 'their" doctrines.  If so... so be it.
 
_________________________________
His bond servant
Paul Sides
www.sabbathcovenant.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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