“And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Genesis 18:13-14 NKJV

This week’s Torah portion is as exciting as it is perplexing. In Synagogues worldwide, the question will be asked, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” I watched as an Orthodox Rabbi avoided the greatest miracle in the story. Genesis’ plain reading, it seemed for him, was simply too difficult for the Lord to have performed. What miracle, you ask? Was it the opening of a barren womb? No, he believed that was possible. Was it that a promised child would change the course of history? No, that too, he believed. So, what was too hard? He could not accept that it was the LORD who appeared physically, visibly, to eat a meal with Abraham. He argued all three men were angels and proceeded to give their names. Yet, the text clearly says, “The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh…?” But before we judge harshly, let us examine our own unbeliefs.  Perhaps there is more to the Genesis account.

Is anything too hard for the Lord

Who then ate lunch with Abraham? The text calls the man who spoke with Abraham Jehovah. Another clue is given after the meal, however, for those who need more. Jehovah walked with Abraham toward Sodom to discuss the impending judgment.

“And the Lord (Jehovah) said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing…?” (Gen. 17:17) Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.” Genesis 17: 22 NKJV

Abraham pleaded for the cities of the plain, Sodom and Gomorrah. At the end of his intercession, The Lord (Jehovah) told Abraham that if just ten righteous are found, He will spare the cities. (Genesis 18:32) When ten could not be found, we see another impossible verse, one noted as early as the 2^nd Century by followers in Yeshua, as a clue to who ate lunch with Abraham.

“Then the Lord (Jehovah) rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord (Jehovah) out of the heavens.” Genesis 19:24 NKJV

There are two named Jehovah in this verse! Jehovah on the earth rained fire down from Jehovah in heaven. How can we explain this? Could it be that the One who ate lunch with Abraham was the “Word” made flesh?  Justyn Martyr, as early as the 2^nd Century, argued that this Jehovah was the very same who had spoken with Abraham, while the other two in human form are identified as angels.

The Eternal Father and Son

What miracle still makes people laugh? That the Creator limited Himself to a form that could be seen and even eat a meal with Abraham. Yet this miracle is not too hard to accept when you understand the nature of the Father and Son.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” Genesis 3:16-17 NKJV

It isn’t the miracle of God giving a child to an old couple, opening her closed womb, that causes laughter today.  It is that Yeshua came from a closed (virgin) womb, and was the Word made flesh and dwelled among us which engenders derision. Many laugh when they read the prophecies that God will dwell with men, and that He desires to share His covenant meal of salvation with us.

What challenges the limits of your faith? Have you labeled something too big for God? Like Sarah, are you chuckling over a promise? I encourage you to believe for the impossible. And, if you have not personally met Him, allow Yeshua, the exact representation of the Father, to fellowship with you, as He did with Abraham so long ago. Even now He stands at the door of your heart.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20 NKJV

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“And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” Genesis 13:14-17 NKJV

For a moment, we want to focus on God’s powerful promise to Abraham, “Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” Recently I purchased a custom walking stick. At its top sits a beautifully carved pomegranate, recreating the ancient priestly staffs displayed in the Israel museum. Engraved along the side are the Hebrew words “Lech Lecha” (Go forth) that begin this week’s Torah portion and God’s first words to Abraham in Genesis 12:1. Our family loves to walk the land of Israel, stepping through forgotten paths winding across the Judean hills. Hidden gems abound around each curve, like shepherd caves, carved winepresses, and ancient immersion pools fed by natural springs.

Israeli citizens love to explore their inheritance, as God’s Abrahamic promise propels them to rise and explore its rich beauty. But what initially prompted God’s command to “arise and walk”?

Abraham initially set out from Ur and Haran. Once in the Promised Land, he built an altar between Bethel and Ai. (Genesis 12:1-8) However, when famine came, he went down to Egypt, a people, and place beyond Abraham’s promised borders, and there, things did not go well. (Genesis 12:10-13:7) Unfortunately, we do not have time to camp on the dangers of going beyond what God has given us. For now, let us peek over Abraham’s shoulder as he returns to the altar at Bethel to call on the name of the Lord. (Genesis 13:4) You might think that revival came from his prayer time; instead, conflict broke out.

“And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock.” Genesis 13:7 NKJV

I imagine Abraham sitting on a rock, the wind taken out of him as he watches Lot’s disappearing form, likely knowing that Lot was making a terrible decision. And in that moment of discouragement, the Lord spoke these words.

“Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” Genesis 13:17 NKJV

I believe that the Lord has a word for us today. It is time to arise. We have sat discouraged for far too long. There is work to do! Yet, it isn’t enough to arise, we need to lace our boots and walk the length and breadth of our inheritance in Yeshua, our Messiah! What has God promised you?

I. Arise, walk in the Land

The first words to Abraham when leaving Haran were “Go forth” (lech Lecha) – Literally, “going you shall go”. Therefore, it implied that Abraham was actively journeying. Now, Abraham’s posture is one of sitting. Thus, the Lord commanded Abraham to arise.

Similarly, Yeshua spoke to many who had found themselves immobilized. As was said to Abraham, Yeshua said – Arise and walk!

• To the paralytic, He said, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” (Luke 5:24).
• To the man with a withered hand, He said, “Arise and stand here…stretch out your hand” (Luke 6:8).
• To the deceased young man being carried, He said, “Arise,” restoring him to his mother. (Luke 7:14-15).
• To Jairus’ dead daughter, He said, “Little girl arise”. (Luke 8:54).
• And to the foreign leper, He said “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:19).

I believe the Lord is speaking to many that the time for sitting has ended. It is time to arise. But it is not enough to simply stand; the Lord calls us to walk forward.

II. Arise, walk through its length and width

Around 1980, Archaeologist Adam Zertal surveyed the region near Mt. Ebal and Gilgal. There he found ruins dating to the time of Joshua with an enclosure wall. When photographed from above, they saw that it was shaped like a sandal. Subsequently, more sandal-shaped enclosures were found. But what could they mean?

One theory connects the sandal enclosures to the Abrahamic promise reaffirmed later to Joshua at the time they entered Canaan. “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you”? (Joshua 1:3)  Those footprints declared ownership.

Spurgeon, that great preacher of the 19^th Century, noted that the Land of Israel is “The whole earth in miniature”. He is correct! I can drive west from the lush, mountainous, rain-soaked Jerusalem to the Mediterranean Sea coast in just 45 minutes. However, if I travel the same amount of time east of Jerusalem, I find myself in the hot, barren wilderness of the Dead Sea, which receives just 2 inches of rain a year! North, south, east, and west each bring one to a different climate, all found in this tiny strip of land. It truly is a microcosm of the whole earth, and God called Abraham to explore it all.

Until Abraham heard the command to arise, he likely had explored more of Egypt than his own Promised Land. Yet, do you know the length and breadth of the promises God has given you? Have you explored the glory of His Word, the riches of His Holy Spirit? Do you walk in the power and authority that He has invested in you for your family and community?

In Yeshua, you have a great inheritance

Yeshua’s disciples wondered if they had lost in the bargain to follow Yeshua.

“See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” Matthew 19:28 NKJV

Yeshua gave to them this promise.

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.” Matthew 19:29 NKJV

The Lord wants to give you and your descendants salvation, restoration, healing, and eternal life. But two things are necessary – we must arise and walk into that inheritance.

I have met some friends in Israel who prefer to live in the desert and rarely leave. To me, that is boring. And yet we do the same thing in our Spiritual inheritance.   We camp in a fraction of what God wants us to receive.

But now let us look at what has been called Abraham’s “Title Deed”.

III. Arise and walk…for I give it to you

Here we come to what one preacher called the “Title Deed” to Israel. Israel’s claim to the Land is irrevocable and written by the Law Giver and Lord Himself for eternity. But the boundaries have been widened through Yeshua, and the territory expanded. This promise does not replace Abraham’s promise to the natural descendants of Israel. Instead, it expands the promise to the commonwealth of Israel to go into all the world.

The Lord called Abraham to “Go Forth”, saying to you and your descendants I give this land. But Yeshua, the Son of Man, who God has given every tribe and tongue, told His disciples,

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15 NKJV

Look at the beauty of this promise to the Son of God, the ultimate inheritor of Abraham’s Promised Land.

“Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Isaiah 49:6 NKJV

And further, the Lord has said of Yeshua, His servant.

“I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.” Psalm 2: 7-8 NKJV

Conclusion

Yeshua’s inheritance extends far beyond the borders of Eretz Israel to all the world. There are no boundaries or barriers to Him. His gift of salvation is for “whosoever will call on the name of the Lord”. (Romans 10:13)  But how will they call unless they hear, and how shall they believe unless the messengers of that Good News are sent! (Romans 10:14-15).

Followers of Yeshua have an inheritance. Our families have an inheritance. The question is, have we heard the Lord’s call to arise and walk the land?

The first step is to follow Yeshua. You see, He is the ultimate inheritor of the promises of Abraham. And it is too small a thing that He should simply rule the twelve tribes. The Father has given unto Him the nations, and we are called to be Ambassadors of His kingdom. Many in far-off places are still waiting to hear. Now is the time for His people to “Arise and walk the land!

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“And when He had taken a cup and offered the bracha, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you that I will never drink of the fruit of the vine from now on, until the kingdom of God comes. And when He had taken matzah and offered the bracha, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you. Do this in memory of Me.” In the same way, He took the cup after the meal, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.” Luke 22: 17-20 TLV

We have been on a journey through the cups of Passover.  Luke, having investigated thoroughly Yeshua’s Passover meal, reveals two of the cups. A cup of sanctification, which began the meal and the cup after the meal, symbolic of the New Covenant.

Since the second century, Jewish communities have recounted the story of Passover’s redemption with four generous cups. How they made their way into Passover, alongside the sacrificed lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread, is a mystery. However, the earliest historical source for multiple cups at the Passover meal are Jewish Gospels of Yeshua!

For a few moments we want to focus on that third cup, the cup after the meal.  That cup that has become central to the Jewish Passover Seder is the very cup that Yeshua held out to His Jewish disciples, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the removal of sins.” Matthew 26: 27-28 TLV

This cup buried within the liturgy of Israel is brought once a year, and then carefully tucked away.  To fully grasp the power of this cup we need to see it in the context of that Passover night in Jerusalem, when Yeshua’s hands extended its message to the house of Israel. To do that, I need to tell you how another hidden cup within ancient Israel, brought reconciliation.

Brought Back by the Cup

Scripture tells us how that a cup was used to reconcile Israel’s twelve sons. Like Yeshua, one of Jacob’s sons was despised, rejected, and sold to the nations for silver. Reuben, the oldest brother was wracked with guilt. Judah was estranged from the family. And Benjamin, the youngest, lived in the shadow of the one he thought was dead, but lived.

How would Joseph bring them back?  When the famine came, the brothers went down to Egypt. Not recognizing this was their brother, Joseph placed his own personal cup within Benjamin’s grain satchel.  He then sent his servant to arrest the brothers, search for and ultimately have them answer to Joseph for the cup. In this story I see many parallels to Yeshua.

Passover’s third cup of reconciliation has gone unnoticed in the sack of Israel’s liturgy for almost two-thousand years, but it is the cup of salvation and the covenant!  For centuries, Israel has sung over this cup at the Seder table the Psalmists joyous words, “I will lift up the cup of salvation, and call on the Name of Adonai.” Psalm 116: 13 TLV Sadly, many do not know that this is the very cup that speaks of Yeshua, the Savior of Israel!

Many Christians skip the Pascha (suffering) of Pesach (Passover) on the way to the resurrection celebration.  They too have often not recognized Passover’s cup of salvation in their Jewish friends’ hands.  It was Joseph’s servant, a Gentile, who revealed Joseph’s cup to his brothers. But Joseph didn’t hide the cup to simply bring his brothers into his presence; he brought them to his banqueting table!

Brought to His Banqueting Table

The Lord also invites believers to come to His banqueting table with the offering of His cup of the Covenant.

“In the same way, He also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in memory of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” I Corinthians 11: 25-26 TLV

Byzantine Era Communion Table found in Israel

Archeologist have found ancient churches throughout the Holy Land.  Often within the strata of remains, ancient stone tables for the Lord’s Supper are found.  While it is impossible to separate the Communion from Passover, these ancient tables testify that one does not need to wait until Passover to come to the Messiah.  Messiah bids the hungry and thirsty even now.

Beyond I Corinthians 11: 23-34, what blessings might a Jewish believer in the first centuries have spoken over the cup of the covenant?  The Didache, an ancient book of discipleship, written by Jewish believers in the late First Century, preserves just such an ancient blessing.

 

First, as regards the cup:

We give Thee thanks, O our Father, for the holy vine of Your son David, which Thou made known unto us through Your Son Jesus;

Yours is the glory for ever and ever.

 

Then as regards the broken bread:

We give Thee thanks, O our Father, for the life and knowledge which Thou didst make known unto us through Thy Son Jesus;

Thine is the glory for ever and ever.[1]

This beautiful blessing over the wine connected the fruit of the vine from which they were drinking, to the holy vine of David and Messiah.  As David was called God’s son, Yeshua, is the Son of God.  Through this cup of thanksgiving, we become partakers of the vine. Only by remaining in Him, can we bear fruit.

Conclusion

Yeshua’s cup of the New Covenant is our invitation to reconciliation, as invited guests to the meal of Messiah. Joseph spared nothing for his meal of reconciliation.

“…Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of their portions. Yet they drank and made merry with him.” Genesis 43: 34 TLV

In Passover’s four cups we see a message of overflowing abundance and generosity.  No one should ever fear that the blood of Messiah is insufficient to atone for their sin. In abundance the “cup of salvation” has been poured.   In abundance the broken bread is multiplied. As it is said,

Ho, everyone who thirsts,
come to the water,
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost!

Isaiah 55: 1 TLV

May you know that overflowing cup of the new Covenant, and may the Lord open the door for you to reveal that message to the hungry and thirsty today.

Our upcoming final teaching in this series we will look at the fourth cup of Messiah’s coming again.

[1] Didache, 9:2-7 Adapted from J.B. Lightfoot’s translation

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The Gospels reference the Messiah as the Bridegroom at least seven times.  John the Baptist spoke of crowds going leaving him and to Yeshua, saying, “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom.” (John 3: 29) It should not surprise us to see parallels of a betrothal meal woven into Yeshua’s Last Supper.  A major part of the betrothal is the cup of wine.   But before we look at the second cup of commitment, which I am calling the cup of betrothal, we want to see how the two stages of a Jewish wedding were described in Yeshua’s message on Passover night.

The Betrothal and the Wedding

In Yeshua’s day, the bridegroom would first go to the house of the bride for a betrothal meal, Seudat Erusin. In front of witnesses the bridegroom would offer an article of value. We will talk more about what was considered sufficient value for the engagement in a moment. Once betrothed, she was legally bound to her husband, but they would not be intimate until the second stage of the marriage, the Nisuin, or the taking up of the bride.  After the betrothal, the bridegroom returned to his father’s house for up to a year to build a home for his bride, and only when his father gave the approval would he return to collect his bride.

We see just such an event in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins.  At the midnight hour, the cry went out, “Behold the bridegroom comes!” (Matthew 25:6)

Of course, this was a parable about Yeshua, our bridegroom, returning, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 25: 13 KJV

The Passover Promise

I want to invite you into that lamp lit Upper Room with the aroma of bitter herbs and unleavened bread.   Yeshua is holding the cup, and then he tells the disciples this Passover promise.

“Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may also be.” John 14: 1-3 TLV

This picture would not have been lost on the disciples.  This was the language of betrothal, and Yeshua was describing the first phase, the erusin!   But what article of value was sufficient to give to the bride?  A cup of wine!

A Betrothal Meal at Passover?

Today, it is not customary to become betrothed on the eve of Passover, but this was not always the case. The Mishnah, from the 2nd Century, preserves Jewish customs from the days of the Second Temple. Within its pages a perplexing scenario unfolds on the eve of Passover. A groom traveling to his future father-in-law’s home for the Seudat Erusin (Betrothal Meal) remembers that he forgot to remove the last bits of hametz (leaven) from his house!  What should he do?

“If a man was on the way to slaughter his Passover-offering…or to eat the betrothal meal at his father-in-law’s house and he remembers that he had left hametz in his house, if he has yet time to go back and remove it, let him go back and remove it; but if not, he may annul it in his heart.”[1] Mishnah, Pesahim 2.4

This humorous story gives insight into a lost ancient custom which may be the backdrop for Yeshua’s Passover meal with His disciples – the combining the betrothal and Passover meal into one.

In Yeshua’s time, it was customary to become engaged by the groom giving an article value to the bride. The Mishnah tells us that even a cup of wine was of sufficient value if accepted by the bride willingly. (Mishnah Kiddushin 1.2) Passover night, with all the family gathered, and multiple cups of wine poured, was a wonderful occasion for the betrothal meal!

But we remember that Judaism has long understood Passover as the betrothal between God and Israel, with the wedding covenant occurring at the “Feast of Oaths”, Shavuot / Pentecost at Mount Sinai fifty days later.

Conclusion

More than seven times the Gospels speak of Yeshua as the Bridegroom.   Our accepting the Passover cup that He offered is our acceptance as the bride. The betrothal was never meant to be a secret engagement.  A betrothal had to have witnesses.  I can only imagine the story that the Mishnah paints of this young bridegroom on his way to the betrothal dinner.  With all the guests around, he nervously held out the cup to the young woman.  Even in those days, weddings were not forced.  At that moment, she could still refuse.

“Therefore whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10: 32-33 TLV

As we approach Passover night, I would ask, have you received that cup from the Savior’s hand?   No one will force you to take it.  But for those who do, they are joined to Messiah.  They belong to Him.  They will be the ones for whom Yeshua will return for one day.

Tomorrow we will examine the third cup, the cup of the Covenant.

[1] Herbert Danby, The Mishnah: Translation from the Hebrew (Oxford University Press, 1933), Pesahim 2.7, 139-140.

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“And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.  For I tell you, I will never eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And when He had taken a cup and offered the bracha, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you that I will never drink of the fruit of the vine from now on, until the kingdom of God comes.” Luke 22: 15-17 TLV

In June 2009, close to the Upper Room on Mt. Zion, a limestone cup from the time of Yeshua was discovered in a first century mikveh, a ritual immersion pool.  Ten cryptic lines written in Aramaic, along with the sacred name of God, were scratched on its surface.[1]  As far as I know, and I check periodically, those lines have yet to be deciphered.

I have long been fascinated by that find, but it is not the most intriguing cup from the area. The most significant cup from Mt. Zion has been both lost to history, yet with us constantly. I am speaking of the cup which Yeshua used to sanctify the Passover meal with His disciples. When did the cup make its way into the Passover story?  The Passover cup is a late tradition in Judaism.  Alongside the bitter herbs, the lamb and unleavened bread, on that first Passover in Egypt it was not mentioned. By the time of Yeshua, however, the cup had become a means to tell the story of redemption. The Gospels may be the earliest witness to multiple cups at the Passover!

Our next witness to Passover’s cups is found the Mishnah from the Second Century.  It speaks of a minimum of four cups at Passover.[2] The Gospels mention two of the four cups, the “Cup of Blessing” (I Cor. 10: 16), and the “Cup of the New Covenant” (Luke 22: 20). Yeshua’s words, “Drink from it, all of you,” (Mathew 26:27) make this a cup of communion.

An Ancient Practice Continued

In Israel, Jewish believers still keep the Passover, remembering in its four cups not only Yeshua’s death but also Messiah’s promise to come again.

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” I Corinthians 11: 26 TLV

This Passover in Jerusalem I have the honor to lead a unique Seder, which we call the Meal of Messiah, for between 50 and 80 people on the seventh day of Unleavened Bread. But for a moment, we want to focus on the four prophetic cups of the Meal of Messiah.

1. The Cup of Consecration
2. The Cup of Commitment
3. The Cup of the Covenant
4. The Cup of Messiah’s Coming

What do I mean when I say the first cup is one of consecration? It is called the cup of consecration, the kiddush, for it sets us apart to be holy. Along with the cross, the cup exemplifies what it means to follow Messiah.  By this cup of consecration, we are offered salvation. The cup which He blessed, was passed from individual to individual. Each person was responsible to not only partake, but also preserve its contents for the next person, until that cup could make its way back again to Yeshua.

I have had the joy of drinking from that cup!   Not the exact cup which Yeshua held and passed by hand to John, Peter, and Thomas,  but I have tasted that cup.  Someone passed it to me along my journey, sharing with me the Good News of Yeshua. I have endeavored to also preserve and pass that cup to others.

There is a beautiful picture in Yeshua’s cup for He did not finish its contents. He is yet waiting until all have had a chance to drink. Only then, in the Kingdom of His Father, will He drink of it again.

“For I tell you that I will never drink of the fruit of the vine from now on, until the kingdom of God comes.” Luke 22: 17 TLV

The limestone cup found on Mt. Zion, with its cryptic text, is still waiting to be deciphered, but Yeshua’s cup and invitation to “drink of it, all of you” is to be clearly proclaimed until He comes again.

Tomorrow, I will post about the Cup of Commitment, a better title might be the Cup of Betrothal.  At some point in the First Century, it became common to combine the Passover meal and the betrothal meal into one.  Might there be some connection to Yeshua’s words about going to prepare a place at the Father’s house and the cup of betrothal? Join me as we explore the second cup of Passover.

[1] Pfann, Stephen. “The Mount Zion Inscribed Stone Cup.” Accessed April 13, 2022. https://www.uhl.ac/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/MtZionInscribedStoneCup.pdf.

[2] Mishnah, Pesahim 10.1

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”This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrew 6: 19-20 NKJV

As we approach Yom Kippur, Scripture reminds us of a mystery behind the veil separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Not only does the Book of Hebrews speak of this mystery, but an ancient prayer found in the Jewish Prayer Book for Rosh Hashanah reveals the very name of the One who went behind the veil on behalf of Israel. As we approach this one day when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies, the New Testament reveals the “mystery behind the veil” within the Heavenly Temple.

The Anchor Behind the Veil

First, there is an anchor. This anchor is our faith securely fastened behind the veil. Though you cannot see this anchor, it continually pulls on our lives, keeping us from the rocks that would shipwreck us. Today, some are abandoning their faith and, with it, their hope of safe harbor in these end times. Oh, how true is the song in the midst of life’s waves and storms – “The Anchor Holds.” But there is an even greater mystery to reveal behind the veil.

Yeshua Behind the Veil

Just as the High Priest could only go into the earthly Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, so Yeshua, our Great High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek, has gone behind the veil once and for all into the “Presence” of our Heavenly Father. Perhaps you have heard the tradition that a rope was tied to the High Priest as he went into the Holy of Holies. The oldest Jewish reference I have found dates to the Middle Ages Jewish mystical book called the Zohar. Supposedly, the rope connected those waiting outside to the inner room. Though some speculate as to whether this practice was ever performed, it does provide a beautiful picture of the rope behind the veil attaching us to our anchor of hope–to our High Priest. This rope remains strong and sure!

Yeshua Revealed in an Ancient Jewish Prayer

Machzor for Rosh Hashanah, Eshcol Publishing, Jerusalem

The Machzor to Rosh Hashanah preserves an ancient prayer which some Jewish scholars believe originated in the late first century among believers! This prayer calls on One named Yeshua, the Prince of the Presence, to enter behind the veil during this holy season of the Day of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement to intercede and atone for Israel. This remnant in the Jewish prayer book, often ignored today, reminds us that indeed One has gone behind the curtain to atone for our sin before the Holy One (the Presence). No wonder the prayer calls Him “Yeshua, the Prince of the Presence”.

The Veil Will Open Again Soon

“So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” Hebrew 9: 28 NKJV

Each Yom Kippur, the people anxiously waited outside on the other side of the veil for the High Priest to emerge and say, “The blood has atoned for you.” The writer of Hebrews used this picture to say that Yeshua, our High Priest, will appear a second time through the veil. One day the Heavens that received Yeshua will rend again as he emerges a second time. The dead will be raised, and those who are alive in Him will be transformed. Are we ready? Has our anchor been set firmly within the Holy of Holies? If not, let us return, repent, and call upon Him today.

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