Manariwa

WEEK 48 (2^nd to the 8^th of Iyar, the Second Month, in the Hebrew Religious Calendar)

The New and Living Way

When Adam and Eve were taught to offer animal sacrifices, which they, apparently, passed on as a means of seeking favor from Yah, they did it not as a ceremony or duty they found arbitrary or unnecessary. It was a true, organic act of humble souls acknowledging their frailties and their submission to divine will, as manifested by the life and blood of an innocent, young animal. Although it was burdensome and messy, it did not stop Abel from offering a pleasing offering. On the other hand, judging from Cain’s disdain at not being able to please Yah by his unacceptable offering of his harvest, it failed to serve the purpose of teaching and disciplining him to live righteously before the Giver of Life.

Apparently, the animal sacrifice began as a year-old pure, offering, meaning the lamb or goat or calf had to be whole, without blemish or defect. It also required caring for the animal for one whole-year until it was served on the altar as a burnt offering. Consider then the time it took Adam or Abel to deliver a male lamb or calf upon its birth, cleaning it and separating it from other animals in order to keep it healthy and strong. This parallels the whole year that Noah and his family were kept safe and protected from the evils and dangers of the old Earth. It would seem then that Yah was, in a way, offering Adam and his family, along with the animals, as a year-old, pure offering of His remaining choicest parts of His Creation, on behalf of the world which He was cleansing from sins and corruption and rebuilding it for the new generations that will arise from His “sacrifice”. It was not the actual fulfillment of His promise to Adam and Havah; but it was a means through which the Seed would eventually be given as the final solution – the True and Pure Living Sacrifice.

In short, a person charged with caring for a young sacrifice to keep it clean from worldly pollution or influences, such as physical harm or genetic manipulation — must himself or herself keep holy and free from sins. Cain could not maintain such a righteous life, unlike Abel; hence he became envious and killed his brother. Noah learned all this from his parents and grandparents and taught it to his sons. Caring for all the animals was, therefore, his legacy to all future generations of those who will follow and keep the righteous standards of Heaven. Hence, when Noah would finally come out the Ark, he would offer certain clean animals as thanksgiving for Yah’s year-long protection. The Earth had been cleansed of all the unclean and monstrous humans and animals which had corrupted life and all things on the face of the Earth. And so, Noah would use only clean animals as food, as well as offering to Yah.

The work of rebuilding and refreshing the Earth and replacing it with a New Earth and a New Heaven had been accomplished, although Noah still had 5 weeks left to remain in the Ark. Note that what Noah did would be replicated by the nation Israel through its Temple sacrifices administered by the holy priests. The essential nature of animal sacrifices would remain the same as it was at the beginning. Likewise, so did the ceremonial and moral requirements as to the practices and conduct of life of the priests, as well as of the people who had raised and offered the sacrifices. In short, the Law of Moses merely instituted it as a legal duty for the nation Israel, not for any other nation. And it was done so solely in relation to the Promised Seed.

Animal sacrifices were and are not concocted pagan or indigenous ritual or traditional practices of ancient tribes that had had been passed on through centuries but a divinely-given ordinance as a symbolic expression of the promise of Yah to give humans the opportunity to reconcile with Him through propitiation of His wrath through humans submitting themselves in humility and repentance. And yet, He had envisioned an end to such a ritual tradition. After a cleansing always comes renewal and refreshing.   

Hence, each Israelite family, which raised a lamb or goat or calf, throughout 52 weeks of the year, year-in-and-year-out, must imitate Adam or Noah in their righteous conduct of life before the Creator. And for thousands of years, this went on until the true and pure sacrifice of the Lamb of Yah would come and fulfill or finish the plan or covenant made in the Garden to destroy sin and death. To fulfill the plan, the Seed or the Lamb, for 33 years, led a sinless and pleasing life before Abba to be worthy of the work of saving and preparing the whole world for a more glorious Creation. And like Noah, Yahusha declared the completion of cleansing of worldly corruption with the words “It is finished!” (tetelestai, in Greek). (John 19:30) His resurrection proved not only that completion but also the signaling of His return in order to fulfill the promise of a much better New Earth and a more glorious New Heaven that are both Eternal.

What Yahusha really finished was the work of providing a genuine and foolproof way for reconciling humans with Yah through His Word of Truth He delivered to the Apostles through Ruach. His Word includes all the lives and messages of the patriarchs and the prophets who came before His appearing as a human being. John the Baptizer was the last of the prophets that came under the Law and before the Kingdom came. For we now live in the Kingdom Period and awaiting the final cleansing of the forces that had corrupted Creation since Noah’s time. For John the Apostle prophesied the time when the work of final cleansing and destruction of Yah’s enemies will be done. Final judgment and punishment will have been accomplished when He utters the familiar words spoken by Yahusha: “It is done!” (gegonen, from ginomai, meaning “to come into being or to become” in Greek). Accomplishing or finishing a task or deed, such as cleansing a filthy object, is different from creating or making a new thing, such as a house.

Until that time comes, every believer today must imitate the lives of Adam, Noah, Yahusha and all the faithful disciples through offering, not animal or any material or religious or any form of sacrifice or service, but merely their own pure and pleasing bodies as acceptable offering to Yahusha. (Rom 12:1) When will we ever learn this vital verse and lesson? Seeing all the religious divisions and chaos, we would think this teaching never existed at all. For so many still feel obliged to depend on external manifestations of their “worship” or their “sacrifice” through church ordinances and traditions which no longer have any value for the spirit, except to comply with sectarian or religious ordinances. When Yahusha quoted scriptures (actually Himself) saying “I desire mercy, not sacrifice“, He asked what it meant; yet, until now, many still need to be asked what it truly means. (Matt. 9:13)

This is the New and Living Way, not the Old and Dying Way represented by old and modern religions conducting their own versions of temple-based and church-defined sacrifices and offerings that do not conform to the revolutionary way of “worship in spirit and in truth” taught by Yahusha. For so many, as in millions and millions today, still conform to the Judaic pattern of worship or offering, even the so-called “New Testament worship service” or “mass sacrifice” depicting the pure offering of The Lamb as pictured by the Passover Feast, which we already said WAS ACCOMPLISHED. Unknowingly, believers still have practiced and maintained to the letter what exactly Yahusha had declared as “FINISHED“. He offered His body and life to declare once-for-all that the Law of Moses and all its requirements were to be fulfilled AT HIS DEATH, RESURRECTION AND REIGN AS KING OF KINGS.

Hence, from the period when He declared “Tetelestai” to “Gegoneni“, no animal or material sacrifice or offering has been required. All He expects is our New and Living offering or sacrifice of our pure and pleasing bodies and spirits according to His Truth — THIS SIMPLE TRUTH. For when Pentecost Day came, when He was already seated on the throne beside Abba in Heaven, Ruach would immerse the thousands of Firstfruits who were the fulfillment of the Leavened Bread required by the Law. Yes, it was at that moment when the Kingdom was filled up and made to grow like the leavened dough described in the parable which represented the Kingdom He would establish. (Matt. 13:33) That work has also been Tetelestai and Gegonen! However, the entire work of Yah is not 100% completed, until the work of raising up or saving all those who either dwell in Paradise or on Earth today shall have been done on the coming Day of Resurrection and Judgment.

And so the question arises: Why then does majority of believers in various denominations still do not practice the essential, simple and pure teachings of Yahusha, that is, the New and Living Way we have described in so many clear words? We will explain why.

Bringing the Whole Work of Yah from Creation to Salvation to Resurrection within One Perspective

The title of this article gives us a summary of what we intend to impart. However, we could not do so without the previous discussion which outlines what have been accomplished so far. We have described how Yah cleansed the pollution and corruption that the Nephilim or hybrid humans had spread on the Earth when He sent the Great Flood. Water was instrumental in this cataclysmic judgment of those abominable creatures. Nevertheless, we have already said that previous to this materially-exhibited and divinely-wrought removal of physical, biological and spiritual filth, Yah had established the principle that without the pouring of blood, there would never be a true cleansing. However, the utter descent of human conduct into such a level that led Yah to destroy all life on Earth had involved so much spilling of innocent blood itself that only water could effectively wipe out the immense corruption on a global scale. Yes, that of washing off of blood that had stained the Earth and of destroying the living creatures that had caused all the murders.

And so, the washing of filth and of sin both represent the human and divine work of bringing back the beauty and purity of fallen Creation, whether though blood or through water. Both elements have, therefore, been used in maintaining in the human memory what had been done since the time of Adam and Noah through including it in the Law of Moses. The washings done by the holy priests using water before they even performed the washing of the people’s sins through blood sacrifices clearly point to this prophetic illustration what the Seed would accomplish through His own pure sacrifice. Seeing His baptism by John the Baptizer within this context helps us to understand that noting in Yah’s Word and Work was accidental or arbitrary but a necessary part in achieving what He had intended to do: to give life, to save, to refresh and to rebuild. All these, as we have said, are Tetelestai and Gegonen! And yet, there is still one element left unused but which Noah himself would also highlight and prophesy for all to know and anticipate.

We will deal with the significance of the rainbow when we finally see Noah and his family leave the Ark. Specifically, we will see how the rainbow, which is the effect produced by fire (the Sun) blending with water (the Rain). hides within it a secret most people often do not recognize: that the promise of salvation is double-sided. For behind the glorious display of colors after the cleansing of the Earth stands the certain judgment through another and final cleansing of all the sin, evil and corruption of this world through a thorough and intense burning of everything in physical Creation until all that remains is nothing but the pure and living spirits of those who will enter the eternal abode of Yah where they will receive New Exalted Bodies and a New Eternal Creation.

But we should not forget that fire had always been there in the beginning and all the time since the covenant of salvation was declared in the Garden. Not inside Eden but outside when Adam and his sons were instructed to offer burnt sacrifices. Blood and Fire: Sweet Aroma that Yah required as a sweet-smelling savor to remind Him of His promise to send the Seed. Yet, there is no sweet aroma to be smelled in burnt skin, hair or flesh, except, perhaps, in the delicious smell of fat burning. The killing itself of young lambs and kids and shedding of their blood are a gruesome act and sight for most people. And yet, spilling of blood or murder is one of the most abominable sins to Yah. The Great Flood was His response to the worldwide murder of humans by hybrid humans. Yet, ironically, the offering of His Son’s blood on the cross brought about the ultimate cleansing of all human sins through His eventual resurrection and reign as Savior.

Blood, Water and Fire as Witnesses

The death, resurrection and reign of Yahusha brought together all these three elements – blood, water and fire – as witnesses of the Eternal Truth that had been instituted along with the creation of all things. Whether Creation remained pure and pristine or became corrupted through angelic or human wickedness, these principles would remain the immovable foundation of life on Earth or in the coming New Earth. When we chronicled the events of Creation, we saw the indispensable role of Ruach in establishing the physical and spiritual structure within which life would exist. From the waters that formed all things on Day 1 to the life-breath given to humans which required the life-giving support of blood flowing within the veins of humans and animals, Ruach or “the Breath of Life” has remained as the unceasing energy that sustains all Life on Earth till today. Likewise, on Day 4 when the Sun and the
stars were put up as signs of the times in the Heaven, Ruach manifested another aspects of His power and Nature as the all-encompassing Life Energy from which all living things depend for sustenance, healing and renewal.

In simpler terms, Ruach Ha Kodesh manifests all the physical and spiritual processes that water, blood and fire play in all Creation, as well as in salvation. It is not surprising that at the exact moment of fulfilling His work as Promised Seed and Lamb of Yah, Yahusha poured out all the elements that He had gifted Creation in the beginning through the participation of Ruach and Whom He Himself took into Himself while He was in the form of a mortal human being. Thus, when He gave up His ”Spirit” or the Ruach He had received at His baptism, He also spilled unto the ground which had been stained by the blood of all those who had died in sin, His own blood and water through His wound inflicted by the violence and unbelief of the world and its corrupt kingdoms. Hence, like the Global Flood that cleansed the bloodstained, ancient world of Noah, Yahusha also cleansed the sinned-stained world, raising many of the dead in Yerushalem in the process. The Blood, the Water and the Spirit or Fire of Life He gave up He would reclaim through His power to overcome death and rise up in triumph and to cleanse and to renew all things by His Divine Will.

Thus, when Yahusha left and sent Ruach on Pentecost Day, blood, water and fire came down as manifestations of the awaited cleansing and renewal of human beings through faith and obedience. The presence of blood and fire, as prophesied by Joel, came in the indwelling of Ruach within the hearts of the disciples and the first converts. (Acts 2:18-19) Ruach  became the life-giving blood that flowed in the Body of Yahusha upon the Earth. The cup that He drank on Passover, He now drank with His Body as He sat as Head and King over His Body and Kingdom beside the Father. Water came in the form of life-giving water He provided by satisfying the human the desire for the Truth and Life delivered by Ruach through the apostles. The immersion by water of the 3,000 on that day represented the role water played in the spiritual cleansing of human offenses.

All these things had been FINISHED AND DONE BY YAHUSHA AND RUACH as willed by ABBA THE FATHER. Nothing was left undone and unperfected. The only remaining task, as we said, is filling up of the wrath of
Yah by the cleansing of the filth that remains on the Earth, the corrupted blood that continues to spill innocent blood, the unclean spirits that continue to roam on the Earth and destroying innocent lives, and the ultimate destruction of wicked spirits and all created things by the intense fire of judgment coming down from the throne of Elohim. Once all the grace and opportunities given to humans have been exhausted on the last day, this will come to pass. And all things shall become new. The old things will no longer exist.         

Peter, echoes the salvation we receive through Yahusha’s death and sacrifice to the waters of the Flood that saved Noah and his family when they remained safe inside the Ark. (1 Pet. 3:18-22) Nevertheless, the apostle also has an additional principle from these 2 interconnected historical events: the Flood and the Crucifixion. The glorious and miraculous arrival of Ruach on Pentecost Day, as resembling the “noise of many waters”. pointed to His instrumentality as the Immersing Power Who will endow the Firstfruits with “living waters” coming from the throne of Yah in Heaven. Yes, John gives us a vision of the ultimate destiny of believers when they shall drink from the River of Life in New Yerushalem. However, the gift or the giving of Ruach Ha Kodesh is only a “down-payment” or “guarantee”, that is, a foresight of the reality of what believers will receive on the Judgment Day. (Eph. 1:13-14)

Waiting to Stand on the Dry Ground (c/o Google)

Conclusion

WEEK 48 sees Noah and his family needing and awaiting the refreshing and renewing energy of the Sun and the rain and the waters flowing in the rivers. We can imagine how filthy the Ark would have been by now, in spite of the diligent work of its human occupants to keep the animals clean and healthy. Imagine how many times the humans, let alone the animals, would have wanted to have the luxury of having a full bath or a real dip in water to remove filth from their bodies. We do not know how Noah, or Yah Himself, provided a way to maintain health without the healing benefits of a shower or bath once in a while. But one whole year?! That seems to remind us of the greater miraculous sign Yah did when He preserved the clothes of the Hebrews throughout the entire 40 years they roamed in the wilderness. In comparison, Noah’s problems seem so minor. They were just thankful to be alive.

Who is afraid of blood or of death? Of water or of living a pure life? Of fire or of divine judgment? Yet, so many today still commit murder. No, massacres and genocides. And they do it to control peoples and nations and to maintain their power and greed. They give no single thought to doing good or serving the needs of ordinary humans who suffer and hunger by the millions because of the social, political and economic programs they have concocted to pursue their hegemonic goals. We know that “Noah’s Days Part 2” will be worse; and we see it happening now, although so many do not see it happening. On the contrary, so many are misled by Mainstream Media because their minds have been manipulated through years and years of programmed education in every aspect of human activity. From our birth to our death, the powers-that-be maintain a stronghold upon our lives that can only be removed through a thorough cleansing done by Ruach Himself through His Word He delivers from Yahusha. We have endeavored to present Ruach’s message and will continue to do so until the time Noah leaves the Ark and behold the New Creation. Or, to be more precise, until the King of Kings returns with His angels in ultimate retribution against His satanic enemies.

Before the judgment of fire falls down from the sky, and it will fall down just as the rains in Noah’s days fell, seek the saving power of the Blood and the Water Yah offers through His Word by Ruach’s revelation. Why should you miss the ride Noah offers to escape the floodwaters, so to speak, or the protection Ruach offers to escape the fiery torments of Yah’s wrath? It is coming sooner than you may think.