The apostle Paul tells us that the Yahweh of the Old Testament was actually the Messiah. We find this revelation in 1 Corinthians 10:4: “That Spiritual rock that followed them: and that rock was Messiah.”
This is confirmed in John 8:58 where Messiah himself said: “Before Abraham was, I am.” This reference to “I am“ reminds us of what Elohim said to Moses in Exodus 3:14: “And Elohim said unto Moses, I am, that I am: and he said, thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto you.”
Messiah was the Yahweh that created all things as Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:16: “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible.”
The apostle John also identifies the Messiah as our Creator in John 1:3: “All things were made by him: and without him was not anything made that was made.”
When the apostle Paul says, “all things”, he is referring to all mankind, which includes the firstfruits. In Ephesians 1: 4-5, Paul exclusively references the firstfruits: “According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by YahwehShua Messiah to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”
Messiah YahwehShua, also known as Yahweh Sabaoth (of hosts), who later became the incarnate Yahshua Messiah, was the Yahweh of the Old Testament. The Yahweh that Moses met face-to-face was the Son. Moses never met the Father. When the translators used the word, “god” they were mistranslating the Hebrew word, Elohim, which is a collective noun meaning mighty ones. Elohim refers to both the Father and the Son.
Messiah YahwehShua was also the one who gave exact instructions on how to design and construct the Tabernacle, even including the furniture that was placed inside it. You will find this recorded in Exodus 25:40: “And look that thou make them after their pattern which was showed thee in the mount.” The apostle Paul confirms this in Hebrews: 8:5 when he tells us that Moses was admonished to, “Make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.”
Messiah was a perfectionist. He watched over the construction of the Tabernacle very carefully. This would be the same way he created all things. Messiah had been instructed by his Father to create all things after a certain pattern. Messiah tells us this in John 8:28: “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father has taught me, I speak these things.”
Everything Messiah has done, he has done with the instruction and approval of his Father. Nothing is done in a random or disorganized manner. There is a plan, and this plan is carried out as designed and approved by the Father and Son.
In previous articles, we have written about the significance of the “pattern” given to Moses for the Tabernacle and David for the temple. One part of the pattern not previously discussed is the veil between the holy room of the Tabernacle and the holiest room. We find a very specific reference to this veil in Exodus 26: 30-33:
And thou shalt rear up the Tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was showed thee in the mount. And then thou shalt make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold upon the four sockets of silver. And thou shalt hang up the veil under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.”
The most holy place is where the Ark of the Covenant is located. On the ark is the Mercy seat. It is upon the Mercy seat that the Levitical high priest would sprinkle animal blood after entering this most holy place on Yom Kippurim. This Mercy seat is where the Son of Yahweh would be present. The veil prevented the Levitical priest from having access to Messiah. Only the high priest, one time per year, was able to be in the Son’s presence. But with the death of Messiah this changed!
The apostle Paul gives us a very interesting revelation in Hebrews 10:18- 20: “Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Yahshua (or YahwehShua), according to Revelation 1: 5) bya new and living way, which he had consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.”
Each year the Levitical high priest would enter the holy of holies to sprinkle animal blood to cover the sins of the Israelites for the year to come. This was no longer necessary with the death of Messiah. He was the true Passover lamb, and only his blood was able to absorb all the sins of mankind. With his death on the tree, he completed or finished the purpose for which he had become incarnate.
It is interesting that in the holy room was a golden table holding twelve loaves of bread. In some translations, this bread is called shewbread, while others translate the Hebrew words as bread of presence. These were baked each week by the Levitical priests and consumed on the Sabbath by the priests. When the veil was torn in half upon the death of Messiah (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:37-38; Luke 23:45), that bread was no longer separated from the Mercy seat. What does this mean?
Many authors believe that these twelve loaves of bread represent the twelve physical tribes of Israel. But do they? When the veil was torn at the time that Messiah died, the old covenant was terminated. The end of the old covenant would prepare the way for a new covenant, which would be initiated on Pentecost. The new covenant is for the firstfruits of this age. These are the 144,000 saints that will be resurrected when Messiah returns. (Revelation 14:1)
The firstfruits are spiritual Israelites, not physical. You will find a reference to these in Revelation 7. The bread did not represent the physical descendants of Abraham, but the saints who are the true children of the promise. (Galatians 3:29)
Why is this important? Messiah distributed 12 pieces of bread at his last supper on the night he was betrayed. This bread was only for the firstfruits. The disciples represented those who would receive the firstfruits or down payment of the Spirit that would be delivered on Pentecost following Messiah’s death. His flesh was torn (as the veil was torn) to allow the firstfruits to have the opportunity to be properly baptized and begin the formation of Messiah’s Spirit within them. (Galatians 4: 19) Through baptism in the name of YahwehShua, they were able to overcome as firstfruits and be in the presence of Messiah at his return. This insight lends credibility to the translation of the bread in the Tabernacle as the bread of presence.
Prior to this new understanding, it was my belief that when Messiah broke the bread at the last supper, this bread represented his broken physical body. However, the Greek grammar does not support this. In Luke 22:19 we are told this: “And he took the bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, this is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.”
The demonstrative pronoun, “this”, must agree in gender with the noun it is referring to. Traditionally, the word “this”, was thought to refer to the bread. However, the word, bread, is masculine, while the word this has a neuter ending.
The Greek word for body is a neuter noun. Messiah was not referring to the bread; he was actually referring to his body. Each firstfruit receives a portion or down payment of his Spiritual body when baptized in the name of YahwehShua. The fully formed Spirit of Messiah is not given at baptism. A fully formed Spirit of Messiah must develop over time, as the process of overcoming is completed. The firstfruit must have a fully formed Spirit of Messiah, in order to be resurrected when he returns. We must have this fully formed Spirit to be like him. (1 John 3:2)
Why do I believe that the bread of presence and the bread distributed by Messiah at the last supper represent his Spiritual body? Because there was already a pattern for his flesh, which was the veil located between the holy and holiest rooms of the Tabernacle. The twelve loaves could only represent the spiritual body, since there was already a representation for the physical body. Messiah, who is not the author of confusion, would be consistent with the bread he gave those who would become firstfruits. He knew who were the firstfruits and he knew it from the foundation the world. (Ephesians 1:4)
We are told in Leviticus 23:17 that the bread representing the firstfruits is leavened bread. With this understanding, we know that the twelve loaves in the holy room had to be leavened. It is the Spiritual Israelites that will be in the presence of Messiah when he returns. The physical Israelites will have their opportunity in the last great day. It is recorded that the Pharisees changed the twelve loaves from leavened bread to unleavened bread. This happened due to their faulty understanding of Yahweh’s plan and pattern. By making this change, the Pharisees continued to hide the key of knowledge. (Luke 11:52)
It is also clear that the bread Messiah gave his disciples at the last supper, before he was betrayed, was leavened. This was not a Passover meal. That last supper occurred 24 hours before the Jews’ Passover meal. A good reference that is an excellent source of material that strongly supports this perspective is the book by, T. Alex Tennent, THE MESSIANIC FEAST. You must read this book carefully. He does not use the name of Yahweh or the revealed name of YahwehShua. However, his scholarship is very helpful in understanding the difference between the Jews’ Passover on the 15th, the day of Passover on the daylight portion of the 14th, and the last supper on the night of the 14th. The last supper was not during the period of unleavened bread.
The body of Messiah is poorly understood and not emphasized enough. The body of Messiah is a very special assembly of those who have the Spiritual body of Messiah being formed within them. One can only become part of the true body of Messiah if baptized in the name of YahwehShua. The birth name of Messiah, in any form is not valid. It is the name of Yahweh that provides salvation. (Joel 2: 32) Messiah inherited the more excellent name of his Father after he died. (Hebrews 1:4; Psalms 148:13) All firstfruits must be resurrected in the name of the Father and Son, YahwehShua. (Revelation 14:1)
This correct understanding of the last supper is exciting and necessary. Firstfruits are commanded to remember the Messiah on the night of the 14thof the first month of the new year. Now you are able to understand why. The bread he distributed was consistent with the pattern established by Yahweh before the foundation of the world and revealed in the holy room of the Tabernacle.
The spiritual body of Messiah it is not based on race, gender or social status. (Galatians 3:28) A person must be called by the Father. (John 6:44) It is possible to reject that calling. Should you choose to accept that calling and be baptized in the name of YahwehShua, you must then overcome to the end. Once you put your hand to the plow, there is no turning back. (Luke 9:62)
An important aspect of overcoming is being a fruitful member of the body of Messiah. Firstfruits are commanded to assemble together and encourage each other. (Hebrews 10:25) Loving the other members of the body is required and the lack of love is a significant warning sign. (1 John 3:14)
There is more to being in the better resurrection than just being baptized in the name of YahwehShua. Your participation in the body of Messiah is an opportunity for growth and a gauge of your success in the process of overcoming. The body of Messiah is where you can practice love as revealed in 1 Corinthians 13. This is also where you can demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 6:22)
If this article and the website is of interest to you, this may be your calling. Please contact us if we can be of assistance. Once you are a firstfruit, you will have the mind of Messiah being formed within you. This will greatly increase your understanding and allow you to more effectively search the Scriptures. You must overcome your carnality and take on the Spirit of Messiah. (Romans 8:7- 10)
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