What is an earnest? Earnest is used in the new covenant three times by Paul. Earnest is described in the Strong’s Concordance as follows:
Definition for (an earnest): G3588 (ὁ) article
Transliteration: ho (Phonetic: ho, hay, to )
Origin: in all their inflections, the definite article
Definition:
1. This, that, these, etc.
G728 (ἀῤῥαβών) Noun Masculine
Transliteration: arrhabṓn (Phonetic: ar-hrab-ohn’ )
Origin: of Hebrew origin (06162)
Definition:
1. An earnest
a. Money which in purchases is given as a pledge or downpayment that the full amount will subsequently be paid
So the Strong's says an earnest is money that is put down on a purchase as a down payment or a pledge that the full amount will be subsequently paid. Paul uses this term in the following scriptures:
2Co 1: v20. For all the promises of the Father (YAHWEH) in him (YahwehShua,Son) [are] yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of Yahweh by us.
V21. Now he which stablisheth us with you in YahwehShua, and hath anointed us, [is] Yahweh;
V22. Who (Father) hath also sealed us, and given the earnest (down payment,pledge) of the Spirit (of Messiah, YahwehShua,Son) in our hearts (mind).
Paul also mentions the spirit of Messiah in relation to our spiritual and physical bodies.
2Co 5: v1. For we know that if our earthly house of [this] tabernacle (physical body) were dissolved, we have a building of YahwehShua, an house not made with hands (spiritual body), eternal in the heavens.
V2. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed (with clean white wedding linens) upon with our house which is from heaven:
V3. If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked (ashamed,sin, without wedding garment).
V4. For we that are in [this] tabernacle (flesh body) do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon (wedding garment), that mortality might be swallowed up of life (immortality, spiritual body).
V5. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing [is] Yahweh (Father) through YahwehShua(Son), who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit (of Messiah,Son,YahwehShua).
Paul also mentions the pledge or down payment and later the full purchase or redemption.
Eph 1: v13. In whom ye also [trusted,] after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of (Messiah) promise,
V14. Which is the earnest (down payment) of our inheritance until the redemption (completing the pledge to pay in full) of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Sounds like YahwehShua at the direction of his Father is going to finish what he started in us and the growth of Messiah in us to completion is the full payment (purchase) of the initial down payment or pledge to pay in full at a later date!
Thus, Paul's new covenant writings agree with Strong’s “a earnest is a money (in purchases) a pledge or down payment that the full amount will be paid in full later”.
Paul notes that the Saints can be found in the assembly of YahwehShua.
1Co 1: v2. Unto the Assembly of YahwehShua which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in YahwehShua, called [to be] Saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of YahwehShua, both theirs and ours:
V3. Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from Yahweh our Father, and [from] YahwehShua the Son.
The assembly of the Saints are small flocks. The word notes there will be 144,000 Saints at the 7th trumpet to meet Messiah in the air. If you assume there's about 7 billion people alive on the planet today and 7 billion that have died since Adam then the chance of being a Saint is about one in a million. Our Creator through Luke also notes that the Assembly of YahwehShua are small flocks.
Luk 12: v32. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
YahwehShua through John in Revelation chapter 1 through 3 notes that the small flocks or assemblies ( Saints ) are being perfected (Assembly or Saints maturing) by repenting and overcoming on a regular basis.
Paul confirms the growth of Messiah in the Saints occurs over time.
Gal 4: v19. My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until YahwehShua be formed in you.
John confirms that in time if we're successful at repenting and overcoming over time we will be like him .
1Jn 3: v2. Beloved, now are we the sons of Yahweh, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when YahwehShua shall appear (at the 7th Trump !), we shall be like YahwehShua; for we shall see him as he is.
Also the word says that we must be in the New Covenant Doctrine of Messiah in order to have both the Father and Son!
Heb 6: v1. Therefore leaving the principles of the Doctrine of YahwehShua, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance (Feast of Unleavened Bread Day 1, leaving Egypt, leaving sin, repenting & overcoming = leaving sin) from dead works, and of faith toward Yahweh,
V2. Of the doctrine of baptisms (Feast of Unleavened Bread Day 2, Red Sea Crossing, New Covenant Circumcision = Baptism), and of laying on of hands (Receiving the Earnst,Pentacost,Mt Sinai), and of resurrection of the dead (Feast of Shouting,7th Trumpet, YahwehShua returns for 144k, Saints get spiritual bodies), and of eternal judgment (After Millennium, Last Great Day includes last 100 years of Satan cumulating in the Great Battle of Gog Magog, then Judgment).
2Jn 1: v9. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the Doctrine of YahwehShua (Messiah,Son), hath not Yahweh (Father). He that abideth in the Doctrine of YahwehShua, he hath both the Father and the Son.
Our Creator notes the importance of his true Doctrine.
Mat 16: v11. How is it that ye do not understand that I spake [it] not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
V12. Then understood they how that he bade [them] not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees (false doctrine).
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is more about getting the false doctrine (leaven,sin, hypocrisy) out of the assembly (and self) than the leaven out of your home. Paul notes the following:
1Co 5: v7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Messiah our passover is sacrificed for us:
V8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness (false doctrine); but with the unleavened [bread] of sincerity and truth (true doctrine).
V9. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
V10. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world (don’t come out of the world, be a light in the world, do come out of the ways of the world, not keeping his Sabbaths,ect)
V11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
V12. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within?
V13. But them that are without YahwehShua judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
The true doctrine of the Son is from the Father.
Jhn 7: v16. Messiah answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
V17. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of the Father, or [whether] I speak of myself.
The Father calls.
Jhn 6: v44. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The Son chooses.
Jhn 15: v16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Mat 22: v14. For many are called, but few [are] chosen.
Jhn 6: v70. Messiah answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
Don't be like Judas and fail to overcome the adversary after you are chosen!
We are in the spiritual womb in this life after we are we are begotten (answer the calling of the Father) with the Spirit of YahwehShua (earnst). As we repent and overcome the spirit of Messiah matures in us and if fully formed by the seventh trumpet we will truly be born (again) into a spiritual body. After the earnst (down payment, pledge) we are on layaway (while we repent and overcome daily) to be completely purchased at a later date (7th Trumpet)!
Jhn 3: v3. Messiah answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man (flesh body) be born again (spiritual body 7th trump), he can not see the kingdom of YahwehShua.
V4. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
V5. Messiah answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water (flesh, natural body, water baptism) and [of] the Spirit (hands layed on, spiritual body at 7th trumpet) he can not enter into the kingdom of YahwehShua.
V6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh (earthly body); and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit ( heavenly body).
V7. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
As Eddie Aquisto once famously said “born again is not a born again converted jail house nut job jumping up and down screaming in this life “ but rather getting a spiritual body at the 7th Trump or later as one of the innumerable multitude.
Paul notes some of the differences between a flesh body and a spiritual body. Also,a flesh body will be unable to enter New Jerusalem.
1Co 15: v43. It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
V44. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
V45. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit.
V46. Howbeit that [was] not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
V47. The first man [is] of the earth, earthy: the second man [is] Messiah from heaven.
V48. As [is] the earthy, such [are] they also that are earthy: and as [is] the heavenly, such [are] they also that are heavenly.
V49. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
V50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of YahwehShua; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Our Creator compares his physical death to a tiny seed.
Jhn 12: v23. And Messiah answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
V24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat (his physical body) fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit (his resurrected spiritual body, endless life for all his creation).
Our Creator notes the smallest mustard seed grows into the largest plant.
Mrk 4: v31. [It is] like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
V32. But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
Our Creator notes that we need at least a tiny seed of faith.
Mat 17: v20. And Messiah said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed.
The Earnst is the tiny seed of Messiah placed in us when we are baptized in the name of YahwehShua and have hands laid on us by an elder.
Our Creator when baptized by John received the Ernst of the Holy Spirit directly from his Father Yahweh (Seed of Father Yahweh) and he was perfected by the things he overcame.
Heb 5: v5. So also Messiah glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
V6. As he saith also in another [place,] Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
V7. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
V8. Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
V9. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Earnestly it all starts with an Earnest!
HalleluYahwehShua !