The Light of Torah Messianic Congregation
Faith of Our Fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, series
Presents Article Three
Prepared by P. R. Reid
April 18, 2022
Is His Truth still “The Truth?”
Ps. 119:160: “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”
John 4:24: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
We will employ the following hermeneutical tools in this article:
- The Rule of First mention (the first mention of any word establishes the precedent in which it will be used throughout Scripture)
- The Rule of Complete mention
- Covenant language i.e. “keep my commandments”
- His perfect will for creation
- PaRDeS (THE RULES OF PARDES INTERPRETATION *
- Ancient Hebrew pictograph
- Simple gematria
The four levels of interpretation are called: Pashat, Remez, D’rash & Sud. The first letter of each word P-R-D-S is taken, and vowels are added for pronunciation, giving the word PARDES (meaning “garden” or “orchard”). Each layer is deeper and more intense than the last, like the layers of an onion. (http://www.yashanet.com)
YaHaVah spoke His creation into being by using words. Words are composed with letters, the Hebrew letters to be exact, in their most ancient pictograph form. Since Ps. 119:160 tells us the entirety of His word is truth. then it follows that His “truth” emerged into the physical realm simultaneous with His creation. His “truth” provides “Structural Scripture Integrity.”
Think of His “Structural Scriptural Integrity” as our entire Bible, including many of the extra biblical writings. Every Scripture must harmonize with every other Scripture. Inside His “Structural Scriptural Integrity” are His patterns, many of which we have studied for many years. There are probably many more patterns we haven’t found yet. His “truth” began with His first word, Bereshit. See Article One for a more comprehensive explanation of this word.
“Truth” was revealed from the beginning. His “truth” was made manifest in the garden, emanating from the fruit of The Tree of Life. Phil. 4:8 tells us “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Italics mine)
Since “truth” was made manifest in the garden, its counterfeit would also have been made manifest in the garden, emanating from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The anti-theses of “truth” is the word “false.” “Truth” equals His doctrine while “falsehood” equals the deceit of “false doctrine.”
Let’s begin by examining the Hebrew word for “truth.” The word for “truth” is “emet.” “Emet” is spelled אֱמֶת. It is composed of an Aleph, Mem and Tav. In its ancient Hebrew form “emet” would read: “Power is in the blood of the covenant.” We are going to break down each letter and thoroughly examine them.
The ancient picture of the Aleph is the ox head and is defined as power, strength and leadership. The Aleph represents “The Father.” The numerical value of the Aleph is 1. “The Father” brings forth His “truth” from the Book of the Covenant, which is recorded in Ge. 1:1 – Ex.24:11. The Aleph is comprised of two letters, one Vav and two Yuds. The numerical value of the Vav is 6 and the value of each Yud is 10. We add these numbers together to determine a deeper understanding of the word; therefore, 10 + 10 + 6 = 26. Reducing to a single digit, 2 + 6 = 8. Eight is the number of covenant.
Phil. 3:10: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”
Romans 6.4: “…just as Messiah was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
1 Corinthians 6.14: “God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.”
Rev. 12:11 makes it clear that the “bride” will overcome the adversary by the power of Yeshuas’ blood. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Being in a covenant relationship with YaHaVah is what gives us the ability to overcome. That same resurrection power will be provided for His “bride” at the appointed time. Power is represented in Scripture by using the Aleph.
The next letter in the word “emet,” is the letter Mem whose picture is water and means water, chaos, mighty and blood. The numerical value of the Mem is 40. I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that the Mem is spelled with two Mems, מם. That means 4 + 4 = 8. We really can’t escape the significance of the Fathers covenant desire. It’s also not a stretch to see the connection of the number four from Article Two. It was water and blood that emerged from the side of Yeshua at his death.
Jn. 19:34: “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.”
The blood and water that emerged from Yeshuas’ side is symbolic of what happens to each believer. The blood of Yeshua ratified the “renewed” covenant just as it ratified the Abrahamic covenant. His blood paid the death penalty price incurred by Israel at the golden calf incident.
Jn. 3:5 reads: “Yeshua answered, ‘most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’” The water is symbolic of water immersion or “mikvah.” Water is the element of transfer, i.e. transferring the believer from spiritual death into the Melchizedek priesthood. See Ex. 28:1: “Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest, Aaron and Aaron’s sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.” Moses, the last priest after the order of Melchizedek, is going to transfer the priesthood from that order and initiate the Aaronic, aka the Levitical, priesthood by using the element of water.
Ex. 29:4: “And Aaron and his sons you shall bring to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall wash them with water.” This washing of water occurred at the beginning of their consecration. After the washing of water came the sprinkling of blood.
Ex. 29:21: “And you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar, and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and on his garments, on his sons and on the garments of his sons with him; and he and his garments shall be hallowed, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.” The Aaronic priesthood reached its conclusion with the advent of Messiah Yeshua. The very same protocol was used in transferring the Aaronic priesthood back to the original Melchizedek priesthood.
Mt. 3:13 – 15 records this transfer: “Then Yeshua came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’ But Yeshua answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him.” John, being the last pure priest in the Aaronic line, transferred, via the element of water, the ministering priesthood back to the Melchizedek order. Once we accept the finished work of our Messiah, i.e. His blood, we are to be “mikvehed,” washed in water.
The piercing of Yeshuas’ side was to benefit his “bride.” This is a pattern we have seen before in Scripture. Recall Ge. 2:21: “And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.”
From the side of Adam his ‘bride” was acquired. The Fathers’ patterns, once established, don’t change.
The final letter to examine in “emet” is the Hebrew letter Tav, ת. In its ancient form the Tav is crossed sticks and means mark, seal, signal, monument and covenant. The Tav is a combination of the letter Resh and an inverted letter Vav. The numerical value of the Resh is 200 and the value of the Vav is 6; 2 + 6 = 8, the number of covenant. In simple gematria the zeros are place holders only with no value. Our opening Scripture says it all. His word is true and righteous.
The power is in the blood of the covenant.
That brings us to the first mention of “truth” which is recorded in Ge. 24:27: “And he said, ‘Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.’” This is Eliezer speaking, the oldest servant of Abraham. He has gone to secure a “bride” for Isaac. The “bride” was Rebekah. He is walking in “the way” which means he is in a covenant relationship just like his master Abraham.
The complete mention of “truth” is recorded in 3 John 1:1 – 12 it reads: “The Elder, to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the assembly. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such that we may become fellow workers for the truth. I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.
Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the assembly. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does well is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true. I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.”
The established precedent then, relates to Abraham and the covenant made between himself and YaHaVah. The “truth,” His “word,” and His “Covenant.” Abraham and The Father always go together hand and glove.
Mt. 22:16 reads: “And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodian’s, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.’” Now we see that Yeshua is “true” and what he teaches, The Fathers’ doctrine, is also “true.”
To go one step further Yeshua said in Jn. 14:6: “Yeshua said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” If we choose to not follow “the way” which includes His “true” doctrine we will not see YaHaVah.
Jn. 14:10: “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.”
The Father imparts His “truth” into the world which is made manifest in the person of Yeshua HaMashiach. Jn. 7:16 – 17: “Yeshua answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.” The doctrine being taught is His “truth.”
As I said, “truth” was made manifest in the garden. So was its counterfeit, “falsehood.” The Hebrew word for “false” is שָֽׁקֶר. “Shaker” means lie, deception, disappointment or falsehood. In its ancient Hebrew pictograph form “shaker” would read: “You turned your back on the divine power by ignoring the appointed times that were from the beginning.”
This word is spelled with a Shin, Quph and Resh. The first letter of this word is the Shin which is a picture of a capital W, a picture of two front teeth, and means sharp, press eat and two. This letter can also mean “divine power.” The numerical value of the Shin is 300. The Shin made by combining two other letters, the Kaph and a Vav. The numerical value of the Kaph is 20, again the zero is a place holder, while the value of the Vav is 6. Adding the two together, 2 + 6 = 8, the number of covenant.
The Father, YaHaVah, is the Supreme One. Our worship is to be directed toward him which brings us to the next letter in the word “Shaker.” The second letter is the Quph with a numerical value of 100. In Jeff Banner’s’ chart of ancient Hebrew pictographs, he describes this letter as the sun on the horizon. There is another description of this letter which defines it as the back of the head. In this case, I prefer this explanation. In Article Two we discussed the “gimel” which means to gather or walk. Both words speak to movement. The Quph also speaks to movement.
If we take Jeff Benner’s definition of the letter Quph, there is movement toward the sun on the horizon. This would be the sunrise in the east which could be taken to connect us to sun worship. The flip side of that is the return of King Messiah from the east. Recall Cain, the firstborn son of Adam. He turned his back on The Father, he showed the back of his head to The Father, and went east. East is the direction of Mesopotamia, the land of idol worship. Movement!
The second tree mentioned in the garden is the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was a serpent that “Shaker” Chava, he deceived her. Think about the movement of the serpent. Serpents do not move in a straight line, they twist and turn.
Mt. 7:13 – 14 tells us that His path is narrow or straight: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” The Quph then, with the back of the head facing the world leads to life, to salvation. This movement brings us toward The Father. If we are looking for King Messiah, from the east, this movement places us against “sun’ worship.
The serpent, our adversary, twists and turns, leading the believer away from His straight and narrow path. The straight path is Shabbat worship, aligning ourselves with His festival cycle and eating cleanly.
The third letter in the word “Shaker” is the Resh. The Resh is the head of a man and means head, first, top or beginning. The numerical value of the Resh is 200. The combined numerical value of “Shaker” is 600. Six represents the six thousand years of mankind. For six thousand years mankind will be tempted by the adversary whose job it is, is to present humanity with alternative doctrines. Alternate or perverse to “His Way” which is “The Way”!
The Fathers’ doctrine emanates from the Tree of Life. His doctrine is “truth,” it leads to the straight path. The adversary’s doctrine is meant to lead mankind into perversion. The Hebrew word for crooked is עָוַת which means to be bent, be crooked, bend, make crooked, or pervert. In the Piel verb stem is can also mean curve, like the movement of the serpent. The first letter of this word is the Ayin which is an “eye.” The Ayin means see, watch, know or shade. Its numerical value is 70. The second letter is a Vav which is a tent peg and means to add, secure or hook. Its numerical value is 6. The final letter is a Tav which is crossed sticks and means mark, sign, signal, monument or covenant. In its ancient form this word would read: “Shaded (meaning NOT in the light) is the one we have secured our self to, the one who will bear the mark. This definition fits perfectly with the adversaries agenda which is to lead humanity into any kind perversion.
The Hebrew word for “doctrine” is לֶקַח . The first mention of the word doctrine is found in the second Song of Moses recorded in Deut. 32:3: “My doctrine ( לִקְחִי ) shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distill as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass.” (WEB, World English Bible) This song is a prophetic picture of YaHaVahs’ outpouring of His teaching at the end of days.
The Hebrew word for “doctrine” is spelled with a Lamed, Quph and Chet. In its ancient form this word would read: “One is coming in His authority to turn those who will listen, showing the back of their head to the world, and choose to be separated from the world.”
Mt. 28:18 tells us who has His authority on earth: “And Yeshua came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Yeshua comes to teach His “true” doctrine. The Lamed speaks to His authority.
Mt. 10:35: ““For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.’” The Quph and the Chet speak to the believer’s separation from the world.
Prov. 4:2: “For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.”
The Hebrew word for “law” is “Torah,” תּוֹרָה. His “truth” equals good doctrine. After the institution of the Aaronic Priesthood, the “Torah” was the vehicle He chose to be taught with all diligence, to the Hebrew people in order to bring about repentance and a return to a “Covenant” relationship.
The first mention of “Torah” is recorded Ge. 26:5…“because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” His “Torah” is 4th in the order of importance.
His “laws” were to be taught by a sober serious priesthood. After all, The Father considered, and still does, that being in a “Covenant” relationship with Him is essential to “life in His kingdom.” The Book of the Law was to set against the Ark of the Covenant as a witness against her. Dt. 31:26: “Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there as a witness against you.”
Is. 28:4 – 9: “And the glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valley, like the first fruit before the summer, which an observer sees; he eats it up while it is still in his hand. In that day the LORD of hosts will be for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people, for a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. But they also have erred through wine, and through intoxicating drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, they are swallowed up by wine, they are out of the way through intoxicating drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filth; no place is clean. Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the doctrine? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts?”
Is. 29:4: “These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, and those who complained will learn doctrine.” This prophecy was given because the Aaronic Priesthood was not teaching His “truth.” If they weren’t teaching “truth” they were teaching “falsehood.”
The Aaronic priesthood was instituted to “shepherd” Israel. What comes to your mind when you see the word “shepherd?” Perhaps to feed, protect or bring comfort to the flock. Certainly, “shepherds” don’t leave their flock untended because there is great value in the flock. The flock represent seed. Imagine the holiness of those first priests, ministering on behalf of the people Israel in the Mishkan with the presence of YaHaVah resting on the mercy seat. All the implements and furnishings were brand new, covered with gold. Brand new and shining! All went well for a while, then something went wrong.
Sadly, the Aaronic priesthood lost their way. There are numerous accounts of corrupt priests recorded in the Tanakh. 1 Sam. 2:12 records the actions of the sons of Eli, the High Priest: “Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD.” Read through to verse 17 and you will see they were so corrupt in the eyes of Yah, Scripture tells us that He abhorred them.
Jere. 5:31: “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?” (Italics mine) Recall “power” relates to the Aleph. The people have turned the back of their head, they love the “falsehood.” This simply means they have rejected the Aleph.
Ez. 22:26: “Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.” (Italics mine)
Hos. 5:1: “Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For yours is the judgment, because you have been a snare to Mizpah and a net spread on Tabor.”
Micah 3:11: “Her heads judge for a bribe, her priests teach for pay, and her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the LORD, and say, is not the LORD among us? No harm can come upon us.”
Jer. 2:7-8: “I brought you into a bountiful country, to eat its fruit and its goodness. But when you entered, you defiled My land and made My heritage an abomination. The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ And those who handle the law did not know Me; the rulers also transgressed against Me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.”
Jer. 10:21: “For the shepherds have become dull-hearted, and have not sought the LORD; therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.”
Jer. 23:1-2: “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the LORD.’
Jer. 25:34: ““Wail, shepherds, and cry! Roll about in the ashes, you leaders of the flock! For the days of your slaughter and your dispersions are fulfilled; you shall fall like a precious vessel.” A failed priesthood!”
This is why Yeshua said He is the “good” shepherd in Jn. 10:11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” He is the “good shepherd, teaching “good” doctrine, “true” doctrine and not a “false” doctrine. We are His flock. It really is time for His “truth, emet.”
John 7:16: “Yeshua answered them and said, ‘My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.’”
Mt. 7:28: “And so it was, when Yeshua had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His doctrine, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” The people were astonished because they had not been taught the truth so it was all new to them.
Mt. 16:12: “Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” The doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees was “Shaker,” false.
1 Tim. 4:1-3: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
Heb.13:8 -9: “Yeshua HaMashiach is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.”
The Brit Chadasha teachings are consistent with The Father’s doctrine, a doctrine that was well established in the entirety of the Tanakh. There are many doctrines out and about in our day and hour that don’t conform to His doctrine.
Titus 2:7 – 8: “In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.” We are to imitators of Messiah Yeshua.
1 Jn. 5:8: “And there are three that bear witness on earth, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.” Can these three be the three sides of the Menorah?
In conclusion, His word is “truth,” which makes His doctrine “true” from the beginning through to the end of Scripture. He doesn’t change and neither does His “truth.” Structural Scriptural Integrity!
The power is in the blood of the covenant while His Spirit leads us into all truth.
Something extra
The man in white linen
The Book of Ezekiel is filled with descriptions of priestly abhorrent behavior. The first scroll of Ezekiel is recorded in Chapter 8. I will list the rebellious attitudes briefly: They had placed an image of jealousy at the entrance of the north gate, located at the inner court. We are commanded to not have carved images, much less at the inner court of the Temple precinct.
A creeping thing, abominable beasts and idols of the house of Israel. Weeping for Tammuz and 25 men with their backs to the Temple facing the east. Men placing a branch to their nose.
Ez.9:1- 4: “Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, and ‘Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a deadly weapon in his hand.’ And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn at his side. (Emphasis and italics mine) They went in and stood beside the bronze altar. Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen (emphasis and italics mine), who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the LORD said to him, ‘Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark ( תָּו ) on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.’”
These six men, including the man clothed in white linen, are inside the Temple precincts because this is where the abominations occurred.
V 5 – : “To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple.
The mark of the Tav is the crossed sticks. Those that defiled His covenant were marked, possibly with ink to their own destruction, and those who remained faithful also had a mark, possibly with blood to honor their covenant faithfulness. Which mark do we want?