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Five traditional practices that are distinctive about Judaism point to their Messiah. The first is circumcision and the other four are contained in their statement of faith called the SH'MA (SHEMA). This instituted physical reminders to keep the covenant. The statements of the SHMA come from three texts. Deuteronomy 6: 4-9, Deuteronomy 11: 13-31 and Numbers 15: 37-41.

1. Circumcision (Brit Milah). This ceremony is performed on every male Jew at the age of eight days so that he becomes a part of the covenant people. The foreskin is stretched, cut off, then blood is drawn and the foreskin is buried.
   This was in anticipation of the one child who would be promised child of the covenant. Christ is the seed who was promised to Eve who would be stretched out on a cross, cut off and buried for the sins of the world.
   » Foreskin. It is a perfect representation of the carnal human nature. Since it covers the source through which the seeds of life come, it is a symbol of the human nature covering the seeds of life.
   » Castration. Why does castration not represent a better symbol of cutting off the seed?
   The symbol must represent two actions of Christ. He must die and He must have life within Himself so that He can be resurrected and bear fruit. A castrated male is dead. He can have no seed. But circumcision captures both symbols.
   The foreskin is the outer covering that is His human body. It was cut off just as Daniel predicted would happen to the Prince of the covenant (Daniel 9: 26).
   His body was hiding His divinity which has the seeds of life. When His body was cut off, it spilled His blood and He died. His body was buried, but divinity, His fertile seed, lived on to bring Him back to life.
   Jesus "Cut off". He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken. (Isaiah 53: 8)
   Circumcision appears to occur after God delivers His promises. It is the response of the people who have received the promise.
   - Promised Child. Abraham and all males were circumcised after Isaac was conceived (Genesis 17: 21-27).
   - Promised Land. All men born after the exodus were circumcised the first day they crossed over to the Promised land. They were not circumcised at birth during the exodus (Joshua 5: 1-5).
   - Promised Redemption. Jesus was circumcised, cut off on the cross, after He had made atonement for the sins of the world in the Garden of Gethsemane.
   Before circumcision, God always renews the covenant personally with each generation. After they entered the Promised Land and the nation grew, each new generation entered the covenant by circumcision.
   The Uncircumcised Second Generation. Many people believe that Paul banned circumcision as unnecessary. Since God never changes, how do we reconcile this? The second generation of the exodus were not circumcised while they were wandering through the desert for forty years. However, they were circumcised when they entered the Promised Land (Joshua 6: 7-9). This is how it will be with those after Christ. We will circumcise our hearts, cutting away the lusts of the flesh (Romans 2: 28-29) before we are cut off from the earth.
   The Law of The Covenant and Ordinances. Jesus fulfilled all the laws contained in ordinances and sacrifices when He was cut off on the cross. He also fulfilled the covenant with His death when He uncovered the source of life with the giving of the Holy Spirit so that we were justified and sanctified for eternal life.
   » The Purpose Of Circumcision.
   - Crucifixion. It is a model of the sacrifice, symbolizing the same event as the animal sacrifices.
   - Sanctification. It is a model of the process of sanctification as we cut off our sinful natures.

   Symbols of God Hidden in Human Flesh and Killed
   System | Human Body | Death 4 Wounds | Hidden Divinity Or Life
   --- | --- | --- | ---
   Circumcision | Foreskin | Cut off, buried | Seed (Sperm)
   Most Holy Place | Veil | Veil on 4 hooks ripped | Ark
   Ark | Box | Mercy Seat 4 horns | Manna, rod, commandments
   Incense Altar | Made of Gold (Perfection) | Blood on the 4 horns | Prayer
   Altar of Sacrifice | Made of earth (Imperfect) | Tied to 4 horns Blood on the 4 horns | Eternal fire. The Continual
   Ezekiel's Temple | Temple | Boiling places (4 corners) | River from the throne
   Animal Sacrifice | Clean animal | 4 split hooves | Seed regurgitated
   Grain | Unleavened Bread | Eaten, Holes | Seed sprouts
   Seder | Middle Matzah | Broken Matzah 4 cups of wine | Afikoman (Hidden Matzah)
   Passover | Lamb | Blood on the doorpost | Death passed over
   Tefillin | Box | Nails, thorns, straps | Scroll with the words of the SHMA
   Mezuzah | Box | Nailed to the doorpost
   Tzitzit | Tallit (Shawl) | Hole in 4 corners | Blue strand Law gives life
   Clothes Luke 19: 23 | Outer Garmet | Tallit Torn in 4 | Seamless tunic Not cut
   Messiah | Jesus (made of earth) | Crucified on 4 Nails on a cross | He is God Resurrection
   The body is a covering that hides a source of perfect law and life that can regenerate itself. God is hidden in human flesh.

2. Tzitzit. These were four tassels wrapped with a cord of blue that were attached to the four corners (or wings) of a garment or the shawl. The shawl (tallit) was a large rectangle, covering the tunic, that was draped over the shoulders and fell to the ankles. It may have fringes along the shorter edges.
   "Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue. (Numbers 15: 38).
   » The Downward View. While on the cross He looked down at the fringes, the bells and pomegranates and remembered He was their continual. It was meant to remind Jesus of His continual ministry. He must follow the will of God and remain on the cross. The key phrase is verse 39.
   It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot. So that you may remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your God. (Numbers 15: 39).
   When you looked down at the fringes you will remember to do the will of God instead of following your natural inclination. As Jesus was suffering on the cross, He looked down at the people surrounding Him like the fringes on the hem of a garment. The world had broken the law and this was why His death was necessary. That law bound Him to the cross. The blue color was a reminder of the law. In reality, the fringes around him were missing their blue color. He would be the blue in the fringe if He stayed on the cross. They were the noise of the bells and pomegranates on the robe of the high priest as He made atonement for them.
   So He was literally wounded, but not for Himself because He did not follow His human heart. He had submitted to the will of God in the Garden of Gethsemane.
   » 39 Coils and 10 Knots. The popular meaning of the number of these knots is based on gematria. I am rejecting the theories that are based on gematria for two basic reasons. First, signs and symbols are useless if they are not universal and cannot cross the boundaries of language. The gematria is based on knowing the Hebrew language and that was not spoken by many Jews after years of captivity.
   Second, the gematria is based on adding unrelated items such as the values of the letters in the name of the word and the number of knots and strands. Why use five instead of ten for the number of knots. And why not add the 39 coils?
   My belief is that the tzitzit represented the continual ministry of Christ. And my theory is justified because the number of coils correspond to another group of related items. And this same pattern can be demonstrated in the coverings of the sanctuary that also symbolize time. Remember the purpose is to always remember the commandments for the duration of the covenant and not to follow your desires. So the symbols must be related to the commandments and to time. Let us look at the items in each tzitzit.
   » The Hands And Feet. They do the will (commandments).

   The Coils And The Knots
   Item | # | Total (4) | Time | Cover
   --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
   Coil | 7 | 28 | Lunar month | Linen
   Coil | 8 | 32 | Solar month | Goat's Hair Veil
   Coil | 11 | 44 | Wicked
   Coil | 13 | 52 | One year |
   Total | 39 | 156 | Total
   The tzitzit was eight threads that were tied with a specific number of knots and coils of the blue thread. Three white threads and one longer cord of blue (the shamash) were doubled over, passing through the hole in the corners of the tallit making eight threads which tied the knot. The prevailing theory about their meaning is based on gematria (the numeric value of letters). Gematria (613). The Hebrew word for tzitzit (ציצית) has a numeric value of 600. When this is added to eight threads and five double knots the result is 613. This is the number of laws written in the Torah. I reject this arbitrary and convoluted logic.

   - Tallit. The body of Christ.
   - 4 Tzitzit. The hands and feet.
   - Four Holes. The four nail holes in His wrists.
   - 5 Double Knots. The two joints on each finger.
   - 10 Knots. The ten fingers.
   » Knots (The Commandments or Mitzvot).
   - Double Knots. The two great commandments.
   - 10 Knots. The ten commandments which are the covenant.
   - 5 Groups of Knots. This is the five series of curses which are applied for breaking the covenant.
   - 40 Knots. Full covenant time given to the righteous.
   » 39 Coils (The Continual). The coils appear to represent time. They must remember the covenant continually. Compare these to the fabric coverings over the sanctuary they also represent time. The number of coils for all four tassels corresponds exactly to the length of the sanctuary and its coverings! The components of time can be seen in each tzitzit and all four combined. There were four groups of coils interspersed between the five groups of knots. Each had a different number of coils. According to "Ask the Rabbi" at chabad.org the basic composition (4 corners, 4 string folded to 8, and 5 knots) is the same across the board among different groups of Jews, and was handed down from Moses. All the numbers point to time.
   1. 7 Coils. Total 28 (Linen Cover). Seven days in one week and twenty eight days in one lunar month.
   2. 8 Coils. Total 32 (Sanctuary Length). Eight represents a new beginning, but 32 is not a common unit of time. It is the closest whole number to 1/4 of a solar month (31 days). It is the length needed to cover the sanctuary. What does it mean?
      Age of the Prince of the Covenant. He joined the covenant through circumcision at eight days by this time He had taken His human body or foreskin for 40 weeks. 32 years after His incarnation He began to fulfill the covenant after His baptism.

      Kept the Covenant While Abandoned. Based on Hosea 6: 1-2, in another lesson we show that Jesus was abandoned for about thirty two hours in which He was forsaken and unsure of His fate. After He was raised to life, He was now sure but He still had to submit to God. He had to wait in the tomb another twelve hours before He was resurrected. His divinity kept the covenant for 32 hours, not submitting to His own desires. God remained entombed by choice. He did not use His divine powers.
   3. 11 Coils. Total 44 (Goat's Hair Cover). The 44 coils remind us of the 44 cubit length of the 11 panels of the goat's hair curtain. That represented the time given to the wicked.
   4. 13 Coils. Total 52 (Sanctuary Length and Height Approx). 13 weeks in each season and 52 weeks in one year.
   » Add One. The numbers can also be calculated by adding one to a significant number to represent either a new beginning or what belongs to God (6, 7, 10 and 12). So the tzitzit might represent the time in which all these important issues will be resolved.
   1. Rest. 6 + 1. (7). Six days belong to man who was made on the sixth day but the seventh day is for man and God to know each other.
   2. New Beginning. 7 + 1. (8). After seven cycles, time begins again. A jubilee of rest and perfection.
   3. Law. 10 + 1. (11). The ten commandments are based on the one law of love.
   4. Priests. 12 + 1. (13). There were twelve tribes of Israel but the priests of God are the thirteenth tribe.
   » The Blue Cord (Shamash). This cord bound the seven strands together, like the blue cord which bound the two sections of the linen coverings to fifty loops. This is the law being reconciled to all. Therefore the strands represent all people.
   » The Tallit (Shawl). The shawl is a covering whose only purpose was to hold the tzitzit. This covering, like the veil and the coverings over the sanctuary, also represented His human body whose only purpose was to fulfill the covenant.
   » 4 Corners. This is the universal nature, all directions or everywhere.
   » 4 Wings. The tzitzit in the corners were called wings. This represented His four limbs held to the cross.
   » 4 Holes in the Corners. These represented the holes left by the nails that held Him on the cross.
   » Cloth. His body is our robe of righteouness.
   Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. (John 19: 23)
   The Law of Curses and Judgments. The symbol of the law in the mezuzah and tfellin are the copies of the SHEMA, but in the tzitzit this symbol is a blue cord. This symbol is a reminder of the curses and judgments to which Jesus must submit in order to keep the covenant. He would be bound to the altar by the cords of the law until all the curses, wrath and judgments were poured out on Him for us.
   ... bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. (Psalm 118: 27)
   The Law of Righteousness. The reason that the tzitzit is attached to the tallit or our garments is because this requirement of the law demonstrates righteousness more than any other keeping of the law. All heaven and all righteous people keep the moral law. However, it takes a person of a higher form of righteousness to keep a law that requires him or her to submit to unjust suffering without retaliation or guarantee of reward. Righteousness can be worn like a garment with holes in the four corners. Since such suffering and sacrifice was never experienced in heaven before Satan, this demonstration of righteousness by submission is a new witness in the universe.
3. Mezuzah. This is a box that contains a hand written scroll with the words of the SHMA. It was attached at an angle (leaning left) on the right doorpost of every door in the house except the bathroom. Both the Mezuzah and the doorpost together represented Christ nailed to the cross with the law within His heart so that God could fulfill the covenant.
   And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6: 9).

   The Five Signs On The Cross
   Tallit (Body) Tzitzit (Nailed Hands and Feet) Mezuzah (Nailed to the Cross) Tefillin (Remember and Do Laws) Circumcision (Death)

   On the cross there was a mezuzah with a title was written above His head on the titulus. He was the king obeying the SHMA.
   And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. (Luke 23: 38)
   The Law is The Heritage of Our Children. The moral law must be kept in our homes and they must be given to our children like treasures.
4. Tefillin (Phylactery). It is a word which is related to the word for prayer (tefilah) and the root word for judgment. It is a small black leather cube box that contains a piece of parchment with the words of the SHMA. It is a symbol of the cube of the most holy place covered in the leather of the porpoise skin. The covenant is contained in both objects. It is attached by leather straps in two places, on the hand and forehead.
   You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. (Deuteronomy 6: 8)
   The straps which are bound on the upper arm and the hand are a symbol of the ropes that the Romans tied to the upper arms of the person on the cross to support the body so that the nails do not rip through the wrist.
   They are a reminder to love the covenant and to do them. On the cross they were also a symbol of the effect of the curse and so served as a prophecy of where He would be wounded. He would be wounded on the hand and forehead for the broken covenant.
   4. Tefillah On The Hand (Arm). Jesus was strapped to the cross by His hands. The spikes of the nails also bound Him to the cross. The mark on his hand was a sign of His deliverance with the outstretched hand.
   5. Tefillah On The Forehead. A crown of thorns was placed on His forehead with the spikes between His eyes. The forehead holds the name of God so above Him, like a Mezuzah, was His title, "King of the Jews".
   The mark of the beast is on the hand and forehead, representing total allegiance to the laws and government of the beast.

Making The Tefillin
We thought it was pure legalism, abolished at the cross. But look at the testimony of the pituitary gland. The maligned tefillin is a living symbol of the promise of the new covenant and it now serves as proof of Bible science.
The instructions were given to them by Moses since Mount Sinai. The process may take a year to make one pair of tefillin. These steps in manufacturing the pair of tefillin are so amazing that they are worth studying in detail to grasp the symbolism of how Jesus conquered. It is as if God gave all the essentials in the written law, yet He held back these precious secrets in the oral tradition as a mystery - like the secret ingredient in a recipe. Separated from their true meaning and purpose, the people could only blindly follow these rules which seemed to have no purpose or reason. Only the commandment from God gave them a reason. Thank God they did obey in faith because if Satan had realized how essential this knowledge was he would have been more diligent in stamping out or corrupting the practice.

- Two Tefillin. They are His two natures, divinity and humanity, combined to do the will of God.
  - The Head Tefillah. Four compartments holds one strip of parchment each with one text.
  - The Arm Tefillah. One compartment holds one strip of parchment with the four texts. It is worn on the weaker hand, showing that moral assistance is concentrated on our weaknesses and points of failure.
  The Law in Our Hearts, Minds and Actions. The moral law and the Law Giver must be loved so deeply that it is wrapped up in our hearts and minds and seen in our commitments and actions.
  The Biological Process. Amazingly we can now show that the tefillin and straps mimic the structure and function of the part of the brain involved in moral decisions and controlling desires. The pituitary is protected by a cube shaped box (sella turcica) in the bone on the skull between the eyes. The optic chiasm crosses over the this box in an "X" shaped structure that resembles the straps tied to the back of the head. All good and evil desires are controlled by the same hormonal system in this region of the brain. If you put the law in your mind there is a biological process that helps you to control your desires.
  » Between The Eyes. The pituitary can be found by going to the back of the head through a space between the eyes. The head tefillin is also placed between the eyes and tied at the back of the head.
  » Mirror Images. Biologically, it is the same pattern of two mirror image opposites in union to complete a creation, just like the two strands of DNA and the tefillin mirroring each other and the head tefillin mirroring the optic chiasm and the sella turcica.
  » Two Lobes (Two Tefillin Batim). The placement of the two tefillin reminds us of the mind-body connection of this gland. The pituitary gland has two lobes (anterior and posterior pituitary). It is the master gland because it influences so many other systems throughout the body.
  » Hypothalamus (Brim). The base of the box is a brim where the straps are tied. On one end of the pituitary is the gland that controls hunger and thirst.
  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5: 6)
  So those who hunger and thirst for righteousness must fill this space with the law and covenants.
  » Nerves (Straps). The straps of the head tefillin symbolize the optic nerve. The arm tefillin nerves control the biceps and hand movement so that the hand can do the will of the head.
- One Calf (Ox). The tefillin are usually made from an ox, but it is also permissible to use a sheep.
  1. One Ox. One pair of Tefillin is made from the skin of the neck of one ox.
  2. Lime. The skin is soaked in lime water (CaO + H2O --> CaOH2) to seal perforations, dry it, remove the smell, hair, extra fat and flesh to prevent decay. The process takes months.
  Jesus came as the ox from heaven who would do the will of God. In this mission He was harshly treated as if He was dipped in a caustic solution. However, by submitting to this terrible injustice, He sealed up the imperfections and stopped the process of decay and death.
  » The Nazarite Vow. The facts may also point to His difficult vow. The square box on the tefillin is called the batim (house). When He left heaven to do the will of God a body was prepared for Him (leather) as His house. When He left that was the moment He completed His Nazarite vow. He did the will of God. So now He could shave His hair and walk among the dead and drink grape products. So He walked among humans and fulfilled the Passover, giving His blood. Notice that after the resurrection He no longer walks among the dead. When He returned to heaven He once again began the Nazarite vow and will not drink wine again until He celebrates with us.
- Cutting And Stretching The Tefillin. The process creates holes or pouches in the skin which are used to hold the paper with the bible texts written on them.
  3. The Letter "T". The skin is cut in the shape of the letter "T".
  4. First Stretching. Bulges are molded into the skin with an hydraulic press. Four pouches for the head tefillin and one for the hand.
  5. Air Dry. It is air dried for weeks or months after each stretching.
  6. Second Stretching. It is moistened and flat irons are placed in each compartment then placed in a press and stretched in every direction. The bulges now become distinct compartments.
  7. Air Dry. It is air dried for weeks or months.
  8. Iron Press. Iron pieces are inserted to the bottom to press out the final shape with 15 tons of pressure.
  The process of making them follows the acts of the crucifixion from the time He was placed on the cross. The cross was shaped like the letter "T" and He was stretched out, moistened with His blood and tears, nailed with four pieces of iron and left to dry in the hot sun.
- Black Box Assembly. The tefillin is a black box with the instructions about the covenant inside it. When Jesus became the sin offering during three hours of darkness, He was a tefillin being disassembled. He managed to conquer because the law was written in His heart as the forces of evil were tearing apart His human body (house).
  9. Shin (Teeth or Consume). This letter is printed on two sides. The symbols point to the act of eating and consuming the words of God as we hunger and thirst for righteousness.
  10. Gluing. The glue is made from the skin of ox by boiling and cooking left over pieces of leather, and is referred to as, "two of the same kind stuck together." We must be glued to the Holy Spirit as we become two of the same kind. Notice that as Jesus suffered through this phase He became unglued from God and cried out in His loneliness.
  11. Dry. Dry under pressure in a screw press.
  12. Forming The Squares. The three parts of the tefillin must form a square. The box, the brim and the stitching. This squareness was a law given by Moses.
  13. Write Verses. The verses must be written in this exact order or they are unacceptable and must be discarded for burial.
      1. Kadesh (Sanctify) [Exodus 13: 1-10]. Sanctify all firstborn and remember the powerful hand of delivery from Egyptian slavery and keep the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Verses 9 and 16 reminds us to wear tefillin as a sign to remember this powerful delivery.
      2. V'haya Ki Y'viacha (When He brings you to the Land) [Exodus 13: 11-16]. All firstborn belongs to God. While in the Promised land you may redeem the firstborn sons. You may also redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb.
      3. Sh'ma (Hear O Israel) [Deuteronomy 6: 4-9]. Love God and remember His commandments and teach your children.
      4. V'haya Im Shamo'a (If you hearken) [Deuteronomy 11: 13-21]. A blessing is promised for loving and serving God.
  14. Proofread. The proofreader checks for errors using a strong light, a magnifying glass, and a high level of concentration. First, he checks for missing, extra, or mistaken letters. Second, he checks the formation of the letter and that the lines and paragraphs comply with tradition.
      God Winks (Eyes Closed). As the Proofreader, God found no fault in Him, even though He was carrying our sins. The reason was that the world was dark and there was a lot of distraction with the loud angry mob. However, in the light of day, while Jesus was resting in the grave - no defect was found.
  15. Insert Passages. Each parchment is rolled from the end to the beginning, and wrapped in a covering made of parchment. The verses and the covering are rolled in hair from a calf's tail.
  16. Stitch. The next stage is to sew the batim with a tendon from a ritually-pure animal, backward and forward, so that there is stitching both above and below.
  17. Paint Black. After the first painting, the paint is given time to be absorbed. The batim are then sanded down and painted again. This process is repeated four times, until the desired result is obtained.
  18. The Knots. The width of the straps must be equal to the length of a grain of barley. These straps are tied with a special knot that forms a particular letter.
      - Yod (Power, Closed Hand). This letter is the knot on the hand tefillin.
      - Dalet (Door). This letter is the knot on the head tefillin.
      - Shin (Teeth, Consume). This is painted on both sides of the box.
      Shaddai (Almighty). These three letters form the word "Shadai" which means to overpower and to destroy. The Hebrew letters for the name YHWH is translated "I Am, that I Am". But the letters Yod-Hei-Vav-Hei means "Closed hand - reveals - nail - reveals".
      » The Powerful Hand With The Nails. So the Tefillin is a sign of sanctification, deliverance (redemption), love and the covenant blessings are by a powerful hand guided by a righteous mind. All these can only come when righteousness dwells within us and causes us to act like children of God. The tefillin is a visual sign of the biological processes and structures through which this spiritual miracle occurs.
      This not only points to our redemption by the powerful nail-pierced hand of the Messiah, it points to our ability to overpower and conquer the evil nature within us by simply loving God and loving His laws and remembering them daily. If we open the doors to our mind and consume the word of God we will receive the power of God to do the will of God.
      » Other Signs. The tefillin are not worn on the Sabbath and festivals because they are also signs.
      - Sabbath. It is a sign of our deliverance and rest from sin.
      - Festival (Passover). It is a sign of our deliverance by substitution and redemption.
      - Festival (Shavu'ot- Pentecost). It is a sign of the covenant to write the law in our hearts with the Holy Spirit.
      - Festival (Yom Kippur). It is a sign of cleansing from sin for those who love God.
      - Festival (Tabernacles). It is a sign of inclusion in the family of the righteous. We live with God.
      The tefillin are not worn at night. As a symbol of sin, darkness has no light or no law.

The SHEMA (SHMA)

The Cord And The Nails
Three forces held Jesus to the cross. Nails. The spikes of the nails split his hands and feet because of the curse. Cords. Straps also bound His hands and feet and these were a result of the law. He had to stay on the cross of His own free will to satisfy the law. These cords are symbolized by the straps of the Tefillin and the cords of the Tzitzit. Love. Since He loved us, He obeyed.

SHMA means "hear or listen". It is the statement of faith by the Jews which comes from the first sentence in verse 4. It used to be the custom to read the Ten Commandments before reading th SHEMA.
"Sh'ma Yisrael Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad." (Deuteronomy 6: 4)
The words of the Shema were said to the second generation who were about to possess the Promised Land. It included a reminder of the faithfulness of God, His mighty acts and the covenant that bound Him to Israel.
This reminds us of the New Testament emphasis on faith and the Torah.
So faith comes by hearing. And hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10: 17)
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11: 6)
Now let us combine the Jewish and Christian statements of faith which comes from the same Lord.
Now the duties of the faithful child of the covenant is expressed in the shema and shema makes us listen to the word of G-d (Torah). And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to G-d must believe that He is the One to love and that He blesses those who fall madly in love with Him and obey Him with all their heart.

- Love God (Deuteronomy 6: 4-9). The first statement of the SHEMA was for people who have decided to bind themselves to a covenant relationship with God and are about to go on an exodus with Him.
  Love God and teach your children the laws and constantly immerse yourself in the laws. Use the Tefillin and mezuzah to remember the laws of the Torah.
  Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is One!
  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
  » Torah.These words which I am commanding you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
  » Tefillin. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.
  » Mezuzah. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6: 4-9)
  Jesus kept the SHEMA because He loved God and He loved us.
  - The Lord Is One. At the last Passover meal John records His appeal to love each other so that the church can be one just as Jesus Christ and the Father are one.
    The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one. (John 17: 22)
  - Sit In Your House (Seder). In the Upper Room, at the last Passover meal Jesus spoke to the disciples as He began to fulfill the SHEMA.
  - Walk Along the Way (Via Dolorosa). On the road to Golgotha He carried the cross and endured the shame and did not save Himself because He must obey the Torah and become the sacrifice.
  - Lie Down (Death). He submitted to being nailed. And, in death He kept the Sabbath and rested.
  - Rise Up (Resurrection). He kept the law when He was raised up on the cross. After His resurrection He kept the law and brought the first fruits to God.
  Jews have taken this to mean that there is one God, there is no Trinity and Jesus could not possibly be God also. However, if we now understand that the entire Torah, Pslams and prophets were about Jesus, then this powerful statement of faith might be related to Jesus Christ.
  Is it possible that this statement reminds them how to treat the Lord of the exodus when He becomes a unity - one of them! "Hear O, Israel", listen to God when He comes to you as One. Love Him. He will come to sit in your house and walk along the roads of Jerusalem. He may stay overnight and sleep in your house and wake up in the morning.
- Consequences (Deuteronomy 11: 13-31). The second statement of the SHEMA is for those who are approaching the end of the exodus. It is a reminder of the covenant. God rewards those who seek Him.
  - Requirement (Verse 13). Love and obey God and do His will.
  - Blessings (Verses 14-15). He will give rain for your land so that you and your animals can eat.
    The Promise of The Latter Rain. that He will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early and the late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil. (Deuteronomy 11: 14)
  - Curses (Verses 16-17). If you are disobedient then there will be no rain and no food and you will perish.
  - Warning (Verses 18-20). So do not forget His words. Use the Tefillin and mezuzah to remember the laws.
  - Duration (Verses 21). This covenant will last until there are no more heavens.
    So that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them as long as the heavens remain above the earth. (Deuteronomy 11: 21)
    So this covenant with the land expires at the Second Coming when the skies roll away like a scroll (Revelation 6: 12-17). At that time Israel will no longer be in the land.
  - Possession (Verses 22-25). You will possess everything that you walk on and you will fear no one.
    The Promise of Successful Evangelism. For if you are careful to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you to do, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him, then the Lord will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours ... (Deuteronomy 11: 22-24)
    Canaan is symbolically the Holy Land that is occupied by the ungodly. This is a great promise to the final generation that we shall dispossess the mighty wicked before we cross over into the heavenly Canaan. Secularism, evolution and science-based atheism will fall.
    In fact, we will even dispossess Satan and the fallen angels of the work they had at the throne of God.

    Curses On Mount Ebal
    | Judgment | Death | Raised |
    --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
    | Dan | Asher | Naphtali
    Benjamin |  | The Way | Judah
    Manasseh | Issachar
    Joseph | Zebulun
    | Gad | Simeon | Reuben |
    Fortunate | Hated | Afflicted
    Blessings On Mount Gerizim

  - Blessings And Curses (Verses 26-31). The conditions are the blessings for obedience and the curse for disobedience.
    See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse. the blessing if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God which I am commanding you today; and the curse if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord you God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you by following other gods which you have not known. (Deuteronomy 11: 26-28)
    - The Way. From the law about the marching order of the tribes on the exodus we know that the way is to start east, then proceed south, west and north.
    - Turning Aside. However, Jesus was turned aside by going east, south, north and west. In the north He experienced the wrath before He received the blessing. Since true atonement was made in the south in the Garden of Gethsemane, we should immediately proceed west where we receive no condemnation. In the west our reproach is removed, then God forgets our sins and we become the sons of the right hand. Only after this refreshing does God allow us to undergo trial and testing in the north where we end with resurrection and a new life.
    - Following Unknown Gods. When Jesus submitted to the mob of soldiers, priests and people, He was forced to follow these gods who turned Him aside from the way. In their hands He was forced to bow down for a beating and lie prostrate before them on a cross. He was tortured before He received the blessings.
    » Israel Turns Aside. By following this path, Jesus actually retraced the path of rebellion that Israel took during their exodus. Look at this map of the exodus and you will see that they proceeded east from Goshen then crossed the Red Sea and went south to Mount Sinai where they received a blessing as the Lord met them there. After leaving Sinai they were supposed to turn west and possess the Promised Land, but they rebelled after the twelve spies gave their report. So they proceeded north and followed the symbolic path of Dan, the serpent on the cross to the cursed mountains in the north (Seir and Nebo) where Moses and Aaron died. Then they went west across the Jordan to complete the journey.
  - Location Of The Blessings And Curses . (Verses 29-31). The admonition ends with a strange request. This is the same treatment of direction in the north to south journey in Ezekiel's temple. It is a prophecy about the end time when we are about to possess the kingdom.
    It shall come about, when the Lord your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, that you shall place the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. (Deuteronomy 11: 29)
    - Blessings On Mount Gerizim ("South"). The people of God flee to the south in the persecution as they wait for the coming of the Lord.
      The Beatitudes. Before He chose all twelve disciples, Jesus entered the land to possess it and began His ministry by going to the mountain to say the blessings (Matthew 5: 1-12). Only six tribes said the blessings.
      » Judah ("Praise The Lord"). Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
      » Manasseh ("Make Me Forget"). Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.
      » Issachar ("Wages"). Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.
      » Benjamin ("Ravenous"). Blessed are those who hunger and thrist after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
      » Joseph ("No Reproach"). Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
      » Joseph. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
      » Joseph. Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God.
      » Simeon ("Hated"). Blessed are you when men people insult you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great.
      The Prayer on the Mount of Olives. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus made the sacrifice that obtained the blessing for people who were once hated and rejected. We were officially free from sin.
    - Curses on Mount Ebal ("North"). In the north is the place of slaughter and death and Babylon the Great. In the north is the mountain that is cursed.
      The Crucifixion on Mount Calvary. When Jesus ended His ministry He went to another hill called Golgotha (Calvary) in the north of the city to receive the curses. Satan extracted the ransom for sin. In His final week He also cursed the fig tree as a symbol of the curse that was about to fall on Israel for rebellion (Matthew 23: 37-38; 21: 43 and Mark 11: 20).
      » Dan, Asher, Naphtali. Judgment, death and wrestling for freedom.
      » Zebulun, Reuben, Gad. Imprisonment, affliction and defeat in war.
    Joshua carried our Moses' directives in Joshua 8: 30-35.
  - Location Of The Mountains. Are they not across the Jordan, west of the way towards the sunset, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, opposite Gilgal, beside the oaks of Moreh. (Deuteronomy 11: 30)
    » Towards the Sunset ("West"). As we go towards the tribes in the west who represent the new earth we pass through these experiences.
    » Across the Jordan. We will cross over water. This refers to the Latter Rain and the Sea of Glass.
    » Land of Caanan. We will dispossess the wicked through evangelism.
    » The Arabah. The most desolate wilderness and desert near Mount Seir with fiery serpents. We will live through the great persecution
    » Opposite Gilgal. Gilgal is a place of victory.
    - Rolling. Gilgal means "rolling" (Joshua 5: 9). It was the place where their reproach of slavery was removed or rolled away after they were circumcised.
    - Circumcised. Gilgal was also the place where they were circumcised.
    - River Dried Up. Here they crossed the Jordan to enter the Promised Land when God dried up the Jordan river as a testimony to all the people of the earth (Joshua 4: 18-24).
    - Walls Fell. Gilgal was next to Jericho where the walls fell down like the walls of Babylon will fall.
    - Resurrection. Here they took a resurrection oath "As the Lord Lives!" (Hosea 4: 15).
    » Beside the Oaks of Moreh. This is where Abraham first came to the Promised Land and the Lord appeared to him (Genesis 12: 6-7). This was the place where Jacob buried the foreign gods and the ear rings when they cleansed themselves of idolatry after they were fleeing from Esau. Then God sent terror on the surrounding cities (Genesis 35: 1-5) like the terror of the seven last plagues.
    Jesus also had to experience these four places at the sunset of His life.
    » Across The Jordan. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan river. But He also crossed the brook Kidron to go to Gethsemane. Symbolically, Reuben also means "raging waters" and he is the son who represents the time in Gethsemane.
    » Land Of Caanan. His worked throughout the Promised Land which is Canaan.
    » The Arabah. His time from the trials to the crucifixion and death.
    » Opposite Gilgal. What happened during the resurrection is symbolized by Gilgal. The stone was rolled away so that Jesus could come out of the grave, proving that His reproach was removed.
    » Beside The Oaks Of Moreh. He was crucified on a tree when God allowed terror to be poured out on Him for our idolatry.
    So when Babylon falls we will go south and west under the power of the Latter Rain. We will travel towards the blessings as we flee the place that is cursed to take possession of the people of the kingdom, removing any trace of idolatry among us and God will appear to us.
    The Sanctuary In The Crossing. Notice how the structure of the sanctuary is depicted in the terrain.
    - Altar. All the prior 40 years were their sacrifice. All of the first generation died except two.
    - Jordan (Laver). They passed through water to enter the sanctuary (the Promised Land).
    - Gerizim (South Wall). Gerizim means "cut off ones". At the end of time the righteous are separated from the wicked, literally circumcised.
    - Ebal (North Wall). Ebal means "stripped one" or "baldy". The wicked have no covering on their head or body. So baldness and nakedness are accurate pictures.
    - Shechem (Doors). These mountains are 40 miles north of Jerusalem, bordering the valley of Shechem. The city of Shechem is at the eastern entrance. It means "shoulders".
    - Gilgal (Curtain). Since it means rolling, it may refer to the curtains of Canaan opening or being rolled away.
    - Canaan (Most Holy Place). The Promised Land.
      » Arabah. In the land of sin, the Moset Holy place is depicted as sitting in a wilderness.
    - Oaks Of Moreh (Tree Of Life). It means "instruction" or "archers". Several important events happened here.
      - Covenant With God (Genesis 12:6-7). God appeared to Abraham at his first campsite in Canaan. They made a covenant and Abraham built an altar.
      - False Gods Conquered (Genesis 35:4). Jacob buried the foreign gods they brought from Haran. The wicked will be conquered, even the man of sin sitting in the temple of God.
      - Blessings And Curses (Deuteronomy 11:26-30). Israel said the blessings and curses.
      - Covenant Memorial (Joshua 24:26). Joshua set up a memorial stone of the covenant.
    - Sunset (Western Wall). The border of the Promised Land.
  - Possess the Land.(Verse 31) This last command suggests that when we enter the land, we must act to possess it. This is the stage when the enemy will wage the most furious attack.
  The founders of the Jewish Reform Movement deleted verses 13 to 31 and Numbers 15: 37-40 because they objected to the belief that there is a reward or punishment for doing or breaking the laws. They also believed that the Jews should not be separated from the world because of special clothes. They are wrong. The SHEMA still prophesies about the future.
- Tzitzit (Numbers 15: 37-41). The third statement of the SHEMA is for those who are on the exodus journey. It reminds the people to keep the covenant while we are on this difficult journey. Do not be distracted so that you forget God. Instead set up signs so that you can remember. Use the tzitzit in addition to the mezuzah and the Tefillin to remember the laws.
  The Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue. It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot. So that you may remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your God. I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God." (Numbers 15: 37-41).

The warnings and appeal of the words of the three statements of the Shema to the generation who were about to cross over into the Promised Land remind us of another warning message by the three angels to the last generation who will cross over to the Promised Land at the end of time.

Signs Of The Covenant
The process of salvation is an exodus from the land of sin under a covenant from God which follows these signs.

- Circumcision. God cuts us off from sin and transforms our carnal natures. He buries the old past.
- Mezuzah. He gives us His name and writes them on our foreheads.
- Tefillin (Head). He writes the laws in our hearts with the Holy Spirit and we mentally accept them.
- Tefillin (Hand). When the law is in our hearts so that we agree with them, we will obey them and do His will.
- Tzitzit and Tallit. He gives us a possession in the four corners of the Holy Promised Land. Where is this land? It is on a hill in a valley bordered by water in the east and west and mountains in the north and south.
  - Israel. This is the nation that God promised Abraham. It is between the Euphrates and the Mediterranean and Lebanon and Sinai.
  - Our Body. He gives us victory over our bodies so that we become a holy temple. Between our baptism and the former and latter rain and our fiery journey from the king of the north to the king of the south, we become a holy nation.
  - Heaven. This is the place where we will go while the earth has rest. We cross over the sea of Glass to go to Mount Zion.
  - New Earth. This is the final home of the people who belong to God. It is between the eastern and western sea and mountains in the north and south.
- Better Signs. God gave Israel signs everywhere to remember His laws. The problem with the old covenant was not the terms, it was the people. So the new covenant performs the same goals with the better weapons. We have a better priesthood and a better sacrifice and better promises. The challenging task was making a better people, so they need better signs to help them accomplish the same goals.
  What are the signs that He has given for the Israel after the crucifixion to remind them to keep the law?
  - Old Signs. There is nothing wrong with the old signs. They keep reminding us what is important and where we should keep them. They should be in our hearts, in our efforts, in our minds, in our homes and surrounding us every day. However, to the extent that some signs were meant for males only, it was a sign to one particular Jewish male that He must keep the law no matter what His heart wants to do.
    Just like the seder, which is to be kept to remember Jesus, these old signs must not be forgotten because they prophesy about what Christ has done and is doing.
  - Law (Shema). Signs like the Shema and Mezuzah are a reminder to all the people and the SHEMA still prophesies about the coming work of the Holy Spirit and our victory in the final efforts of evengelism.
  - Holy Spirit. He is the constant companion who will remind us and write the laws on our heart.
    - Ink. The blood of Jesus Christ is the ink that writes the law on our hearts.
    - Pen. The Holy Spirit is the pen that writes the law.
  God is seeking a mature people who do not have to be told what to do. The old signs are for children who are learning. They are not inferior or unimportant or cursed in any way. In fact, they are a good place to start in teaching new converts what it means to be converted. They are a physical picture of what should be spiritually and mentally occurring.
  The new signs are for the mature adult who has the mezuzah, tefillin, SHEMA and laws written internally on the heart, hands and forehead. It is evident in their love, loyalty, respect, passion and dedication for God.

Repetition and Enlargement

Five Signs of Salvation
Sign | Exodus From Egypt | Christ | Remnant | Beast
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | Circumcision | Leave Egypt | Killed and buried | The Body | Leave Babylon | Death Penalty
2 | Torah | Receive Laws | Obedient | Remember Laws | Disobey Laws
Tzitzit and Tallit | Camp Site (4 Corners) | Body with 4 nails | Temple on Earth | The Earth
3 | Mezuzah | Standards and Banners | Titulus | The Cross | Name of God | Name of the Beast
4 | Tefillin (Hand) | Blood on the doorposts | Patibulum | Do His Will | Mark of the Beast
5 | Tefillin (Forehead) | Blood on the lintel | Stipes | Love His Laws

The Importance of Symbols
Why did God use so many symbols and why was the penalty of sin attached to keeping these rituals when God expressed His displeasure with them? After all, morality should be based on absolute values, not an arbitrary system.
Shall I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of male goats? (Psalm 50: 13)
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin. (Hebrews 10: 4)
God set up the language of symbols and rituals to preserve the accuracy of certain messages for thousands of years. Because the spoken and written language are highly susceptible to changes in content and meaning, God added these visual communication systems to back up the written.
The blood of bulls and goats cannot save and did not save any human beings. However, 4000 years into the future God would appear in the form of Jesus Christ and Jesus and the nation must be able to recognize Him from the symbols or they will commit a grave sin. So although the ritual is of limited benefit to previous generations, they will cause a future generation to sin if they do not faithfully perform them. So that is their sin. Failure to instruct the future generation.
So, even if we do not understand baptism and communion. And even if they are not necessary for your salvation, they may be necessary instruction for the action of a future generation.
In the lesson on the feasts you will read about the Passover seder and you will realize that although the Jews missed and rejected the first appearance of the Messiah, it is their persistent devotion to these rituals for 2000 years after His death that will help them to recognize Him at the end of time. In fact, it is the orthodox and faithful Jew who will recognize Him before the secular Jew because they have an intimate knowledge of the rituals that they have been performing for 4000 years. Therefore, we should do these things because God says so and He has a very good reason.

Study to show yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2: 15 | Time: 40 minutes Print: 11 pages
Copyright Updated : 2 October 2008 Credits: Author: Laverna Patterson. Editor: Patterson (January 2008) Many original insights came because of the gift of knowledge. The gift appears to be centered around teaching me about Christ. All images and page design created by Laverna Patterson and are the property of teachinghearts. How to make the Tefillin. URL: http://www.templesanjose.org/JudaismInfo/faq/tefillin.pdf. Gerizim and Ebal. Holman Bible Dictionary. Meaning of the names.