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Eagle North
Dan |  | Asher |  | Naphtali
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Wild Ox | Merari | Lion
--- | --- | ---
West |  |  |
| East
Benjamin
Manasseh
Ephraim (Joseph)
Ark of the Covenant
Table of Shewbread
Incense
Menorah
Laver |
Altar of Sacrifice
Most Holy | Holy Place | Outer Court
Judah
Issachar
Zebulun
Gershon | Levi |  | Moses and Aaron
Sanctuary Complex and Tribe Camp Sites
Kohath
Gad |  | Simeon |  | Reuben
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Son of Man South
Blessing (Mount Gerizim in the South): Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. Curse (Mount Ebal in the North): Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. Leader: These are the leading tribes who went ahead when they moved. (Numbers 2)

History: The Family Of Jacob (Israel)

The Twelve Tribes
Ezekiel's Temple The City of God The Exodus Ends Wrath on Two Witnesses Breastplate Colors The Seven Churches

Jacob was the second of fraternal twin sons. God changed his name to Israel many years later. His brother Esau gave him the birthright of the firstborn for a pot of bean stew. With the help of his mother, they tricked his blind father into giving him the blessing of the first born. Fearing his brother's anger he ran away from home, after getting the birthright and blessing, to live with his uncle Laban in Babylon.
There he met and fell in love with his cousin Rachel and agreed to work seven years for her. But Laban switched the older daughter, Leah for her sister and Jacob discovered this after the marriage. His uncle said that He could marry Rachel in a week if he agreed to work another seven years and keep Leah as his wife. So Jacob hated Leah and loved Rachel and the sisters competed for his affection. Leah kept having children, including a daughter named Dinah, but Rachel was barren. Then Rachel gave Jacob her maid as a wife and Leah did the same. These four women became the mothers of the twelve tribes of Israel and their behavior became a prophecy about the fate of the righteous nation.

1. Leah. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah. Issachar, Zebulun and Dinah who might have been Zebulun's twin.
   Her children became the monarchy and the priesthood (Judah and Levi).
2. Rachel. Joseph and Benjamin.
3. Bilhah ("Rachel's Maid"). Dan and Naphtali.
4. Zilpah ("Leah's Maid"). Gad and Asher.

The Source Of The Symbols
Several characteristics about the tribes, their camp locations and their duties are a symbol of the final week of the life of Christ. As we examine each feature we will see how Christ used their lives and personalities to prophesy about His humiliation, death and victory. God writes the details of His humiliation in several layers of symbols that became the story of their lives.
The Camp Sites.

The Four Directions
» East. The coming of Hope. » South. Trial and affliction. e.g. Slavery in Egypt. » West. The final destination. » North. Judgment is in the north at the throne of God. e.g. The king of the north.

Outside the sanctuary complex was the campsite of the tribes. The fours sons of Levi were camped closest to the sanctuary and three tribes were camped beyond each of them in all four directions. Their location around the temple represents the siege of the sanctuary.

- East. Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. They symbolically represent Jesus' final entrance into Jerusalem to offer Himself as the sacrifice that would make Him our permanent High Priest.
- South. Reuben, Simeon and Gad. They represent Jesus' suffering and humiliation.
- North. Dan, Asher, Naphtali. They represent the darkest hours of Jesus' suffering and His death.
- West. Joseph (Ephraim, Manasseh) and Benjamin. The children of Rachel, the beloved wife, represent the glory of Christ after the resurrection.
- Between the Sanctuary and the Camp. Different groups of the tribes of Levi camped next to the sanctuary in different directions. They represent what happened to the body of Christ in the final week.
  - East. The tribe of Moses and Aaron who served as priests.
  - South. The tribe of Kohath who carried the furniture and holy objects on their shoulders.
  - North. The tribe of Merari who carried the sanctuary structure on four carts driven by eight oxen.
  - West. The tribe of Gershon who carried the fabric coverings on two carts driven by four oxen.
  The sons of Levi stood between the sanctuary and the other tribes to represent the fact that Jesus stands between God and us so that His wrath falls on them before it falls on us.
  But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there will be no wrath on the congregation of the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the testimony. (Numbers 1: 53)

The Characteristics, Duties and Experiences of The Tribes.
Besides their location around the sanctuary, several personal attributes are used to demonstrate the events in the life of Christ during His final week.
... Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day. (Luke 24: 46)
The characteristic of each son represents an important phase of His suffering as He was besieged by various groups.

- Their Names. Their names showed what was in His mind and how they treated Him.
  » The Message in the Names. A praised son, who paid wages and gave gifts. But He was afflicted and hated. However, He was fortunate that God judged Him, so He became attached to God and He was happy because He prevailed. His reproach was removed and God made Him forget His terrible treatment at the hands of His brothers by taking away His sorrows and making Him the Son of the Right Hand.
- The Camps of Levi. The duties and position of the sons of Levi represent what the priests did to His body.
- Blessings of Jacob (Beginning of the Exodus). The blessings are prophecies that tell the story of the events in each phase of the end of days for Christ as He began His exodus from earth (Genesis 48-49).
  Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, "Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the end of days". All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when He blessed them. He blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him. (Genesis 49: 1, 28)
  » The Message in the Blessings. Initially praised, but later treated as a donkey bearing burdens, a haven for turbulent waters, scattered, attacked by raiders, He falls down dead after being bitten by a snake. Then, treated as a king, He is set free to be a fruitful nation with lots of plunder that He shares.
- Offering Cut Up. The blessings of Jacob also assign a different part of the body of the sacrifice to each son. They were responsible for tearing Him to pieces.
- Blessings of Moses (End of the Exodus). The blessings of Moses before they crossed over the Jordan into the Promised Land are also prophecies of the events of the final week of Christ at the end of His exodus.
  » The Message in the Blessings. He was brought to His people, and He walked out living in tents, the firstborn son coming with the leaders of the people. Attacked by a lion's whelp, His family was not with Him on the journey. He walked in iron and bronze shoes until He took possession of the sea and south, a good land which He fills with people who dwell in security with Him.
- The Disassembly and Restoration of the Sanctuary. The rules for packing up and moving during the exodus gives a sequence of events in the exodus of Christ and the church until the restoration of the sanctuary and the holy objects and the arrival of the last tribes at the end of time.
- The Law and Prophets. The law and prophets also predicted the major events, His behavior and emotional state during that week. We will only mention a few of these in this lesson.
  » Moses. The laws concerning the handling of the offerings.
  » Psalms. David and others wrote about His feelings and triumphs.
  - Christ Praised and Betrayed. Psalm 21, 41
  - Christ on the Cross. Psalm 22, 69
  - Christ in the Grave. Psalm 16, 23, 88.
  - Christ Victorious. Psalm 24, 68, 100
  » Isaiah 53. He mentions many of the attributes of Christ that Jacob assigned to his sons in his blessings.
  » Jonah. His experience was a sign of the three worst days of that week.
  » Ezekiel 40-48. This is a prophecy of the time from Christ's last week to the church in the last days who will also have the experience of the twelve tribes.
- The Twelve Spies Give A Report. The twelve tribes are the spies who went to see the Promised Land, only two gave a good report. Ten of the twelve sons gave a bad report about Jesus, only Joseph and Benjamin are symbolically seen as giving a good report. Other events during the exodus were also symbolized by Christ.
  - Sanctuary Surrounded by the Tribes. Jesus was God who came to tabernacle among men.
  - The Feasts. God provides a feast for us while we are in the desert called Earth so that we can live.
    - Passover. God provides bread.
    - Pentecost. God provides water.
    - Yom Kippur. God provides justice and repeals the death sentence.
    - Tabernacles. God provides shelter and security.
  - Passover Seder. Jesus is the Manna sent from heaven to give us life and the Lamb of God.
  - Aaron's Rod. Jesus is the dead stick that came to life to prove that He was the High Priest.
  - Striking the Rock. Jesus is the Rock that was struck at the crucifixion, giving the water of the Holy Spirit.
  - The Snake on a Stick. Jesus is the snake on the cross who removed our curses when He was lifted up.
  - Balaam's Donkey. Christ is the beast of burden whom we beat three times (three days).
  - Abomination. Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor and God sent a plague (Numbers 25: 3).
  - Census. Israel takes a census to distribute their inheritance (Numbers 26).
  - Law Repeated. The law is repeated to the generation who will enter the Promised Land (Numbers 29).
  - Revenge. Israel takes revenge on Midian for corrupting them (Numbers 31).
  - Walls of Jericho. He is the temple and city whose walls crumbled after we besieged Him seven times.
- Covenant Blessings and Curses ("The Siege of Jesus"). Before they crossed over the Jordan river to the Promised Land, each tribe was assigned a role in repeating the covenant blessings and curses. This also followed the pattern of the north containing all the curses and the blessings in the south.
  Blessings: Southern Mountain. "When you cross the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. (Deuteronomy 27: 12)
  Curses: Northern Mountain. "For the curse, these shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. (Deuteronomy 27: 13)
  The tribes were not arranged around the sanctuary by age or mothers or number of people or marching order. There was also no logic or pattern in who was assigned to say the blessings and curses. The reasons and patterns by which these roles were assigned were not clear. However, there is a pattern of more curses applied in going east, south, north and then west. So that the number of tribes who said the blessings and curses correspond to the progressive worsening of His situation and that establishes the order of the events for that week.
  1. East ("1 Curse and 2 Blessings"). Jesus enters Jerusalem as the potential beloved King.
  2. South ("2 Curses and 1 Blessing"). Jesus is mocked and ridiculed at His arrest and trials.
  3. North ("All Curses"). Jesus is rejected, crucified and killed.
  4. West ("All Blessings"). Jesus is resurrected and taken to Heaven to be crowned as King and High Priest.
  In the lesson on Christ we showed the same pattern of progressively worse treatment that followed the pattern of a cursed sanctuary until honor was restored after the resurrection.
  "The Siege of Jesus". Jesus was the sanctuary surrounded by His people and besieged by His enemies.
  As we go through each side we will see How He was progressively besieged and surrounded by His enemies who were symbolized in the blessings or curses assigned to each tribe.
  "The Furniture in the Sanctuary". Each side predicted what curse would be sent from the furniture.
- The Exodus Journey to the Promised Land. The events of the final week also followed the order of this journey. They went east, south, north and west under the banner of a particular leading tribe.
  1. East ("Judah"). They left Egypt and traveled east across the turbulent waters of the Red Sea.
  2. South ("Reuben"). They traveled south to meet God at Mount Horeb and received the laws.
  3. North ("Dan"). They traveled north towards the Promised Land and they rebelled on the borders. So the first generation was rejected in favor of the second generation and they wandered around in circles for forty years until the rebellious generation died. Then they continued their journey north.
  4. West ("Ephraim"). The second generation went west across the Jordan river to reach their destination.
- Childhood. The journeys and events of His life as a young child also copied the exodus journey.
- The Birth Order Of The Sons. This is a history of the major phases of the church.

  Birth Order Of The 12 Sons Of Israel
  Sons | Church | March | Mother
  --- | --- | --- | ---
  1 | Reuben | Jews | 4 |  | Leah
  2 | Simeon | Christians | 5 | 5
  3 | Levi | - | -
  4 | Judah | Remnant | 1 |
  5 | Dan | Judgment | 10 |  | Bilhah
  6 | Naphtali | Exit Babylon | 12 | 12
  7 | Gad | Persecuted | 6 | 6 | Zilpah
  8 | Asher | Martyrs | 11 | 11
  9 | Issachar | Flee to God | 2 | 2 | Leah
  10 | Zebulun | Tabernacles | 3 | 3
  - | Dinah | The bride is ready
  11 | Joseph | Fruitful | 7 | - | Rachel
  14 | Ephraim | (2) | 7 |
  13 | Manasseh | (1) | 8 | -
  12 | Benjamin | Heaven | 9 | -
  The lead tribe on their march

- The Wives and Concubines.
  1. Leah. The hated wife. She is hated by her husband then she is hated by the world. But the beloved bride of Christ comes out of her.
  2. Bilhah. The concubine who committed adultery with Reuben. In this phase the church is judged and flees from Babylon the great harlot
  3. Zilpah. The concubine of the hated wife whose children represents the phase when the church is hated.
  4. Rachel. The beloved wife whose children represent the state of the church and their reward in the end.
  The experience of Jesus progressed from the children of the hated wife, to the two concubines to the children of the beloved wife.
  - East: The Hated Wife (Leah). Praise then rejection. Jacob worked hard for seven years and was disappointed by a fraud. He did not get the wife for whom he bargained. Jesus and the disciples worked hard for the Jewish nation for seven years. Like Jacob, Jesus rejected this wife but both had to keep her. Israel was rejected but not divorced.
  - South and North: The Concubines (Bilhah and Zilpah). Imprisonment and death. These children represented the fruit of the consequence of the actions of the two wives. The wives brought adultery into the home by giving these women to the man. Sarah also brought Hagar to Abraham. Eve brought the fruit to Adam. In all these cases the man could have rejected the offer and did not. However, Jesus had to accept what the woman (the church) brought to Him and suffer the consequences for it. The covenant was passed to the Gentiles.
  - West: The Beloved Wife (Rachel). Victory. Jacob waited one week after discovering the fraud, then married his beloved wife at the end of the seven years but he had to work hard for her for another seven years. This is symbolized in the final week that He fulfilled with Israel and the marriage to the Gentile church. This is fulfilled in the fact that the Gentile church seems to have been given the same amount of time as Israel, 2000 years. Their time may also end with a pattern of seven years, and seven days.

  2000 Years | 2000 Years
  --- | ---
  Jews Called | 3½ Years |  | 7 Days | 3½ Years | Gentiles Called | 7 Years | 7 Days
  Jacob and Leah | Jacob and the Concubines (Gentiles) | Israel and Rachel

- The Marching Order of Israel. Israel moved their camp in a particular order. They went from east, south, west and north. This is not the order of the events of the final week. This represents the order of the history of the world as we journey from the first coming of Christ earth to the third coming. The final two destinations are switched. Christ suffered the wrath symbolized in the north for us before He goes west to the Promised Land. Only the wicked have to experience the wrath.
- Waving The Lulav. It is waved in six directions which follow the same pattern as the marching order. Facing east they shake the lulav east, south, west, north, up and down. This is forward, right, back, left, up and down.
- Prayers. The Lord's Prayer and the Shepherd's Psalm are structured in this order (Matthew 6 and Psalm 23).
- The Cherubim. The four faces of the cherubim correspond to the major role of Christ as the divine one in each direction. They also correspond to the tribe who leads out in each direction. (Ezekiel 1: 10; Ezekiel 10: 14; Revelation 4: 7)
  1. East ("Lion"). He is the Lion from Judah who is King of Kings.
  2. South ("Man"). He is the Son of Man who will gain preeminence after suffering afflictions.
  3. North ("Eagle"). He is the great judge who judges the wicked and devours them and frees the righteous.
  4. West ("Ox"). He is the wild ox of Joseph who fills up the whole earth.
- The Creation. Each direction represents one of the first four days of creation. God created the containers on those days and filled them in the last three days. In our redemption or recreation, He made the containers at the First Coming and He will fill them at the Second Coming. He fills the earth with the righteous at the end of time.
  1. East ("Light"). Jesus is the light of the glory of God who came to the temple from the east Ezekiel 43: 1-3.
  2. South ("Sea and Sky"). God scattered the turbulent waters and separated them from the sky.
  3. North ("Earth and Trees"). Jesus is the seed that fell in the earth and died, impaled on a dead tree. He was buried in the earth and sprouted like a tree in the resurrection.
  4. West ("Sun, Moon and Stars"). These are symbols used to describe the people of God. (Revelation 12)
- The Commandments. He kept the covenant that week. The first four commandments are the basis of that covenant. During that week He honored God by loving Him with all His heart. Yet He received every method of the death penalty.
  1. East ("One God"). Jesus came as Emmanuel ("God with us") to introduce the world to the Father declaring that He and the Father are One. At the beginning of the week He was teaching in the temple.
  2. South ("No Idols"). Jesus submitted to the will of God instead of His own desires and accepted death.
  3. North ("Name of God"). Jesus did not respond to save His good name and reputation. He trusted that God gives His name to His people. Jesus received this new name at the resurrection. (Philippians 2: 9)
  4. West ("Sabbath"). Jesus rested in the grave on the Sabbath. The people of God finally have a Sabbath rest in heaven for 1000 years. The wicked are also at rest in their graves in the millennium.
  Death by Stoning. The people hurled abuses at Him, like stones. Stoning is the death penalty for blasphemers, idolaters, Sabbath breakers and seducers of a city. Jesus kept the Sabbath even when He was dead. He tried to turn the city back to God with truth. He was a faithful witness for God, honoring His name. He did not worship Satan. He did not even act to grasp what was His own, but turned the other cheek.
  Did not Covet. who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
  » New Name. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. (Philippians 2: 6-9)
  5. Honor Parents. He arranged for a new home for His mother and submitted to His Father's will.
     Death by Hanging or Strangulation. People were often hanged after they were stoned to death. He received the penalty for dishonoring parents. After He was stoned with abuses, He was hung on a cross where His head was symbolically torn off at Golgotha, "the place of the skull".
  6. Do not Kill. He submitted to death to give eternal life to the whole world.
  7. Do not Commit Adultery. He remained faithful to God even when it seemed that God had divorced and abandoned Him.
     Death by Burning. This is the death penalty for adultery by the daughter of a priest or an unfaithful priest. He was punished as if He were an unfaithful priest.
  8. Do not Steal. He did not grasp equality with God, but humbled Himself and gave Himself for others.
  9. Do not be a False Witness. He was the faithful and true witness. (Revelation 3: 14)
  10. Do not Covet. He did not even covet the throne of God which was His own. (Philippians 2: 6-9)
  Death by the Sword, Spear or Arrow. This is the death penalty for those who are seduced, their property was also destroyed. He had a spear pushed into His side. He did not submit to temptation by Satan or temptation by harsh persecution. He was beaten and insulted, slapped and kicked, spit on and mocked. This emotional suffering was His burning. He was destroyed. His disciples were scattered and He was abandoned by everyone. When He died He had no property. He was utterly desolated!

There are at least twelve separate patterns occurring at the same time. Just remember that different symbols may be describing the same event or person from another point of view or at another point in time.
There also seems to be a law that says that the church must go through the experience of Christ. So we find that the same symbols and sequences can be applied to the church. However, this rich depth of symbols is always consistent in the fact that each son always represents the same experience and the same pattern.

The Final Week
This is a calendar of the events during the final week.

Saturday | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Night | Day | Night | Day | Night | Day | Night | Day | Night | Day | - | Night 1 | Day 1 | Night 2 | Day 2 | Night 3 | Day 3 | -
Nisan 9 | Nisan 10 | Nisan 11 | Nisan 12 | Nisan 13 | Nisan 14 | Nisan 15 | Nisan 16 | 17
Curses : | Enemies Rule | 2. No Fruit | 3. No Children | 4. Sword | 5. Wrath of God | Blessings
Mary's oil and tears. Anoints, washes feet | Donkey | Fig tree cursed | Cleansed Temple | Priests Plot | Arrest | Trial | Death | Sabbath | Wavesheaf
Passover Lamb
Jerusalem | Teaches in Jerusalem | Suffering | Dead, Buried | Resurrected | -
Lamb salted, washed | Lamb selected | Lamb examined | Kiss Bread | Roast, Boil, Eat | Swallow | Vomit
The Seed comes to die | Jesus in the Bowels 3 Days and Nights | -
Priest washed, Anointed | Ministry to Jerusalem in the Temple | Final sacrifice in the middle of the week
Priest is ordained through 7 days. Stays at the temple door | Lord Appears
| Feast of Booths | -

12:30 PM 3/1/2011 Jesus came to Jerusalem at Passover to celebrate the feast of Booths. On the first day, He rode in Jerusalem through palm branches and on the eighth day He was in Heaven at an assembly (Leviticus 23: 39-43).
Wrath for Seven Times. He also suffered the five series of curses during the seven days.

1. Enemies Rule. His enemies would rule over Him from the day He entered Jerusalem.
2. No Fruit. He cursed the fig tree to represent the fact that Israel bore no fruit.
3. Wild Beasts Attack Leaving No Children. Satan, the beast, caused Judas to betray Him and the rest of the disciples would desert Him. They would attack Him like wild beasts and scatter His supporters.
4. Sword. A hostile, armed mob came with the Gentile Roman army to arrest Him. Peter used a sword.
5. Wrath of God. Jesus suffered the wrath during His trial, crucifixion and death.

This is a symbolic representation of the same events that we will attempt to explain below.

Siege | Disemboweled and Dismantled and Disassembled | Exodus Completed
--- | --- | ---
Nisan 10-13 | Nisan 14 | 15 | Nisan 16 | Nisan 17 to Future
King | Donkey | Upper Room | Gethsemane | Disciples Flee | Arrest, Trial | Crucified | Dead | Raised | Fruitful | Made me forget | Right hand son
Praise | Wages, burdens | Gift, haven | Afflicted Waters | Hated, scattered | Raiders Justice | Judged Serpent | Bread Oil | Loose doe | Greater nation | Great nation | Wolf, secure
Wine | Shoulder | Flank | Testicles | Skinned | Eat | Horn | Bread | SHEMA | Breasts, Womb | Tamid
Judah | Issachar | Zebulun | Reuben | Simeon | Gad | Dan | Asher | Naphtali | Ephraim | Manasseh | Benjamin
Children of Leah and Jacob (Hated Wife) | Children of the Concubines (Gentiles) | Children of Rachel and Israel (Beloved Wife)
Light from God's Glory | Waters scattered | Dead Tree | Seed buried | Seed Sprouts | Sun, moon, stars
Leaving Old Jerusalem | Trial and Suffering | Wrath | Entering New Jerusalem
Exodus Begins | Wandering in the Wilderness | Healed After a Snake Bite | Enters Promised Land
Moses and Aaron (Priests) | Kohath (Holy Objects) | Merari (Building) | Gershon (Ceiling, Fence)
East | South | North | West
Behold we are going up to Jerusalem | delivered to the chief priests and the scribes | given to Gentiles | Mocked, spit on, scourged, killed | and three days later He will rise again

The journey through the desert was His time on earth as the portable sanctuary on an exodus to guide Israel to the Promised Land. In His final week Jesus was besieged by all twelve tribes. Then in the final three days He was disassembled and disemboweled. After His resurrection, He completed His exodus to heaven.

- Siege. The twelve tribes surrounded Jesus as the dinner guests sitting around the table at the Passover feast.
- Dismantled. They tore Him apart and carried Him to His execution while they devoured Him as the meal.
- Exodus. He completed His journey by going to Heaven. He was regurgitated and sent back to God.
  The regurgitation became a sign of their rejection because they were supposed to swallow Him again so that they could assimilate Him and be unified with Him.
  That they may all be one, even as you, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they may also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them even as You have loved Me. (John 17: 21, 23)

The Positions Of The Camps And The Dismantling Of The Sanctuary

Three Days Journey | Resting Place
--- | ---
Ark of the Covenant | First Attack | Second Attack | Holy Objects Arrive |
Moses Aaron | Judah |  | Gershon | Merari | Reuben | Joseph | Dan |  | Kohath | Joseph Ephraim | Dan
Led By God (Priest and King) | Sanctuary Taken Down | Israel Afflicted | Death | Sanctuary Restored | People Blessed | Wicked Cursed
Leaders Killed | Diversion
East | - | South | West | North | South West | West | North
Working for the Lord | Dying in the Lord | Prophesy Again

Now we will examine the three tribes on each side and the duties of the sons of Levi assigned to their side as they were fulfilled during the final week of His life. Each son represents an event or phase of His experience. We will see how Jesus learned the sequence of events of His last days.
Behold we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again. (Mark 10: 33-34)
The Exodus of Jesus from Jerusalem. At the tranfiguration, he told His disciples that He would be going on an exodus.
And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his clothes was white and glistening. And, look, there two men talked with him, which were Moses and Elias:
Who appeared in glory, and spoke of his departure which He should accomplish at Jerusalem. (Luke 9: 28-31)
The word "departure" is the same word as "exodus". The two prophets who went on an exodus appeared with Him.

- Holy Objects Prepared for Exodus. The objects were packed up and covered by the sons of Aaron and prepared for the journey. Jesus did this by warning His disciples several times that He was going to die and be resurrected in three days.
  - Ark of the Covenant. For three and a half years He established the covenant with Israel. The Ark was covered by a veil, then the porpoise cover then the blue linen.
  - Table of Shewbread. He was the Bread of the Presence, the Manna sent from heaven who was physically present in the Holy land with Israel.
  - Menorah. He is the light of the world shining from Israel.
  - Golden Altar. He was a Rabbi who was actually our indestructible High Priest.
  - Utensils. He prepared holy vessels to do the work of God when He called the disciples.
  - Altar of Sacrifice. He lived a life of sacrifice as He was reconciling us to the heavenly Father.
  Except for the Ark, everything was covered in porpoise cover on the outside, symbolizing the fact that His true nature was hidden beneath a veil of flesh.
- Angel. The first journey took three days and an angel of the Lord went ahead of them.
  Three Days. Then they set out from the mount of the Lord three days' journey, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord journeying in front of them for the three days to seek a resting place for them. (Numbers 10: 33)
  Jesus' ordeal lasted three days and an angel visited Him in the Garden of Gethsemane to give Him guidance and comfort.
- Leaders. The leaders and priests initiated the process that led to His disassembly (crucifixion). When the Ark left, Moses said these words.
  The Lord is Risen or Raised Up. Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said, "Rise up, O Lord! And let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You." (Numbers 10: 35)
  At the beginning of the journey, Jesus was lifted up as He rode on the donkey through the loud cheering of the crowd. The priests were forced to retreat because they feared the reaction of the crowd.
  At the end He was lifted up on the cross to the sound of the curses and insults.
- Judah. He comes in from the east at the blast of the first trumpet sound of cheering crowds.
- Sanctuary Disassembled. During the final week He prepares the disciples for His death, even prophesying that the real sanctuary would be torn down (Matthew 24 and Luke 21).
  - Gershon (Roof). He prophesied that the covenant would be taken away.
  - Merari (Building). He prophesied that the sanctuary would be torn down, so that no stones remain.
- Reuben. In Gethsemane, He suffered affliction as He paid the price for our salvation.
- Blessings Robbed (Diversion). After Gethsemane, He had restored the covenant and the sanctuary in heaven and was scheduled to receive the blessing, but on earth He was robbed of this blessing as they arrested Him and sent Him to suffer the curses and the wrath of Satan.
  - Sanctuary Restoration. The sanctuary was taken and stripped of its valuables instead of being restored.
  - Kohath (Furniture). The holy objects were captured, just like the Philistines captured the ark.
  - Ephraim and Joseph. Reproach was heaped on Him and He lost all His fruit as the disciples scattered.
  - Dan. He was led to Mount Calvary to be killed and was resurrected on the third day.

  Gad | Joseph | Manasseh | Benjamin | Dan | Asher | Naphtali |  | Kohath | Joseph Ephraim | Dan
  --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
  Raiders | Blessings Robbed | Death | Resurrection | Wicked
  Captured | Covanant Robbed (Diversion) | Prophesy Again (Restored)

- Blessings Restored (Prophesy Again). In effect we have a do over. His experience restarted in the south west corner after the resurrection.
  - Sanctuary Reassembled. His body or sanctuary was restored and raised up.
  - Kohath (Furniture). His disciples were restored. When the ark arrived, Moses said these words which signal that at this point of the journey, the Lord can return.
    The Lord Returns. When it came to rest, he said, "Return, O Lord, to the myriad thousands of Israel". (Numbers 10: 36)
  - Ephraim and Joseph. His reproach was removed on earth.
  - Dan. Wrath was poured out on His enemies.
  This retracing of the western and northern series of events after they did not go as promised in the covenant, is the basis of the command to "Prophesy Again" in Revelation 10. We will even demonstrate below that the law tells the people to go back to the point where they were diverted.

The Tribes In The East ("Prince of the Covenant: Entering and Leaving Jerusalem")
The exodus journey begins. As they begin their journey, the ark of the covenant which is covered by the inner veil goes before them. It represents Christ who was hiding His divinity under a human body. The journey starts with Christ, the King coming in the form of a Man to begin an important phase in the Plan of Salvation. He enters Jerusalem one more time before He goes home.
who goes before you on your way, to seek out a place for you to encamp, in fire by night and cloud by day, to show you the way in which you should go. (Deuteronomy 1: 33)
Their names mean, "praise the Lord", "God has given me my wages" and "God has endowed me with a good gift".
These are three sons of the wife who was not loved. They represent the roles of Christ when He entered Jerusalem on a donkey through crowds of adoring fans. Jesus entered Jerusalem to be praised and betrayed as a child who was not loved. Our quarantined world would also stand before heaven on that day as a wife who was not loved.
» Camped Out In The East. Jesus spent the week on the mount of Olives which is in the east of Jerusalem.
Camping Out on the Mount of Olives. Now during the day He was teaching in the temple, but at evening He would go out and spend the night on the mount that is called Olivet. (Luke 21: 37)
As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24: 3)
After the Seder. After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Matthew 26: 30)
Sacrifice and Laver ("Priests, Sores and Dead Men"). Jesus came through the east gate with a gift to heal the diseases of the great sea of wicked who were bathing and drowning in the blood of the dead. He appointed fishermen to go out into this sea of blood to catch men, but He was thrown overboard and caught in the net of the wicked.
Waving The Lulav Forward (East). The fruit of God and the Branch of the green tree went east.

- Moses ("Taken out, drawn forth") and Aaron ("A Teacher, lofty, Mountain of strength"). This is the role Jesus played during the first three days. He was the mountain of God who had come to crush Satan's empire. He was also a teacher in the synagogue. Then He was taken out to Gethsemene to continue the rest of the prophecy and drink the first cup of the seder ("I will bring out").
  The High Priest. They were the division of Levi that served as priests. Jesus would be our indestructible High Priest who stood between us and the wrath of God by receiving the wrath of God for us.
  ("The Unfaithful Priests"). The high priests and rulers were plotting to murder Him and cause the wrath!
  Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas. and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him. (Matthew 26: 3-4)
  Then Judas gave them an opportunity to have Him falsely arrested and they tried to trap Him into statements that would bring legal charges so that the state could murder Him.
  And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King." (Luke 23: 2)
  The Cherubim ("Lion of Judah"). On the east side the cherubim is a lion who represents the King of Kings from the tribe of Judah. In Revelation He is seen at the inauguration and the coronation opening the books of the law to proceed with the judgment. Jesus is the conquering lion from the tribe of Judah.
  and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals." (Revelation 5: 5)
- Judah ("Praise the Lord"). His name means "praise the Lord" (Genesis 29: 35). For the first time Leah thanked the Lord instead of trying to win the affections of her husband.
  When Jesus entered Jerusalem He was greeted as their next king with shouts of praise, Hosanna!
  The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!" (Matthew 21: 9)
  Five days later they would shout, "crucify Him" and join themselves to Caesar as their chosen king.
  So they cried out, " Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." (John 19: 15)
  Why did they turn against Him so quickly? Isaiah gives us a clue. He was not good enough.
  Who has believed our message? And to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground. He had no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (Isaiah 53: 1-3)
  During the final week He was their High Priest. He was teaching in the temple every day and the people seemed to be impressed with His miracles until He prophesied about their temple. The priests despised Him, even though He had raised Lazarus from the dead the previous week. But He also drove away the money changers and cleansed the temple and probably earned their resentment.
  Blessings of Jacob ("The Lion King"). The Messiah would descend from the tribe of Judah so that He could inherit the throne of David.
  Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's sons shall bow down to you. Judah is a lion's whelp. From the prey my son you have gone up. He couches, he lies down like a lion. And as a lion who dares rouse him up? (Genesis 49: 8-9)
  This blessing is another prophecy that He would be greeted with praise as a King by the tribes of Israel.

  The Siege of Jesus (The Adoration of Admirers)
  Surrounded by Friends

  » King on a Colt. The blessings include the prophecy of a king with a colt whose garments are stained in blood.
  He ties his foal to the vine, and his donkey's colt to the choice vine; He washes his garments in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine and his teeth whiter than milk. (Genesis 49: 11, 12)
  He came to Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey to give His blood. In the future, Jesus also comes on a white horse with His robes dipped in blood. He is the choicest vine that is attached to the colt.
  King. And I saw heaven opened, and saw, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called 'The Word of God'. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "King Of Kings, and Lord Of Lords." (Revelation 19: 11-16)
  » Garments in Wine. The hem of His robes are stained with blood because He takes revenge for His people.
  Blood of Grapes. Who is this that comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Therefore you are red in your apparel, and your garments like him that treads in the wine vat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in my anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my clothes. For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. (Isaiah 63: 1-4)
  Shiloh Comes. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a ruler's staff from between his feet until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. (Genesis 49: 10)
  Jesus is the one whom the Gentiles obeyed when the scepter passed from the Jews to them.
  Drink Offering. The wine.
  Israel. Israel praised the Messiah as He rode through the gates of Jerusalem on a donkey.
  Blessings of Moses. And this regarding Judah; so he said, 'Hear, O LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people. With his hands he contended for them, and may You be a help against his adversaries'. (Deuteronomy 33: 7)
  » End Of The Exodus (King). He wore a crown of thorns and dressed in purple to be mocked. He died naked.
  » Bring Him to His People. He came to the people on a donkey amidst shouts of praise.
  » With His Hands. Jesus stretched out His arms so that His hands could be nailed. Therefore He redeemed them and fought for them with outstretched arms and later holds a sword to defend them.
  And one will say to Him, what are these wounds between Your hands? Then He will say "those with which I was wounded in the house of those who love Me". (Zechariah 13: 6)
  » His Adversaries. These are the people, Jews, Romans, Gentiles, priests and leaders who plotted to kill Him.
  ("Blessing: Adoring Fans"). Jesus was surrounded by cheering crowds who wanted Him to be king.
- Issachar ("Wages"). His name means "God has given me my wages because I gave my maid to my husband" (Genesis 30: 18). He was located directly in front of the east gate.
  » Dudaim (Beloved). This word is a plant gathered by Reuben for his mother and is translated as "mandrake" which is used to promote conception. In this story from Genesis 30: 14-18, described as used for an exchange in a bargain by Rachel. Leah gave it to Rachel in exchange for Jacob sleeping with her. She conceived Issachar.
  » Wages. Jesus rode through the east gates on a donkey to receive and pay "the wages of sin".
  For the wages of sin is death ... (Romans 6: 23)
  » I Gave My Maid to My Husband. We are called the bond servants of God (maids). Christ gave us to God in exchange for His wages. The wages He received was to exchange us for our death sentence. In giving her maid, she gave everything she had brought to the marriage, her dowry.
  Leah's maid had two sons. These were prophetically her wages, a bride and children with eternal life.
  - Gad. He represents Christ raiding the earth to take His bride (Revelation 19).
  - Naphtali. He represents the resurrected, which Christ receives at His coming.
  » The Jews Gave the Gentiles to God. The Jews were not allowed to make slaves of their own people, but they were allowed to take slaves from the Gentiles. This prophecy says that the Jews, as the hated wife, gave the Gentiles to God and they will be rewarded for it.
  Blessings of Jacob ("The Donkey Who Bears Burdens"). He was described as a donkey in his father's blessings. The Messiah, the good Shepherd, would go through the east gate on a donkey (through Issachar).
  Donkey among Sheep. Issachar is a strong donkey, lying between the sheepfolds.
  Bears Burden on His Shoulders. When he saw that a resting place was good and that the land was pleasant, he bowed his shoulder to bear burdens and became a slave at forced labor. (Genesis 49: 14-15)
  » Jesus Bears the Burden of the Cross. This is clearly a description of Jesus who was sold for the price of a slave and forced to carry the cross on his shoulders in the land of Palestine, the "Pleasant Land".
  They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. (John 19: 17)
  » The Donkey. Say to the daughter of Zion, "Behold, your king is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey". (Matthew 21: 5; Zechariah 9: 9)
  » Among The Sheep. On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written "Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, your King comes, sitting on an ass's colt". (John 12: 12-15)

  Donkey
  Bears burdens Fallen Donkey Donkey Strays Beaten 3 Times Donkey Torn Away Donkey Redeemed

  » Jesus Removes the Burden of Israel. Jews attribute this prophecy to the Messiah. He will remove the burdens of our enemies.
  So it will be in that day, that his burden will be removed from your shoulders and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be broken because of fatness. (Isaiah 10: 27)
  » The Donkey and The Ox Falls. When Jesus stumbled and fell and Simon of Cyrene helped Him to carry the cross he was obeying this law.
  You shall not see your countryman's donkey or his ox fallen down on the way, and pay no attention to them, you shall certainly help him to raise them up. (Deuteronomy 22: 4)
  » The Pleasant Land. Israel is the Pleasant Land where He carried the burden.
  Shoulder Offering. The heave offering is lifted up on the shoulders as Christ carries the cross.
  Blessings of Moses. The blessings for Issachar are combined with Zebulun. It is discussed below.
  ("Blessing: Attentive Students"). Jesus was surrounded by those who wanted to hear Him as He spoke in the temple every day.
- Zebulun ("A Good Gift, Dowry"). His name is a combination of a gift of a dowry and a dwelling place.
  God has endowed me with a good gift; now my husband will dwell with me because I have born him six sons. (Genesis 30: 20)
  Jesus was given the disciples as his gift. At the crucifixion, Jesus paid the wages of sin and then God gave us the gift of eternal life and also sent us the gift of the Holy Spirit to live with us as our constant companion. He also gave us the disciples who are the foundation of the church. Their meeting in the upper room and the calling of these fishermen by Christ is represented by Zebulun.
  Zebulun was the only one in the east who said the curse because the Messiah would also bear our curse as well as our death and exchange them for good gifts with the wages He has earned.
  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6: 23)
  Blessings of Jacob ("A Haven for Ships and Those who live by the sea"). Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border [flank] will extend toward Sidon. (Genesis 49: 13)
  Jesus was a shelter to the disciples who were mostly a group of fishermen from Galilee, a region in the north at the border of Sidon between the sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean or Great sea. See map.
  As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him. (Mark 1:16-20)
  » In the Upper Room. On this day, the haven was the upper room where they went for the Passover meal. This safe place was arranged by God. It was here that He washed their feet and Judas left to betray Him.
  » Construction of the Upper Room. The details of the blessings lead us to conclude that the upper room may have been a tent erected on the roof. With so many people coming to the city for the appointed feasts, it makes sense that people would erect temporary cloth and animal skin shelters on the flat roof space for renting.
  Offering. These are the priests who offer the sacrifices from the flank.
  Blessings of Moses. Of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going forth, and, Issachar, in your tents. They will call peoples to the mountain; There they will offer righteous sacrifices; For they will draw out the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the sand. (Deuteronomy 33: 18-19)
  » End Of The Exodus (The Donkey By The Sea). He bore the burdens of sin while surrounded by the sea of people.
  » Zebulun Goes Forth. This is the ride through the gates on the donkey. He can rejoice among the praises.
  » Issachar's Tents. Issachar is the people through whom the donkey rode. So Zebulun rides through the sheep folds of Issachar. The image of palm branches and tents are the picture of the feast of Tabernacles when they lived in booths or temporary shelters and havens with green leaves as their roofs. They greeted Jesus as if this was the feast.
  » The Mountain. The disciples and people came to the Mount of Olives and Mount Moriah to greet Jesus with righteous praise as He rode through the east gates.
  » Abundant Treasures of the Sea. The disciples who were mostly fishermen, are the "abundance of the seas and the hidden treasure in the sand". They would bring the Gospel to Israel after the resurrection.
  » Righteous Sacrifices. These are the praises and hosannas. Christ also offers all His sacrifices after this.
  Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13: 15)
  ("Curse: A Traitor at The Last Supper"). Jesus was surrounded by His disciples for the Passover meal, but one would betray Him and set off a chain of events that would kill Him. So this was a curse.
  Jesus answered them, "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" (John 6: 70)
  » Judas the Traitor. Jesus said that the scripture would be fulfilled when Judas betrayed Him. Which scripture?
  "While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. (John 17: 12)
  This prophecy and Nahum may be the scriptures.
  Evil Plot. From you has gone forth one who plotted evil against the Lord, a wicked counselor.
  The Mob Arrests Him. Thus says the Lord, though they are at full strength and likewise many, even so they will be cut off and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no longer.
  They Bind Him on a Cross. So now I will break his yoke bar from upon you, and I will tear off your shackles.
  The Wicked One Perished. The Lord has issued a command concerning you; your name will no longer be perpetuated. I will cut off idol and image from the house of your gods. I will prepare your grave for you are contemptible. (Nahum 1: 11-14)

("The Exodus Journey East"). They left Egypt and traveled east to cross the turbulent waters of the Red Sea. After celebrating the first Passover on the night of Nisan 14, they carried all their possessions and left Egypt to live in tents. The blessings of Moses mentioned "the going forth" of Issachar and "the tents" of Zebulun on their journey to mountain where God called them. They were the treasures that came out of the Red sea. God fulfilled the blessing of Judah when He helped them against their enemies as the hordes of Pharaoh chased after them. With his raised hands, Moses helped them by closing the sea.
("Childhood"). A star in the east guided the wise men to the baby. At His birth He was greeted as a king by the choir of angels and shepherds and wise men came from "the east" to bring Him gifts. In His manger as a baby were two animals that would represent Him, a lamb and a donkey.
The First Day of Creation (East). Light was introduced on the first day of creation. Jesus came as the light of God and taught in the temples and He introduced Israel to their God.
The Covenant ("The Prince of the Covenant Comes"). He established His credentials as the Prince of the Covenant. He was greeted as King, entering the east gate to bring the offering. He taught them in the temple and accepted the burden of their sins, then He had the covenant meal at the Passover before He went out to be the Lamb of God.
He fulfilled the law of Ezekiel by entering and leaving at the east gate. Although He was killed at the north gate, He finally left the earth on the Mount of Olives, outside the east gate. (Ezekiel 43: 1-2,3; Ezekiel 46: 8-9)
Prayer: (The Lord is our Guide). The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters. (Psalm 23: 1-2)
The green pastures were the bed of palm leaves spread on the road as He came through the east gates of Jerusalem. As Issachar, He lay down to bear the burdens. Before He was led to the turbulent waters of Reuben, He was beside the quiet waters of the Kidron as the Spirit led Him to Gethsemane.
... He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. (Psalm 23: 3)
Prayer: (The Kingdom of God is at Hand!). Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name Your kingdom come, Your will be be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6: 9-10)
Seder. Give us this day our daily bread. (Matthew 6: 11)
Judah was praised as He ushered in the kingdom of God. They received the Bread from Heaven at the Passover seder.

The Tribes In The South ("Suffering, Arrest and Trials")
The grueling journey in the wilderness continues as the nations around them attack. Their names mean, "God has seen my afflictions", "God has heard that I am unloved" and "A troop, How fortunate".
As we transition to the south we see that Zebulun is a ship of disciples upon the turbulent seas of Reuben. The disciples would enter a phase of trial and testing when they will all abandon the ship and desert Jesus. Now Jesus was suffering through His trial and afflictions. As the people expressed their hatred and humiliated Him, His disciples abandoned Him. But He found hope that God would love Him because He was afflicted and hated.

Praise the King | In Jerusalem | Upper Room |  | Gethsemane | Disciples Flee | Arrest | Trial | Crucified |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Praise the LORD | Donkey | Disciples' haven | Afflicted | Unloved, scattered | Raiders | Serpent
Judah | Issachar | Zebulun | Reuben | Simeon | Gad | Dan
East | South | North

The Transition. Zebulun is the ship of disciples that is about to ride the turbulent seas of Reuben.
Waving The Lulav Right (South). The fruit of God and the Branch of the green tree went south.

- Kohath ("Congregation"). The congregation are the holy objects. The name can also mean wrinkle. Since the south is the place of godly affliction for the righteous, it may be the place where their wrinkles are ironed out.
  The Furniture and the Inner Veil.

  Ark of the Covenant (Blue)
  Table of Shewbread (Red on Blue)
  Incense (Blue)
  Menorah (Blue)
  Laver |
  Altar of Sacrifice (Purple)
  Most Holy | Holy Place | Outer Court

  They transported the furniture and other holy objects. It is a picture of having no access to the holy objects during the time they were being transported. Each piece was covered with a particular color cloth (Numbers 4). The color of each covered piece represents the portion of the Plan of Salvation that was completed. All the pieces were finally covered in porpoise skin, except the ark which had a third covering of blue. See the Colors of God lesson.
  - The Purple Cover. The indestructible high priest makes atonement with His own body.
    » Altar of Sacrifice. It means that the purple altar would make atonement with the death of the offering by combining the blue and the red. Jesus made atonement for the blue law with the His red blood.
    » Laver. No information is given, because the laver represents the Holy Spirit whose work continues.
  - The Red Cover. This blood of the perfect sacrifice is continually available for all time.
    » Table of Shewbread. This was first covered by a blue cloth. The continual bread and the utensils were placed on the blue cloth, then they were covered in red.
    Now, the Continual Bread was broken and chewed up. Atonement had been made for the law, but since people continue to sin, the blood of His atonement is continually being made available for all.
  - The Blue Cover. The rest of the furniture was covered in blue. This means that the Plan of Salvation will eventually bring us back to obedience to the law to meet the God with the blue stone. Until then, we have assurance in the purple and the red. Atonement has been made through the purple, and forgiveness is available through the red.
    » Menorah. The lights of the menorah were put out.
    » Altar of Incense. The incense altar was closed. No prayers were heard.
    » Inner Veil. The inner veil represented the body of Christ. This was His body that was torn when He was beaten and nailed. This is the veil on four hooks that represented His crucified body before His death.
    » Ark of the Covenant. The ark was covered by the inner veil, then porpoise skin, then a blue cloth. This was His divinity cloaked by the veil of His human body as He fulfilled all the laws.
    Because of the ark He still had the bread of life, the dead stick that budded and the words of life and the shekinah glory of God. He would spring to life like a seed buried in the earth at His resurrection.
    Aaron's rod proved that Aaron deserved to be the High Priest when it sprang to life.
    It will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will sprout ...
    Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. (Numbers 17: 5, 8)
    Jesus proved that He deserved to be the High Priest because He was indestructible. He sprang back to life and bore fruit when others were also resurrected.
  ("The Perverted Judges and Their Trial by Fire"). Jesus was on trial by the priests and the council from about midnight until 6:00 AM at cockcrow. Then they sent Him to be tried by the state from 6:00 to 9:00 AM. Then He was crucified. The priests delivered corrupt justice in the name of God and they grilled and roasted the Lamb of God at the temple all night for about six hours. They tried Him in the temple and broke all the rules for administering justice, arranged for false witnesses, colluded with the state to get Him arrested and plotted with Judas to betray Him. Their justification was to let one person die to save Israel by preserving the status quo.
  Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people. (John 18: 14)
  » Burning the Offering. The trials were the equivalent of burning the insides of the offering all night until the ashes remained in the morning. They ruined His reputation and His mental and emotional state, then they handed over His carcass to the Romans to be crucified outside the city in the morning.
  » The Third Watch: Examining the Offering. The temple gates opened at midnight and all sacrifices and offerings to be used that day were examined until the time for the morning sacrifice. Jesus was examined by the priests all night until He was carried away to be sacrificed.
  The Cherubim ("Son of Man"). The cherubim in the south is the firstborn Son of Man who will suffer afflictions to save all humans. But He will gain preeminence for His actions. It is in this role that God will suffer and triumph because it is the Son of Man who will rise from the grave.

  The Food Offerings |  | Incense | He made the incense offering in Gethsemane
  | Drink | He was poured out on the ground as the drink offering in Gethsemane
  | Grain | He was the bread and grain offering that was being cooked to be eaten
  | Meat | He was the meat offering who was being disemboweled

  Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death. and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up. (Matthew 20: 18-19)
  The Offerings in the South. All the food sacrifices used for many offerings were made or prepared at this point.
  Menorah ("The Light is Gone"). The rest of His experiences would be felt under darkness because the light of the Menorah had gone out. The people preferred darkness rather than light. So Jesus went out around midnight to the Garden of Gethsemane. The covenant was taken away and given to the Gentiles, represented by Simeon who was the only one on the south with the blessings.
- Reuben ("God has seen my afflictions"). His name means "See, a son". It was given because Leah said,
  "Because the Lord has seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me". (Genesis 29: 32)
  This was when Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was here, in deep, earnest prayer that only begotten Son of God was afflicted with such anguish that He sweat blood. It was here that He gained the victory before God. Surely God loved Him because He was willing to die. But God did not grant His request to escape the coming ordeal, because symbolically the altar of incense was closed.
  And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. (Luke 22: 44)
  » Gethsemane (The Oil press). Gethsemane is derived from the Hebrew word 'gath' meaning 'press' and 'shemen' which means 'oil'. This was the place where they squeezed out the blood of olives to make oil. This is where the image of the pressed olive and the pressed grape merges. He did the work of the Messiah at this point. As the Spirit of God was beginning to withdraw from Him to leave Him alone, He shed the oil which anointed Him as the Messiah by shedding the blood that made Him the Messiah. The blood of Jesus squeezed through His pores as the weight of the sins of the world pressed down on Him. As He was becoming sin the Spirit of God was leaving, until He was totally abandoned on the cross.
  » Wine Press. He became the altar covered in blood as His blood covered His body and poured out on the ground at the base of the altar.
  Reuben was the first born who appeared to receive none of the rewards of the first born son. Reuben should have received this reward as the firstborn.
  - Spiritual Birthright. The Messiah should have come through him but the honor went to Judah.
  - Physical Birthright. The property rights went to Joseph who received a double portion for an inheritance.
  The Only Begotten Son. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3: 16)
  Every other son is a son by adoption. But Christ was born out of Him, becoming His firstborn and only son. By all accounts Reuben seemed like a failure and a disappointment. That is the way Christ appeared to those around Him on earth and in heaven. This was how Christ was viewed on the cross by all His enemies. By being in the winepress, He appeared to have lost the anointing as the first born, the high priest and the king because the anointing oil appeared to be pressed out in Gethsemane.
  He must tread the winepress alone so the Holy Spirit (represented by the Oil) could not be with Him. The Spirit could only be with Him as the breath of life, but no longer as His constant companion.
  Satan rejoiced because He had struck down the beloved, the only Son of God and disgraced Him.
  Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried. Yet we ourselves esteemed Him striken, smitten of God and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastising for our well being fell on Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way. But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. (Isaiah 53: 4-7)
  He was arrested without resisting and He was silent at His trial.
  » The Afflictions of Israel. The nation of Israel is the first born son of God. They have been afflicted ever since the crucifixion. Their temple was destroyed and they were exiled and scattered throughout the world. 2000 years later their afflictions have continued not because it is still the will of God, but because of the evil in our hearts. The afflictions allowed by God should have ended centuries ago because the covenant only allows it for a fixed period of time. So let the name of Reuben be a warning to those who think Israel is still being afflicted by God. "God has seen my afflictions". In fact, God warns that even when He afflicts His children it is no excuse for mistreatment. He is satisfied with loss of dignity, not inhumane treatment.
  » The Law of Jealousy: ("The Raging Waters of Bitterness"). This symbol also supports another strange law. When Israel sinned, the curses applied and God divorced her for unfaithfulness.
  the man shall then bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring as an offering for her one tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall not pour oil on it nor put frankincense on it, for it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of memorial, a reminder of iniquity. 'Then the priest shall bring her near and have her stand before the LORD, and the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware vessel; and he shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. 'When he has made her drink the water, then it shall come about, if she has defiled herself and has been unfaithful to her husband, that the water which brings a curse will go into her and cause bitterness, and her abdomen will swell and her thigh will waste away, and the woman will become a curse among her people. (Numbers 5: 15-17, 27)
  - Water of Bitterness. The raging sea of Reuben is the water of bitterness against the unfaithful Israel.
  - Barley Meal. Barley is a symbol of the fruits from the dead earth. Only a sample of the barley harvest was resurrected, before the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost. Since it had no oil or incense (Holy Spirit or prayer) Israel is represented as the rest of the barley harvest that is dead in sin without any intercession or remedy.
  - Dust of the Sanctuary. Dead because of the actions of the priests who walked barefoot in the sanctuary. The dead shall return to dust after being judged as unclean by the waters.
  - Drink the Dusty Water. This is similar to what happened when Moses made them eat the golden calf which he had ground to powder. The serpent is also condemned to eat dust. They must eat the object that they worshipped. Israel must be filled with the Holy Spirit when He comes to the earth.
  - Swollen Abdomen (Pregnancy). The stomach of the disemboweled is bursting out with an empty pregnancy. There is no fruit of the marriage.
    We were pregnant, we writhed in labor, we gave birth, as it seems, only to wind we could not accomplish deliverance for the earth, nor were inhabitants of the world born. (Isaiah 26: 18)
    » Giving Birth to Wind (Holy Spirit). But even as she was a curse and gave birth to wind, Israel still gave birth to the Messiah and the Holy Spirit who is symbolized as wind.
  - Wasted Thighs (Broken Marriage Vow). The thigh is a symbol of a vow (Genesis 47: 29) and a name (Revelation 19: 16). A wasted thigh means a broken covenant.
  - A Curse (Divorce). Israel became disgraced and a curse among the nations.
  Blessings of Jacob ("No Preeminence or Dignity"). "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father's bed, onto my couch and defiled it. (Genesis 49: 3-4)
  Reuben was the first born son who betrayed His father and lost the privileges of the inheritance reserved for the first born. He represents Israel who was the first born son chosen out of the nations. Israel lost their preeminence and dignity because they betrayed their Lord and went into an illicit union with Rome to have Him murdered. Jesus becomes the firstborn Son of God who appears to have lost preeminence.
  » Israel Loses Preeminence. So a curse fell on Israel, just as it fell on Reuben. Christ had worked for over three years and they had not responded. He had planted the seed of the fruit and was expected to have a harvest to present to the Lord in the fourth year as the law required. But the tree had no fruit in its fourth year, or after three and a half years of ministry. So Israel was rejected in favor of the Christian church. The rejection is symbolized in the language of the curse by events of that week.
  No Fruit. Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. (Matthew 21: 43)
  No Fruit for Three Years. "And he said to the vineyard keeper, 'Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?' (Luke 13: 7)
  Tree Cut Down. The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3: 10)
  Dead Tree. As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. Mark 11: 20
  Desolation. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold your house is being left to you desolate. (Matthew 23: 37-38)
  At the last supper, all the disciples sought preeminence, arguing over the positions they would have in the new kingdom. They would spend the next day hiding in terror and all would be martyred or tortured for the faith, dying as men of no esteem.
  » Uncontrolled as Water. The turbulent sea is one classic symbol of the wicked. This is used to describe the actions of Reuben and it could also describe Judas.
  - Judas. His greed and jealousy made him lose control and betray Christ. He made an illicit deal with the priests who are the inhabitants of God's house who were joined to Him in adultery. Judas also sought preeminence until He betrayed his friend in a plot to force Him to show His power. He got a serious hernia when he tried to lift up the Rock and he was crushed. But he ended up disemboweled, without his dignity hanging from a tree in a field in the garbage dump that would be used to bury the poor.
    Jesus also died on a tree in a clean place, but He would be buried with the rich.
    ... He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me. (Matthew 26: 23)
  - Israel. The priests made an illicit union with Rome to kill Christ.
  Daniel prophesied that Jesus would be swept away by a flood. Judas, the Jews and the Romans were the flood.
  The overflowing forces will be flooded away before him and shattered, and also the prince of the covenant. (Daniel 11: 22)
  Save me, O God for the waters have threatened my life. I have sunk in deep mire and there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters and the flood overflows me. Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy and there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. They also gave me gall for my food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. (Psalm 69: 1-2, 20-21)
  This Psalm describes the heartbreak and loneliness He felt as He was deserted by His friends and assaulted by His enemies. He was being torn out on the insides. He was being swallowed up in the deep like Jonah.
  » Defiled His Father's Bed. Reuben committed adultery with Bilhah, the concubine. The concubines represent the covenant seed being handed over to another woman by the wife. This is a symbol of what the people did when they defiled themselves by making a covenant with the Gentiles.
  Offering. Jacob called Reuben "the beginning of my strength", referring to his first born seed. The testicles are represented by this part of the offering. The first born Son of God made the offering in Gethsemane when He poured out His blood into the ground.
  Blessings of Moses. May Reuben live and not die, Nor his men be few. (Deuteronomy 33: 6)
  » End Of The Exodus (The King Without A Kingdom). He died in disgrace and He was abandoned.
  Reuben is the nation of Israel, smaller than the Christian branch. Moses expresses the hope that at the end they will still exist and that they will not be few in number.
  ("Curse: Sleepy Disciples"). Jesus was treated as an evil man. He was surrounded by sleeping disciples as He prayed in the garden. At the moment of His greatest affliction He barely had any emotional support. God sent one angel to comfort Him but He denied His request to save Him from the coming events.
  Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria; Your nobles are lying down. Your people are scattered on the mountains and there is no one to regather them. (Nahum 3: 18)
- Simeon ("God has heard that I am unloved"). His name means "because the Lord has heard that I am hated, He has therefore given me this son also" (Genesis 29: 33). The people expressed their disdain for Him in loud voices from the time of His arrest and trial until His death. Heaven heard those loud voices on that day.
  Blessings of Jacob ("Will be Scattered because they are Violent"). "Simeon and Levi are brothers- their swords are weapons of violence. Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel. (Genesis 49: 5-7)
  » Scattered. Simeon and Levi were the second and third son. The preeminence lost by the first son was not given to them either. Their scattering represents the fact that the disciples were scattered and ran away.
  Then Jesus said to them, You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, "I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED". (Matthew 26: 31)
  But all this has taken place to fulfill the scriptures of the prophets. Then all the disciples left Him and fled. (Matthew 26: 56)
  » The Second Son. Simeon is the second son, so he represents the Gentile church which is the second son who was given to Christ because the first son hated Him. As the Gentiles who were hated, the name of Simeon also represents them, "God has heard that I am unloved".
  The disciples are a symbol of the Christian church because they are the foundation of that church under the new covenant that was being ratified during these events. The church would be scattered around many nations instead of one location, like Israel. But they were the recipients of a great blessing.
  » The Priesthood of Believers. Simeon and Levi together are brothers and the blessing was said to both. Their combination represents the Christian church which would be a combination of the second son chosen and the priesthood.
  you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2: 5, 9)
  In the eternal plan of Salvation, the Jews were also supposed to be a nation of priests who represented God to the world. God invited them to meet Him on Mount Sinai; but, in their fear, they asked Moses to intercede for them. So God chose Moses and the Levites to stand between Him and them. As we see, this plan that they asked for was eventually rejected by Christ. Now we are back to a nation of priests and the priesthood will be patterned after the peaceful Melchizadek not the violent Levi.
  And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (Exodus 19: 6)
  Then they said to Moses, speak to us yourself and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die. (Exodus 20: 19)
  » Peter and His Sword. Their violence is also a prophecy of the violence of the disciples with their swords.
  And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. (Matthew 26: 51)
  No Violence. You also turn back the edge of his sword and have not made him stand in battle. (Psalm 89: 43)
  » Jesus Brings a Sword. This statement of Jesus now has more meaning. His death split the church in two.
  Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. (Matthew 10: 34)
  The sword of the covenant was the Christian church. This sword is based on this curse.
  'I will also bring upon you a sword which will execute vengeance for the covenant ... (Leviticus 26: 25)
  This is not a license for Christians to mistreat Jews. Their rejection and loss of dignity was their punishment.
  » The Violence of the Priests. The priests brought the Lamb of God to be unjustly slaughtered. They are guilty.
  ... you and your sons ... shall bear the guilt in connection with the sanctuary and ... in connection with your priesthood. (Numbers 18: 1)
  » The Violent Christian Church. Although a blessing has occurred with the selection of the church, yet the blessings on them also prophesied that they will be a violent church. We will be cursed because of this senseless violence. God also prophesied that Jacob, through the nation of Israel, "would not enter their council or join their assembly". The church and Israel will be separated by the will of God until the violence ends.
  - Violent and Cruel. They were the architects of the crusades, inquisitions and the centuries of documented cruelty to Jews, Christians and Pagans in the Middle Ages and the years after.
  - Cursed. After one final burst of cruel persecution, the Christian church will suffer the final curse and wrath of God in the seven last plagues.
  » The Council and Assembly of Simeon and Levi. "Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly". Jesus abandoned the Levitical priesthood and chose to become a priest according to the line of Melchizadek. Jesus also was not born out of physical or spiritual Simeon and Levi. He was born to the Jews out of the tribe of Judah, the fourth son. He was not born from the Christian church. He gave birth to it.
  Jesus did not come out of Reuben, Simeon, Levi or the Christians. He could not be tainted with violence like David because He was needed to build the next sanctuary of God as a Man of peace.
  David said to Solomon: "My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. But this word of the LORD came to me: 'You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. (1 Chronicles 22: 7-9)
  Blessings of Moses. Simeon was the only tribe that was not mentioned in his blessings. The blessings of Jacob represent the events at the beginning of the exodus. The blessings of Moses represent the events at the end of the exodus. Jesus experienced both of these during this week. Because He was faithful, He only had a short forty hour period of delay between His crucifixion and resurrection.
  However, the Christian church began its exodus at the crucifixion when Simeon was called and Reuben rejected. Then we experienced a 2000 year delay because of apostasy. At the end of time, Simeon will receive no blessing just as the church of Laodicea received no praise.
  » The Mystery of God. It is strange that God modeled these two branches of His holy nation after two violent, treacherous brothers.
  For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery - so that you will not be wise in your own estimation - that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "The deliverer will come from Zion He will remove ungodliness from Jacob". "This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins"
  For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. (Romans 11: 25-27, 32)
  This is part of the mystery of His plan. Symbolically, both were disobedient sons and He will save both.
  » Acts of Violence of Simeon. Simeon was also responsible for trying to instigate the murder of his brother, then selling him into slavery. It was Benjamin who redeemed Simeon out of prison.
  Like Joseph, Jesus is pictured as being sold into slavery by ten of his brothers. These are Levi and the tribes in the north, south and east. This is why ten priests are used to carry the dismembered offering.
  Somehow, the Gentile church is seen as being responsible for selling Christ into slavery, while Reuben was afraid to confront him. These are strangely part of the dynamics of that final day. Afraid of what the Romans might do to the nation, the priests gave Him to the Romans (John 18: 14).
  » End Of The Exodus (The Dead King With The Sword). A moment of silence for the King who was the victim of violence and now has a sword in His side.
  ("Fleeing Disciples"). Jesus was left alone to face His enemies as His disciples ran away. This was a blessing because the disciples were spared His suffering and they were the nucleus of a new church.
- Gad ("A Troop, How fortunate"). His name means "how fortunate" (NASB) or "a troop comes" (KJV) (Genesis 30: 11). He was arrested by a band of men but in the end He will be in charge of His own army. In the midst of His sorrows He lived out the advice of the Beatitudes. We are blessed or fortunate when we are innocent and suffer for the sake of righteousness. He suffered for the sake of His Father who sent Him to die for us.
  Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. (Matthew 5: 11)
  Blessings of Jacob ("Attacked by Raiders").
  Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels. (Genesis 49: 19)
  This is a prophecy of the arrest of Jesus by a gang of men sent by the priests. When Judas betrayed Him, Jesus was attacked by a band of 480 Roman soldiers and other people with clubs, torches and swords who took Him away. Jesus also said that this fulfilled scripture, which scripture? It is the scripture of this blessing given to the Gad which predicted that he would be raided.
  While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him." Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. And Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you have come for." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. (Matthew 26: 47-50)
  480+ Soldiers. Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. (John 18: 3)
  Micah also had the same prediction of bring raided like Gad and "going forth" like Zebulun.
  Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops; they have laid siege against us; with a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek. But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity. (Micah 5: 1-2)
  » Jesus Raids their Heel. This is a prophecy of the future revenge of Jesus. When He returns with His raiding party yielding a sword and a rod of iron, the wicked will turn their heels to Him and run away, calling for the rocks to hide them. Both raiding parties had swords and clubs. Jesus did not run away, but they will.

  The Siege of Jesus (Raiders Attack)
  Surrounded by Enemies

  And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; And He treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty. (Revelation 19: 14-15)
  » Swords, Clubs and a Kiss. While the men came with weapons, Judas came with a kiss. A kiss is a sign of affection used between family and friends and it was done after anointing a chosen one.
  Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, kissed him [Saul] and said, "Has not the LORD anointed you a ruler over His inheritance? (1 Samuel 10: 1)
  » The Passover Kiss of Judas. This kiss was also memorialized in the Passover seder. In fact, the kiss of betrayal was the prearranged sign to arrest Him. The custom was to kiss the matzah before eating it as a sign of affection. Judas kissed Jesus just before He was handed over to be eaten and swallowed into the bowels.
  Now he who was betraying Him had given them a signal, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away under guard." (Mark 14: 44)
  But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (Luke 22: 48)
  » The Yom Kippur Kiss of Judas. The people also kissed the high priest as he left the sanctuary during the Yom Kippur service. He entered the Most Holy Place four times on that day. The first time was to offer the incense offering. Judas kissed Jesus immediately after He made the incense offering in the Garden of Gethsemane.
  » The Kiss of Mary. This is a great contrast. It was the kiss of affection given with a great gift of expensive oil.
  "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. (Luke 7: 45)
  Blessings of Moses. Of Gad he said, "Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad; He lies down as a lion, and tears the arm, also the crown of the head. Then he provided the first part for himself, for there the ruler's portion was reserved; And he came with the leaders of the people; He executed the justice of the LORD, and His ordinances with Israel." (Deuteronomy 33: 20-21)
  » He came with the heads of the people. The priests sent the raiders to capture Jesus and they tried Him first. Then they sent Him to be tried by several groups. The original locations might be four positions around the altar or sanctuary, representing the four corners of the altar and the four boiling places of the temple of Ezekiel.
  1. The Priests. They held the Lamb for His death.
     - Annas. Former high priest and father-in-law of Caiaphas.
     - Caiaphas. The high priest who used false witnesses against Him. They accused Him of blasphemy, spit on Him, slapped His face, beat Him, blind folded Him and bound Him.
     - Sanhedrin. The chief priests, elders and scribes. (Luke 22: 62-71)
  2. Roman Government: Pontius Pilate. This was Roman governor of Judea in charge of Galilee who knew that He was innocent, but allowed Him to be exchanged for a criminal because he was afraid of the political backlash. He flogged Him and gave Him over to be crucified.
  3. Jewish Government: King Herod Antipas. The Jewish ruler who was Tetrarch of Galilee. His soldiers beat Him, dressed Him in a purple robe, a reed and a crown of thorns and sent Him back to Pilate.
  4. The People. After he was brought back to Pilate for the second time, Pilate made the people choose and then washed his hands. They chose Barabbas.
  » Justice and Judgments. The trials occurred during this time.
  » Tears the Crown of the Head. They placed the crown of thorns that pierced His head.
  » Tears the Arm ("Scourging and Nailing"). The Roman whip or flagrum that beat Him and tore His skin. Then the nails split His hands and feet.
  » Executing the Justice and Ordinances of the Lord ("Dismantling the Offering"). He became the continual burnt offering at this stage. The animal was taken apart in the same manner that the sanctuary was taken apart.
  I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. (Isaiah 50: 6)
  » The Rulers Portion. The Roman soldiers removed His clothes, dressed Him up as a king, with a crown of thorns, a reed and a purple robe. Several other laws and prophecies were fulfilled with this action.
  Offering Cut Up. Gad is the offering that is attacked and cut up by a band of priests. They grabbed and pierced the heel and strung up the offering, skinned and dismembered it. They cut off the head and arms and kept a part of the offering to be eaten by them. The head was the first part that was cut off and it was given to the first priest with the testicles, fat and right leg. Since these are the place of the crown, the seeds of life and the place of the vow, it must be the ruler's portion.
  ("Curse: A Hateful Mob"). Jesus was surrounded by a group of violent men who arrested Him by force.
  » Children of the Concubines. Starting with Gad, the next four tribes are the sons of the concubines and they are all cursed. They represent the point at which He was handed over to the Gentiles. When the covenant was handed over to the Gentiles, that was a loss of the blessings for Israel.

» End Of The Exodus (The Raider With The Sword). The king with the sword who was taken away by an army now returns with His own army and a sword (Revelation 19).
("Detour and Blessings Robbed"). According to the law of God, the journey should proceed to Joseph because after He had been afflicted by God in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus had won the victory and our reproach had been removed by heaven. There He would have been rested, refreshed and strengthened in preparation for the next phase of the Plan, which was to purchase us from Satan with His blood. But He was arrested and forcibly taken away from this lawful path in His weakened state to Dan, where He was condemned, tortured and killed as a wicked Man.
His actions were similar to those of the Amalekites who attacked Israel in their weakened state at Rephidim. The next day God won the victory over them as Moses stood with his hands raised. Then God swore to blot out the name of Amalek forever (Exodus 17: 8-12). A severely weakened Christ would win our victory with outstretched hand.
When His blessings were robbed it is as if He suffered curses.
Ark of the Covenant ("Ichabod!"). The glory of the Lord has departed! These events were also experienced during the darkness. But for Jesus, suffering unjustly, it was not only the darkness of night. God had departed. He would be marred beyond recognition as His face and body were matted with blood and wounds. His glory was also gone.
Altar of Incense ("Silence"). God and His disciples were silent.
From the garden of Gethsemane He was taken west towards the wealthy section of Jerusalem where the kings and high priests lived. Here He went through many trials.

- Joseph ("Reproach"). Reproach was heaped upon Him during the trials instead of being removed.
  » Ephraim ("No Fruit"). He was decreasing instead of increasing as the disciples ran away.
- Manasseh ("Forget"). Here He would be faced with the treatment by His loved ones. Simon Peter forgot Him.
  Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man!" And immediately a rooster crowed. (Matthew 26: 74)
- Benoi ("Son of Sorrows"). He was the Son of sorrows, carrying the cross on His shoulders down the road to Golgotha.
  » Benjamin ("Son of the Right Hand"). The one Who dwells securely between the shoulders of the Lord now has His burdens eased when Simon of Cyrene carries the cross.
  A Little Help. They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross. (Mark 15:21)
  » Morning ("Devours the Prey"). He was the prey that was devoured from the trials to Golgotha.
  » Evening ("Divides the Spoil"). After He was crucified they divided His clothes and split His body in the evening.

Waving The Lulav Backward (West). The fruit of God and the Branch of the green tree went west. Waving to the back points to their blessings robbed. So He was now the tail, not the head.
Before He enters the next phase, Dan, He must be affected by the waters. Normally, the drying rivers help the righteous, but this time both the drying rivers and the raging torrent were devastating.
» Waters Dry Up ("Righteous"). All His support was gone. The disciples, friends and relatives ran away.
» Waters Drown ("Wicked"). All the wicked descended on Him like a giant rogue wave from the turbulent sea.

("The Exodus Journey South"). After travelling east they turned south at the turbulent waters of the Red Sea. They traveled south to meet God at Mount Horeb and received the laws. Unfortunately, the priests used the law to pervert justice in the case of Christ and ironically fulfilled every law that prophesied about Him, including the fact that the priests must participate in the sacrifice of the offering and bear the guilt (Numbers 18: 1).
("Childhood"). When He became a human He gave up His preeminence in heaven.
Volunteered to be a Lower Life Form. But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. (Hebrews 2: 9)
Slave. but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:7)
Volunteered to be Poor. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8: 9)
» Fled South from Herod. Soon after His birth, Jesus moved south to Egypt to escape the wrath of king Herod who hated the Child. During that time Herod raided the towns near Bethlehem and killed the boys under two.
Egypt. So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. (Matthew 2: 14)
The Second Day of Creation (South). The water and sky were separated on this day. The turbulent waters that was Israel was separated from God. They were rejected for another nation because they separated themselves from Christ.
The Covenant ("The High Priest and Shepherd of the Covenant"). He prayed for them. He healed their wounds when Peter cut off the ears of the servant of the high priest.
Prayer: (The Struggle in Gethsemane). ... Even though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23: 4)
As He was continuously being abandoned since the seder, the only source of comfort that He had was the law. He had to have faith that the Author of that law was fair and just and that the law predicted and promised that He would be vindicated after great suffering. The rod was the law that corrected Him and told Him what to do. The staff was the guidance He received from the prophecies about His life.
Prayer: (Forgiveness). And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Matthew 6: 12)
Our debt of sin was forgiven in Gethsemane. Jesus forgave us our debts to Him and He asked the Father to forgive the debts he bore for us. Even though Christ forgave our debt, He still carried the loss. He still bore the price of debt not paid.

The Tribes In The North ("Judgment, Wrath, Death and Resurrection")
In this phase, Israel is dying in the wilderness from the snake bite received at Eden. The only way they can be healed is to gaze at the snake impaled on a cross. As we transition to the north we see that Gad is the raider whose angry mob delivers Christ to the serpent to be judged by Dan. Their names mean, "God has judged me", "Happy am I", "I have prevailed".
The Sanhedrin met in the "Hall of Hewn Stones", fittingly located in the north wall of the sanctuary complex. It was here that justice was perverted and an innocent man was condemned.
All three tribes said the curse. They represent the final judgment by the people who decided that He was worse than a murderer. It is also the three hour ordeal of Christ on the cross when He became the serpent on the cross and died.
This also fulfills the law which says that the sacrifice must be made towards the north of the altar.
He shall lay it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord, and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle His blood around the altar. (Leviticus 1: 11)
In this representation, the tribes that symbolized His death and burial are in the north. Golgotha, the place of the crucifixion, was outside the city in the north. See map of old Jerusalem.

Gethsemane | Scattered | Arrest | Trial |  | Barabbas |  | Mocked |  | Death |  | Alive | Resurrected |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Afflicted | Unloved | Raiders | Exchanged | Serpent | Rider Falls Back | Fat Bread | Loose Doe
The Passover Seder |  |  | Motzi Matzo | Charoset | Afikoman |
Incense | Bull |  | Lord's Goat | Grain
Reuben | Simeon | Gad | Dan | Asher | Naphtali
South | North

The Transition. Jesus is attacked by raiders who give Him to the serpent. In the future, Jesus is Gad, the raider who attacks the dragon of Dan, the seven-headed serpent at the end of time.
The Seder. These are also the events that correspond to the Passover seder. It began when Pilate exchanged Him for Barabbas at the end of the trials, and ended with His resurrection.
Passover ("I Will Bring Out"). Jesus was brought out to the crowd and exchanged for Barabbas. The Passover Lamb, the Lord's Goat was exchanged for a scapegoat.
Waving The Lulav Left (North). The fruit of God and the Branch of the green tree went north. The north is on the left side, pointing to the wicked being on the left hand.

- Merari ("Bitter"). The bitterness of His treatment on the cross. It is also symbolized by the bitter herbs and bland food of the seder which symbolized this period.
  The Dismantled Sanctuary Building. They dismantled the buildings and carried it away. They represent the fact that Christ was the temple that was dismantled. His body was dismantled on the cross and taken away for burial.
  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. (John 2: 19)

  1000 Years | 2000 Years | 3000 Years | 516BC | 4000 Years |  | 3 Days |  | 70AD | 5000 Years | 6000 Years | Second Coming | 7000 Years (Millennium) |
  --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
  4000 Years | 31AD | 3000 Years

  This is also additional evidence that the earth will last 7000 years. We have evidence from the covenant that God will give back all the Sabbaths to the land at one time and here we have evidence that the temple will be rebuilt "three days" after it has been destroyed.
  The millennium comes as a Sabbath after six thousand years of sin and it is also the third millennium after the crucifixion. At the end of the millennium, the New Jerusalem, which is a temple city, will land right on top of the old temple on the Mount of Olives. That is three thousand years after the destruction of Christ and the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem.
  ("Funeral Directors"). The priests who arranged for false witnesses also arranged for His body to be sealed on Sabbath and guarded by the state.
  The Cherubim ("Eagle"). On the north side where there is gloom and death we find the face of an eagle on the cherubim. This wrath suffered by Christ will be the fate of the wicked. The vultures will be gathered around their corpses at the Second Coming, just as the vultures and wild animals encircled Christ on the cross.
  For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. (Matthew 24: 27-28 also Luke 17: 36-37)
  The Wrath of God. The reign of the eagle at the end of time will be from the seven last plagues to the millennium and the final judgment. But during the crucifixion it was the hours of darkness on the cross when Jesus suffered the wrath of God as He took on the role of the sin offering and the appearance of the serpent on the cross.
  The Eagle. It was a symbol of Roman rule. It is the national bird of Babylon the Great, the king of the north.
  The Offerings in the North. All the animal sacrifices used for many offerings were made at this point.

  The Animal Offerings |  | Lamb | He was the innocent Passover Lamb who was killed between noon and 3:00PM
  | Bull (Ox) | The tribe of Merari carried the wooden boards and structures with an ox drawn cart. Christ was the bull with a yoke on His shoulders carrying the cross bar of the wooden cross. He also became the bull used for a sin offering and tabernacles
  | Goat | He was selected by the people as the Lord's Goat for Yom Kippur and sent to His death. Barabbas became the scapegoat
  Wave Offering | He was the lulav, breast, shoulder and thigh offering which was lifted up between heaven and earth with outstretched arms on the cross
  | Grain | He was the broken bread and the grain offering that fell into the earth and died

  Table of Shewbread ("Cannibals Besiege and Eat the Seder"). The wicked chewed up and swallowed the broken bread and wine.
- Dan ("God has judged me"). His name means "God has judged me and has indeed heard my voice and has given me a son" (Genesis 30: 6). Dan is also the fifth child and the fifth series is also the time for final judgment. He represents Jesus after His unjust trials, after which He was exchanged for a violent criminal and then sentenced to die on the cross. His only hope was that the righteous judge would see the injustice of the many trials He experienced and deliver Him.
  Blessings of Jacob ("Serpent"). The blessings given by Jacob also described him as a serpent.
  Serpent. Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a horned snake in the path, that bites the horses heels, so that the rider falls backwards.
  » Deliverance. I look for your deliverance, O LORD. (Genesis 49: 16-17)
  Combining these names we get "God has judged me a serpent". Christ became the serpent on the cross that would save the people when He died as the sin offering. Only the sinless Christ could survive this judgment. When the church goes through their judgment, Dan does not survive.
  Dan is the only tribe missing from the New Jerusalem. His name and character shows the role of Satan. He is the real horned serpent, that dragon with ten horns, that makes accusations against the people.
  The Horned Serpent. Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.
  » Judgment. And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
  » Accuser of the Brethren. "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night." (Revelation 12: 3, 7-10)
  Dan is a judge of his people just as Satan is an accuser of the brethren. He even makes the wound in the heel as Satan would do.
  And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel. (Genesis 3: 15)
  » The Serpent of God. Like Moses at the beginning of the Exodus, Jesus is the staff, the dead stick that will spring to life. But He is also the dead stick that became a serpent so that He could swallow and conquer all the serpents of the enemy.
  ... and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants and it became a serpent. For each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. (Exodus 7: 10, 12)
  An Unfair Trial. By oppression and judgment He was taken away. And as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgressions of My people, to whom the stroke was due? (Isaiah 53: 8)
  Christ is also the righteous Judge who took the form of a serpent during His darkest hour on the cross when He became the sin offering. But His judgment was to vindicate us, not condemn us.
  » The Rider Falls Backwards. This is the position Christ was in on two occasions.
  - Crucifixion. He was laid on the cross to have His hands and feet nailed.
  - In the Grave. When He was lying dead in the grave on Sabbath.
  This was a result of the treachery of the snakes who made a false case against Him.
  » Deliverance Hope. "I look for your deliverance, O LORD." He was expressing hope that God would free him from the prison of death.
  Offering. Dan is represented as the one who immobilizes the animal and pierces the joint so that it can be strung up through the hole in the heel.
  Blessings of Moses.

  The Siege of Jesus (Wild Animals Attack)
  Surrounded by Vicious Animals

  ... Dan is a lion's whelp, that leaps forth from Bashan. (Deuteronomy 33: 22)
  The famous Messianic prophecy comes from the Psalms. It mentions this same image of Jesus being surrounded by animals on the cross.
  My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Far from my deliverance are the words of My groaning.
  Bulls. Many bulls have surrounded me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
  Lions. They open wide their mouth at Me, as a ravening and roaring lion.
  Dogs. For dogs have surrounded me, a band of evil doers has encompassed Me. They pierced My hands and feet. Save Me from the lion's mouth, from the horns of the wild oxen You answer Me. (Psalm 22: 1, 12-13, 16, 21)
  » Bashan. This is "the land of Rephaim", feared giants. They are now a symbol of the evil leaders who will be destroyed.
  "You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, as though they were rams, lambs, goats and bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan. (Ezekiel 39: 18)
  » Bulls and Lions. They are the leaders, criminals and evil doers who surrounded Him and mocked Him.
  » Dogs. The Gentiles.
  » Scorpions. The sting of death (Ezekiel 2: 6).
  » Bees. The stinging remarks and criticisms of the people.
  Bees. All nations surrounded me ... They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me ... They surrounded me like bees ... (Psalm 118: 10-12)
  »Animals At The Crucifixion: The band of raiders were now a band of vicious animals. He was surrounded by rulers, criminals, soldiers, priests and people all shouting at Him and mocking Him and hurling stinging criticism.
  When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing "And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One." The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!" Now there was also an inscription above Him, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" (Luke 23: 33-39)
  » Abraham Makes A Covenant. What was God doing? In the earliest reenactment of this event, Abraham stood by to chase away the wild animals after he had divided the sacrifice when the covenant was made (Genesis 15: 9-18). Although it seems like God did nothing but forsake His Son, it appears that what we see was only God allowing those who were covered under the covenant to eat the covenant meal. Outside of the human realm there are vicious principalities and powers who wanted the opportunity to pick at the helpless Carcass like maggots and buzzards. This God did not allow. Even in the grave maggots would not pick at His flesh. The covenant meal is only for those who agreed to the covenant.
  Golgotha ("The Skull"): Christ is the head of the body. He is now the dead skull whose neck was wrung off the body of the church like the neck of the bird offering.
  ("Curse: Wild Animals"). Jesus was surrounded on the cross by people described by prophecy in this phase as wild animals seeking to tear Him apart as He experienced universal condemnation.
  » End Of The Exodus (The Lion Attacks). The Lion from Judah overpowers His enemies at the Second Coming.
  Levi ("Attached"). His name means "now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons" (Genesis 29: 34). Levi takes the position of Dan in heaven. There, Christ is the husband of the church. God detached Himself from Dan, and he became the only lost tribe. But God attached Himself to Levi, making Him the symbol of the church where we are all priests of God.
  » Three Sons. When Levi replaces Dan in heaven, three sons will have represented the church.
  1. Reuben ("First Son"). He represents the Jews who lost preeminence.
  2. Simeon ("Second Son"). He represents the violent Christian church.
  3. Benjamin ("Last Son"). He represents the last church, the reliable son.
  Blessings of Jacob ("Scattered"). Levi was scattered among the tribes, He had to be attached to God because He had no inheritance except from God.
  For the tithe of the sons of Israel, which they offer as an offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance; therefore I have said concerning them, they shall have no inheritance among the sons of Israel. (Numbers 18: 24)
  They had no inheritance among Israel but they did under the Christian church.
  » Violent. Jesus rejected this priesthood. Their violence can be seen in the very duties that God assigned to them. They performed the circumcision and the sacrifices at the altar. In performing the circumcision, it was a prophecy that the priests would be involved in the circumcision or crucifixion of Christ. They cut off His outer body, they watched as the people killed the Lamb of God with their approval.
  and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. (Luke 24: 20)
  How awesome is this symbol making power or language of God?
  David was the beloved king, yet God did not give him the honor of building His first permanent temple because of his violence. This violence would tarnish the reputation of God. For the reason of the violence the priests had to perform, God had to choose another line of priests to build His final sanctuary. He chose Jesus, the Prince of Peace after the example of Melchizedek, the king of peace from the city of peace.
  For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.
  For it is attested of Him, YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK. (Hebrews 7: 1-2, 14)
  Offering Flayed (Skinned). Levi is represented as the priest who uses his knife (sword of violence). He skins the offering after it is hamstrung.
  Blessings of Moses. Of Levi he said, Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your godly man, Whom You proved at Massah, with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah; Who said of his father and his mother, 'I did not consider them'; and he did not acknowledge his brothers, nor did he regard his own sons, for they observed Your word, and kept Your covenant.
  They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob, and Your law to Israel they shall put incense before You, and whole burnt offerings on Your altar. O LORD, bless his substance, and accept the work of his hands. Shatter the loins of those who rise up against him, and those who hate him, so that they will not rise again. (Deuteronomy 33: 8-11)
  » End Of The Exodus (The Work Of His Hands). He takes His stars and shining ones back to heaven.
  Jesus survived the terrible ordeal and kept the covenant, ignoring even His own family and friends. So he became like the thummim (perfect ones) and urim (lights and stars)
  We explained that Simeon was not mentioned in the blessings because He represents the Christian church. But it was a combination of Simeon and Levi that represented the Christian church as the second son that is a nation of priests. So why does Moses bless Levi and not Simeon?
  Levi represents the efforts of the disciples to go to the house of Israel for 3.5 years before they formally went to the Gentiles (Simeon). They overcame violence and acted as the priests of the new covenant, doing the work of the priests with the great powers of the Holy Spirit.
  » Thummim and Urim. They had access to God through the power of the Holy Spirit.
  » Incense and Offerings. They acted as priests in Israel.
  » Teach Jacob and Israel. They continued to teach Israel first.
  These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' (Matthew 10: 5-7)
  » Father, Mother and Families. They left their families to preach the Gospel.
  and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. (Matthew 10: 36-38)
  At the end of time the church will be more like Levi than Simeon. They will be perfect, shining with the light of the Gospel to the world.
  ("Curse: Unfaithful Priests and Rulers"). Jesus was surrounded on the cross by priests who plotted and arranged for His unjust trial and death.
  Passover ("I Will Deliver"). After Jesus was crucified, it was represented by the breaking of the middle bread (Yachatz). Then the Holy Spirit was released as He died. It is symbolized by the releasing of the bottom bread. Then they drank this cup. His blood can now deliver us from sin because He just paid the penalty with his life.
- Asher ("Happy am I"). His name means "Happy am I! For women will call me happy" (Genesis 30: 13). At this point He was abandoned by both man and God. Yet, His faith made Him recognize that He can be happy, because God had just judged Him. And if God was His righteous judge, He had nothing to fear.
  Blessings of Jacob ("Fat Bread or Rich Bread"). "Asher's food will be rich [his bread will be fat]; he will provide delicacies fit for a king. (Genesis 49: 20)
  He will be filled with life. Bread is the symbol of the body which was made for Him.
  He was buried in the grave of a rich man and God did not allow this body to undergo decay.
  - The Bread of Death. For I have eaten ashes like bread and mingled my drink with weeping Psalm 102: 9
    A Messianic Psalm equates his cruel emotional burnings as the bread with which He was being fed. They fed Him insults and mockery.
  - The Bread of Life. Another source of this symbol is from this story. It is remarkable that this story has the symbol of bread, three days waiting and hanging from a tree. Jesus was the Bread of Life who hung from a tree during three days of suffering.
    When the chief baker saw that he had interpreted favorably, he said to Joseph, "I also saw in my dream, and behold, there were three baskets of white bread on my head; and in the top basket there were some of all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head. Then Joseph answered and said, "This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days; within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you." (Genesis 40: 16-19)
    Both of these men were dead. But this baker's bread was being eaten by wild birds, while the Bread of Jesus was fat. One's life was being eaten away and the other was filled with life.
  » Afikoman ("The Hidden Manna"). During the Passover seder the middle matzah was broken and the larger half was hidden and later searched for. This fat bread could be the larger piece of bread which was hidden. This represents Christ hidden in the grave, then found and resurrected.
  Jesus came back to life while He was still in the grave. Because He was still in Sheol (the grave) we still have a cursed symbol of His circumstances. But He was happy because He was alive again, proving salvation.
  » Fat Offering. The blood and the fat of the offering belonged to God. They must never be eaten.
  The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and offer up the fat in smoke as a soothing aroma to the LORD. (Leviticus 17: 6)
  The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is the LORD'S. It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall not eat any fat or any blood. (Leviticus 3: 16-17)
  Adipocere. Body Fat slows decomposition by forming this waxy substance.
  » Decay. This is the process by which the body melts away and shrinks. So in contrast, fat indicates life. Both blood and fat represent life. However, the fat signifies something more. It was a "sweet aroma". This represents the fact that the body would not decay and stink. (Acts 2: 27) It may also represent His divine life.
  For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. (Psalm 16: 10)
  » No Worms. Like the manna gathered for Sabbath, His body would not become infested with worms during the Sabbath. He was hidden under the protection of God under the mercy seat in the Ark of the Covenant.
  » Salt. This also shows the importance of salt. It was sprinkled on the offering before it was burned. (Leviticus 2: 13, Ezekiel 43: 24). Salt gives flavor and was used as a preservative to stop decay before the days of refrigeration. The addition of salt was also a promise that the offering would not decay, but would still smell good.
  » Frankincense. This was also placed on the grain offering. It is a symbol that the dead seed in the earth would have a pleasant odor. (Leviticus 2: 1, 16)
  This same promise was symbolized in the perfume Mary used to wash His feet.
  In Memory of the Priceless Gift of Mary.
  » Royal Delicacies. Jesus was buried with the rich. Before His death His feet were washed in expensive perfume and after His death He was wrapped in expensive spices and perfume. He conquered death and became King of kings. He now has the legal power to give eternal life to the nation of kings and priests who will reign with Him.
  Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
  Therefore Jesus said, "Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial." (John 12: 3,7)
  Embalmed in Expensive Perfume. A woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.
  ... For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. (Matthew 26: 7, 12)
  With this gift of expensive perfumed oil Mary anointed Jesus as King and priest.
  Blood. "You shall slaughter the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear and on the lobes of his sons' right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet, and sprinkle the rest of the blood around on the altar.
  Oil. "Then 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 and on his sons and on his sons' garments with him; so he and his garments shall be consecrated, as well as his sons and his sons' garments with him. (Exodus 29: 20-21)
  The blood was applied to his ear, thumb and toe by the spikes of the nails and the crown of thorns. Oil was applied to the cleansed leper in the same places. It was applied to the head of the king and all over the priest and his clothing. The anointing requirements for the priest and king was combined with the anointing of the leper in Mary's gift. Mary poured the oil on His head and feet. The precious perfume permeated His clothes like incense and it must have gotten on His hands as He touched His face or her hands.
  Unprecedented Honor. A legal precedent was set here, showing that in Christ there is no male or female (Galatians 3: 28). Only the male heirs of Aaron performed this anointing. Yet a woman, a former prostitute was allowed to do this for Jesus! It became memorialized in scripture as a prophecy hundreds of years before she was born. While the twelve disciples refused to believe that Jesus would die, Mary did. And she spent all her money to honor Him and His death while Judas called the gift a waste. Her act was the only one worthy of praise out of all the disciples.
  The LORD Appears to Mary. God honored her again by allowing her to be the first to see the Messiah at His resurrection. This was not a coincidence. It was now eight days after she had anointed Him with oil and according to the ordination ceremony, the priest will be ordained through seven days and on the eighth day the LORD will appear. She was the officiating priest. Jesus was both the Lord and the Priest being ordained.
  Now it came about on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. ... for today the Lord will appear to you ... This is the thing which the Lord has commanded you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you. (Leviticus 9: 1, 4, 6)
  In making the offering, Moses did at least two things that Mary also did.
  - Washed with Water. Then Moses had Aaron and his sons come near and washed them with water. (Leviticus 8: 6)
    The Salty Tears of Mary. The legs of the burnt offering must be washed with water and the offering sprinkled with salt. Mary accomplished both when she washed His feet with her tears.
    When Jesus washed the feet of the disciples He was also preparing them to be priests.
    Baptism. Here is another reason why baptism is necessary. All the people of the church must become priests to enter into the sanctuary of heaven. A requirement for our ordination is washing. Although the Holy Spirit is the one who provides the spiritual washing and anointing, yet we see that the symbolic washing is also significant. Jesus was ordained twice, physically by Mary and spiritually by God.
  - Anointed With Oil. So Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments ... (Leviticus 8: 30)

  Priest | Washed | Anointed | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8
  --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
  Selected | Waits Seven Days at the Temple Door | LORD Appears
  Mary | Tears | Oil | East gate | Teaches in the Temple | Passover | Crucified | Dead | Resurrection
  After the Resurrection | Jesus is at the Temple in Heaven | Meets Disciples
  John | Baptized | Spirit | Jesus Ministers 3.5 Years | Disciples Minister 3.5 Years | Sends Paul

  The seven periods of time are then followed by forty periods of time.

  Wash and Anoint | 7 Years Ministry in Israel | LORD Appears in Glory | Paul Inaugurated to preach to the Gentiles
  --- | --- | --- | ---
  3.5 Years |  | 3.5 Years | 40 years |  | Sons of Levi
  Jesus | Disciples | Jews Reject Christ and are Rejected
  3.5 Days | 3.5 Days | 7 Days (In Heaven) | 33 Days (On Earth) |  | 9 Days |
  Ministered | Crucified | High Priest Inaugurated | Temple Inaugurated | Zadok | Gifts

  So Jesus followed the ordination rules three times. For the seven days of His ordination He remained at the doorway of the temple as required. Then on the eighth day after each ordination, He appeared to the people.
  1. Ordained by Mary. After Mary ordained Him at the sanctuary on earth, at sunset on Saturday, He went to the east gate of the temple in Jerusalem and stayed in Jerusalem until He had made the offering. Then He appeared to her the next Sunday, on the eighth day.
     The gospels are confusing on this point. It seems to say that the feast at Simon's house where Mary anointed Him occurred on the sixth (John 12: 1-3) or the second day before the Passover (Mark 14: 1).
     Read this explanation to see how I reconciled the two positions.
  2. Ordained by God. After the resurrection, He was ordained by God at the sanctuary in heaven and He appeared to the disciples eight days later.
  3. Ordained by John. John the Baptist was from the tribe of Levi, his father was a priest. He also baptized Jesus while the Holy Spirit anointed Him. Following this same pattern, Jesus ministered only to Israel after His baptism. Seven years later, after Stephen was stoned, the Lord appeared to Paul and sent him to the Gentiles.
  How could Mary have functioned as a priest when the laws only allowed the sons of Levi to do so? There must be another higher law or different rules for the new priesthood of Melchizadek.
  - Female Rulers. Deborah became a judge when the males abdicated their responsibility. There were female prophets. Mary believed Jesus and acted while the disciples did not.
  - The Will of God. God can choose whom He wants.
    And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion." (Exodus 33: 19)
    For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. (Romans 9: 15-16)
  - We are All Priests. Under the new covenant all people, male and female, must be priests to enter the sanctuary. Therefore, in Christ gender no longer matters.
    There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3: 28)
    In addition, the priests of Levi were rejected for the order of Melchizedek whose authority was unknown.
  - The Promise to the Seed. Finally, the Levitical priesthood was based on the promise to only one person, the Seed of Eve. Their existence and laws were only a prophecy about Him. Therefore, since He was male that priesthood must be male.
  A Rich Man in The Grave. His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth. (Isaiah 53: 9)
  Grain Offering. The griddle cakes and fine flour mixed with oil are the fat bread.
  Blessings of Moses. Of Asher he said, "More blessed than sons is Asher; May he be favored by his brothers, and may he dip his foot in oil. Your locks [shoes] will be iron and bronze, and according to your days, so will your leisurely walk be [so shall your strength be]. (Deuteronomy 33: 24-25)
  » End Of The Exodus (General Resurrection). He takes His people from the Greco-Roman empire which is the feet of iron and clay in Daniel 2. The Second Coming events may last about seven days, the same as the period at the beginning of His exodus.
  » Dip His Foot In Oil. This is the expensive oil Mary used on His feet to prepare Him for burial.
  » Iron And Bronze. His imprisonment will be by the iron kingdom with the bronze claws, the Romans. He would have a difficult walk in some hard shoes as He redeemed us.
  This prophecy means that he will have difficulty walking. On the way to Golgotha He fell under the weight of the cross. Then His feet were nailed to the cross. Then in death He was motionless. When Joseph experienced this his feet were probably chained in iron stocks or locks.
  » Leisurely Walk For 33 Days. His walk will no longer be difficult. This is a promise of resurrection. Jesus lived for 33 years. His "leisurely walk" are the 33 days He spent on earth after His inauguration in heaven until He was last seen. These are the same number of days as His years.
  until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. (Acts 1: 2-3)

  Seen by Mary | Inauguration | Seen by Disciples
  --- | --- | ---
  Resurrection | 7 Days | 33 Days

  He was seen over a span of 40 days, but the first seven were spent at His inauguration in heaven after Mary and the disciples on the road to Emmaus saw Him. Eight days after they had seen Him He appeared again and stayed for 33 more days. (John 20: 26)
  » Lag Ba'Omer. During the 49 days of counting up to Pentecost, the Jews have a smaller celebration that occurs 33 days after counting. It is counted as an oasis of Joy. Because the 49 days of waiting for Shavout are treated as a sad period, sadness is forbidden on this day of joy.
  The reason for this celebration is lost. They know it has to do with the coming of the Messiah. Some believe that it is to celebrate the end of a plague send by G-d that killed 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva during Bar Kochba revolt in the Roman occupation.
  However, this is probably when they reached the oasis of the seventy palm trees during the exodus. And it is the time that Jesus spent with them after His resurrection, a period of great joy after the apparent defeat at the crucifixion.
  » Walking About for Seven Days. He also had seven years to finish the covenant and He fulfilled the covenant during His last seven days on earth.
  » Walking About. The act of walking about on the earth establishes ownership. The first 33 years He walked as a stranger. Now that Satan has been conquered He walks in victory on the earth for 33 days to claim the earth as His own.
  Marking Property. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours; your border will be from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the river, the river Euphrates, as far as the western sea. No man will be able to stand before you; the LORD your God will lay the dread of you and the fear of you on all the land on which you set foot, as He has spoken to you. (Deuteronomy 11: 24-25. See Joshua 1: 3)
  In the exodus, Asher represents the phase when the first generation were allowed to die as they wandered aimlessly for forty years. Jesus walked in triumph for forty days after His resurrection.
  ("Curse: Buried in Sheol of the Dead"). Jesus was surrounded by the earth in the grave, engulfed in death.
  Passover ("I Will Redeem"). After His death, this was the cup that was taken and the hidden bread (Afikoman) was found.
- Naphtali ("I have Prevailed"). His name means "with mighty wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have indeed prevailed" (Genesis 30: 8). Although He was judged a serpent, He prevailed or won. He knew that He was vindicated because He came back to life. However, He still died unfairly! How was this a righteous judgment? He was not vindicated when He submitted to death, we were. He was vindicated because He submitted to death.
  Judged. who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
  » Vindicated. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. (Philippians 2: 6-9)
  » Wrestled and Prevailed. This is a type of the wrestling of Jacob when he received the name of Israel.
  Israel Prevailed. He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed". (Genesis 32:28)
  It was the prophecy of Christ's struggle with death to free Himself so that He could be resurrected at dawn.
  » Wrestled With My Sister. Jacob, the deceiver prevailed with Christ. Leah, the deceiver, won because she now had six sons and her sister had none.
  » The Light of the Gentiles. He comes from Zebulun and Naphtali. This is both the region of Galilee and the symbol of His disciples coming from Galilee with the light to the Gentiles.
  But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them. (Isaiah 9: 1-2)
  Blessings of Jacob ("Loose Doe"). He is set free with good words and much fruit.
  "Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns [fruit]. (Genesis 49: 21 NIV)
  "Naphtali is a hind set free he gives good words [spreads the good news]. (Genesis 49: 21 NASB)
  This is the resurrection. He was set free from the grave because He had just been vindicated. He is innocent.
  Using a combination of other prophesies in another lesson, we show that He probably sprang back to life at sunset on Saturday and stayed in the grave until dawn on Sunday. The grave was a cave with a stone in front.
  Set Me Free! And behold a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. (Matthew 28: 2)
  » Resurrection of Ohe First Fruits. "He bears beautiful fawns [fruit]" is a reference to the first fruits from the dead. Many people were resurrected after He died.
  Prison Opened. And look, the veil of the temple was torn in two and the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. (Matthew 27: 51-52)
  According to Isaiah, the Messiah would have "offsprings" if He became the guilt offering.
  But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief. If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pasture of the Lord will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul He will see it and be satisfied. By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many as He will bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53: 10-11)
  » Beautiful Words or Good News. This is the Gospel. Salvation is now available because He conquered death.
  SHEMA. After the priests cut up the offering, they salted them and went to recite the SHEMA. This is a symbol of Jesus being salted to preserve Him in death and buried in "the chamber of hewn stone".

  > They went and placed them on the lower half of the ascent on its western side, and salted them and came down and went to the chamber of hewn stone to recite the shema.

  » Shema ("The Song of Moses and the Lamb"). These are the beautiful words that Jesus recited on the cross so that He would remember to love God and be faithful. This is His song of praise and victory. These are the same words in the song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32). It is our response to God and God responds with the Gospel, the good news that He loves us too.
  Blessings of Moses. Of Naphtali he said, "O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full of the blessing of the LORD, take possession of the sea [west] and the south." (Deuteronomy 33: 23)
  » End Of The Exodus (The King With A Kingdom). He now possesses His people and He will proceed west to the Most Holy Place (heaven).
  Now that He has triumphed after the resurrection, the plan to save the world can continue. He can save Israel and the wicked Gentiles. He does not possess the north because the condemned are symbolically in the north at this point, having taken over the throne of God.
  » Possess the Sea [west]. The west is the dwelling place of the children of God and the location of the Great Sea. The sea can also be the center where the Most Holy place is located and we are protected by God.
  » Sea. Waters represent people and salt represents preservation of the dead. When Jesus takes possession of the sea or salt water, it is a symbol of Him taking possession of the dead. It is the resurrection.
  » West. When Jesus takes possession of the west, He is taking possession of the eternal kingdom of God.
  » Possess the South. The south is the city of David that was south of the temple. We will learn that the final people of God will be symbolically waiting for Him in the south when He comes to take possession of the earth.
  Waving The Lulav Up (Heaven). The fruit of God and the Branch of the green tree went up to heaven.
  Therefore, Jesus takes possession of the righteous dead and the righteous living. At His resurrection He took a sample of the dead with Him as first fruits and He empowered the disciples to carry out His mission.
  ("Detour"). The blessing sends Him back to the south west. This is the place from which He was diverted when He was raided and taken prisoner and forced north. Now He gets to go west where He can continue on the lawful path where His reproach is removed and He is crowned King and High Priest and He opens the seals to read the covenant and the law.
  » Gad: The Raider Strikes Back. He is actually diverted to complete the second half of the blessing of Gad before proceeding to Joseph. He was captured and taken, now He raids back.
  » Prophesy Again. When the people of God go through this same pattern in their experience they are taken back to this place where God can restore what was taken and punish their enemies. So at this point the sanctuary is restored and the holy objects are brought back. This restoration and raising of the sanctuary is a resurrection and the cleansing on Yom Kippur.
  » The Children of Rachel Are Restored (Jeremiah 31: 15-26). This prophecy fits the pattern of these events. The children who have been denied their inheritance will be rewarded.
  ("The Resurrected First Fruit"). Jesus was surrounded by resurrected saints freed from the grave but He still had not formally presented the wavesheaf offering. Although this is a joyous event it is listed as a curse because the priests bribed the guards to say that the disciples stole the body and all of the disciples refused to believe that He was alive. After many finally became convinced, even Thomas did not believe them when they said that they had seen Him. So the curse is that even the disciples doubted His resurrection.
  After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you". Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing". Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed." (John 20: 26-27, 29)
  Passover ("I Will Take"). This fourth cup of the Passover is a promise of the resurrection. I will take you out of the grave. It is taken with songs of praise.

("The Exodus Journey North"). After Sinai, they traveled north towards the Promised Land under the banner of Dan and they rebelled on the borders. They were even bitten by snakes. So the first generation lost preeminence and was rejected in favor of the second generation and they wandered around for forty years until the rebellious generation died.
On this journey they would be bitten by snakes and they would look up at a copper snake to live. They would fight the seven nations of the region to possess the land. The generation of Christ would also wander another forty years until their temple was destroyed.
("Childhood"). They moved back north from Egypt to Nazareth when Herod died.
A Nazarene. So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. ... and came and lived in a city called Nazareth ... (Matthew 2: 21, 23)
Nazareth was a bad place from which nobody expected anything good to emerge. So He literally spent His youth in hell.
Nathanael said to him, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." (John 1: 46)
At the age of twelve He was missing in the temple for three days. He was running around loose. But He was doing the work of His Father, sharing the Bread of Life.
Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. (Luke 2: 46)
He was lost in the temple for three days just as Jonah and Christ were buried for three days.
The Third Day of Creation (North). God created trees, seed and fruit on this day and filled the earth with food for the people and animals. All three represent the events on this day in a more positive light.

- Earth. Jesus was buried and returned to the earth.
- Tree. Jesus was sacrificed on a dead tree, the cross.
- Seed. Jesus was the Seed that was buried.
- Fruit. Jesus is the first fruits from the dead earth who was resurrected with others.
  But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. (1 Corinthians 15: 20)

The Sixth Day of Creation. He also filled the earth with animals and people on the sixth day. This is the day Adam and Eve were born. The process is similar to how Christ gave birth to the church at His death.
So the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept. Then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The Lord fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. (Genesis 2: 21-22)

- Animals Created. The people were like wild animals, surrounding Christ on the cross, calling Him foul names. The animals came to Adam to be named. (Genesis 2: 19-20)
- A Deep Sleep. Christ died on the cross and was buried. Death was His deep sleep.
- A Hole in His Side. After His death a soldier pierced a hole in His side to ensure His death.
- Life from His Side. Life poured out from His side in the form of blood and water. Eve came from Adam's rib.
- A Nation from His Side. A woman and the nations of the earth came out of Adam's side. The church and the nation of the righteous came from Christ. The twelve ribs represent the twelve tribes of the church.
- No Broken Bones. A rib was taken from Eve and that nation sinned. No bones were broken or taken from Christ and the nation of priests that is born from Him will be faithful because they are permanently attached to Him.
- The Wedding. Christ will marry the church who is His bride, just as Adam married Eve.

The Covenant ("The Lamb of the Covenant"). He gave His life.
Prayer: (The Bread From Heaven). You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed my head with oil, my cup overflows. (Psalm 23: 5)
He was the Passover meal spread out on a Table of Shewbread and surrounded by His enemies. Filled with the Spirit, He was the overflowing drink offering that was being poured out.
Prayer: (SHEMA). And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil ... (Matthew 6: 13)
He was led into wrath by the raiders of Gad into the evil that waited for Him at Dan. But He was delivered from the evil of torture and death by the resurrection. The SHEMA reminded Him not to be tempted by His desire to come down from the cross, and end His suffering (Numbers 15: 39-40). He must do the will of the Father so that the world could be delivered from evil.

The Tribes In The West ("Resurrection and Heaven and the Promised Land")
Israel enters the Promised Land and the exodus journey ends. The Son of Man comes from the east and goes towards the west where the Most Holy Place is located. These are the children of Rachel, the wife who was loved and who was barren. Their names mean, God has "made me fruitful", "taken away my reproach", "made me forget", and I am the "Son of the right hand" not the "son of sorrow".
The names of these tribes signify life and children. When they crossed over into the Promised Land all of these tribes were asked to pronounce the blessings. There is no curse is heaven so these tribes were not asked to pronounce the curses. The symbols suggest the reward of the righteous in heaven.
The Fruitful Tree of Life. Then He showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
» No Curse. There will no longer be any curse, and the throne of God and the Lamb will be in it. And his bond servants will serve Him. (Revelation 22: 1-3)
The Psalms also mention the four tribes on the west who will be rescued for calamity.
Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth! Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your power and come to save us! O God, restore us and cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved. (Psalm 80: 1-3)
These are the tribes that are saved.

1. Joshua and Caleb ("Two of the First Generation"). This represents the remnants of the smaller first generation church in heaven. Only two tribes from the first generation, Joseph and Benjamin, are represented in the west. Only two people from the first generation crossed over to the Promised Land.
2. Ephraim and Manasseh ("All of The Second Generation"). Since their mother is Egyptian, they are part Gentile. This represents the Gentile second generation church. Only in the west do we find the great multitude of people from the second generation of the Gentile church.

Waving The Lulav Down (Promised Land). The fruit of God and the Branch of the green tree went down to inherit the earth.

Passover |  | Wave sheaf | Pentecost | Yom Kippur | Tabernacles
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
| Serpent | Sabbath Death |  | Fat Bread | Loose Doe | Inauguration | Fruitful | Forget | Right Hand Son
Dan | Rider Falls Back | Asher | Naphtali | Joseph | Ephraim | Manasseh | Benjamin
North | West

The Transition. Naphtali is the resurrected doe who will be added to Joseph as another son.

- Gershon ("His banishment or The change of pilgrimage"). This is an excellent name for what occurs in this period after the Second Coming. Satan is banished to the abyss. The wicked are banished to the grave. The righteous are banished to heaven, their pilgrimage has finally changed. Jesus was denied the blessings and banished to the cross.

  Heaven | (Raised Up) | Gershon (Ceiling) | Sanctuary | Aaron (High Priest) | Sacrifice | Earth
  --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
  Glorification | Sanctification | Justification
  West |  | East

  The Fabric Ceiling Coverings. They carried the fabric ceilings, gates, fences and the veil that was not torn.
  Christ was resurrected and went up into the ceiling of the heavens with a new body that was made whole again.
  The ceiling is made of fabric to also symbolize that it will not be difficult to escape this earth because God will tear away the ceiling over the earth and roll it up and carry it away like Gershon carried the fabric. He will also remove the fence between earth and the rest of the universe, open the gates of heaven and end the quarantine of the leper colony so that we can rejoin the assembly of God.
  All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll. All their host shall wither like a leaf withering on a vine, or fruit withering on a fig tree. (Isaiah 34: 4)
  And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord has spoken it. (Isaiah 25: 7-8)
  As we travel from east to west we leave the sanctuary system, which is the Plan of Salvation, and go up into the heavens and become the holy nation of God that flourishes like a green tree. The sanctuary is the plan, the shadow or the dim glass through which we now see. Living with God is the reality. This is why there is no sanctuary in heaven. There is only God. This is why the color green is not represented in the sanctuary on earth, but only in the feast of tabernacles that celebrates living with God as our King. See the Colors of God lesson.
  ("The 144,000"). These are the faithful priests in the last days who tell the world about the Second Coming and point them toward the coming kingdom of heaven. Some of the priests believed in Jesus.
  Members of the Sanhedrin. Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. (Mark 15: 43)
  As the disciples preached many of the priests also began to believe.
  Ordinary Priests. The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. (Acts 6: 7)
  The Cherubim ("Ox"). Moses describes the wild ox who fills up the whole earth with the children of Joseph.
  The Coverings Stripped. Before Gershon was able to carry the curtains away, they were stripped away at the disassembling of the tabernacle. This was also symbolized by the skinning and flaying of the animal as it was being cut up in pieces. Jesus was flayed, his outer covering removed by the terrible beatings at the hands of Rome. He was further flayed by the lashing of their tongues as they insulted them on the cross.
  The Offerings in the West. All the peace offerings presented to God were presented at this point.

  The Peace Offerings |  | Fruit | He was the first fruits of the dead earth
  | Wave | He was the High Priest who was consecrated for service

  Ark of the Covenant ("God With Us"). He returned from the grave to spend a few hours with them.
  Altar of Incense ("God Hears Us"). He was now their High Priest who would be the perfect advocate.
- Ephraim ("Fruitfulness"). His name means "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction". (Genesis 41: 52) The land of His affliction is Israel. He was fruitful with two harvests.
  - Barley Harvest ("First Fruits of the Dead"). Several dead people came out of the grave with Him.
  - Wheat Harvest ("First Fruits of the Living"). On the day of Pentecost 3000 people were converted in one day and became the first fruits of the Spirit.
  The land of our affliction is the earth. After the third coming, we will possess the earth and be fruitful and multiply again. See our lesson on Heaven.
  Blessings of Jacob ("Greater Nation"). Ephraim was the second son whose inheritance comes with his father. He represents the Christian nation, God's second son born under the new covenant. He will be a greater nation than Manasseh, the first son, because the Christian church will be bigger than Israel, the first son of the covenant. Israel prophesied this when he blessed him with his right hand, making Ephraim the son of the right hand.
  So both the youngest children from each generation, Benjamin and Ephraim, are the children of the right hand.
  Ephraim: The Son of the Right Hand. But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was the firstborn. He blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, The angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; And may my name live on in them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Issac; And may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth." When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on Ephraim's head, it displeased him; and he grasped his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head."
  » Manasseh. But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations."
  » The Blessing. He blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying, "May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!" Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and bring you back to the land of your fathers. (Genesis 48: 15-21)
  Blessings of Moses. Ephraim will be ten times bigger than Manasseh.
  ("The Faithful Disciples"). Jesus was surrounded by happy disciples who were amazed at His resurrection.
  » End Of The Exodus (Heaven). Jesus (God) brings the redeemed back to the land of His Father in heaven.
  Joseph ("God has taken away my reproach"). His name means "God has taken away my reproach", "may He add to me another son". (Genesis 30: 23-24) Jesus was vindicated by God and it resulted in His resurrection and rapture into Heaven. His reproach was formally removed when He was formally inaugurated as the High Priest before the universe in the seven days after the resurrection.
  » Add to Me Another Son. At first this seems like a prayer for a second son for Rachel, but it becomes a prophecy of a double inheritance for Joseph. God gave him two sons who will have separate inheritances in the kingdom. Joseph gets a double portion, the reward of the first born even though He is the eleventh son because His father made the promise.
  Double Portion. I give you one portion more than your brothers, which I took from the land of the Amorite with my sword and my bow. (Genesis 48: 22)
  Now your two sons who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine. Ephraim and Manasseh are mine, as Reuben and Simeon are mine. (Genesis 48: 5)
  » The First Two Sons. He is prophesying that Ephraim and Manasseh will be substituted for Reuben and Simeon. Ephraim and Manasseh will become the new symbols of the first and the second son in the New earth, just as Reuben and Simeon are the first and second sons under the old covenant. In this picture of the tribes in the west we also see that Joseph and Benjamin are the symbol of the first and second son of the beloved wife.
  Blessings of Jacob ("Fruitful Bough"). Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father's God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breast and womb. Your father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers. (Genesis 49: 22-26)
  Joseph would also become a "fruitful bough". As the vine, with Israel as the branches He becomes fruitful as we are transformed by the fruit of the Holy Spirit and as more people are added to the kingdom. Jesus bears much fruit through the new church of Spiritual Israel. Joseph is fruitful because He becomes the symbol of the new Israel. He is the father of the two branches of the spiritual kingdom, the Jews and the Gentiles.
  Spiritually, Joseph represents the process of sanctification when we will bear the fruit of the Spirit.
  This great blessing is a tribute to the Messiah, of which Joseph was a symbol. This is what happened when Jesus was inaugurated as High Priest and then crowned as King (Revelation 5).
  - Sword and Bow. The inheritance was gained with a sword and bow. This is the picture of Christ coming to earth with an army to strike down His enemies and get back the earth which is our inheritance, the land of our Father.
    ("The First Seal"). He emerged as the Priest-King with a bow and a crown Who opened the first seal, releasing the archer riding on a white horse.
  - Fruitful Vine. Jesus is the vine.
    I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. (John 15: 1, 5)
  - Near A Spring. This is the Holy Spirit, the River of Life from the throne of God which He gives us.
  - Branches Climb a Wall. He breached the wall of separation between God and the Earth and between Jews and Gentiles. He tore away the barriers.
  - Attacked with Hostility. This is the same picture as the band of raiders under the tribe of Gad. He was attacked by the wicked and treated with contempt and hostility.
  - Great Blessings. He was worshipped by all the powers in heaven.
    For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. So that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow of those who are in heaven, and on earth and under the earth. (Philippians 2: 9-10)
    Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them I heard saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion for ever and ever'. And the four living creatures kept saying, 'Amen'. And the elders fell down and worshipped. (Revelation 5: 12-14)
    - Blessings of Heaven. He sits on the right hand of God.
    - Blessings of the Deep. Those under the earth and in the sea. He also conquered death and holds the keys of death and hell.
      ... I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. (Revelation 1: 17-18)
    - Blessings of the Ancient Mountains. He is the Rock carved out of Mount Zion. God's reward is far greater than anything the universe has ever seen on His holy mountain.
    - A Prince Among His Brothers. In fact, He is the King of Kings.
    - Blessings of the Breast and Womb. The church is born out of Him and fed by Him. We are born from a miraculous birth because a Man gave birth to a woman, the church.
  Breast Offering. Joseph represents everything that is fruitful. The breast contains the 12 ribs which are the 12 tribes. The womb is the place that bears the fruit.
  Blessings of Moses. Of Joseph he said, blessed of the LORD be his land, with the choice things of heaven, with the dew, and from the deep lying beneath, and with the choice yield of the sun, and with the choice produce of the months. And with the best things of the ancient mountains, and with the choice things of the everlasting hills, and with the choice things of the earth and its fullness, and the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush. Let it come to the head of Joseph, and to the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers. As the firstborn of his ox, majesty is his, and his horns are the horns of the wild ox; With them he will push the peoples, all at once, to the ends of the earth. And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and those are the thousands of Manasseh. (Deuteronomy 33: 13-17)
  » End Of The Exodus (King Of Heaven). It describes the honor given to Jesus in heaven. Then, at one time, He will place all people at the end of the earth for the final judgment.
  » Firstborn of His Ox. Joseph represents the first born son in the New Jerusalem who is the father of two nations, Ephraim and Manasseh (Christians and Jews).
  The blessings of Moses and Jacob are the same.
  » Heaven, Earth, Deep (Sea). These are the same blessings of Jacob.
  » Choice Produce of the Months. This is the fruit that grows from the Tree of Life every month.
  » Ancient Mountains and Everlasting Hills. The dwelling place of God, Mount Zion, will be with Joseph.
  ("The Faithful Church"). Both of his sons were half Egyptian, so they represent the merging of the Gentile and Jewish church in the land of the south.
- Manasseh ("God has made me forget"). His name means "God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household". (Genesis 41: 51) After He was inaugurated as the High Priest, He was then crowned as King with the right to judge. This judgment was formally done at Yom Kippur when He judged in favor of the righteous. Jesus forgave us and forgot all that we had done to Him.
  Manasseh also shows that God will forget our sins and we will forget the past life on earth. (Revelation 21: 4)
  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 8: 12)
  Israel. The disciples forgot Him. Peter denied that he knew Him.
  Blessings of Jacob ("Great Nation"). Manasseh, the first born son of Joseph, represents the Jews, the first born son of God. They will be a smaller nation than the Christian branch.
  Blessings of Moses. Manasseh would be ten times smaller than Ephraim.
  ("Host of Heaven"). Jesus was surrounded by the worshipping host of heaven who were celebrating His victory over sin and death at the seven day ceremony for His inauguration as High Priest and coronation as King.
- Benjamin ("Son of the Right Hand"). His mother named him Benoni, "son of my sorrow" but his father changed his name to Benjamin, "son of the right hand" (Genesis 35:18).
  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12: 2)

  The Siege of Jesus (Universal Worship)
  Surrounded by Family

  » Jesus: The Son Of The Right Hand. Jesus is the Son who sits at the right hand of God at the Second Coming. He received this name at His inauguration because He was victorious.
  Jesus said to him, you have said: nevertheless I say to you, after this you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26: 64)
  The LORD said unto my Lord, You sit on my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool? (Matthew 22: 44)
  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this, which you now see and hear. (Acts 2: 33)
  We are the children who will be on His right hand when he separates the righteous and the wicked.
  The Sheep on the Right. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (Matthew 25: 33-34)
  Son of Sorrow. For a brief moment Jesus was the "Son of sorrow" when His mother, the church, bore Him.
  He had no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried. Yet we ourselves esteemed Him striken, smitten of God and afflicted. (Isaiah 53: 3-4)
  The final church will also become the children of sorrow as we are martyred in the final persecution.
  » Named by My Father. The mothers named all the sons, but this time the father gives this child a new name. God gave Christ a new name, and He will also give us a new name when we go to heaven.
  For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. So that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow of those who are in heaven, and on earth and under the earth. (Philippians 2: 9-10)
  ... one hundred and forty four thousand, having His name and the name of His father written on their foreheads. (Revelation 14: 1)
  Blessings of Jacob ("Ravenous Wolf"). Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder. (Genesis 49: 27)
  Israel. They are the ravenous wolves who devoured the Messiah as their Passover meal and divided up His clothes and His possessions.
  Tamid (Morning and Evening). This blessing describes the priests cutting up and eating the continual (Tamid) after the morning and evening sacrifice.
  Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong. Because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He Himself bore the sins of many, and interceded for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53: 12)
  The blessing of Jacob is linked to the description of the Messiah in Isaiah.
  This is fulfilled at the Second Coming when Jesus comes sitting at the right hand of God. The wicked are judged in the light of day and are devoured by the brightness of His coming. Then darkness takes over the earth for a thousand years and God distributes His reward with us and the righteous inherit the new earth that is taken back from the wicked.
  Psalm 68 is a victory song for the Messiah and in it Benjamin is ruler.
  There is Benjamin, the youngest ruling them, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. (Psalm 68: 27)

  Inauguration | Pentecost | Yom Kippur | Priests Named | Persecution |  | Tabernacles |
  --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
  Reproach Removed | Fruitful | Forget | Son of Sorrow | Son of the Right Hand
  Joseph | Ephraim | Manasseh | Benjamin
  Christian Church | Spiritual Israel | Morning | Second Coming | Evening

  Blessings of Moses. Of Benjamin he said, "May the beloved of the LORD dwell in security by Him, Who shields him all the day, and he dwells between His shoulders." (Deuteronomy 33: 12)
  » End Of The Exodus (Children Of The King). All these words describe the time when we finally live with God.
  » Shields Him all the Day. This is the security of living in the tabernacle of God.
  » Between His Shoulders. God carries us on His shoulders as beloved children, He no longer carries a cross.
  ("Blessing: Universal Praise"). Jesus is surrounded by His righteous people. Even the wicked praise Him.
  For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. So that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2: 9-11)
  » Born Again: The Final Church. Benjamin was the only child born in the Promised Land. All the other children were born in the north in Syria and the two grandchildren were born in the south in Egypt. The permanent temple was also built in the land of Benjamin which was next to the land of Judah. By every symbol, Benjamin represents the final church who must be born again as little children so that they can go to the Promised Land where they will be living temples.

("The Exodus Journey West"). The second generation went west across the Jordan river to reach their destination. Only two men from the first generation survived, Joshua and Caleb.
Only two sons from the original generation are represented in the west, Joseph and Benjamin.
Joshua, their leader was from the tribe of Ephraim (Numbers 13: 8, 16) and Ephraim is the leader on the western side.
("Childhood"). There is no record of a journey west to a better place as a Child. That would occur after His death. The scriptures said that He submitted Himself to His parents and grew up "in favor with God and men" (Luke 2: 52).
The journey west comes at the end in the experience of Christ because He must suffer the journey north towards wrath as the substitute for us.
The Fourth Day of Creation (West). God created the Sun, Moon and stars of the heavens. God will fill the heavens with the people from earth. They will be lights that reflect the mercy of God. In this role they are priests, kings and royal ambassadors.

- Sun. The Sun represents the glory of God who will replace the Sun as the source of light in the new earth. (Revelation 21: 23). It is also the light from the shekinah glory at the resurrection.
- Moon. The Moon represents the church. They are represented by Mary, a former prostitute, who comes to the tomb and tries to convince the unbelieving disciples that the Messiah had risen.
- Stars. These are the righteous people, especially the prophets and priests. We will all be priests of God.
  And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them " And He said to him, " So shall your descendants be." (Genesis 15: 5)
  The stars are the twelve disciples who finally believe that the Messiah had risen.

The Covenant ("The King of the Covenant"). He became our King and righteous Judge.
Prayer: (Inheritance). Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23: 6)
Prayer. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. (Matthew 6: 13)
In the west we meet God when He comes to rescue us and inherit His kingdom and live in His house forever.

The Final Seven Days And Seven Years Of The Covenant

Jesus Confirms the Covenant for one week
Sunday to Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |  | Night | Day 1 | Night | Day 2 | Night 3 | Day 3
10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Nisan 14 | Nisan 15 | Nisan 16
Build Sukkah | Beating the Willow |  | Tabernacles (Succos)
Select Ox, Lamb, Goat | Pesach, Yom Kippur, Succos | Wave Lulav and Etrog
The Seed comes to die | Jesus in the Bowels 3 Days and Nights
Ministered in the Temple | Final sacrifice in the middle of the week
- | He ministers for 3.5 years |  | The disciples minister for 3.5 years
Jesus | Passover | Persecuted | Stephen Stoned | Heaven Opened Up
Judah | Issachar | Zebulun | Reuben Simeon Gad | Dan | Asher | Naphtali | Joseph | Manasseh | Benjamin
27AD | 27 AD - 31 AD | 31 AD | 31-34 AD | 34 AD

The final week is a local fulfillment of Daniel if you use this isolated text.
"And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering ... (Daniel 9: 27)
If we look at the global fulfillment of Daniel 9: 27, it follows this pattern of events based on the roles of the sons.
The first 3.5 days were Nisan 10-13. The last 3.5 days were the events of Nisan 14-16.

- Confirms Covenant. He kept the promises of God in the Plan of Salvation.
- One Week. From 27 AD to 34 AD the gospel went only to the Jews. (Matthew 10: 5-7) Jesus came to be offered in Jerusalem during one final week from Nisan 10 - 16.
- Middle of the Week. Jesus was killed in 31 AD. Jesus began fulfilling the offerings from Thursday night.
- Stops Sacrifices. His death ended the temporary ceremonial sacrifices of animals and grain offerings.

The Beginning of His Ministry in 27 AD.

Went to the Jordan River |  | In the Wilderness | Satan | Tempted by Satan | Ministry
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Judah | Issachar | Zebulun | Reuben | Simeon | Gad | Dan | Asher | Naphtali | Joseph | Manasseh | Benjamin
Baptism | Fasting Forty Days and Nights | 3.5 Years

- East. Both John the Baptist and the Father praised Him at His baptism, before He went forth into the wilderness to tabernacle for 40 days.
- South. After leaving the Jordan river He went into the wilderness to be tempted.
  - Gad. Satan was the raider who came as the tempter at the end of His fast.
- North. He was afflicted by Satan.
  - Dan. Satan became the serpent who judged Him and tried to make Him fall down.
  - Asher. All three temptations were fulfilled by the symbols in Asher (riches, bread, fall down before me).
  - Naphtali. He came out of the wilderness to begin His ministry.
- West. He ministered for 3.5 years as a popular figure because of His miracles.

The Death of Stephen in 34 AD. The death of Stephen marked the end of the seven years and the moment that the people officially rejected the ministry of Christ. The covenant time was legally over and the Gospel formally went to the Gentiles. We will use the death of Stephen to illustrate the same pattern of fulfillment of these events. It is another example of a long time prophecy ending with the same pattern of events as the entire prophecy
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"
Forgive and Forget. Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7: 54-60)

- The Sacrifice (Nisan 10-13). Jesus came to bring the light of God to the world and to pay the wages of sin for the first 3.5 days/years. Then He went forth to heaven rejoicing because He had won.
- Zebulun ("The Good Gift") (Nisan 14). At the beginning of the second 3.5 days/years, Jesus gave the new church the good gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Shavuot) to His disciples.
- Afflicted. As they ministered to the Jews the disciples were afflicted, hated and persecuted. This can be seen in the treatment of Stephen.
  - Reuben ("Afflicted"). They persecuted Stephen and placed him on trial before the high priest and the council. They even had false witnesses against him who accused him of blasphemy.
  - Simeon ("Hated"). They gnashed the teeth and covered their ears.
  - Gad ("Raided"). The people rushed at him.
- Stephen Killed. Finally Stephen was stoned and killed.
  - Dan ("Judged"). The people felt their guilt because they were "cut to the quick". But they did not repent. They chewed up Stephen. The people "gnashed their teeth" and threw stones at him. They also gnashed their teeth and spit on Jesus and threw insults at Him.
  - Asher ("Happy Am I"). The mob drove him away and killed him outside the city just like Jesus. But he was happy because He saw God.
  - Naphtali ("Prevailed"). Stephen knew that He had prevailed because He saw heaven approve.
- Heaven. Before He died he saw heaven open up and Jesus sitting at the right hand of God. The Gospel went to the Gentiles after this.
  - Joseph ("Reproach Removed"). As earth heaped their hatred on him with piles of stones, heaven signaled that his reproach was removed.
    Ephraim ("Fruitful"). Saul was a witness of these events and the man who was once a rabid persecutor became the most fruitful evangelist as He was given the task of being the primary witness to the Gentiles.
  - Manasseh ("Make Me Forget"). Stephen prayed for their forgiveness just as Jesus had prayed.
    But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing " ... (Luke 23: 34)
  - Benjamin ("Son of the Right Hand"). He saw Jesus sitting at the right hand of God. Paul, who was from the tribe of Benjamin, became the disciple to the Gentiles.

The Feasts In The Final Week

- Pesach (Passover) (Nisan 14). Passover occurred exactly on Nisan 14. The Lamb of God was crucified.
- Yom Kippur (Tishri 10). The Lord's goat was selected and killed while the scapegoat, Barabbas was released on Nisan 14.
- Succos (Tabernacles) (Tishrei 15-21). They tabernacled with Jesus at the Seder at their succos in the upper room. The bull was killed that day.
  » Preparation for Succos (Tishri 11-14). The four days between Yom Kippur and Tabernacles was spent gathering plant material to build the sukkah. The people brought palm leaves and shouted "Hosanna" as they hailed Jesus as a king. They were bringing material to build the sukkah and Jesus built the kingdom with them as He taught in the temple.
  The sukkah was built between Nisan 10 and 13. So when Nissan 14 began, Jesus was able to tell the disciples that an upper room was prepared. They may have built their sukkah on the roofs.
- Shavu'ot (Pentecost). Pentecost occurred exactly 50 days after the resurrection.

The Curse and Wrath of God: A Week in Hell
For one week Jesus kept the covenant. During this week, He saw His position as the image of God to the world systematically destroyed and tarnished.
Then I will act with wrathful hostility and I will punish you seven times for your sins. (Leviticus 26: 28)
Six sons said the curse and six said the blessing. But He was supposed to experience the curse seven times. Because there were thirteen tribes the curse was fulfilled. Seven of the twelve sons symbolized a curse, six were a blessing.

Direction | Leader | Priest | Traveller
--- | --- | --- | ---
East | Judah | Issachar | Zebulun
South | Reuben | Simeon | Gad
West | Joseph | Manasseh | Benjamin
North | Dan | Asher | Naphtali

- Leader and King. The first tribe is the leader. Jesus is the dishonored King of Kings on the throne of His Father.
  - Judah. He was greeted by the common people as "King of the Jews" with loud praises.
  - Reuben. The priest was dressed in purple and mocked as king. He lost all preeminence and dignity.
    I will also break down your pride of power ... (Leviticus 26: 19)
  - Dan. He was nailed to the cross and the inscription "King of the Jews" was nailed above His head, mocking Him in three languages. The King of the universe was impaled, naked on tree like a common criminal while the people snapped at Him like wild beasts. Dan also represents what will happen to Satan who coveted the throne of God.
    Harmful Beasts. I will let loose among you the beasts of the field ... (Leviticus 26: 22)
  - Joseph and Ephraim. Joseph is the ruler who inherits every birthright.
    Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. (Leviticus 26: 11)
- Priest. Jesus is the great and permanent High Priest who was killed as a sacrifice.
  - Issachar. He would be the donkey that bends down and bears the burden of the wages of sin.
    ... and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect. (Leviticus 26: 13)
  - Simeon. Peter, the model of the new nation of priests did violence with his sword. They deserted Him.
    You however I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste. (Leviticus 26: 33)
    I will also bring upon you a sword which will execute vengeance for the covenant ... (Leviticus 26: 25)
  - Manasseh. The High Priest forgives and forgets His brutal treatment at the hands of His friends.
    But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors ... that I might be their God. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 26: 45)
  - Asher ("Fat Bread"). The burden of sin crushed His life. The Priest was dead, becoming the sacrifice.
    When I break your staff of bread ... you will eat and not be satisfied. (Leviticus 26: 26)
  - Levi. He is the seventh tribe who said the curse. The priests bribed His friend to betray Him, obtained perjured testimony and then handed Him over to the Gentiles to be killed.
- The Traveller. The third tribe in order was the one who "Went Forth" on a journey and rescued his friends.
  - Zebulun. He began the exodus journey to free us from the land of slavery to sin.
  - Gad. The priests sent his treacherous friend and an armed mob to arrest Him. He raids back.
    ... you will be struck down before your enemies and those who hate you will rule over you Leviticus 26:17
  - Naphtali. He went forth from the land of the dead and resurrected many grateful friends.
  - Benjamin. He is now the "Son of the right hand" sitting on a throne next to God as the King of all kings in the entire universe. He goes forth from heaven on a long journey to rescue the righteous.

Numbered Digitally. Now that I know that the Bible is a book of science, I noticed that the random assignment of the curses might indicate a digital binary coding system. The blessing is assigned a "1" for on, and the curse is assigned a "0" for off. The numbers clearly seem to point to judgment.

- East (110 = 6). Revelation 13 implies that six is the number of man. So judgment has been declared on man. The number could also be viewed as 011 (3) which only symbolizes the Trinity.
- South (010 = 2). The south is goldly affliction. The church was divided into two after being numbered as six.
- West (111 = 7). Judgment is delivered on the righteous. This represents heaven as the perfect value of seven.
- North (000 = 0). Judgment is delivered on the wicked. This is death, hell and curses valued as zero. Nothing.

Inheritances

- Reuben and Judah ("The Inheritance of the Firstborn"). The inheritance of Reuben, the firstborn was given to the fourth child, Judah. This switching of position is reflected in the exodus order. Judah is first and Reuben is fourth.
- Dan and Ephraim ("The Stolen Inheritance"). Ephraim was supposed to be the seventh to march, but when the path was diverted Dan took the seventh position and Ephraim was tenth.
- Joseph ("The Birthright and the Blessing Restored"). He is the righteous son who was, is not and yet is. The son who was the favorite, but is not represented by name in the tribes around the sanctuary except through his two sons, will be the one who inherits it all. The New Testament gives us the resolution.
  - Dan and Ephraim ("The Stolen Inheritance"). Dan does not receive an inheritance. Ephraim also appears to have lost his. However, Joseph received a double portion. He and Ephraim inherit together. Dan does not appear in heaven.
  - Reuben and Judah ("The Restored Inheritance"). Reuben and Judah are represented in heaven. But Joseph takes preeminence in all. He appears to receive the blessings as the first born of the beloved bride.
  The Antichrist is the wicked son who was, is not and yet is. He was a decorated cherubim who lost preemenince, then he received his inheritance through his wicked sons on earth, yet he will return at the end of time to physically claim that inheritance which was stolen from Adam by trickery. Like Esau, Adam sold his birthright for food.

The Two Phases Of The Exodus To The Promised Land

- Jacob's Exodus: (Phase 1 - The Beginning). The lesson explains what happened to Jesus at the beginning of the final exodus. However, the second half of Gad hints that Jesus will raid back. His ministry, resurrection and instructions to the disciples actually began the prophecy of the first seal. Through the early church Jesus and the disciples were the raiders on the white horse "conquering and to conquer". This ultimate fulfillment of Christ as the conquering raider occurs at the Second Coming, according to Revelation 19.
- Moses' Exodus: (Phase 2 - The End). The diversion from Naphtali to Joseph explains how the western tribes were compensated for being cheated out of their blessing so that the east and south tribes were not rewarded with a double blessing.
  However, the blessings of Moses at the end of the exodus shows how Jesus received a double blessing as Israel or the twelve tribes seen as one. It began after His return to heaven where He became the High Priest and the King.
  Eastern Tribes (Evangelism). The Holy Spirit is poured out.
  - Judah. He is the legitimate High Priest. So God hears Him and brings Him to His people and He fights their enemies. This is the promise to the church over the next 2000 years and for the final generation. It also applies again to physical Israel. According to Zechariah 12, God will help them to recognize the Messiah whom they pierced and rejected. Then He will fight for them because the nations are trying to annihilate them.
    And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12: 9-10)
  - Issachar And Zebulun. They are blessed together. They call the people of the world to Mount Zion and their evangelistic efforts are hugely successful.
    The sea is a symbol of the wicked and the sand is a symbol of the abundance of Jacob's children who are too numerous to count (Genesis 32: 12). So they will take "the abundance of the sea and the treasures of the sand" because of extremely successful evangelism.
    They will rejoice at the prospect of the end of the great exodus, even if they have to flee and live in tents.
  - Zebulun. With the good gift of the Holy Spirit, Zebulun goes out to spread the Gospel.
  Southern Tribes (Conversion And Persecution).
  - Reuben. The firstborn lives and has many children. Adam, the disgraced firstborn, and his children live.
  - Simeon. The second born has no blessing except through Levi. He must become a priest.
    » Levi. His blessings describe the last church and all the resurrected righteous. We will be priests of God, attached to our husband, Jesus Christ who is also the Bridegroom who comes for His bride (the church). We have survived great trials, but we kept the law and taught the law. So we will be great in the kingdom of heaven.
    Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5: 19)
  - Gad. He is the returning raider, the legitimate ruler, the Lion of Judah who judges and defeats his enemies by tearing the arm and crown of the head of those with the mark of the beast on their arm and forehead.
  Western Tribes (The Victorious Nation).
  - Joseph. All the blessings show that they are fruitful and blessed and conquerors. Some blessings are in the "Ancient mountains" (Mount Zion) and "choice produce of the months" (new moon and the fruit from the tree of life).
    » Ephraim. Extremely fruitful.
  - Manasseh. All tears are wiped away. It is time to forget their sorrows.
  - Benjamin. Jesus comes as the "Son of the right hand". Those on His right hand will live securely forever. we will "live securely by Him" because God will place His throne among us. We will also dwell "between His shoulders" because we will replace the covering cherubs.
  Northern Tribes (Rescued At The Second Coming). They point to the Second Coming when Jesus returns as the Son of the right hand.
  - Dan. The despised young lion emerges from the land of giants (Bashan). The land of Bashan was across the Jordan and given to half of Manasseh (Deuteronomy 3:13).
    The righteous emerge from the planet ruled by great tyrants and cross the sea of Glass to the heavenly Promised Land.
  - Asher. The symbols of his blessing point to the feet of the giant statue of Nebuchadnezzar and the Second Coming.
    Of Asher he said, "More blessed than sons is Asher; May he be favored by his brothers, and may he dip his foot in oil. Your locks will be iron and bronze, and according to your days, so will your leisurely walk be. There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your help, and through the skies in His majesty" (Deuteronomy 33:24-26)
    Jesus is Jesurun, sitting on the right hand of God and coming in the clouds of heaven with power to rescue us (Matthew 26: 64)
    » 1000 Years Of Rest. Moses' blessings say that our "leisurely walk" is related to our "number of days". So after living on a sinful earth for 6000 years man gets a 1000 year Sabbath rest.
  - Naphtali. The righteous dead are raised and are raptured with the righteous living and set free from earth. However, Moses blessing says that Naphtali is blessed and that he should "take possession of the sea [west] and the south". Napthali now takes possession of the Promised land located in the "west" [location of God's throne] by crossing the Sea of Glass.

The Exodus Journeys

Time Lines and History | Birth | Ezekiel | Church History | Marching | Exodus
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
• | Marching order of Israel | World history. First to third coming
• | World exodus | Complete history
• | Birth order | Salvation history
• | Christ's exodus | His final week
• | Ezekiel's land division | The seven last churches
• | Ezekiel's Gates (North to South) | Church history
• | Ezekiel's Gates (East to West) | The Second Coming
• | Latter Rain | The sealing
• | Siege Camp (North to South) | Salvation history
» Naphtali to Reuben: Jews
» Reuben to Asher: Christ rejected
» Asher to Simeon: Christians called
» Simeon to Dan: Church to judgment
» Dan to Gad: After judgment
• | Siege Camp (East to West) | Christ's history
| - | - | Exodus Order Siege of Christ for 7 Days | Jews | Christ | Aaron | Moses
Christ fulfills His mission | Judah | Judah
Issachar | Issachar
Zebulun | Zebulun
- | - | Christ Killed | Merari | -
Christ returns to Heaven | Gershon | -
Birth Order of the Sons | Ezekiel's Land Division and City | City (North to South) | Church History | Reuben | Reuben
Christians | Simeon | Simeon
City (East to West) | Attacked | Gad | Gad
Judgment | Kohath | Dan
Remnant | Resurrection | Asher
Rapture | Naphtali
- | - | Final Church | Living with God | Joseph | Joseph
Ephraim | Ephraim
Manasseh | Manasseh
Benjamin | Benjamin
Christ suffered this wrath for the righteous at His crucifixion. Now the wicked suffer the wrath in the same pattern that they gave it to Christ | Wicked (Third Coming) | Satan Judged | Dan | Dan
Wicked dead | Asher | Asher
Resurrected | Naphtali | Naphtali

The exodus journeys take on their own significance as various histories in the Plan of Salvation.
We presented the configurations of the tribes as various histories of Christ and the church or specific subsets of those histories. This is a summary that shows how these are related.
Each son has the same meaning whether or not it is applied to good or evil. The change in order shows the order of events in a group's experience. Asher consistently represents death and martyrdom. Naphtali represents freedom. Gad consistently represents successfully attacking the enemy. Dan represents judgment of evil. Issachar represents flight, leaving or exodus. Zebulun represents camping safely in the wilderness. Judah represents leadership. The rest of the sons are all first or second sons who represent the Jews or the Gentiles at various stages.

The Exodus Order of the Tribes as Christ's Journey
The major study that we have just completed shows an order of travel that is east, south, north and west. It is not a straight line of travel from east to west, but it is a zigzag order like lightning.
For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. (Matthew 24: 27)
At the Second Coming, Christ comes from the east and raises the dead who are stored in the east. The ashes were stored on the east of the altar and the Mount of Olives on the east is a burial ground. Then He retrieves His afflicted church in the south, who have fled as far away as possible from the Babylonian apostasy in the north. Then He goes north to execute judgment and wrath on the earth before leaving for Heaven in the west.
This is not the marching order of the tribes as you will see below. It is the order of direction of travel of the first exodus.

- East. After leaving the land of Goshen in Egypt, the people traveled east to cross the Red Sea.
- South. Then they went south towards the Sinai mountain at the end of the Sinai Peninsula.
- North. Then they turned north to go towards the Promised Land. After being diverted for forty years because of sin, they continued north until they reached the Jordan River.
- West. Then they walked west to cross over the River and enter the Promised Land.

Like their forefathers, this was the exodus journey that Israel forced the Messiah to endure.

The Marching Order Of The Tribes As Salvation History

World History
Christ fulfills His mission | Aaron
--- | ---
Judah
Issachar
Zebulun
Christ returns to Heaven | Merari
Gershon
Church History | Reuben
Simeon
Gad
Priests | Levites
Rapture | Kohath
Millennium in Heaven | Joseph
Ephraim
Manasseh
Benjamin
Wicked Destroyed | Dan
Asher
Naphtali

Israel moved their camp in a particular order under the leadership banner of one of the tribes. The sons of Levi also moved the sanctuary and its furniture in a particular order. The instructions predict the order of events from the first to the third coming of Jesus. They also chronicle the events of His young life.
Thus the sons of Israel did; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they camped by their standards, and so they set out, every one by his family according to his father's household. (Numbers 2: 34)

1. Aaron ("Ark of the Covenant"). The ark went before them. On the first occasion they walked three days.
   Thus they set out from the mount of the Lord three days' journey, with the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord journeying in front of them for the three days, to seek a resting place for them. (Numbers 10: 33)
   God goes ahead of us to guide us and John the Baptist went ahead of Jesus to prepare the world for Him.
   » ("Three Days Journey"). This represents the journey of three days and nights when Jesus was in the bowels of the earth or in the hands of the wicked from the night of the Passover supper to the resurrection.
   » ("To Seek a Resting Place"). After His resurrection, Jesus finds a permanent home for us to give us rest. He is preparing a place for us. (John 14: 1-3)
2. East ("The Arrival of the King"). This is the first coming of Jesus. This was fulfilled both when He rode through the east gate to became the Passover Lamb.
   - Judah ("Praise the King"). Greeted as king when He rode through the gates of Jerusalem.
   - Issachar ("The Wages Paid at Passover"). Jesus bore the burden of the cross on His shoulders like a donkey to pay the wages of sin for us.
   - Zebulun ("The Gift at Pentecost"). When He died He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit.

   Judah ("Praise") | Issachar ("Tents") | Zebulun ("Going Forth")
   --- | --- | ---
   Latter Rain | Booths | Leave Babylon
   Leaving Old Jerusalem and the Old Earth
   East

   At the end of time God will guide us with the gift of the Holy Spirit in the Latter Rain.
3. Gershon and Merari ("Sanctuary Building, Fence and Roof"). The tabernacle was taken down and moved.
   Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle set out. (Numbers 10: 17)
   Two events fulfilled this action. Jesus was the temple that was torn down, He moved to Heaven.
   In 70 A.D., the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans so that no other animal sacrifices could be legally offered in His name on earth by His people. This is why He cannot allow an earthly temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices in His name.

   Reuben ("Afflicted") | Simeon ("Hated") | Gad ("Raider")
   --- | --- | ---
   Persecution | Flight | Arrested
   South (Trial and Suffering)

4. South ("Reuben"). This is the status of the two branches of the church during the 2000 years between the first and second comings of Christ. The church moved to the land of the Gentiles to gather people for the kingdom. Here they were tried, persecuted and scattered through the world. The second phase of God's leading will be through the trials and afflictions. The success of the latter rain quickly develops into the persecution. The severe trials causes the church to be scattered as they seek to hide from those who hate them. Eventually, the wicked will come to arrest them, place them on trial and then kill them.
   - Reuben ("Afflicted and Lost Preeminence"). This is the state of the Jews.
   - Simeon ("Hated and Scattered"). This is the Christian church scattered through the world.
   - Gad ("Raiders"). The wicked will arrest us but in the Second Coming Christ comes with an army and the leaders of heaven to besiege the world and execute justice for God.
     » He came with the heads of the people. Christ, the Father, the elders and a host from heaven.
     » Tears the Crown of the Head. The rocks fall on their heads.
     » Tears the Arm ("Scourging"). They probably beat their heads and arms in anguish.
     » The Rulers Portion. He comes as king to take His people.
     » Justice and Judgments. The wicked are killed in the last plague and Satan is imprisoned.
     » Executed the Justice of the Lord. The wicked are punished and the righteous are rewarded.
   - Levites ("Attached"). All the family of the tribe of priests are ready to be moved. They are hated by the world. They finally attach themselves to God and become the kingdom of priests. (Numbers 2: 17)
5. Kohath ("The Holy Objects and The Holy Nation"). They moved these holy objects on their shoulders. The tabernacle was moved first so that it would be set up before the holy objects arrived.
   Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. (Numbers 10: 21)
   We are the holy objects that are moved on the shoulders of God are the holy nation of the righteous at the Second Coming. God returns and moves them to the new tabernacle which is set up in heaven before their arrival.
   Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14: 1-3)
   Also notice that it is the tribes of the beloved wife that are symbolically the holy objects.

   Complete History
   Christ fulfills His mission | Aaron
   --- | ---
   Judah
   Issachar
   Zebulun
   Church History | Reuben
   Simeon
   Gad
   Second Coming | Dan
   Asher
   Naphtali
   Rapture | Kohath
   Millennium in Heaven | Joseph
   Ephraim
   Manasseh
   Benjamin
   Third Coming | Dan
   Asher
   Naphtali

   » The Complete World History. The marching order differs from the exodus order because it ends with the tribes from the west then the north, instead of north then west. A merging of both shows a complete history of the righteous and the wicked which includes two movements of the northern tribes. One at the Second Coming and one at the Third Coming.
   » Leaning North ("Wrath on the Wicked"). God pours wrath on the wicked to rescue the saints in this northern pattern. He goes north to destroy the wicked for the first time before proceeding west with His holy people.
   - Dan ("Judgment of Babylon"). Satan and Babylon the Great are defeated.
   - Asher ("Fat Bread"). The righteous dead are given life.
   - Naphtali ("Loose Doe"). All the righteous are raptured and set free from earth.
6. West ("The Reward of the Righteous"). These are the fruitful members of the holy nation who have the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
   - Joseph ("No Reproach"). God removes our reproach before the whole world when He rewards us.
   - Ephraim ("Fruitful"). The second church will be fruitful at the Second Coming.
   - Manasseh ("Forget"). While we are in Heaven for the millennium He will make us forget our sorrows.
   - Benjamin ("Son of the Right Hand"). God places us on His right hand and separates us from the wicked. This is the time when Benjamin becomes the ravenous wolf. This is the morning when He will devour the prey by destroying the wicked at His Second Coming. During the darkness of the millennium, it will be the evening when He "divides the spoil" or gives us our reward. He will continue to distribute the rewards after the third coming when He gives us the earth as an inheritance and rewards the wicked in the final judgment.
   The Psalms of Asaph all address the issue of the time of the judgment and the wrath of God. Psalm 80 is a prophesy for the four tribes who will symbolically exist at that time who are passing through severe persecution.
   Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim, and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your power and come to save us! (Psalm 80: 1-2)
   The words "and come to save us" echo the words of the people on the feast of Tabernacles. At this stage they have been saved.
   » The Waving of the Lulav. On the feast of Tabernacles the Lulav was waved in six directions in this order: east, south, west, north, up and down.
   - East to North ("Final Journey"). This is the same as the marching order of the tribes.
   - Up ("On the Cross"). He was lifted up on the cross. We will be raptured up to meet Him in the skies.
     » Benjamin ("Son of the Right Hand"). Even while He was being ridiculed on the cross, He had begun to rule and His enemies were literally beneath His feet as He looked down on them.
     The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies. Psalm 110: 1-2
   - Down ("Dead"). He was buried. The wicked will be killed.
     » Naphtali ("Resurrected"). The "dew of his youth" are the people who were resurrected with Him. When the Roman troops raided, Peter was willing to take a sword and fight for Him, but it was not time for the sword.
     Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth. (Psalm 110: 3)
   The Day of Wrath. The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. He will drink from a brook beside the way; therefore he will lift up his head. (Psalm 110: 4-7)
7. North ("The Day of Wrath: The Millennium and the Judgment of the Wicked"). It seems as if the story should end in the west with the righteous in the presence of God. However, symbolically this is the darkest hour because all three of these tribes said the curse. The events begin with the judgment of the wicked at the Second Coming to start the millennium when there will be darkness on the planet for 1000 years.
   Darkness. I saw the earth, and, look, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I saw the mountains, and, look, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I looked, and there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I looked, and the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities there were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger. For this has the Lord said, the whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end. (Jeremiah 4: 23-27)
   - Dan ("Judgment of the Wicked Serpent"). The horned snake and the wicked are judged. We will also judge the wicked during the millennium.
   - Asher ("A Meal of Kings"). The rich delicacies of Asher that are fit for a king are the bodies of the wicked kings and mighty men that God will feed to the vultures. They will lie unburied on the surface of the earth because there will be nobody to bury them. (Deuteronomy 28: 26)
     Feast of Birds. Speak to every kind of bird and to every beast of the field, Assemble and come, gather from every side to My sacrifice which I am going to sacrifice for you, as a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood. You may eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth ... (Ezekiel 39: 17-18)
   - Naphtali ("Satan Loosed at the Second Resurrection"). This time the loose doe with fawns is the second resurrection which allows Satan to be loosed for a while from the chains imposed on him at the beginning of the millennium. The wicked are the fawns who are resurrected.
     "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And threw him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (Revelation 20: 1-3)

   Dan ("Judged") | Asher ("Dead") | Naphtali ("Loose Doe")
   --- | --- | ---
   7 Last Plagues | Millennium | Second Resurrection
   North (Wrath)

   » Second Coming (Devouring the Wicked Prey).
   The third phase of God's leading is to respond with wrath on the wicked. They are judged in the seven last plagues, then they are dead during the millennium and rise again at the third coming so that they can be judged. The righteous do not experience this wrath because Christ experienced it for them.

   Joseph /Ephraim ("Fruitful") | Manasseh ("Forget") | Benjamin ("Wolf")
   --- | --- | ---
   Holy Nation | Judgment | Execution
   West (Entering New Jerusalem)

   » Third Coming (The Division of the Spoil).
   The reward of the righteous that began at the Second Coming continues at this time and so does the wrath on the wicked. However, to receive their reward and inherit the earth, we still have the problem of the disposition of the wicked. So in the midst of this joyful time we have Benjamin who must act as a wolf in the evening.
   At this time the final phase of the plan is executed. At the third coming even the wicked will see the New Jerusalem and the fruitful nation. When they are judged, God will help us to forget them because we will remove all our emotional ties to them when we witness their behavior. Then, during the final period of darkness (evening), God destroys them as the Wolf and distributes the earth to us.

Repetition and Enlargement
These symbols show the importance of the sacrifice of Christ and the role and experience of the Trinity in our Salvation.

- The Colors of God ("Functional View"). This is the coordinated roles they played in the Plan of Salvation.
- Sanctuary ("Time View"). This is the schedule of their assigned roles and order of movement.
  - Ezekiel's Temple and Land ("Christian Church"). A history of Christ's interaction with His church (Jews and Gentiles) from His resurrection to His Second Coming.
- Feasts ("Interactive View"). These are the events scheduled in time for human interaction. God has used many different symbols to illustrate the final days of the death of His Son from many points of view. Some are a prophecy of His role as Lamb, High Priest and King. Others are detailed accounts of the events that occurred when He fulfilled these roles. The Passover sacrifice is documented in so many different prophecies and points of view that it demonstrates the great importance of Christ's sacrifice.
  - Passover Seder ("Spiritual View"). This is the final six hours when Pilate presents Him before the people with Barabbas. It shows what God was doing and how He judged the actions of the people.
  - Five Signs of Judaism ("People's View"). His appearance on the cross as they looked up at Him.
  - Twelve Tribes ("Christ's View"). A picture of the final week of Christ from the time He entered Jerusalem until He was resurrected. This view shows how He was feeling during each step of the ordeal.
  - Christ Fulfills the Covenant ("Legal View"). The legal language of the covenant, which specifies blessings and curses, shows how Christ suffered the wrath of God for us from the Passover supper to His resurrection.
    » Christ Suffers All The Curses.
  - Revelation ("Preview"). How the book of Revelation reveals Christ fulfilling the feasts.
  - The Torah and Joshua ("Christ's View"). The five books of the Torah and Joshua chronicle all the history of Jesus Christ from His call to be the seed of Eve to His victory after the Second Coming. The haphazard order of the listing of the laws in the Torah are a set of instructions to guide the Messiah in the important phases of His life.

Summary: Name and Blessings

Body | Symbol | Son | Name | Jacob's Blessing | Moses' Blessing
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Blood |  | Lion | Judah | Praise the Lord | Brothers praise him, bow down. Lion with a scepter | God hears him, brings him to his people, fights enemies
Shoulder |  | Donkey, wages | Issachar | God has given me my wages | Strong donkey bearing burdens among the sheep | Rejoice in your tents | Call people to the mountain. Take abundance of the sea and treasures of the sand
Flank |  | Ship | Zebulun | Good gift | Dwell by the sea, a haven for ships | Rejoice in your going forth (exodus)
Testicles |  | Water | Reuben | God has seen my afflictions | No preeminence or dignity, turbulent as waters | May he live and have many children
Ham strung, Skinned |  | Scattered | Simeon | God has heard that I am not loved | Swords of violence. Angry. Rejected their assembly. Scattered because of violence | No blessing
Levi | Husband attached to me | Survived trials, kept the covenant, teach the law
Cut up, eat |  | Raider | Gad | How fortunate | Will be attacked by raiders | Lion who tears the arm and crown of the head
Horn, Heel |  | Sea Monster | Dan | God has judged me | He judges his people | A lion's whelp leaping from Bashan
Bread |  | Fat Bread | Asher | Happy am I | His food will be rich, royal | Blessed. Foot in oil. Iron and bronze shoes
Words (Shema) |  | Set Free | Naphtali | I have prevailed | A doe set free with beautiful words | Full of favor Possess the sea and south
Arms, breasts, womb, head |  | Fruitful | Joseph | Reproach removed. Add another son | Fruitful, blessed | Blessed, firstborn ox
Ephraim | God has made me fruitful | Greater nation | Tens of thousands
- |  | Forget | Manasseh | God has made me forget | Great nation | Thousands
Eats Tamid |  | Wolf | Benjamin | Son of Sorrow Son of the right hand | Ravenous wolf, devours prey, shares spoil | Beloved who lives securely

Summary: Symbolic History of Christ's Final Week

Event | Actions/Role | Tribe | Levi | Covenant Wrath | Feast | Sanctuary | 5 Signs
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jerusalem | Greeted as King | Judah | Moses and Aaron (East) | Children of God | Lamb Examined and Selected | Outer Court | Clean animal captured by sinner
Enters on a Donkey | Issachar (Donkey) | Bear sin
Wages | Substitute
Good Gift | Zebulun (Ship) | Holy Spirit
Priests Plot | Stubborn
Upper Room | Passover Meal | Famine
Judas Betrays | No Prayers
Gethsemane | Gethsemane | Reuben (Water) | Kohath (South) | Afflicted
Judas kisses Jesus | Simeon (Violent) (Scattered) | Betrayed | Kissing the Matzah
Peter uses a sword | Violence
Disciples scattered | Hated, scattered
Arrested | Gad (Raiders) | Siege | Lamb taken to the priest
Trials | Trial | Ruled by enemies | Boiled, Roasted
Exchanged for Barabas | Kaddesh | Lamb exchanged for sinner
Washes hands | Urechatz
Dressed in purple | Captured King | Karpas | Altar covered
Crown of thorns | Captured King | Head Tfellin
Insulted | Carries Cross | Slaves | Wood for the altar
Mocked, beaten | Hostility
Spit on | Hail | Chewed | Laver
Tied to Cross | Dan (Serpent) | Merari (North) | Tied up | Lamb tied | Hand Tfellin
Crucified (Nailed) | Pierced | Yachatz | Split Hooves
Fear, terror | Outer Veil Hung | Mezuzah
Inscription nailed | No respect
Hangs on the cross | No dignity | Tzitzit
Tore His clothes | Naked | Tallit
Darkness | Darkness | Desolation | Magid | Menorah
Forsaken
Vinegar | Vinegar | Shewbread (Wine)
Dead | Killed | Z'roa | Circumcised
Death | Inner veil torn | Asher (Fat bread) | Earthquake | Motzi Matzah (Hidden Afikoman) | Offering Eaten (Seed falls in the ground) (Seed dies)
Sword | Sword, war
Spirit Released | Hole in His side
Blood and Water
Embalmed | Exile | Charoset | Shewbread (Bread)
Mary's Perfume Oil
Mary's Tears | Salt water
Buried | Cannibalism | Koreich (Swallowed)
Sabbath | Land rests | Shulchan Orech | Incense Altar
Life | Resurrected | Naphtali (loose doe) | Rescue | Tzafun | Regurgitated Seed Sprouts
Raptured | Freedom (New Birth) | Hallel (Regurgitated)
Eternal Life | Breathes on disciples | Joseph (Fruitful) | Gershon (West) | Children | Pentecost | Most Holy | Seed grows (Fruit)
Gentiles | Ephraim | People rest (Forget past) | Tabernacles
Jews | Manasseh
Second Coming | Benjamin (Wolf) | Marriage | Nirtzah | Next year in Jerusalem!
New Earth | New Jerusalem | Reward | This year in Jerusalem!

Summary: Symbolic History of Christ and the Church
The repetition and enlargement applies to the life of Christ and enter His church from the time of the first exodus to the last exodus. He, Himself made an exodus from heaven to earth as a baby.

Symbol | Son | Israel | Christ Child | Christ Adult | Church
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Ark | Aaron | Moses | Star in the east | East gate of Jerusalem | Christ High Priest
| Lion | Judah | Pharaoh | God incarnate | Praised as king | Christ King
| Donkey, wages | Issachar | Slaves in Egypt | Mary, the hand maiden, on donkey | Jesus on donkey | Carried cross to pay wages of sin
| Ship, gift, haven | Zebulun | First Passover | Magi with gifts. Manger is the haven | Fishermen disciples in the upper room | Gift of the Holy Spirit, Comforter, Living Water
Ceiling | Gershon | Cloud, fire | Herod plots with Magi | Plot to kill Christ | Prepares a place for us
Building | Merari | Tabernacle | Herod plans to destroy | Christ killed | Temple destroyed
| Water | Reuben | Red Sea | Satan sends a flood to destroy mother and child | Gethsemane. Priests send an army | Jews lost preeminence
| Scattered Violent | Simeon | Exodus | Family flees to Egypt at night | Disciples flee at night. Peter uses his sword | Christians scattered in the world. Violent
| Raider | Gad | Pharaoh pursues | Herod kills boys in Bethlehem | Arrested by soldiers and a mob | Second Coming. Christ and His army
Holy Objects | Kohath | Israel | Goes north to Israel | Christ on trial | Saints Rescued
| Serpent | Dan | Snake bite | Grows up in Nazareth | Serpent on the cross | Dragon defeated
| Fat Bread | Asher | Manna | Missing for 3 days. Learning in the temple | Christ in sheol during 3 days of suffering | Righteous dead given life
| Loose doe | Naphtali | 40 years wandering | 12 year old Christ loose in the temple | Christ resurrected with first fruits. Earthquake | First resurrection, rapture. Earthquake
| Fruitful | Ephraim | Joshua | He grew in wisdom, in favor with God and men | Resurrected first fruit | Many saints in heaven
Joseph | Israel forgets Egypt | Inaugurated | Growing up in heaven
| Forget | Manasseh | Subjected to His parents | 3000 at Pentecost | Our sins are forgotten
| Ravenous Wolf | Benjamin | Fights for Land | The adult Christ begins His Father's work | Sits on the right hand of God | Saints rewarded. Return to claim the earth
The End is not Yet | Christ is rescued | The wicked are cut loose for rebellion
| Serpent | Dan | Rebellion | Pursued by the dragon | Satan, the horned serpent is chained
| Fat Bread | Asher | Jesus | Fed in the wilderness | Feast of birds. Vultures eat kings and the rich
| Loose doe | Naphtali | Wandering 2000 years | Child caught up to the throne of God | Satan loosed. Second resurrection. The wicked face the white throne judgment

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 | Statistics: Time: 250 minutes Print: 44 pages
Copyright First Created : May-June 2007 Updated: December 2008. May 2010. No permission is granted to use this material except for personal bible study. 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. May 16-17, 2007. The Holy Spirit taught me about the camp positions of the tribes. May 20-27, 2007. He taught me about the blessings of Moses, marching order and Jonah. Ezekiel in June. I never read these concepts anywhere nor was I taught them. All images and page design created by Laverna Patterson and are the property of teachinghearts.