The Feeding of the 4000 and 5000: Mission to All Israel

The Feeding of the 4000 and 5000:

Mission to All Israel

Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr

Feeding of the 5000
And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.  And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men. And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. – Mark 6:30-52

Ministry to the Jews

Place = “his own country” (Mark 6:1) = Nazareth = “Shoot, Sprout, Watchtower, Guardian”

5000 = Eternal and Complete Worldwide Law and Grace

100’s and 50’s = Divided them as Moses divided Israel among the Elders (Exd. 18:21, 25) to be ruled.

Loaves = 5 = Torah (Law) and Grace

Fish = 2 = Division, Difference, Contrast. Judah and Levi the Southern Kingdom of Judah

5+2=7 = Completion, Perfection

Fragments = 12 baskets = Government, Order, Tribes, Apostles

Feeding of the 4000

In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away. And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.  And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? – Mark 8:1-21

Ministry to the Israelites (10 Tribes)

Place = Decapolis = “Ten Cities” = Heavily Gentile Influence. Symbolic of the 10 Tribes among the Gentile Nations

4000 = Four corners of the Earth, Where the Lost Tribes have been scattered

No Division of the people into Groups. Symbolic of desire to unify the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel back into one nation again.

Loaves = 7 = Completion and Perfection

Fish = “a few” = Undetermined amount, more than one and possibly three. The Greek for “few” also means “puny” 3 = Godhead. Symbolic of desire to unify the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel

7+3=10 = Torah (Law), Order, 10 Lost Tribes of Israel

Fragments = 7 baskets = Perfection, Completion

The Leaven of Herod and the Pharisees

Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod….When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? – Mark 8:15, 19-21

Pharisees = 70 = Judgment and Rule
Herod = 1 = Implies Divine Appointed Rule. In this case man taking the place of God
71 = Perverted Rule, Reign and Judgment over the Jews

Yeshua the Bread of Life

In John 6:35, 48 and 51 Yeshua declares Himself the Bread of Life.

Makes sense because Yeshua was born Bethlehem (Beit Lechem) meaning the “House of Bread.” He was laid in a manger, which is a feeding troth for animals, usually filled with grain which is used to make bread!

Yeshua and the Fish

Ichthus Greek for Fish, Acronym for “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Saviour.” 

In Luke 24:42-43 Yeshua ate fish after the resurrection to prove he had resurrected and was not a spirit or a ghost.

Mark 1:17 Yeshua called the Disciples/Apostles to be fishers of men. The Prophets said God would send men to fish for the Lost Tribes (Jer. 16:16).

Fish and Bread

Both considered staples of the ancient life and are symbols of life. Both symbols of the Written and Living Word. Fish also represent Israel; the Jewish Prayer Books in the Bedtime Prayer quotes Genesis 48:16 and likens the Jewish people to multiply like fish.

Conclusion

Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod….When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? – Mark 8:15, 19-21

Yeshua is summarizing to His Disciples His ability to sustain them as they, in purity, are sent to find, bring back and reunite the 12 Tribes of Israel under the Messianic Banner and Kingdom of Torah and Messiah. 

The Enochian Cycle

The Enochian Cycle

Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr

Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. – Gen.5:24

And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. – Exd. 18:26

It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. – Acts 6:2

Odd, how one can live with themselves, grow old and yet not really know themselves, or at least on the up-side, they continue to learn about themselves with each passing year.

I always knew as a kid I was a bit different from everyone else; I marched to the beat of a different drum, as they say and I was proud and reveled in that fact of my individuality and uniqueness. But as a 40 something, I continue to learn more about myself that has helped me in my life and ministry.

For example, I just learned that I am an Enoch. Please do not get me wrong, I am not comparing myself to the greatness of Enoch. No, no, I can’t even begin to touch that. But I do desire to walk with GOD as he did. What I mean when I say I am like Enoch, is that if anyone has read the Apocryphal books that bear his name they will know that Enoch, though a leader of the people, would leave everyone and everything behind for long and extended periods of time to walk with GOD in the wilderness and during that time, GOD would “download” things into Enoch’s spirit, and when he was filled to capacity he would return and pour out upon the people, everything GOD poured into him. Then the cycle would start all over again; off to the wilderness Enoch would go, only to return months later and teach the people and then back into solitude he would go.

That’s like me. It took me a LONG time to understand and realize that fact about me. I use to feel so depressed and defeated after I expelled a massive load of teaching, I would feel drained and empty, aimless and listless, not knowing what to do with myself. Feeling I should pull away but afraid (vainly I might add) that everything would fall apart while I was gone. I found myself announcing quite often the need to “go on sabbatical” and wondered, “Am I that weak of a believer that I need to retreat so often!?” It only took a couple dozen times for the LORD to slap me upside the head and shove me in the direction of the wilderness before I finally got it through my thick skull what the Holy One was doing. I was not weak; He just created me to cycle the way Enoch did.

The writings do not say, but I surmise by my own experience that when Enoch was away it was not just a holy download fest, but that GOD did some serious refining on Enoch. Despite us elevating this man to a “holier-that-us” status, he was a man like us, tempted and plagued with a fallen nature like us, having character flaws and personal issues just like us. Want to know how I know; because that’s what happens to me when I am away. Not only does GOD download stuff into me to pour out upon my emergence from the wilderness, but while I am in solitude GOD rips off callouses, pokes and prods old, festering wounds and makes me walk through the refiner’s fire and sands off the rough edges. It is a painful (not fun by no means), but vitally necessary process. And want to know what else I discovered? That when I leave things in capable hands, everything DOES NOT fall apart while I am away. I discovered on one of my excursions to the wilderness that that feeling and attitude was hidden pride as well as a hidden wound of mistrust.

I am also not trying to say I am a great leader like Moses, but share a trait of him and Enoch, in that I am not a great pastoral Rabbi. I do not hang my shingle out in front of my front door and invite everyone to lie on my Freudian couch and unload their burdens. In other words, like Enoch, I let the residential leaders handle the small, everyday stuff. Like Moses I only take the big cases and let the other leaders handle the “small matters.” It’s by no means an, “I’m too good” thing, no, it’s a, “That is not how GOD created me or called me to do” thing. Like the Apostles, my gifts lay more in Teaching and Instruction and like Moses and Enoch; the revelatory and prophetic.

So If I do not return your emails right away, do not be offended. If you don’t see me for a while on social networks, or it has been weeks since I posted a video, podcast or blog you will know I’m walking the wilderness and as God is downloading the next course of teachings He is also purging and refining me. No need to worry, I’ll be back, just please lift up a prayer for me while I’m gone.

Thank you.

Shavuot and the Universal Translator

Shavuot and the Universal Translator

Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr

And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. – Exd. 19:18-19

If anyone of my readers are Trekkers, you’ll recall in Star Trek the Next Generation that the communication badge worn by all Starfleet officers also serves as a universal translator. That was the shows way of explaining how they could travel to distant planets and meet alien races and yet heat and understand perfect English issue forth from their mouth when they speak. The device quickly analyzes the alien language and its speech patterns, or if it is a race they have already encountered, has such information already stored in its memory banks and thus translates what it picks up accordingly into impeccable English. This is like what happened at Sinai on Shavuot and on the Shavuot (Pentecost) in the Book of Acts.

“The voice reached each Israelite according to his or her ability to hear. The elderly heard according to their strengths, and the young heard according to their strengths, the children heard according to their strengths, the women heard according to their strengths, Moses too heard according to his strengths. For it says: ‘Moses spoke, and the Divine answered him with a voice.’” – Midrash Tanhuma, Shemot 21

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. Acts 2:5-11

The list of places and tongues given in the verse above in Acts is the places where the 10 tribes had been scattered in the Assyrian captivity. Up to that point, it was known where all the Tribes had been scattered (James 1:1). We also must recall that at Sinai, not just Israel was present, but the 70 nations, this 70 unique tongues where there, a representative of each nation that went out with Israel from Egypt that needed to hear GOD’s Word in their own language (Exd. 12:38).

Jill hammer in her book, “Jewish Book of Days” page 294 said this, “…Each heard the holy voice according to his or her strengths and weaknesses. One imagines Sinai as a little like a United Nations meeting, with each person receiving a simultaneous translation into the language of his or her own heart.”

So, what is the Holy One telling you, specifically you, from His Torah this Shavuot?

50 DAYS of the OMER

“Today is fifty days of the Omer which is Shavuot.”

The theme is the culmination of all His Attributes of Loving-kindness, Strength, Beauty, Victory, Glory, Intimacy and Majesty.

I will allow the text to speak for themselves as we celebrate the giving of the Torah and the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit).

Psalm 105

 ¹O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.
 ²Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.
 ³Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
 ⁴Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
 ⁵Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
 ⁶O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

Lev. 23: 9-22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD. And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD. Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

Numbers 28:26-30 Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat offering unto the LORD, after your weeks be out, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: But ye shall offer the burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the first year; And their meat offering of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto one bullock, to tenth deals unto one ram, A several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs; And one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you. Ye shall offer them beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, (they shall be unto you without blemish) and their drink offerings.

Acts 2

 ¹And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
 ²And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
 ³And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
 ⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
 ⁵And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
 ⁶Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
 ⁷And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
 ⁸And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
 ⁹Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
 ¹⁰Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
 ¹¹Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
 ¹²And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
 ¹³Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
 ¹⁴But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
 ¹⁵For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
 ¹⁶But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
 ¹⁷And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
 ¹⁸And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
 ¹⁹And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
 ²⁰The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:
 ²¹And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
 ²²Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
 ²³Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
 ²⁴Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
 ²⁵For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
 ²⁶Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
 ²⁷Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
 ²⁸Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
 ²⁹Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
 ³⁰Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
 ³¹He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
 ³²This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
 ³³Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
 ³⁴For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
 ³⁵Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
 ³⁶Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
 ³⁷Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
 ³⁸Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
 ³⁹For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.
 ⁴⁰And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
 ⁴¹Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
 ⁴²And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
 ⁴³And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
 ⁴⁴And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
 ⁴⁵And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
 ⁴⁶And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
 ⁴⁷Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Shalom, Shalom, Chag Semeach Shavuot!