April 20, 2008

• The Cup by Ellie

  Last night we had our Passover Seder, over 130 people attended. You can click on the link about the Seder to read about the significance of every aspect of the Seder and how it points to Jesus. Ellie, at Friday’s Bible Study shared about the Cup, a significant aspect of the Seder and because it is so timely, I wanted to share this with you.

  THE CUP

  “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” John 15:16a

  “..that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Eph. 5:27

  “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” Rev. 19:7

  In Hebrew tradition, the Shadkhan (matchmaker) comes from the master to town for a bride. Since ancient times, the significant role of the Shadkhan (matchmaker) can be seen from its root word shidukh (match). It’s Aramaic translation, sheket (silence) implies tranquility or peacefulness. The matchmaker’s lineage traces back to God Himself.*

  In Genesis 24 we read how Abraham asked Eliezer (meaning God’s helper) to act as a matchmaker to find a suitable bride for Abraham’s son, Isaac. In this we have a picture of the Father (Abraham), the Son (Isaac) and the Holy Spirit (Eliezer). We see that in the Old Testament Jesus is concealed and the New Testament is Jesus revealed.

  The Canaanite women were unsuitable, so his servant was sent to Abraham’s own family and of his father’s house.

  Genesis 24:1-3  Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;

  The Canaanites did not believe in God, they were worldly idol worshippers.

  Genesis 24:4-7 but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?” But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.

  Isaac could not go and look for his bride because he needed to stay and keep claim to the land that God gave Abraham, for the land was promised to Abraham’s descendants.

  Genesis 24:8 “And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.”

  Genesis 24:9-16 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. Then he said, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.” And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up.

  She must pass his test and come forth as pure gold if she is to be a suitable match.

  Genesis 24:17-29 And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.” So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold, and said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge?” So she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.” Moreover she said to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge.” Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the LORD. And he said, “Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.” So the young woman ran and told her mother’s household these things. Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well.

  Then Eliezer recounts the story of his selection to Rebekah’s selection to her family. Notice that Eliezer gave Rebekah gifts, for the Holy Spirit gives us gifts.

  Genesis 24:53 Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.

  1 Corinthians 12:4-11 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

  Though it was customary for the father of the son to choose a bride for his son, in many cases the father relied on the services of a matchmaker (Ruach Ha Kodesh) to help him choose a person of the highest virtue and integrity. Marital unions between men and women, arranged or not, are ordained by God….match made in Heaven.

  The bride must:

  1. PASS THE TEST – A SIGN, if she did not water the camels, a sizeable job for camels drink lots of water. She showed her character by what she did. She watered the camels not knowing Eliezer’s purpose, or knowing that she was to be a bride, and that the camels held gifts for her.

  2. The servant matchmaker can help those who are chosen and ordained by God.

  *God was the first Shadkhan creating Adam and Eve and commanding them to cleave together as “one flesh”. Eve taken from Adam’s body became the first bride.

  In the same way, God the Father has sent His helper, the Ruach Ha Kodesh, (Holy Spirit) to His family and body of believers to take a bride for His Son, Yeshua.

  God has chosen you to be a part of the Messiah’s bride. Do you sense the Ruach Ha Kodesh wooing you to draw closer? His invitation is for all who are members of His family. Yeshua’s bride will be taken from out of His body of believers, just as Eve was taken out of Adam. However, not everyone who has received the gift of salvation will RSVP. Believers who continue to live a worldly or carnal lifestyle will not be ready to meet the Bridegroom because they lack the purity of a spotless bride. It is for this reason that God designed the bond of “oneness” in order for us to grow and deepen our relationship with the Savior during this time of preparation. “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word that they all may be one as You, Father are in Me and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:20-21 “For Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit which are God’s.” 1Cor. 6:20

  Come away with the lover of your soul now and make yourself ready for His return.

  “We love Him, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

  In Biblical times, it was customary for an Israelite to pay a mohar or price for his bride to her father. Marriage by purchase reflects how much the prospective bridegroom values and cherishes his bride. It also reveals his own wealth and generosity.

  As His beloved bride, we have been “bought with a price” and no longer belong to ourselves. We are His, totally! Treasure the priceless gift of Yeshua’s love; hold it close to your heart. He paid it for you “…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18-19

  In the Garden of Gethsemane, Yeshua prays, “Father, if it is Your Will, take this cup from Me.” His heart aches with a dying love for His bride. He doesn’t want to leave her. Not this way. Is there any other possible way besides death? With unconditional acceptance, Yeshua trusts His Father’s decision and says “Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done.” Luke 22:42

  “Likewise, He also took the cup after supper saying, this cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” Luke 22:20

  The young man under the watchful eyes of his father and her parents, draws out the Kiddush (sanctification) cup and pours out the Bordeaux wine from his father’s vineyard. He lifts the cup and recites the blessing, “Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha olam, borey pre hagafen” (Blessed art thou O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine) As he finishes, the bridegroom takes one gulp from the cup. His pledge to provide for her entails a lifetime commitment of sweat and blood in hard work, even if it means laying down his life. But she is certainly worth every drop.

  In Jerusalem, the prospective bridegroom “pops the question” by pouring a cup of wine for his beloved, then anxiously awaits her response to his proposal. If she sips from the Kiddush cup, she shows her willingness to enter this union by saying “yes” to his proposal. Their shared cup of wine at a Jewish betrothal ceremony called a B’rit (covenant) symbolizes the sealing of their marriage covenant in blood.

  We see Yeshua drinking from the B’rit cup with His disciples after the Passover dinner sealing the marriage covenant with His bride. Lifting the cup with His right hand, the Messiah recites the Jewish blessing over the wine. As the True Vine speaks, He blesses the fruit of His Father’s vine and praises the Creator for His bride, His choice fruit. He continues saying, “Drink from it all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Matthew 26:27-28 Yeshua invites all believers to say yes to His proposal and share in this cup, so that all who choose may become His promised bride. Yeshua knew He would not be lifting up a cup of wine to share with His bride in a few hours, but a heavy cross that only He could bear. It was for us, His bride that He drank this cup of suffering. And now, as only we can, we accept His marriage proposal and drink from His cup. Each time we partake in holy communion and share this cup, we are reaffirming our marriage covenant with our Bridegroom, Yeshua Ha Mashiach. As you partake in the Lord’s Supper, use this time to look at your life before the Lord and prepare for His return.

  “So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ’It is finished!’ and bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” John 19:30 In Hebrew, the root word for finish is Ka’lal (complete, make perfect, or finish) It also shares the same root for Kallah (bride). With Yeshua’s final and dying words, He sealed the marriage covenant to His beloved with His blood.

  The wedding celebration is comprised of two separate ceremonies: the Kiddushin, or betrothal and nissuin or nuptials. In a traditional betrothal, the engaged couple enters into a covenant with the signing of the Ketubah. In this marriage contract are the terms of their agreement, such as the bride price and provisions the bridegroom agrees to make for her and also names the wife as heir to the estate should he die.

  We believers as the Bride of Christ cherish our Ketubah, the B’rit Hadassah (new covenant/testament) which is full of promises from our Bridegroom, Yeshua. Our Heavenly Groom promises to take care of us, not only spiritually, but also physically with food, clothing and shelter when we enter into a covenant with Him.

  Our marriage to Yeshua will not be complete until we are in Heaven and share the second cup of wine with Him just as He said in Matthew 26:29, “I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” He has saved the very best for last!

  We closed this study by taking communion. We reaffirmed that we wanted to be the Bride of Christ ready and waiting for His return. And we are to do everything to prepare for his return. We are not to be taken in by worldly stuff, or look to the left or the right. Every wife’s job was to read the Ketuba to her husband to remind him of the promises.

  It was a very powerful teaching.

  Ellie sent me what she had typed for her teaching, and asked me to fill in the extra things she said.

  Have a blessed day.

  Heather

  • 8:07 am
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