Our Rock

[William H.]

 Matt.7:24-27

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 

Sadly, we see houses that claim to be houses of God but are built upon a foundation made up of traditions of men and their own social status. Many religions lay claim to messengers and concepts that they can’t even relate to (Example: the catholic "church" claims Peter, the so called "first pope", is The Rock of The church which depends upon perversion of Matt 16.)

________Matt.16__KJV_______ 

Matt.16:13-18 "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, * Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed *it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee,That thou art Peter *(Petros), and upon this rock *(Petra) I will build my church; and the gates of hell (hades/ The Grave) shall not prevail against it."

Yeshua (Jesus) is the foundational Rock of Christianity, and it is Yeshua that the grave ("gates of hell"/ hades) had no authority over. THAT IS THE GOSPEL & foundation of "Christianity" or The "Church"... Acts.4:8-12/ Heb.2:14/.. "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." THIS IS THE ROCK, This is the foundation of Christianity (Church of Messiah). It is The Messiah who overcomes the grave (Not Peter).  

Matt.16:18 

Peter here is the Greek - Petros  (G#4074)- a (piece of) rock / larger than the *Greek lithos - stumbling stone/ and compared to "Clephas" (an Aramaic term) which means rock and a name used to mention Peter as well/Clephas is NOT the word used here in any of the earliest texts of Matthew. We dont have these texts in Aramaic. The Peshitta is a Translation To the Aramaic From the Greek ("N.T." of the Peshitta) and a translation From the Hebrew (texts) to Aramaic (the "OT" of Peshitta) ! So to make a case on how "Cephas" could have or couldnt have been used is nothing more than conjecture. "A piece of (The) Rock, A member of the many membered body of "Christ- son of The Living G-D." 

... 

Rock here IS the Greek  - Petra (#4073)- a (mass of) rock

4073 pétra (a feminine noun) – "a mass of connected rock," which is distinct from 4074 (Pétros) which is "a detached stone or boulder" (A-S). 4073 (pétra) is a "solid or native rock, rising up through the earth" (Souter) – a huge mass of rock (a boulder), such as a projecting cliff

peter is a member of the body of Christ not The Body a piece of rock built on the foundation that is Christ (son of living G-d) of whom concurred the grave (hades) Heb.2:14

THE ROCK is not one of the disciples/ Apostels, Prophets... We are told who/What The Rock is over and over again and told that those outside the covenant have another rock.

Appendix 147

...If Peter were "The Rock" of Christianity, then why just a few verses later do we have Christ rebuking the fruits of Satan in Peter? (Peter being an instrument of Hasatan). Christ had just shared the concept that he would be crucified and Peter began to argue saying Vs.22 "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee." 

 Matt.16:23 "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." (Ps.118:8)

Are these fruits of Satan through Peter the fruits of "The Rock" of “The Church” of  messiah? NO

Is being an open instrument unto Satan the Rock of the Catholic "church"?............

These fruits were those contrary to Christianity and Christ. Those of raising up man over God. To this day the Catholic church does this when it come to The Rock.  To further show that Peter was not yet perfected in Faith we also have Matt.26:69-75/ Luke 22:31-32 where Peter denies Christ thrice.

Peter was a disciple at this time (not an Apostel/ Pentecost). Peter was one of the Many members (Pieces of rock- petros) of The Body (Church) of Messiah. Peter was always quick to give Glory to God rather than to be raised up himself (example the foot washing story). Peter would be offended at the Catholic Church using his name of out context to pervert "The Rock" of Christianity (in his name).  Peter didnt come in his own name.

 Beware of traditions of men ( Mark 7:13, Col.2:8, Jer.17:5, Ps.118:8 for a FEW examples)

_______Yehoshua Is The Foundation of the international "church"_________

HaShem is The Rock of the Faith of Israel. Yeshua's Apostles took The Gospel (The Light Of Israel) To The Nations - Yeshua is the Foundation. 

Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; / Matt.21:24
1 Corinthians 3:11
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1Cor.3:3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11).)

--------- Tanakh-----

Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Psalm 18:31
For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? / Matt.16:13-18/ * Luke 6:47-49 \

Abrahamic covenant (Yisrael and or “Christians”?) - Gal.3:24-29 / 1 Cor.3:16-17 / 1 Cor.6:19 / Matt.21:42/ 1 Peter 2:5

____________

suggested blog: Two candelsticks (witnesses): http://friendsnchrist.ning.com/profiles/blogs/2-witnesses-candlesti... ..We know that God is omnipresent 

__________Mount Moriah____________________

*Physical Temple (Mount) / Foundation

 

Most Holy Place in Judaism (Holy of Holies) is Jerusalem, said to be the place in which

1) Adam was created of the dust, the area where

2) Isaac was bound,

3) Location of the Temple (שכינה) navel of the world & capital

4) Location in which offerings/ sacrifices were made and prayers ascend from, same

5) tribal Territory in which Christ was Born, and crucified (king line).......

A territorial prize occupied or conquered by a long succession of peoples—including Jebusites, Israelites, Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, early Muslims, Crusaders, Mamluks, Ottomans, British, Israelis—the Temple Mount has seen more momentous historical events than perhaps any other 35 acres in the world.

___________Mount Of Olives________________

King David, weeping and barefoot, climbed up the Mount of Olives to lament the conspiracy of Ahitophel with Absalom (2 Samuel 15:30-32). This shows the mount of olives to be a well respected place of worship.

1 Kings 11:7-8 tells us that King Solomon built palaces of worship at the Mount of Olives for the pagan gods that he and his wives worshipped. The mount came to be called the Mount of Corruption but King Josiah destroyed these high places of worship to Chemosh, god of Moab, and to Molech, god of the Ammorites (2 Kings 23:13-14).

Ezekiel’s vision of the glory of God and His resting place among the Israelites forever is another Bible reference to the Mount of Olives (Ezekiel 11:22-23).

The Mount of Olives occupies a special place in early Christian tradition. According to Acts 1:9-12, it was a Sabbath’s day journey (2,000 cubits) from Jerusalem, and it was also the place of the Ascension. On its slopes lay Bethpage, Bethany and Gethsemane. Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem began on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 21:2, Mark 11:1, Luke 19:27-38). The mountain is also the traditional site where Christ foretold the destruction of Jerusalem known as the Olivet Discourse (Matt.24:12, Mark 13:1-4 ). And on the Mount of Olives the Lord sat with His disciples and told them of the signs of His coming and the of the end of the age (Matthew 24, Mark 13 (Luke 21).

It is indicated in scriptures that Christ kept solitary time and performed His night prayers at the Mount of Olives ( Luke 21:37-38, Jn.8:1 ). Matt.26:30 tells us that on the Mount of Olives, Christ and His disciples sang a hymn together. These are in keeping with what is written in the Bible that the mountain was the place where people went to worship. And so also, it was on the lower slopes of the Mount of Olives, at the Garden of Gethsemane where Christ prayed before His trial and crucifixion. Here he was arrested by Roman guards while with His disciples (Matt. 26:30, 36-45).

The Mount of Olives was a special place for Christ. From the eastern mountain He could look towards the site of the Holy of Holies, the mercy seat representing the place of the Throne of God in His capital city Jerusalem. It also represents the place of the Holy Ark in heaven (Revelation 11:15-19; Revelation 21:1-3, 10). From the Mount of Olives, Christ could pray towards the very seat of the kingdom He was sent to prepare and to restore also for a people He was sent to save.

And so Israel and the foreigners who pilgrimage to Jerusalem are also mandated by the word of God to pray towards the Temple site for a special hearing and granting of favor for prayers from God. King David, King Solomon, Daniel, Jonah, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat and many others in the Bible did so pray towards the Temple site in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 6:20-41 and 7:12-16, 1 Kings 8:29-49. Psalm 5:7, Psalm 3:4, Psalm 28:2, Psalm 138:1-2, 2 Samuel 22:7, Jonah 2:4, 2 Chronicles 20:9, Daniel 6:10.

From the specially spiritually strategic point of the Mount of Olives and from Mount Zion, prayers can also arise to God in more direct relevance to Revelation 5:8 and Revelation 8:3-5.

The site of the glorious return of Christ to battle the nations that strive against Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:3, Zechariah 14:3) and of His triumphal second coming as King over the whole earth will be the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4,9). He will come as lightning that comes from the east (Matthew 24:27)/ But note the anti will come with observation and a and angel of light like this description of Christ/, the mountain east of Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives.

 1Pe 2:6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded

1Co 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.  

Rom.9:33  As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offense: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed

another witness

[William H.]

Rabbi Simeon further gave an exposition of the verse:

The Lord said to my Lord,

Sit at my right hand

Until I make your enemies your footstool (Ps. 110:1)

“The Lord says unto my Lord”:

to wit, the upper grade [of the Godhead],

said to the lower [grade of the Godhead],

“sit at My right hand”,…

(Zohar 1:50b)

[William H.]

Yoma 39 records the miracles surrounding the temple and temple duties ceased starting after the crucifixion. The doors wouldn't stay shut the menorah wouldn't stay properly lit, the fire under the alter wouldn't stay lit as it use to with two pieces of wood the crimson strap would no longer turn white and the lot always fell to Azazel...  Which the priest kept note of and we read here in Yoma 39 it was concerning seeing as it showed the temple proceedings were no longer blessed from the time of the crucifixion unto the destruction of the temple..... (IS.53:10)

Zohar 2:212a As long as Israel dwelt in te holy land the rituals and the sacrifices they performed in the temple removed all those diseases from the world, Now Messiah removes them from the children of the world.

[William H.]

Zech.14 (place of refuge) 

⁴ And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

⁵ And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

⁶ And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:⁷ But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.⁸ And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.⁹ And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.....

- Wikipedia - Mount of olives Jewish Cemetery -

"The Jewish Cemetery on the Mount of Olives, 155 years apart. The map, from 1858, considered the most accurate in existence at the time, showing around 40–50 Jewish graves (marked on the bottom left). The aerial photo, from 2013, is taken from the south; the number of tombs is now around 70,000–150,000." (144,000?)

[William H.]

Kohen Gadol  High Priest 

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2862808/jewish/The-H... 

[William H.]

Where was the tabernacle located when Solomon’s temple was being built?

1Ch 15:29
And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart. 1Ch 16:1
So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2Ch 5:2
Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, in Jerusalem, that they might bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD up from the City of David, which is Zion.

[William H.]

[William H.]

Yeshayahu - Isaiah - Chapter 44 

6 So said the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer the Lord of Hosts, "I am first and I am last, and besides Me there is no God.

7 And who will call [that he is] like Me and will tell it and arrange it for Me, since My placing the ancient people, and the signs and those that will come, let them tell for themselves.

8 Fear not and be not dismayed; did I not let you hear it from then, and I told [it] and you are My witnesses; is there a God besides Me? And there is no rock I did not know.

...( and be not dismayed: Heb. תִּרְהוּ. There is no similar word, and its interpretation according to its context is like תֵּחַתּוּ, be not dismayed from making My name known among the heathens (nations [K’li Paz and mss.]).).... rashi

... (I did not know: Heb. יָדַעְתִּי. An expression similar to (Exodus 33:17) “And I knew you by name (וָאֵדָעֲ) ” ; (Deut. 2:7) “He knew (יָדַע) your going” ; (Hosea 13:5) “I knew you (יְדַעְתִּי) in the desert.”)..... Rashi 

[William H.]

Temple Mount 

[William H.]

Concerning prior comment seems Torah didn’t say what the rabbi said it said but here is some documentation interpreted by some to be relevant

“Apparently there is a source or verse in Song of Songs regarding the wall. -- We read in Song of Songs, “Behold, He is standing behind our wall, looking from the windows, peering from the lattices.”5 The Midrash explains that this refers to the Western Wall. “Why is this so? Because the Holy One, Blessed be He, has taken an oath that it will never be destroyed.”6

Based on this verse, the Zohar states: “The Divine Presence never departed from the Western Wall of the Temple.” This is seen as a manifestation of G‑d’s promise to Solomon when the Temple was first built, that “My eyes and heart will be there at all times.”

The Zohar explains that this idea is hinted to in the word kotel (כותל), which can be broken into two words, כו תל. The word כו is the numeric value of 26, the value of the Tetragrammaton. And the word תל means “hill” or “mountain.” Thus, the Kotel’s very name hints to the fact that G‑d’s Divine Presence is still to be found on the Temple Mount. THere is also a Midrash about the Western Wall whose story can be found in this article https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/3326188/jewish/Why-t... “

http://www.aish.com/h/9av/j/48961906.html?mobile=yes

[William H.]

Rock in Horeb

Num.20:7-12

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.

9 And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?

11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

Could this smiting the rock twice be relative to Messiah coming in 2 advents? Moses wasnt told to strike it twice. Here in numbers it says to Speak unto the rock. 

? So why does Ex.17:5-7 read :

"5 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.

6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?"

Why didnt Moses enter the land?

Claims are as followed:

1)Some say Moses transgressed by simply hitting it rather than speaking unto it But how does that relate to Ex.17?

2) Some say he transgressed by hitting it Twice rather than once just once.....  The next claim hold rational that encompasses some concept of both "speaking unto" & "hitting" the rock.

3) The Tanakh (along with rabbinic commentaries)Num.20:7-11/ says that striking the rock once then twice was considered speaking unto the rock. vs 12 "The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Since you did not have faith in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly to the Land which I have given them." But because he didnt acknowledge The Almighty G-D before bringing forth this blessings that he would not bring the assembly into the land. The greatest of all commands is to keep G-D first. This is the only way Israel can inherite the land and He is the true force that saw them through the exodus. Moses isnt to be spoken lightly of He is among the best examples of G-D's people we have to date. These things shall serve to edify us..... "to sanctify Me: For had you spoken to the rock and it had given forth [water], I would have been sanctified in the eyes of the congregation. They would have said,"If this rock, which neither speaks nor hears, and does not require sustenance, fulfills the word of the Omnipresent, how much more should we! - [Midrash Aggadah]"... (Matt.3:9/ Lk.3:8/ Duet.32:31,51)