Yahowah did not create us to praise Him. He is not insecure. And having us praise Him would be like having a school of tadpoles croak out a song, telling us that by comparison to them, we\u2019re really swell. Sure, it\u2019s appropriate at times to acknowledge His goodness, greatness, and generosity. Like any parent, He\u2019d appreciate that so long as it is heartfelt and straightforward, and not self-serving. But the bottom line with God is that Yahowah desires a relationship with us which is based upon love, mutual understanding, and respect. It\u2019s Satan who wants to be praised. It is Satan who is insecure.<\/p>\n
Halal<\/em>, like the sun, is a good thing corrupted. On the positive side halal<\/em> is the basis of halaluyah<\/em>\u2014extol Yah by reflecting His light. Halal<\/em> conveys Yahowsha\u2019s luminescent nature as reported by Ezekiel and the Apostle Yahowchanan. Halal<\/em> means: \u201cto shine, to brilliantly radiate light, making the source of the light clear and visible.\u201d Halal<\/em> describes the Garment of Light worn by all who have been born anew from above. And this is why Satan coveted the term. He wanted to be the Ma\u2019aseyah and to be like the Most High. He craved praise and arrogantly considered himself worthy.<\/p>\n But as I have shared, halal<\/em> also speaks of \u201cglorifying oneself, boasting, and bragging.\u201d When one claims to be something they are not, it is \u201chalal<\/em> \u2013 arrogant.\u201d And all too often, the way insecure individuals tear those above them down is to \u201chalal<\/em> \u2013 slander them, reporting things about them which are untrue.\u201d And while such behavior is \u201chalal<\/em> \u2013 unjustified, irrational, and insane,\u201d it is a form of \u201chalal<\/em> \u2013 ridicule and mockery,\u201d all designed to \u201chalal<\/em> \u2013 fool the unwary into praising the unworthy.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the reasons that this form of \u201chalal<\/em> \u2013 boasting\u201d is so effective for Halal ben Shachar is that as once one of Yah\u2019s spiritual envoys, he is a form of light. If you were to see him, as Paul did on the road to Damascus, he would appear like flashing rays of light, beautiful, powerful, and captivating \u2013 even enlightening. And believing that he was all of these things and more, is the very crime which caused Satan to fall. In fact his name defines him and his tactics: \u201cto be a fool and to make others foolish.\u201d Halal<\/em> is \u201ca madman who brags, speaking words which convey confidence in an object or notion which is not God nor from God.\u201d The dark side of halal<\/em> is all about \u201carrogance and pride.\u201d It speaks of one who lives to \u201cturn others so that they no longer have the capacity to understand.\u201d Halal<\/em> is an \u201caccuser, slandering and mocking, speaking damning and desolate words that cause us to lose our respect for the truth.\u201d To be halal<\/em> is to be \u201cirrational, even insane, full of energy and intensity, yet thoughtless, furious, and reckless.\u201d<\/p>\n If you want to know Halal, look into the eyes of an Islamic suicide bomber or walk into a Catholic church. If you want to understand how Halal corrupts, read one of Paul\u2019s letters or even Muhammad\u2019s Qur\u2019an. It\u2019s all about slander, corruption, confusion, and counterfeit.<\/p>\n So if you want to see Halal<\/em> in action and witness his best work, study religion, especially Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Socialist Secular Humanism. Over time these impostors have produced generations of people who have been Halal<\/em>-ed: \u201cno longer having the capacity to understand,\u201d substituting the lie for the light.<\/p>\n In the next chapter, \u201cGa\u2019al<\/em> \u2013 Redemption,\u201d we will meet Halal again. Next time he will be called: \u201cHalal, the Prideful Serpent.\u201d Yahowah wants us to know who the Adversary is so that we will not be similarly corrupted.<\/p>\n Speaking of deadly deceptions, Yahowah does not want us to fear Him. While I understand that most every English Bible translates yare\u2019<\/em> \u201cfear,\u201d the word also means \u201crespect and revere.\u201d You cannot love what you fear. But you can revere and respect whom you know and love. One is rational and right. The other is irrational and insane. Considering who they are serving, it\u2019s little wonder the clerics made the wrong choice.<\/p>\n Returning to the 22nd<\/sup> Psalm, we are reacquainted with an old friend. Kabad<\/em> is the first word of the Second of Seven Instructions, defining the nature of the ideal relationship between children and their Father and Mother.<\/p>\n \u201cAll <\/strong>(kol<\/em>) descendants <\/strong>(zera\u2019<\/em> \u2013 seed, children, offspring, family, and progeny) of Ya\u2019aqob <\/strong>(Ya\u2019aqob<\/em> \u2013 one who digs in his heels, renamed Yisra\u2019el) consider Him worthy of respect and massively significant <\/strong>(kabad \u2013<\/em> hold Him in high regard, valuing Him immensely).\u201d <\/strong>(Mizmowr<\/em> \/ Song \/ Psalm 22:24)<\/p>\n The textual consonants which comprise kabad<\/em> (\u05db\u05b8\u05d1\u05b5\u05d3) give rise to an important series of derivatives. Collectively they convey: \u201cweightiness, massiveness, significance, worth, value, abundance, glory, and greatness.\u201d Not only do these concepts form the basis of the Second Instruction, they frame the issue of choice. If we see Yahowah as significant He promises to view us the same way. If we respect Yahowah\u2019s massive energy and power, He will share it with us. Value Him and we will inherit His abundance. Acknowledge His greatness and He will bring us into His presence and clothe us in His glory.<\/p>\n But, if you trifle with Him, He will trifle with you. If you see Him as insignificant you will become so insignificant it will be as if you never were. Disrespect His massiveness and you will be reduced to nothingness. Kabad<\/em> defines the nature of the choice and its consequence.<\/p>\n Disregarding Yahowah\u2019s intent, the JPS Tanach tells us in the next verse that we should \u201cdread Him,\u201d with Him being the Ma\u2019aseyah. The King James, in their usual rut, reverts back to \u201cfear Him.\u201d But the word is guwr<\/em>, and it means: \u201cto come together and live, with guests living among us, dwelling in harmony forever.\u201d There is nothing dreadful or fearful about any of that.<\/p>\n Now that you know what the word means, here is what Dowd was inspired to say about the Ma\u2019aseyah and His people. \u201cGather together and choose to live with Him <\/strong>(guwr \u2013 <\/em>become a welcomed guest in His company) all you descendants of Yisra\u2019el <\/strong>(min kol zera\u2019 Yisra\u2019el<\/em> \u2013 including every child who engages and endures with God) .\u201d <\/strong>(Mizmowr<\/em> \/ Song \/ Psalm 22:24)<\/p>\n The truth was hard to miss becauseYisra\u2019el, \u201cthose who contend with, persist with, persevere with, engage and endure with, and are empowered by God\u201d, is virtually synonymous with guwr<\/em>. And speaking of Yisra\u2019el, it is a pseudonym for the Ma\u2019aseyah. Not only does He \u201ccontend with, persist with, persevere with, and is empowered by God,\u201d Scripture tells us that He, as the result of His sacrifice, \u201cwill live to conceive an abundance of descendants.\u201d<\/p>\n The secret to our success is contained in these words: \u201cIndeed <\/strong>(ky<\/em>), He has not devalued <\/strong>(lo\u2019 bazah \u2013 <\/em>He has not failed to show regard for), nor has He rejected <\/strong>(wa lo\u2019 shaqats<\/em> \u2013 He has not shown antipathy toward nor an aversion for) the responsive who is afflicted and oppressed <\/strong>(\u2018enuwth \u2018any \u2013 <\/em>the one who answers the summons, who engages and acts, is humble and unpretentious; both from \u2018anah<\/em> \u2013 to answer, respond, and engage).\u201d <\/strong>(Mizmowr<\/em> \/ Song \/ Psalm 22:25)<\/p>\n Bazah<\/em> is the opposite of kabad<\/em>. The basic meaning is \u201cto accord little value to something.\u201d The two most appropriate English synonyms would be \u201ccontempt and disdain.\u201d Webster defines contempt as \u201cdisdain, the lack of respect or reverence for something.\u201d It is \u201cwillful disobedience and open disrespect for a judge.\u201d Of disdain, it says: \u201cto hold in contempt, to refuse or abstain from, to treat as beneath one\u2019s notice or dignity.\u201d This is Yahowah\u2019s policy: bazah<\/em> for bazah<\/em>, kabad<\/em> for kabad<\/em>. Simply stated, if you don\u2019t respect Him and value His redemptive solution you aren\u2019t going to trust Him or rely on it. And since there is but one God, one source of life, and one savior, by being bazah<\/em>\u2014being of little worth, being beneath one\u2019s notice, and being alone and abandoned\u2014bazah<\/em> happens.<\/p>\n It\u2019s interesting; those who are self-reliant, full of themselves, steeped in pride and hubris become insignificant. To be significant, we must first be unpretentious. It\u2019s little wonder that Satan is called \u201cthe prideful one.\u201d So the moral of the story is Yahowah helps those who acknowledge that they need assistance, that they are incapable of saving themselves. To be saved we must recognize that we need a Savior, recognize who the Savior is, and then rely upon Him.<\/p>\n The most interesting aspect of this statement might well be the fact that both \u2018enuwth<\/em> and \u2018any<\/em> are based upon \u2018anah<\/em> \u2013 a word whose primary meaning is \u201cto respond by answering a summons.\u201d Yahowah\u2019s seven Miqra\u2019ey, three of which Yahowsha\u2019 is seen responding to in this Psalm, are invitations to meet with God. Our response to these summonses determines our fate. Or said another way, Yahowsha\u2019s sacrifices benefit those who respond to Him.<\/p>\n Dowd, speaking of those who view the Creator and the creation appropriately, said of Yahowsha\u2019: \u201cNeither has He concealed His presence<\/strong> (wa lo\u2019 cathar paneh<\/em> \u2013 nor has He hidden His appearance) from Him <\/strong>(min<\/em>). <\/strong><\/p>\n And <\/strong>(wa<\/em>) with<\/strong> (ba<\/em>) His cry for help <\/strong>(showa\u2019 \u2013 <\/em>His pleading for relief) to Him <\/strong>(\u2018el<\/em> \u2013 to God), He heard Him <\/strong>(shama\u2019 \u2013 <\/em>He listened to Him).\u201d <\/strong>(Mizmowr<\/em> \/ Song \/ Psalm 22:25)<\/p>\n This completes the equation. While it is true that to be saved we must: recognize we need a Savior, recognize who the Savior is, and then rely upon Him, we must also ask Him for His help. When we do, we live forever in His presence.<\/p>\n This acknowledged, I think that this statement and the previous one are still in Yahowsha\u2019s voice. He was not only afflicted on Pesach<\/em> and Matsah<\/em>, He consistently turned to Yahowah seeking His assistance. And God heard His cries for help and responded, releasing His Son from She\u2019owl, lifting Him back up to heaven. This perspective not only provides another affirmation that Yahowah alone is our Savior, it leads us directly into this next verse.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause of being with You <\/strong>(min \u2018eth<\/em>), My testimony regarding Your manifestation of power and Your wonderful deeds <\/strong>(tahillah <\/em>\u2013 My song of adoration regarding Your renown) in the great assembly <\/strong>(ba qahal rab \u2013 <\/em>among the crowds) fulfills My promise<\/strong> (neder shalem<\/em> \u2013 completes My vow) in the sight and presence of those who<\/strong> (neged<\/em> \u2013 conspicuously in a straightforward fashion in full view of those who) respect and revere Him<\/strong> (yare\u2019<\/em>).\u201d <\/strong>(Mizmowr<\/em> \/ Song \/ Psalm 22:26)<\/p>\n In Yahowsha\u2019s voice, this statement is profound. As a result of His relationship with Yahowah, Yahowsha\u2019 was able to complete His promise to fulfill the Miqra\u2019ey<\/em> of Pesach<\/em>, Matsah<\/em>, and Bikuwrym<\/em>. And everyone who has answered His call to observe these Invitations to be Called Out and Meet with God recognizes what He has done. He did these things in a conspicuous straightforward fashion, each on the right day, each in the right way, each in the right order, and did so publicly at the crossroads of the world. Those who revere the Father respect what the Son has accomplished.<\/p>\n Also relevant, shalem<\/em> is directly related to \u201cshalowm<\/em> \u2013 reconciliation.\u201d So the \u201cmanifestation\u201d of Yahowah\u2019s \u201cpower\u201d and the implement responsible for His \u201cwonderful deeds\u201d during the \u201cgreat assembly meetings\u201d \u201cfulfilled His promise\u201d to \u201creconcile our relationship\u201d with God.<\/p>\n The Psalm continues with prophetic echoes of Yahowsha\u2019s Teaching on the Mount. \u201cThe<\/strong> responsive who engage <\/strong>(\u2018anaw \u2013 <\/em>the humble who act by answering the call, the unpretentious and oppressed; from \u2018anah<\/em> \u2013 to answer, respond, and engage) shall be continually nourished <\/strong>(akal \u00ad\u2013 <\/em>they shall always be fed (qal imperfect)) and always be completely genuinely satisfied <\/strong>(wa saba\u2019 \u2013 <\/em>and find provision in abundance (qal imperfect)).\u201d <\/strong>(Mizmowr<\/em> \/ Song \/ Psalm 22:27) It is only right that an excerpt from Yahowsha\u2019s most famous public declaration should follow a prediction of His most important deed.<\/p>\n In the whole of God\u2019s Word, this is one of my favorite verses. \u201cThose who genuinely seek, consult with, actually follow, and rely upon <\/strong>(darash \u2013 <\/em>those who really search for, literally account for, ponder and petition, forming a relationship with (qal participle)) Yahowah <\/strong>(efei \u2013 hwhy) radiate His brilliant and clear light <\/strong>(halal \u2013 <\/em>are a visible source of light). All of your hearts, minds, souls, and consciences <\/strong>(lebab<\/em> \u2013 your inner nature and person, their thoughts, feelings, and passions) shall live forever <\/strong>(chayah la \u2018ad<\/em> \u2013 shall be eternally restored and preserved, shall be revived and nurtured for all time, shall continuously live vigorous and abundant lives as a result of this choice (qal imperfect jussive)).\u201d <\/strong>(Mizmowr<\/em> \/ Song \/ Psalm 22:27)<\/p>\n If I could have but one promise etched on my heart it might well be this one. It is the synthesis of Scripture. It is the answer, the promise, the purpose, the means, and the reward.<\/p>\n The final four verses of the 3,000-year-old prophetic Psalm reveal that Yahowah knew that evil men would brutalize Him in the manner He has detailed, fully ten centuries before He allowed it to happen. One thousand years after He inspired this promise, Yahowsha\u2019 entered our world in the form of a man to fulfill His mission. His example defines love. It proclaims that ultimately, when the last chapter is written and the last act is played out, we will remember His sacrifice and turn to Him because He has done this.<\/p>\n \u201cThey will remember <\/strong>(zakar<\/em> \u2013 they will recall the truth about) and they will return <\/strong>(wa suwb<\/em> \u2013 they will turn around and think differently, reestablishing relations, renewed and restored) to<\/strong> (\u2018el<\/em>) Yahowah <\/strong>(efei \u2013 hwhy) from all of the ends of the earth<\/strong> (kol \u2018ephec \u2018erets<\/em> \u2013 finally the entire material realm). And <\/strong>(wa<\/em>) they will make this announcement<\/strong> (chawah<\/em> \u2013 they will verbally explain this, displaying their decision using words) before Your presence<\/strong> (la paneh<\/em>) \u2013 all of the people of the world, from every race and place<\/strong> (kol mishpachah gowym<\/em>).\u201d <\/strong>(Mizmowr<\/em> \/ Song \/ Psalm 22:28)<\/p>\n We began this Psalm in the deepest depths of despair. Yahowah removed His Spirit from Yahowsha\u2019, forsaking His Soul. The Ma\u2019aseyah had been reduced to a bloody pulp by the blows of men He had created. He was nailed hand and foot to a pole, suffering the excruciating agony of crucifixion while those He was saving were scoffing at Him. Satan, and his full assemblage of demons, surrounded the Ma\u2019aseyah, falsely accusing Him. Yahowsha\u2019s body as the Passover Lamb died, and His soul descended through the lifeless rubbish heap of Gehenna en route to She\u2019owl<\/em> during Unleavened Bread. Then on the third day, on Bikuwrym, soul and Spirit were reunited in a celebration of life, thereby restoring all who would respond to these invitations. So now, according to this prophetic Song, a day will come when everyone will recognize and appreciate what He has done and will return to Yahowah. They will make a public proclamation that they accept and embrace the benefits of Pesach<\/em>, Matsah<\/em>, and Bikuwrym<\/em>.<\/p>\n