Scriptural Water Immersion (Baptism/Washing)

Transcription

1 Scriptural Water Immersion (Baptism/Washing) By Sha'ul bayn Yahukhenun ha Yahudah Copyright 2013 The Way of the Most High Exalting belief in our Father, the Most High efei (YaHUAH), through His Turah, the 5 scrolls of M'shih (Moses). followyah@gmail.com Website

2 Water has played a significant role in most religions. Some have worshipped bodies of water like the Nile and Ganges rivers. Worshippers go to water for various reasons. Our bodies have a large percentage of water weight and we obtain water for drinking from fruits or other sources of water. Scripture certainly has a lot to say regarding water. In this study we will search the Scriptures to see what the significance of "immersion" is. It is important for Scriptural believers to understand the significance of water throughout Scripture. The word "meq'uah" (commonly mikvah) is the common word which people look for when it comes to this subject. It the word for "pool" or "gathering" of the waters. It is first used in B'rasheet (Gen.) 1:9 and seen as "meqoom." This is the verb form for "be gathered." "Meq'uah" would be to go into a pool or immerse oneself. The actual phrase "meq'uah meyim" is used for "immersion in water" in Wa'y'qora (Lev.) 11:36. So this term is found in Scripture, although hard to find for most people. It took us a while to figure this out. Most people know the subject of "immersion" from a Greek perspective, from the Greek word "baptidzo," which became "baptize" in English. Depending on what organized religion or denomination that one belongs to, their definition of what it means to baptize is varied. They might think it means to sprinkle water on one s head, to dip their head in water or to place their whole body under water. But we want to have a Scriptural definition for this. The Strong s Exhaustive Concordance defines the Greek word baptidzo as making a person fully wet (G#907). We will see that this is the true meaning of baptism, and should be called immersion, since we immerse ourselves in water and become fully wet. But some people think that baptism is simply a New Testament teaching that is nowhere found in the Turah (Scripture). In our study here, we must dispel the myth that baptism is a New Testament teaching, and understand the depths of water throughout Scripture. Our created planet has lessons for us to learn from our Creator about ourselves and our relationship to Him and the planet. Adawm (Adam) is taken from the Aibreet (Hebrew script) word adameh, which means bloody ground or ruddy colour of ground. It is the kind of reddish dirt that one would find in rich soil. The word dawm or blood is the root or source that is stuck in between the letters a (al) and h (hay) at the beginning and end of a-da-meh. Certainly, the Almighty made our bodies from the ground, from rich soil. Now you can understand why several places in Scripture mention the blood of righteous people crying out to the Almighty from the ground (such as B rasheet (Gen.) 4:10). There is a connection between the rich blood-coloured soil from which we were made and the life or blood that is within us. He made us with flesh, bones, blood and water. And then He breathed into us and made us alive. Having taken us from the ground, when we die, we are buried in the ground and our bodies decay back into the soil. Throughout the laws and commands of Sh moot (Ex.) and Wa'y'qora (Lev.) there are instructions as to how we are to let the ground/soil rest in between our use of it, as well as other instructions regarding how we treat our planet. As our planet is made of land mass and bodies of water, so also we have flesh with water running through it. We get a picture of this from the way that Aydaen (Eden) is described in B'rasheet (Gen.) 2: The original planet

3 had one body of water that ran from Aydan (Eden) and then divided into four rivers. A perfect planet, far removed from our chaotic planet which now exists. Now that we have briefly compared our bodies to our planet, we can now understand how our Creator applies symbols like dust and water to life events such as death (dust) or immersion (water). As we travel through Scripture, we see that righteous people are compared with solid and firm trees that are planted by streams of water, amongst other symbols seen in creation. In truth, we are not so altogether different from the rest of creation, but we are the crowning and final act of the creation of the Almighty. Thus, if people believe in evolution, they will never understand the symbols of creation used throughout Scripture, or our relationship to creation and the Creator. The Creator and His creation are embedded in the written words of Aibreet (Scriptural Hebrew). The Significance of Water We have already understood that water is necessary for life, and that water is gained from fruit in a very pure and natural form. If you are concerned about not getting enough water, or drinking 6-8 glasses of fluoride-treated waters from our taps and corrupted bottled spring water, then try getting more of your water from fruits. Fruit and trees are mentioned in numerous ways throughout Scripture. One interesting fact on "water" in Scripture is that it is usually found in the plural form, using the Aibreet (Hebrew script) word meyim. And a fountain of water such as a spring or wall of water is called an ayin. Notice the relation of the word meyim to ayin. The word ayin is mostly used as the word for eye in Scripture, and that is usually what ayin means. Naturally, the Aibree (Hebrew) mind thought of a fountain spring of water as the "eye" of the land. It is like tears of the land. Now we can see the relationship of water and land to the eye of our bodies. Creation is rooted in the Aibreet (Hebrew) script, and is a very deep language for us to understand. The story of Haygar in B'rasheet (Gen.) 16 ties all of these symbols together. Haygar was pregnant with Y'shmai'Al (Ishma Al), and was running away from Abrahaym and Sarah s home. She comes to this fountain or ayin (eye) of the land, and it becomes a very special fountain. It is there that she meets with the messenger (angel) of efei (YaHUAH), and is told that she should go back to Awbrahaym and Sarah, and that her seed (son and his son s sons) would become great. He also tells her that she should name him Y'shmai'Al, because efei Al (YaHUAH the Mighty One) had sh'mai (heard) her suffering. And then H'gar named the fountain or well "B'ar la'khey ra'ee," "the Well of the Living One who Sees me." And so there is a very important play on words in this story. The ayin or eye or fountain which she came to was where the eye of the Most High was upon her. He saw her there. Living Waters and the Hidden Meaning of our Immersion Truthfully, fountains and wells and rivers play a large role in Scripture. In the story of Haygar, we find a relationship between the Living One, the Most High Father, and living waters. Living waters are waters that flow, such as the single river which divided into four divisions of rivers, or fountains and wells, in B'rasheet (Gen.) 2:10. Living water in Scripture always refers to water that is flowing or alive. Our first example of living water is found in Wa'y'qora (Leviticus) 14:6. Wa'y'qora (Lev.) 14 describes the

4 cleansing of the leper who is healed of his leprosy. The healed leper comes to the priest. The priest takes two birds, cedar wood, scarlet fabric and some hyssop. All of these are very important. One of the birds is killed in a clay pot, over "running water." The actual words in the original Scriptures of Wa'y'qora (Lev.) 14:6 for running water are hameyim ha-kheyim. Literally translated, this would be the waters which are living. Stay with us here, because there is a very significant lesson with this ritual of the birds and the living waters, scarlet fabric and so forth. One bird is killed over a clay pot which contains fresh waters taken from flowing or living water. Then the living bird, with the scarlet fabric, cedar wood and hyssop is gathered in the priest s hands. The bird was most likely wrapped in the scarlet fabric, with the cedar wood and hyssop held underneath the bird. Then the priest immerses or dips the living bird into the blood of the slain bird and living water. Then the priest sprinkles the blood/water mixture on the healed leper and the priest lets the living bird free in the open field. The healed leper then shaves off all his hair, washes his clothes and bathes himself in water. So what is the significance of all this? Well, we have blood and water. One bird is immersed in blood and water and freed. That living bird that is dipped in the water and blood of the slain bird and freed represents the leper that is now healed of his leprosy and is free and clean. The dead bird represents the leprosy and uncleanness (and transgression if there was any) of the leper which is now gone. The cedar wood held under the living bird that was dipped into the blood and water of the slain bird is a Scriptural symbol of healing. The cedar wood also provided a wonderful smell. The hyssop under the slain bird refers to cleansing. And the scarlet fabric which the living bird was wrapped in clearly represents the transgressions or uncleanness. But most importantly, we see that the dipping of the living bird corresponds to the bathing of the leper or immersion (baptism). The leper was instructed to wash after this ceremony (Lev. 14:8), in much the same manner as a lady must do after her menstrual cycle. Other examples of significant cleansing by water in the First Witness (OT) can be easily found. The person responsible for letting the scapegoat go would have to bathe/immerse before coming back to the camp of Y'shr'Al (Israel) (Wa'y'qora (Lev.) 16:26). B'medbayr (Num.) 19:7-8 also describes the necessity of immersion after certain offerings. Lastly, the menstrual cycle of a lady plays a large role in Scriptural cleansing. A lady would be unclean for 7 days, and on the eighth day she was to go and wash her menstrual cloths and immerse herself through bathing. Although it is not specified in Lev. 15:19-29 that she actually "immerse," it has been done throughout their history in Y'shr'Al (Israel). When we go down into the water, like the leper or the lady after her menstrual cycle, we are being cleansed for a new beginning. When we come out of the water, we show newness of life. Thus, throughout history, the eighth day of the cleansing of the leper, the eighth day of circumcision of the sons of Y'shr'Al (Israel), or the eighth day of the cleansing of those who are menstruating, has been a significant day for Scriptural believers. We also have 6,000 years of history that is close to wrapping up, represented as 6 days in prophetic time. This is followed by the 7 th day or everlasting rest of peace, in the government of the Most High to come! When we come to understand what we have studied so far in this article, we will then have to make a decision to get immersed. And while most people might think that

5 they need a rabbi or pastor to put them under the water, this is not necessary. The lady who finished menstruating had to go herself. The lepers had to go. You should find a nice body of living waters such as a river, pool by a waterfall, or otherwise. You may make a simple profession of the mouth regarding your belief in the Most High and His Turah (Scripture). You may confess your transgressions, uncleanness and repentance along with those of Y'shr'Al (Israel) throughout the ages. You may declare your acceptance of the cleansing of the Most High, His compassion, and unmerited favour. And as you come out of such a cleansing, you are able to walk with joy and peace, knowing that you have made things right with the Creator. Alish'bai and I have done so together, and such an experience is truly strengthening, refreshing and uplifting. What Immersion is NOT As most Turah-only believers understand, immersion or meq'uah is not a means of entrance into belief with the Most High and the Turah (Scripture). Unlike the New Testament, which asks its believers to be baptized, there is no instruction in the Turah (Scripture) to be immersed upon conversion to the Most High. Rather, immersion is one of numerous rituals in the Turah (Scripture) which causes us to walk in righteousness before the Most High. It is like the cutting of our foreskin (falsely called circumcision ), or the observance of any other righteous command in Scripture. But much like the cutting of the foreskin, there is a certain joy and peace in following meq'uah from the perspective of the Turah (Scripture). Nor is there a precedent in Scripture for immersing (baptizing) converts. Rather, what we see is that the Almighty demands repentance, and then to walk with Him in righteousness, obeying His Turah (Scripture). For males in particular, their commitment is to cut the foreskin. What is the Problem with "Jewish Mikvah?" There really isn t much of a problem with "Jewish mikvah" (immersion) if you don t mind all the rabbinical stuff associated with it. But for my wife and I, we cannot stand it. Firstly, if you go to a synagogue to use their "mikvah," they will ask you if you are Jewish or have spoken with the rabbi. So automatically that exempts us from it, since we don t follow rabbis, and the terms Jewish and Jew are not Scriptural. The rundown of this process is that there is a lady who works at the "mikvah" who sees you into the place. You go into your male or female shower and scrub yourself meticulously, as well as prior to even coming to this place. Then you go into the waters and have to recite a bunch of stuff that isn t mentioned in Scripture. And then you may go on your merry way. When you really stop to think about it, this is far from what we see in the Turah (Scripture). What we see is that they found a river, rain water laver, or something of this nature, and then they immersed themselves. Plain and simple. No one else had to be involved. As we have studied, it is a rich subject and lots to think about. But we do not encourage going to a "Jewish mikvah" at a synagogue.

6 SOURCES The Scriptures. Northriding, South Africa: Institute For Scripture Research, JPS Hebrew-English TaNaKh. PhiladAlphia, USA: The Jewish Publication Society, Strong, James. Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible; Hendrickson Publishers, ISBN