The Mystery of Getting to Know God: A Journey Through Life

By Mudassa Gaymes

The About the Book information is not available as of this time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9781669860631

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CONTENTS

Dedication

Foreword

Endorsements

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Uncovering The Secret Of The Mystery Of Getting To Know God

Becoming Best Of Friends

Friendship Development

Character Traits Of Friendship With YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY

Vessels Of Honour

YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY’s Vision For Creation

The Cloud Cover

Moving Beyond Being Anointed To Living Behind The Veil

DEDICATION

Prophet Moses received command to Sanctify…all the first born...of every womb… (Exodus 13:2 MEV). Of such, God proclaimed: All that…is Mine… (Exodus 34:19). As a result of this, I set apart this writing to יYOD-הHEY-וVAV-הHEY, for He requires first things. Although others have assisted in inspiring The Mystery of Getting to Know God: A Journey Through Life, it belongs to God. [YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY] owns...Earth and all it contains... (Psalm 24:1 NET personalized); so I submit this writing to Him and I decree and declare it as ‘Belonging and dedicated to the God who created the Heavens and the Earth’. It is my desire that this God be glorified for this work and that it will be used to glorify and honor Him, by effectively changing the lives of all those who would read through its pages. Now due to the reality that the Kāhāl - the Ekklēsía - the Called-Out-Ones were designed to be one with God, this work is also dedicated to her for her preparation and maturing into His Image and Likeness. Now and forever, …May [YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY] do what seems good to Him (2 Samuel 10:12 CJB personalized).

FOREWORD

"...This is the blood of the Covenant, which [I יהוה (YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY)] has made with you in accordance with all these words" (Exodus 24:8 MEV personalized) when I ...[laid] down [My] life for [you] (John 15:13 MEV personalized) so ...that where I am, you may be also (John 14:3 MEV); and now, ...I will put My Law within [you] and write it in [your] hearts; and I will be [your] God, and [you] shall be My people (Jeremiah 31:33 MEV personalized).

יהוה

ENDORSEMENTS

יהוה - YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY — המשיח ישוע - Yeshua HaMashiyach — רוח הקודש - Ruach HaKo’desh

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In his letter to Thessalonians, Apostle Paul admonished: In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God… (1 Thessalonians 5:18 emphasized). With this in mind, special thanks is in order for the Most High God—YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY, Yeshua HaMashiayach and Ruach HaKo’desh, Author of the most-read book in the world (the Holy Bible), having given me the grace to reveal this book to the Nations. Like the mother of Yeshua HaMashiyach, I proclaim, …He that is Mighty hath done to me great things; and Holy is His name (Luke 1:49).

It was during the leadership tenure of Mrs. Niesha Williams and her assistant Mr. Ephron Poyer that this revelation had its first opportunity to breathe. As a result, I express my appreciation to them and all the other members that served on our executive during that era at the Barrouallie Evangelical Church Youth Ministries. Recognition must also be given to my spiritual daughter, Mrs. Stenilia Hamilton, whose passion to get to know God was used by Father to revive this teaching years after its first breath. Appreciation is also extended to Mr. Cuthbert Lee and Mother Marilyn Morgan, my sharpeners, who most often checked in daily to find out What’s new?.

To my adorable wife and long time friend Teresa, for her tremendous continued support and help. She has been my number one Berean.

Although some of the revelations contained within these pages have been shared with personal friends, spiritual sons and daughters, via different pulpit ministry opportunities as well as Prophetic Outlook —Prophetic Perspective, most of them were filed away until now. I thank you all for lending your ears and giving your time.

In addition, I am also grateful for all of you who are now answering the call to delve into such profound revelation of God because you desire to know Him better. May grace and shalom be yours in full measure, as you come to a full knowledge of God—YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY, Yeshua our Lord and Ruach HaKo’desh.

Knowing I am simply a vessel that has been marred and made available for our Master’s use, I am truly honored to be used to reveal The Mystery of Getting to Know God: A Journey Through Life to the Nations. Indeed, being a friend of YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY is an esteemed life long position with a very high price.

INTRODUCTION

It has been my quest to get to know God since I was a child. Yet God and the process of getting to know Him, was and still is a mystery. Apostle Paul affirms this in his letter to the Messianic Community at Rome. He revealed that ...the depth of the riches and the wisdom and knowledge of God...[are] inscrutable (impossible to understand, explored or interpret [without the help of Holy Ghost])... (Romans 11:33 CJB personalized). My journey of getting to know God was initiated by my desire to get to the root of The Bible. I thought then, getting to the root had to do with the words contained so I longed for the original languages - Hebrew and Greek (not so much the Aramaic). Yet when I discovered it goes beyond the words contained, I desired the Word it proclaims. Getting to the bottom only becomes a reality by meeting and getting to know the Author of this sacred text - רוח הקודש (Ruach HaKo’desh) - Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit. As I pursue Him, the closer to Him I get; yet the closer I get, the more of who He really is I see. Holy Ghost gives revelation; He makes it possible to get to know God; without Him one will only acquire information. Though there were childhood encounters, they never seemed enough to quench the growing hunger and thirst I have. The truth is, we cannot settle for the little we know as if that is all there is to know. There is always more to be discovered, because God has never disclosed all of who He is to one person or in one instance.

Back in the day, it was a way of life for children to go to church whether their parents were followers of Yeshua or not. For me and my siblings, and the many others like us, attending church was not presented as a choice; it was the only option. However, there were also those who had the luxury of choosing; believe it or not, this was also common. Though my childhood years were spent in church, I was aware that this was not a passport or plane ticket to Heaven. As good as going to church was/is, I needed to be born again. Having a relationship with God is more valuable than regularly sitting in a pew or being an active attendant. So at the ages of seven through twelve, I made numerous decisions to follow after God. Finally, at the age of thirteen, I settled my doubts, accepted Yeshua HaMashiyach as Saviour, followed Him in water baptism and have been progressively submitting to Him as Lord of my life forever. The covenant I made with YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY was the turning point in my life.

During my years attending Youth Ministries, I was chosen to be part of the leadership. It was then that I had the privilege of teaching on a subject both relevant and necessary to the development of the Messianic Community: Getting To Know God. Being my passion then, now the fuel of my life, I later came to the realization that I did not know God as much as I thought I had known Him. I discovered this reality having made the suggestion to one of my spiritual daughters. Her response was: How do I get to know Him? Unable to produce a satisfying response to her hungry appetite, I was catapulted into another level of passionate pursuit; I wanted to be able to satisfy her demanding questions due to her desire for God.

This re-ignition of my passion had me digging deeper. It brought me to a depth that I had never seen. So by the grace granted to me, I kept pursuing God and was favored to look further into the deep things of God. In this gear, I was made to realize that getting to know God is indeed an ancient mystery. For this cause I quickly switched gears along this channel to discover the mystery of getting to know God. While being on this path, the necessity of making the greatest distinction history can ever embrace came to life. As ancient as it is, the Life this mystery possess beamed a light into my being which caused me to be now able to submit to the Kāhāl - the Ekklēsía - the Messianic Community, as well as the searching world, the God of our forefathers - God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is my prayer that this revelation be embraced in the same manner the Bereans enveloped the message Apostle Paul took them. They were reckoned as having …more noble character than…Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true (Acts 17:11 NIV). So in seeking to help nurture this noble character into maturity, I have used the term Check, rather than see/read, in places where additional scriptural references are used or require investigation. In order to effectively harness your passion, you must have the necessary tools. Alongside your desire to personally know God, having Spirit of Truth as well as having your manual - the Bible - at hand, be it in book or electronic form, is extremely necessary. After all, it is incumbent on us to measure that which is given to us, seeking whether they are fit for sound doctrine.

This book contains revelations of God —the Creator of Heaven and Earth. The existence of God is not a figment of imagination. He does exist and His existence does not depend on our discovery of Him because He is Self Existent. Prophet Moshe divulged that Before the mountains were born, before [He] had formed the Earth and the world, from eternity past to eternity future [He is] God (Psalm 90:2 CJB personalized). In proclaiming His majesty, Elihu disclosed: "Look, God is Great, and we do not know Him, nor can the number of His years be searched out" (Job 36:26 MEV emphasized). It was this Eternal One who initiated time—In the beginning God [the Eternal One] created the Heavens and the Earth (Genesis 1:1 MEV personalized). Although historians have proclaimed for centuries that Christopher Columbus discovered the West, the West existed and was inhabited long before Christopher Columbus found it. The truth is, nothing can exist without being created; however, people, places or things do exist before being discovered. So whatever is in existence has a creator or inventor and they do not require being discovered in order to exist; they can exist without being discovered. This shows that the creator/inventor of anything existed before his or her creation/invention. God is the Creator of the Heavens and Earth! He existed before time began and ...[His] years will have no end (Psalm 102:27 NKJV personalized). So to claim that the God who created Heaven and Earth does not exist is mere ignorance. All things were created through Him, and without Him nothing was created that was created (John 1:3 MEV).

God is Spirit as well as a triune-being existing as One. Like us, God has a personal name by which He is identified. This personal name is also His desired choice of identification. Contrary to popular belief, that name is not God; although the One who created Heaven and Earth is God, god is also a category used to identify deity, and is associated with deity. It is for this reason that Scripture uses such things as God instead of god {Check Exodus 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 5:6-7; 1 Kings 18:24}, the Living God {Check Psalm 42:2; Jeremiah 10:10; 1 Timothy 4:10}, the God of Isra’el {Check Psalm 72:18; Isaiah 45:15}, "God Most High or the Most High" {Check Psalm 57:2; Daniel 4:17} and such to refer to God —the Creator of Heaven and Earth and to also distinguish Him from the others. In the King James Version of the Holy Bible, as well as many other English versions, the personal name of God is rendered as LORD. It is imperative that we know that King James had it translated to LORD because of his royal upbringing. According to Scripture, names have great significance and do matter. They reflect an aspect from the birth of the child, represents the purpose set aside for the child or reveal the essence of a person. So the personal and covenant name of God should particularly be noteworthy to those who seek to know Him because it reveals who He is. His nature, character, promise, authority and power are all embedded and revealed in His name. Knowing Him by name is definitely imperative for all who seek to know Him as well as belong to Him. For according to Prophet Isaiah, God disclosed: ...I will reveal My name to My people, and they shall know the power in that name. Then at last they will recognize that it is I, yes, I, who speaks to them (Isaiah 52:6 TLB). Prophet Joel reveals that ...everyone who calls on the name…[YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY] will be saved... (Joel 2:32 MEV personalized). Divulged to Prophet Moses, the name I AM—I AM (Exodus 3:14) has three Hebrew vowel letters or matres lectionis (ה Hey, ו Vav and י Yod). However, the name itself has four letters יהוה (YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY) which is technically known as the Tetragrammaton —the four letters. Interestingly, these Hebrew vowels are considered weak consonants which are used to indicate or serve as a vowel. Yet God chose these weak consonants to form His personal name. Impressively, Apostle Paul conveyed to Corinthians that ...God chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise; [He] chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the strong; and...chose what the world looks down on as common or regards as nothing in order to bring to nothing what the world considers important; so that no one should boast before God (1 Corinthians 1:27-29 CJB personalized). Although this name is frequently spelt Y-H-W-H by many, the absence of the letter (W) in the ancient Hebrew alphabet eliminates this option. Due to negligence, the original pronunciation of this name is uncertain and is often referred to in Judaism as the Unutterable or Ineffable Name. As a means of assisting in the pronunciation of His name, scholars have combined the shortened form of His name (יה - YOD-HEY or Yah) with the w and ה (HEY) and added an additional English vowel letter ‘e’. As a result of this action, the Personal and Covenant Name of God is often spelt Yahweh (pronounced Yah-way). Now although this may have been a considerably helpful move, this is not the correct spelling nor pronunciation. Due to this move, the uncertainty still remains. So with such uncertainty, the wisest thing to do is to pronounce His name using all four Hebrew letters — יYOD-הHEY-וVAV-הHEY. יהוה (YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY) is definitely a name and Person who is Incomparable! He is without an equal in quality or extent. The Royal Messenger, Gabriel, proclaimed that ...there will be no end to His Kingdom (Luke 1:33 CJB). On the contrary, some day to come, "...the gods that did not make Heaven and Earth will perish from Earth and from under Heaven’’ (Jeremiah 10:11 CJB). His personal name totally separates Him by nature from the many who are trying to be classified in His category. יYOD-הHEY-וVAV-הHEY can be trusted to be whoever He discloses Himself to be; He Is Faithful. Throughout this book, His Personal/Divine Name is frequently used as a means of revealing and emphasizing the desire of His heart for personal connection with mankind — "…[יהוה (YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY)] is My name for ever, and this is My memorial unto all generations" (Exodus 3:15 personalized and emphasized). Whether we agree or disagree with this choice, the truth remains that יYOD-הHEY-וVAV-הHEY desires to have a personal or intimate covenant with us.

In relation to Scriptural references used throughout this book, the King James Version of the Bible is used as the base translation. However, other translations of the Holy Bible are also incorporated because there is no perfect translation. Where other translations are being used, they are noted. All Scriptural references are Italicized in an effort to distinguish them from regular text. In addition, the terms personalized or emphasized would be found attached to numerous quotations. In cases where the first term is being used, the incorporations are enclosed in square brackets for the purpose of enlightenment, substitution or Grammar changes. At times you will also find some references with parentheses or round brackets containing definitions of terms or alternate terms. Nonetheless, they are by no means used as a violation to the truth of the Word {Check Deuteronomy 12:32}. Use of emphasized can be recognized in references where texts are Bold. In some cases, scriptural texts have both and are termed personalized and emphasized. In addition, there are numerous references in which the emphasized portion is conveying a vital message all by itself.

At this moment, the choice of continuing to read or not to continue reading this book is one you have to make. At best, The Mystery of Getting to Know God: A Journey Through Life would challenge you to change. So if you have that desire to personally know God and can embrace change, then I suggest you set aside the necessary time to journey through life uncovering the mystery of getting to know God. Ekklēsía, "Come, let us return to [יYOD-הHEY-וVAV-הHEY]...and He will heal us...He will bind our wounds...He will revive us...He will raise us up and we will live in His Presence. Let us know, let us strive to know [יYOD-הHEY-וVAV-הHEY]. That He will come is as certain as morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rains that water the Earth" (Hosea 6:1-3 CJB personalized and emphasized).

Remembering you in my prayers, I keep asking that the God of our Lord [Yeshua HaMashiyach], the Glorious Father, may give you…Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His Glorious Inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe… (Ephesians 1:17-19 NIV personalized); May grace and shalom be yours in full measure, as you come to a full knowledge of God and Yeshua our Lord (2 Peter 1:2 CJB). Amen.

Additional translations used: Amplified Bible Classic Edition [AMPC], Complete Jewish Bible [CJB], Contemporary English Version [CEV], The Living Bible [TLB], Modern English Version [MEV], The Message [MSG], New Century Version [NCV], New English Translation [NET], New International Version [NIV], New King James Version [NKJV], New Living Translation [NLT] and Tyndale’s New Testament for the 21st Century [Tyndale NT].

UNCOVERING THE SECRET

OF THE MYSTERY OF

GETTING TO KNOW GOD

Life itself is a mystery consisting of mysteries. Following Yeshua HaMashiyach is one of life’s greatest mysteries. If we check the manner in which the Messiah presented the Gospel of the Kingdom, we would recognize it was via parables. Yet to every mystery there is a hidden secret waiting to be discovered. As Apostle Mark disclosed, the teachings of the Messiah were often mysterious: …in His public ministry He never taught without using parables… (Mark 4:34 NLT). This approach was used because He was constantly thronged by the Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees. Of these, Messiah proclaimed: "…They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick…go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous (those who pride themselves in their virtues), but sinners to repentance" (Matthew 9:12-13 personalized and emphasized). At a later date, Messiah made it clear to His disciples: …Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them (Mark 4:11-12). Apostle Mark bears witness that …when [Messiah] was alone with His disciples, He explained everything to them (Mark 4:34 NLT personalized). With getting to know YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY being one of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, it is imperative we …seek…first the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness… (Matthew 6:33). Unfortunately, many if not most of us, have not yet understood the secret of this mystery. Though we may be quite familiar with some aspects of this mystery, we have yet to understand and maximize the secret of it. In the recent decades of our existence, we have failed to emphasize the importance of getting to know YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY and as a result, the Church has lost its impact on our society. It is time that we rediscover the true essence of our existence and be empowered. In unfolding the true essence of our existence we cannot ignore or deny that it is a mystery. The Greek word for …mystery… as used in the passage above is Musterion: a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding. Of such are the secret counsels which govern YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY in dealing with His people, which are hidden from ungodly and wicked men but plain to His own. The Encarta English Dictionary in the context of Christianity renders the word mystery as meaning: a belief or truth that is considered to be beyond human understanding and can be made known only by divine revelation. So Musterion are hidden, only to be discovered by those who can be trusted with such knowledge. Prophet Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that ...there is a God in Heaven Who reveals secrets...He reveals the deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him (Daniel 2:28, 22 AMPC). Having encountered Him, King Nebuchadnezzar proclaimed to Prophet Daniel: ...Of a truth your God is the God of gods and the Lord of Kings and a Revealer of secret mysteries... (Daniel 2:47 AMPC). As we journey through life, YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY leads us to these diamonds; and as we embrace/gather them, our lives are forever changed. These divine revelations are opportunities designed for us to get to know God better. In essence, the mystery of getting to know YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY is discovered via the relationship level we build with ...[the] man [who laid] down His life for His friends (those in union with Him) (John 15:13 MEV personalized). The stronger our construction, the more understanding of this mystery we obtain.

UNCOVERING THE SECRET

Our lives are synchronized with the mystery of life through two valuable and unavoidable questions: who we belong to and who we are. A response to both of these questions is essential if we are going to fulfill our mandate in life. The sooner we are able to correctly answer these questions, the more fulfilling life becomes. Now fulfillment is not success; fulfillment is satisfaction. Success is a feeling which accompanies our satisfaction. While both questions require an answer, it is more important for us to first seek to discover to whom we belong. This will assist us in knowing who we are. Whether we accept it or not, all humanity belongs to YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY Elohim —Creator and Judge of the universe. As we acknowledge and implement this truth in our daily lives, it lends assistance to unwrapping the mystery. Knowing who we belong to is the nucleus of life; when we know God personally, we will discover our identity as well as what we are entitled to {Check Luke 15:31}. It was for this cause that God disclosed His personal name - יהוה (YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY) - to His people; He wants to be known and requires that we ...walk humbly with [Him] (Micah 6:8 personalized). So we owe it to ourselves and our Creator to Be...followers of God as [beloved/obedient] children (Ephesians 5:1 personalized). For as we give ourselves to knowing Him, we are better able to understand Him; and ...the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits (Daniel 11:32).

Both the Old and New Covenant discloses the secret of this mystery as being found in our obedience and willingness to follow Him. When YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY visited Abram and asked him to leave his country, family and relatives, YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY clearly conveyed that He will take Abram …unto a land that [He] will shew [him] (Genesis 12:1 personalized). YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY purposely did not tell Abram where he was going so that Abram would depend on Him to get to such a place. Likewise, as Israel were in the process of being freed from their bondage, YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY assured them: "I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya’akov—I will give it to you as your inheritance. I am [YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY]" (Exodus 6:8 CJB personalized and emphasized). Furthermore, as the children of Israel journeyed the wilderness, Scripture discloses that "…[YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY] went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night" (Exodus 13:21 personalized and emphasized). Scripture further states that [YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY] took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people (Exodus 13:22 personalized). Had He removed Himself —the Cloud and Fire, it would have defeated the purpose. King David has also disclosed the Word which YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY personally spoke to him —"I (YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY) will instruct and teach you in this way that you are to go; I will give you counsel; My eyes will be watching you" (Psalm 32:8 CJB personalized and emphasized). The King with the heart of God also attested to this secret of getting to know God saying, "...[YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY] is my Shepherd…He leads me…He guides me in right paths for the sake of His name" (Psalm 23:1-3 CJB personalized and emphasized). Subsequently, when the Messiah arrived, He reiterated this desire to His disciples. As He walked by the Lake Kineret, He extended His invitation to Peter and his brother Andrew saying, …Follow Me… (Matthew 4:18-20 emphasized). Going a little further along Lake Kineret, He saw and invited Ya’akov (James) and his brother John to do likewise (Check Mark 1:19-20). While He was passing by the lake, He saw a tax-collector named Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting in his collection booth and invited him to Follow Me! (Check Mark 2:14). When He spotted Matthew, the tax-collector, sitting in his collection booth, He also summoned him to Follow Me! (Matthew 9:9). On His way to Galilee, He found Philip and likewise invited him to Follow Me! (John 1:43). Philip then found Nathanael and told him, …We’ve found the One that Moshe wrote about in the Torah, also the Prophets—it’s Yeshua Ben-Yosef from Natzeret! (John 1:45 CJB personalized). On his way to see who Yeshua Ben-Yosef —Yeshua the son of Joseph was, the One which Prophet Moshe wrote about extended the invitation to curious Philip {Check John 1:43-51}. Called-Out-Ones, it was and still is the desire of Rabbi Yeshua to be followed —"…If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24 emphasized) — "If someone is serving Me, let him follow Me; wherever I am, My servant will be there too. My Father will honor anyone who serves Me" (John 12:26 CJB personalized and emphasized) — "Whoever loves his father or mother more than he loves Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than he loves Me is not worthy of Me. And anyone who does not take up his execution-stake and follow Me is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10:37-38 CJB personalized and emphasized). Apostle Paul instructed the Called-Out-Ones at Colosse saying, "…just as you accepted [the Messiah Yeshua] as Lord (Master), you must continue to follow Him" (Colossians 2:6 NLT personalized and emphasized). Why is it so important to continue following the Messiah? Apostle Paul disclosed that All who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons (Romans 8:14 CJB personalized and emphasized). Following God - Following the Messiah - Following the Spirit of God reveals you belong to Him. For this reason, the disciples had to …wait for the promise of…Father… (Acts 1:4 emphasized); being assured that in the day when "…Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come" (John 16:13 emphasized). Personifying Himself as the Good Shepherd, and His disciples as the sheep, the Messiah reveals that "...the sheep hear His voice. He calls His own sheep, each one by name, and leads them out. After taking out all that are His own, He goes on ahead of them; and the sheep follow Him because they recognize His voice. They never follow a stranger but will run away from him, because stranger’s voices are unfamiliar to them" (John 10:3-5 CJB emphasized). Apostle Paul made it clear to Galatians that we ought to follow the leading of Holy Spirit as we journey this life {Check Galatians 5:16, 18}. In the most famous translation of the Holy Bible, the translator conveys this truth in this manner: "For as many as are led by [Holy Spirit], they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14 personalized and emphasized). Although we all say a prayer at conversion, it is our ability to follow Him which governs our faith. Our persistence to press on helps fuel our journey to the end. Undoubtedly, the secret of being the Kāhāl - the Ekklēsía - the Called-Out-Ones - is following Yeshua HaMashiyach. If we would examine the prayer we prayed at the beginning of our journey, we would discover the root of such prayer was either because of a crisis, our desire to get to meet Him or our curiosity to look into the things of God. Following Yeshua HaMashiyach is a choice which must be made on an individual basis and also on a continuous one. While today we are governed by the New Covenant, the Old is being incorporated in our journey. Although the Messiah died to redeem us from the curse of the Law, the Law still exists to serve as a guide along the path {Check Galatians 3:13}. So because we are under the New Covenant, we are no longer obligated to perform the sacrifices of the Old Covenant and the physical ritual of circumcision to be incorporated. However, we are still obliged to its rules of conduct and are required to meet with God at His appointed times. Yeshua HaMashiyach affirmed: Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till Heaven and Earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-18).

Our reasons for following Messiah can be simplified into two responses. We follow the Messiah to get to YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY and we also follow Him to get through the following process. If a survey were to be conducted to discover the reasons for following Yeshua HaMashiyach, undoubtedly, the general response would be to get to Heaven. The underlying truth in such a response is that we are really seeking to get to meet and live with YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY. However, this is not possible unless we go through the Messiah for …no man cometh unto…Father, but [through HaMashiyach] (John 14:6 personalized). Thus, if we are going to get to Heaven, better yet, to meet and live with YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY, we must follow ...The Way... (John 14:6). The other reasons which would be given in such a survey can be summated in our desire to become that which we were destined to become. Most, if not all the people in the survey would express their longing to discover their purpose as another reason for following Yeshua. As we know, the purpose to which we were born can only be determined by revelation. If YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY does not show us His intended design for our lives, we would be miserable at best. Scripture reveals that HaMashiyach is our Guide on this road to discovery: [Yeshua] saith unto [Thomas], I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life… (John 14:6 personalized). As a result of this, following HaMashiyach is our option to get us to our destination. The secret of becoming and remaining a member of the Kāhāl —the Ekklēsía —the Called-Out-Ones is enveloped in this simple yet profound command: …Follow Me! (Matthew 4:19). These two words must forever govern our lives.

THE LEVELS

Scripture reveals three levels on which we can follow Messiah. These three levels are typified by the Old and New Covenants in the sense that the first was received twice by Prophet Moses on …tables of stone… (Exodus 24:12) and the latter…in fleshy tables of the heart (2 Corinthians 3:3). At the first level, we must learn of Him before we can go to the level where we are released to carry Him to others. Then from there, we are upgraded to be one with Him and He goes with us. Similarly, these three levels of following are etched in our decision to take Him as Saviour and make Him our Lord as well as His coming to take us with Him. Due to our human nature, it is very easy to accept Yeshua HaMashiyach as Saviour. All it takes for us to accept His ability to save us is a crisis. It is this attraction which initiates the following process. Following Yeshua HaMashiyach does not stop at taking Him as Saviour; it requires making Him Lord of everything in our lives. Readily accepting His help does not automatically make Him our Lord. Making Yeshua HaMashiyach Lord is an agreement to sacrificially submit to His will and way at all times. Such an agreement should not be entered into lightly because it comes with a heavy price tag. It is no simple thing to substitute our will and way for the will and way of another. Yet because ...[His] ways [are] higher than [our] ways, and [His] thoughts than [our] thoughts (Isaiah 55:9 personalized), we forsake our ways and will for His. There is no other precedence! Apostle Paul affirms this concept in his letter to Philippians in his declaration: "For me to live is [Messiah], and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21 personalized and emphasized). After we make Him Lord, we become eligible for an inseparable union. To follow Him proves to be a very costly adventure, even to the extent of partaking in His fate. From behind prison walls, sentenced to death for the cause of Messiah, Apostle Paul declared to Timothy: …I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand (2 Timothy 4:6). According to Scripture, King Herod also …stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword (Acts 12:1-2). In His teaching, our Messiah conveys this notion with this question: …which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether ye have sufficient to finish it? (Luke 14:28). Yet whether or not we exit as a martyr, the true reality of being a Called-Out-One starts with following HaMashiyach and it ends in the same vein.

These three levels of following the Messiah can be categorized as: the Initial Stage, the Sacrificial and Yielding Stage and the Fusing Stage. Interestingly, on all three levels of following, we are made to serve. For whoever or whatever we follow we will serve and get to know; and whoever or whatever we serve, we will follow and get to know. If we are going to be effective in following HaMashiyach, we should fervently desire following Him to the highest dimension as well as getting to know Him there. It is at that level we are made to reign with Him. Apostle Paul assured Timothy: If we endure (persevere), we shall also reign with Him... (2 Timothy 2:12 MEV personalized). Nonetheless, getting there requires journeying the first and second.

As our basis for establishing these three dimensions, let us closely examine this perspective in Matthew 19:16-30.

Now one came and said to Him, Good Teacher, what good deed shall I do to have eternal life? He replied to him…if you would enter life, keep the commandments. He (the one who came) said to [Messiah], Which [commandment do I need to keep]? [Yeshua] said, You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and your mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The young man said to Him, All these I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack? [Yeshua] said to him, If you would be perfect, go and sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. And come, follow Me. But when the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful…Then [Yeshua] said to His disciples, Truly, I say to you that it will be hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven…it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of god. When His disciples heard this, they were greatly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But [Yeshua] looked at them and said, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Then Peter answered Him, See, we have left everything and followed You. What then shall we have? [Yeshua] said to them, Truly I say to you, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left house…brothers…sisters…father…mother…wife…children or fields for My name’s sake shall receive a hundred times as much and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first"

(Matthew 19:16-30 MEV personalized).

➢Level One: The Initial Stage (Matthew 19:17)

"...But if you would enter life, keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17 MEV emphasized). The Initial Stage of following Yeshua HaMashiyach accentuates such on an external basis. After being tempted by the devil in the wilderness, the Only Begotten Son of God was now making His way through Galilee. Walking along the sea shore of this fishing village, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and Andrew; to them He proclaimed: …Follow Me… (Matthew 4:19). This command is an invitation for us to drop whatever we are doing and to associate ourselves with Him {Check Matthew 4:18-22; Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27-28; John 1:43}. Such accompanying requires the acceptance of YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY as Guide or Leader - accepting His authority or giving our allegiance to Him. Hence, there must be an outer severing of all conflicting ties; for truly, No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other… (Matthew 6:24). Even though He was walking along the seashore of Galilee, Messiah was drenched in the fullness of the Godhead. Speaking with such authority, Peter and his brother Andrew, being beckoned, …straightway left their nets, and followed Him (Matthew 4:20) with the hopes of becoming …fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). At this level of following Yeshua, He comes to be with us for the sake of us learning as a scholar would from his teacher. So As newborn babes, [we must] desire the sincere milk of the Word, that [we] may grow thereby (1 Peter 2:2 personalized). It is at this level believers are made and live. Also, it is here that we become acquainted with our Master and seek to serve Him, keeping the commandments. Being teachable is a necessary quality which we should possess; it is a requirement for all three levels. For this cause, we must understand that The disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord (Matthew 10:24).

➢Level Two: The Sacrificial and Yielding Stage (Matthew 19:21)

It is true that we can have knowledge of YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY yet not know Him. Our lives can be fashioned by His precepts yet not directed by His Spirit. Our Scriptural text confirms: "The young man said to Him, All these I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack? [Yeshua] said to him, If you would be perfect, go and sell what you have and give to the poor…And come, follow Me" (Matthew 19:20-21 MEV personalized and emphasized). The Sacrificial and Yielding Stage requires a greater commitment and it accentuates an internal following of our Master. It is at this level that He comes to make His aboard in us to transform the believer to a disciple. This stage is only accessible when we would come to the end of ourselves and our self-sufficiency. We must be internally separated from all of our external connections; disconnected from our sense of belonging, while being consecrated unto God. The young man from our text figured that he was ready to go to the next level but upon hearing the requirement, …he went away sorrowful. For he had great possessions (Matthew 19:22 MEV). When Simon Peter expressed his desire to go deeper, our Master replied: ...Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now. But you shall follow Me afterward (John 13:36 MEV). Unless we become internally separated from our external possessions, we cannot and would never be able to go higher. Surely, this cutting away must first take place. Simon Peter genuinely desired to go higher but our Master knew that he, as well as the others, had not yet been cut. In his sincerity, Peter said unto Him, Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake (John 13:37 MEV). Although Simon’s response reveals he had some knowledge of what was required to function at the next level, our Master knew he was not yet internally detached. Being the Omniscient One, Messiah rhetorically imposed: …Will you lay down your life for My sake? Truly, truly I say to you, the rooster shall not crow, until you have denied Me three times (John 13:38 MEV). After his assertive denial of Yeshua HaMashiyach, Simon Peter found himself heart-broken and thus he went back to the thing which captured his heart. To him and the others, following HaMashiyach was no longer possible; and as a result of such, Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. Then they said to him, We will go with you... (John 21:3 MEV). This affirms the truth that they had not yet been inwardly detached from their external connections. When the cock crowed three times, it triggered such darkness to their souls that …They went out, and immediately entered the boat... (John 21:3 MEV). This they did with the hopes of filling their emptiness. The blind was surely leading the blind. When morning arrived, there was no happiness for they had caught no fish. The thing which once brought them happiness had failed to produce their desired result. Now at the end of themselves, Joy came with a triple resounding cry: ...do you love Me more than these? (John 21:15 MEV). This cry ruptured their long dark night. It made a call which must be readily answered—...Do You love Me? (John 21:17 MEV). They were cornered! The decision had to be made whether they would make the sacrifice of giving up that which they loved, that which they were still internally connected to, and yield to the command they had previously ratified. It was a cry which gave birth to an awakening. The time for advancement had come—Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you (John 15:15). This was the defining moment they had so desired! Yet to them, the timing was seemingly odd. They felt undeserving. Nevertheless, the Chief Commander stepped forth and again released a familiar sound—…Follow Me (John 21:19). They were dumbfounded! For they were convinced they had wronged Him and it was over. Yet He is empowering them—Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of…Father in My name, He may give it you (John 15:16). Yeshua HaMashiyach had returned to fulfill His promise—"...you shall follow Me afterward" (John 13:36 MEV). To some degree, Dottie Ramble’s classic rendition: If That Isn’t Love reflects the astonishment of these disciples. Though they had treated Him unfairly, He came to elevate them to that place they had longed to be –that place He had chosen them for. Of a truth, our Master knew that they were more than believers; they were His disciples.

➢Level Three: The Fusing Stage (Matthew 19:25-30; esp. 27-28)

Now after passing our sacrificial and yielding submission test, He takes us by the hand with His ...come, follow Me (Matthew 19:21 MEV emphasized) to bring us to the place of fusion –the place where knowing God becomes our lifestyle –the place of alignment –the place where we sit to reign {Check Matthew 19:27-29}. YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY is interested in getting us to the place where we bear His Image and Likeness. Before this fusion occurs, we have to be prepared like Esther was for King Ahasuerus {Check Esther 2:1-18}. Hence the reason HaMashiyach instructed His disciples to ...wait in the city of Jerusalem until [they were] clothed...from on high (Luke 24:49 MEV personalized). For whenever we receive Yeshua HaMashiyach as Saviour and submit to Him as Lord, He takes us as His bride to make us one with Himself. Interestingly, unlike level one and two, He is the One taking action. Yeshua HaMashiyach cried, My prayer for all of them is that...just as...You are in Me [Father] and I am in You, so [may] they [also] be in Us… (John 17:21 TLB personalized). At Shavu’ot - Pentecost, this reality was born when Holy Spirit came upon them {Check Acts 2}; and it finds its fulfillment when we see Him face to face. He has assured us, ...I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also (John 14:3 MEV). He yearns for an inseparable connection; it is His unconditional love which seals our union. At this dimension, ...It is no longer I who live, but [HaMashiyach] who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20 MEV personalized). It is here we become dead and hidden with the Messiah in God {Check Colossians 3:3}.

Called-Out-Ones, to follow YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY is to have a personal relationship with Him; and having a personal relationship with YOD-HEY-VAV-HEY requires serving/ministering to Him daily. Although service can often be perceived as an act of slavery, Yeshua HaMashiyach disclosed that serving is a trait of love; because as we know, love requires action {Check John 14:15}. Within the book of Ruth, all three levels of following are depicted through the service of this Moab woman. Despite being a Moab woman, Ruth functions as a prophetic prototype of the Ekklēsía - the Messianic Community. In chapter two, she encounters Boaz—the prophetic representative of Yeshua HaMashiyach. It is while in the field that Ruth disclosed herself to him as Šiphāh - handmaid - a maidservant or female slave; a servant girl {Check Ruth 2:13}. A Šiphāh is someone who will do whatever is there to be done. This means a Šiphāh will serve doing everything and anything that needs to be done. A Šiphāh serves to capture the attention of the master. After speaking to her mother-in-law Naomi, who is the prophetic representation of Holy Ghost, Ruth gained valuable insight into the reality of her true identity. Whenever we recognize and begin to tap into the reality of our identity, it will change the way we serve. At the threshing-floor, because of the valuable insight she gained, Ruth revealed herself to Boaz as ‘Āmāh - handmaid {Check Ruth 3:9}. Although Šiphāh and ‘Āmāh are both translated as handmaid, they do not convey the same perspective. ‘Āmāh is the term applied to concubines, a secondary rank wife–one potentially qualified to become a mistress/wife. It must be noted that ‘Āmāh is an expression of humility which says, I am available to be whatever you require me to be. In essence, such a one serves as is required; s/he operates by means of assignment — serving according to one’s authorization. An ‘Āmāh serves with the desire to please the master. The next thing known about Ruth is