Parashah 45: Va'etchanan (I pleaded)

Parashah 45: Va'etchanan (I pleaded); Deuteronomy 3:23 through 7:11.

Haftarah (Writings and Prophets): Isaiah 40:1-26.
B'rit Hadasha (New Testament): Matthew 4:1-11; and 22:33-40; Mark 12:28-
34; Luke 4:1-13 and 10:25-37; Acts 13:13-43; Romans 3:27-31; 1 Timothy 2:4-
6; James 2:14-26.

Summary & Overview

TORAH
Deuteronomy 3:23 | Moses Views Canaan from Pisgah
Deuteronomy 4:1 | Moses Commands Obedience
Deuteronomy 4:41 | Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan
Deuteronomy 4:44 | Transition to the Second Address
Deuteronomy 5:1 | The Ten Commandments
Deuteronomy 5:22 | Moses the Mediator of God's Will
Deuteronomy 6:1 | The Great Commandment
Deuteronomy 6:10 | Caution against Disobedience
Deuteronomy 7:1 | A Chosen People

Last week we looked at the Book of Dvarim from an End Time perspective,
specifically as it linked to the Jordan River, the last crossing to the Promised
Land. We were reminded that Yshua used the Book of Dvarim as the basis of
many of His teachings. This week we will continue to study the Commandments
given to the "new or last generation, prior to their entry into the Promised
Land.
This weeks Shabbat is known as Shabbat Nachamu, referring to the opening
words of the Haftara from Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, comfort my people. This
period is associated with the time of mourning the destruction and ruin that was
such a great part of the Israelites lives. Now is time to put the past behind them
and focus on rebuilding and restoration. It is a time to be re-energized. To begin
this period, Jews typically take outings to the country to enjoy the sea, sunsets,
the landscape, and all other wonders of YHVHs creation in order to be both
physically and spiritually reinvigorated. This Torah portion provides us with the
manna we need for this spiritual recharge.
In this Parashah, Moses takes a trip through history to remind the Israelites of
the giving of the Torah and teach them the most basic declaration of faith - The
Shema. As believers, we are also able to see how Yshua brought His followers
back to these basics. This week we will touch on important foundations of our
faith; we will learn how to eat the Word, we will look at leadership, YHVHs
right to say no, and the revealing of Yshua as the true Messiah.

Making His Dwelling with Us

The name of this Torah Portion is I Pleaded or vaetchanan, with pleaded or
chanan meaning, to be gracious to, besought, to be favoured, to be
pitied, to show favour, to be fair. This word is first found in Scripture in Gen
33:5 where Jacob met up with Esau after 20 years, referred to as Jacobs
Trouble. Jacob answered Esau saying, these are the children YHVH has
graciously (chanan) given your servant (Jacob).

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This happened when Jacob received the the kiss of Esau, pointing
prophetically to a future event known as the Great Tribulation, the time when
Yshua will be revealed to the world as the true Messiah Who is the Judge and
King.
Comfort or chanan comes from the root word nachah meaning to
pitchtent, encamp, dwell, abide, rest. This word is first found in Scripture in
Gen 26:17 where King Abimelech asked Isaac to leave because he had
became mightier than he. Isaac left and pitched (nachah) his tent in the valley of
Gerar where he reopened the wells his father Abraham had dug. Gerar comes
from the verbal root garar meaning to chew the cud.
Spiritual Insight: This Torah Portion is associated
with the End Times (Jacobs Trouble), and the root
verb (nachah), connects it to the time when Yshua
will come and make His abode with us, pitching
His tent (sukkah) with us, linking it to the season of
the Feast of Sukkot.
YHVHs grace chanan (to be gracious), connected
to its root (nachah) (chew the cud), will make you
stronger than the principalities and powers of this
world (Abimelech Gen 26:17). How does this work? To chew the cud is
associated with clean animals, and Yshua is the Shepherd of these clean
animals, namely sheep. This indicates that YHVH sees us as clean if we
chew the cud where His Word is the green pastures the Shepherd leads us
to (Ps 23). When you receive His word, either by reading or listening, and
later think on what you received, it is like bringing the grass back up to
chew it again, so it will properly digest and be absorbed in your system
(heart). This is what chewing the cud makes Yshuas flock strong. Chewing
the cud is also similar to the meaning of the Book of Dvarim (Deuteronomy);
Misnah Torah or, the repetition of the Torah. Those who follow the
Shepherd, will eat what He gives them, and if they are His sheep, they will
chew the cud, be cleansed and become strong and holy.
The numeric value of the letters in Vaet chanan (vav-aleph-tav-chet-nun-
nun) is 515 which equals the value of these Hebrew words:
yiqahat thqy meaning to submit.
athaliah meaning "afflicted of YHVH"
seraiah meaning "YHVH is Ruler"
tphillah meaning prayer
yreshah meaning possession

These words confirm that YHVHs people, His sheep, who see Him as their
Ruler, submit to His Authority and He sees them as His possessions. Those
who follow Him will hear His Voice as they communicate with Him through
prayer.

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YHVH Pleading with His Leaders
Deut 3:23-25 Then I pleaded with YHVH at that time, saying: 24 O
Adonai YHVH, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and
Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can
do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds? 25 I pray, let me
cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant
mountains, and Lebanon.
In the past, Moses usually pleaded on behalf of the people, but in this Torah
Portion we see Moses pleading for his own sake. Moses pleaded to be allowed
to enter the Promised Land, but YHVH said NO! YHVH was angry with Moses
for the people's sake. Moses had disobeyed and not set the right example in the
eyes of the people. YHVH had no choice, but to reprove him in front of the
people. If YHVH cannot be trusted to keep His own Torah, then His Word
means nothing. This is a prophetic picture of YHVHs leaders who became
disobedient when they did not follow His detailed Instructions. When Moses hit
the rock, instead of speaking to it, he had acted out of an emotional state and
disobeyed YHVH, while providing (preaching) the water (YHVHs Word). In a
future event, the leaders who misrepresented YHVHs Word will plead with
Yshua to enter the Promised Land, and Yshua will say no!
Matt 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in
heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many
wonders in Your name? 23 And then I will declare to them, I never knew
you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!
Not many should desire to become Teachers of the Word because they will
receive a greater judgement.
James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers,
because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all
stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a
perfect man, able to control his whole body.
In this Parashah we see Moses pleading with YHVH
in relation to entering the Promised Land. If you
reflect on these words, from YHVHs perspective, it is
as if He is pleading with His Leaders, so that they can
enter the Promised Land. YHVH is pleading with
leaders today to get their acts together when they
provide water to the flocks (teach His Word) all over
the world.
We all stumble and sin, but we should aspire to live holy lives, especially those
in leadership. Your actions and even the things you allow, can cause the rest of
the Body to go astray. The other aspect that can be gleaned from James 3, is
that a leader should be able to control his whole Body, that is the part of the
Body of Messiah he is responsible for. The leader will be held accountable for
the people he is leading and must look after their spiritual wellbeing, like the
Good Shepherd taught us when He walked the earth.

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If someone goes astray, he should go after that person. When wolves come to
attack the flock with false doctrines, he should protect them. He must love his
congregation and be willing to lay down his life and die for them, like Yshua did
for His Body. It is the responsibility of leaders or shepherds to reopen the wells
Abraham dug, to search and present the Word in its purest form (water and
pastures), and teach their flock to chew the cud so that they can become
strong and not go astray when Jacobs Trouble comes. Remember, if the
leader is corrupt, the whole flock will go astray, and for the most part, it is
because of a lack of knowledge of the truth, the undefiled Word of YHVH, that is
His Torah that flowed from the Throne of YHVH.
Hos 4:5-6 So you will stumble by day, And the prophet also will stumble
with you by night; And I will destroy your mother. 6My people are
destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I
also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the
law (Torah) of your Elohim, I also will forget your children.
Hosea was a prophet who lived in the time, just before
the destruction of Israel in 722 BC, where he preached
to the Northern Kingdom (10 Tribes). Throughout this
book you will see that he refers to Israel as Ephraim
because Ephraim was the largest tribe in Israel. As
discussed in previous Torah Portions, Ephraim
represents all the Christians (believers in Jesus /
Yshua as the Messiah), who came in from the nations
through the Gospel message. They form part of these
lost 10 Tribes (Israel/Ephraim), who will be gathered from the four corners of the
earth (Matt 10:6, Matt 28:16-20 the Great Commission). The words in Hosea
chapter 4 are for the same audience, Ephraim, who are the followers of Yshua /
Jesus. Hosea warns against false prophets that cause them to stumble by
night. Night is associated with darkness that is the absence of light (truth) and
these prophets cause Christians to become spiritually blind, walking in
ignorance and darkness.
Hosea was commanded to take a wife, Gomer, a prostitute, and together they
symbolised Israel married to YHVH. Hosea represented YHVH's patience and
love for Gomer, even though she was a prostitute, who represented Ephraims
unfaithfulness. We live in the time where YHVH sees the Church or the Body
of Messiah as a prostitute like Gomer, an unfaithful wife who defiles herself
with other lovers, who give her gifts of idols and lies (cultural influences and
manmade doctrines). Gomer means complete and comes from the root
word gamer meaning come to an end, be no more and perfect. These
meanings reveal the end result, where YHVH through His grace, will lead His
people back to Him through true shepherds, calling them to come out of Her
(Gomer Rev 18:4). These shepherds will lead Her to living waters and green
pastures, where She can cleanse herself and be fed with the lost knowledge of
His Torah, becoming perfect (renewed) again. Those who choose to stay in
Gomer (Whore of Babylon), will be separated at the end and YHVH will forget
them and their children, the workers of lawlessness.
This ties in with last weeks teaching where we looked at the origins of the
Jordan, the reason for the Tribulation, and a message for those who want to
cross over and enter the Kingdom.

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To recap, the Jordan originated from Lebanon and was associated with
cleansing yourself, to be made white (holy & righteous). This ties in with the
concept of chewing the cud, following the Shepherd, studying His Word and
applying it to your life so you will not be identified as one of the lawless
rebellious Benjamites.

The Covenant and the Two Camps

Deut 3:26-27 But YHVH was enraged with me, for your sake, and
would not listen to me, and YHVH said to me, Enough of that! Speak no
more to Me about this matter. Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift up your
eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and look
with your eyes, for you do not pass over this Jordan.
Pisgah is translated as cleft or cliff from the root word pasag meaning
pass between or to divide. The same concepts are found when YHVH
caused a deep sleep to come over Abraham and passed between the divided
animals, to guarantee the covenant for the Land (Gen 15:8-21). The numeric
value of the letters in Pisgah is 148, which relates to the following words
through its gematria:

pecach meaning Pesach or Passover

yachalaq meaning he divides
mahanayim meaning two camps
saphach meaning to join together

YHVH revealed the Promised Land to Moses on Pisgah. This represents the
Covenant YHVH made with Abraham, dividing the pieces walking between
them, establishing the Covenant with Himself on behalf of Abraham and his
descendants. Moses had to rely on this Covenant made with Abraham, not
through his own doing, to enter the Promised Land in the spiritual. This
Covenant cut with Abraham is depicted by the Passover Lamb that would be
fulfilled years later in Abrahams Seed, Yshua the Messiah. The other aspect of
dividing is found in the fact that the nation of Israel was divided during the
rule of Solomons son, Rehoboam, but through the Work of Messiah, these two
camps will be joined together again.

The Revelation of Yshua the Messiah

Matthew 17 describes the transfiguration of Yshua on a
high place or mountain and with Him appeared Moses
and Elijah. Firstly, Moses was present, which means that
he made it into the Kingdom, despite not being permitted
to enter the Promised Land.
Q Why did Moses and Elijah appear with Yshua on
this Mountain?
This question was asked by the people, when Yshua was revealed as the
Messiah by John the Immerser (Baptist).

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 John 1:20-21 He did not refuse to confess, but openly declared, I am
not the Messiah. 21Who are you then? they inquired. Are you
Elijah? He said, I am not. Are you the Prophet? He answered,
No. 22So they said to him, Who are you?
The people at the time of Yshuas First Coming knew the Messiah would be
revealed through either Elijah or the Prophet. In Matthew 17s transfiguration,
we find that Yshua is revealed by both these witnesses. The first witness is
Moses. Moses name is interchangeably used referencing the Torah, because
Moses was the one YHVH chose to reveal His Torah to the people.
The second witness is Elijah. Messiah is also a prophet like Elijah, relating to all
prophecy, indicating that all the prophetic words spoken by all the Prophets
pointed to Him and His Work. The transfiguration is the complete revelation of
Yshua as the true Messiah revealed by these Two Witnesses. Yshua is the
living Torah, a Prophet like Moses, the One Who reveals the Torah to YHVHs
people, as well as the One all the Prophets spoke about.
Q Is this a prophetic picture of the Two Witnesses revealing Yshua as the
Messiah in the End Times during the Tribulation?
I believe that everything that will happen in the
future has already been revealed by YHVHs
Prophets.
Amo 3:7 Surely YHVH Elohim does nothing
Unless He reveals His secret counsel To His
servants the prophets.
This means that everything we expect to happen in
the End Times, would have been spoken of by the
Prophets, as depicted by the symbolism of Elijah, one of the Two Witnesses.
Nothing is new and all prophecy are cyclical in nature with a climax at the end,
revealing the final truth it was intended to bring. In the same way are these
Two Witnesses a prophetic picture of the Two Witnesses in the End Times
revealing the exact same truth; that Yshua is the one and only true Messiah,
the Word, the Judge and the King.
Rev 11:3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will
prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in
sackcloth.
Both Moses and Elijah were Prophets. As one of the Witnesses, Moses main
task will be to prophecy YHVHs Word, repeating the Words of Torah (Dvarim).
Elijahs main purpose for being a Witness is found in the prophetic words of the
prophet Malachi:
Malachi 4:4-6 Remember the Law (Torah) of Moses, My servant, which
I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the Great

and dreadful Day of YHVH. 6 And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to
the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and
strike the earth with a curse.
This passage confirms the witnesses of both Moses and Elijah, and they will
speak the prophetic words that need to go out prior to the great and terrible
Day of YHVH (after the Tribulation read the context of Mal Chapter 4).

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Q What does it mean to turn the hearts of the fathers and the children?
Turn is the word shuv meaning to turn back (hence, away), the idea of
return to the starting point; deliver (again), fetch home again, rescue, restore,
reverse, reward, back again, principle of repentance, (turning back to YHVH).
The fathers must repent and turn back to YHVH, make tesuvah (repent).
They were the ancient ones or the people of YHVH whose task it was to carry
the bloodline of Messiah, and guard the Torah. The fathers are none other than
our Jewish brothers. They need to repent from their traditions, mysticism
(Kabbalah) and teachings of man (Talmud), and return to the Torah, the
undefiled Word of YHVH.
The children are the new ones who came into the Kingdom through the
Gospel message and revelation of Jesus (Yshua) as the Christ (Messiah). They
need to repent (tesuvah) of their customs and pagan ways coming from their
different cultures.
The Fathers and the Children are coming together, meaning that the Two
Sticks, Judah and Ephraim (Eze 37), will come together through teshuvah or
repentance, and will become one in the hand of Messiah Yshua, the One Who
will be revealed by the Two Witnesses as the King of Israel, the Elohim of the
patriarchs.

Graven Images to Repent from.

There are eight accounts of graven images mentioned in the Book of
Dvarim, four of them found in this Torah Portion:
Deut 4:16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a
graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of
male or female,
Deut 4:23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the
covenant of YHVH your Elohim, which he made with you,
and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing,
which YHVH your Elohim has forbidden thee.
Deut 4:25 When thou shalt beget children, and children's
children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and
shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the
likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of YHVH your
Elohim, to provoke him to anger:
Deut 5:8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any
likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the
earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
Summary of Graven Images in this Torah Portion:
(4:6) No images of male and female figures In relation
to corrupting yourself.
(4:23) No images of anything YHVH forbids you, things
He created In relation to His Covenant.

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 (4:25) - No images of anything YHVH forbids you, things He created
In relation to provoking YHVH.
(5:8) No graven images of anything in heaven, earth and sea
(waters).
Deut 7:5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars,
and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn
their graven images with fire.
Deut 7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou
shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it to yourself,
lest you be snared therein: for it is an abomination to YHVH
your Elohim.
Deut 12:3 And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their
pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down
the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them
out of that place.
Deut 27:15 Cursed be the man that makes any graven or
molten image, an abomination unto YHVH, the work of the
hands of the craftsman, and puts it in a secret place. And all the
people shall answer and say, Amen.
Summary of Graven Images in the rest of Deuteronomy:
(7:5) Break down and burn graven images with fire.
(7:25) Burn images and false gods with fire, do not
desire silver or gold on them (do not sell it for money) In
relation to abominations unto YHVH.
(12:3) Overthrow their altars, burn their groves and
images, destroy their names from that place.
(27:15) Cursed is the craftsman that makes graven
images.
Q- What are seen as graven Images today?
Some believers do not think anything of a sculpture or image created by an
artist, as long as you do not bow down to them and worship it as a god. Yes,
that is true in a sense, but what about the artists intent. If they made the
image to be used as an idol in their culture, and you purchase it and bring it
into your home, will that break this commandment? Definitely! Many
cultures around the world practice one or another form of religion that
includes imagery or idols to symbolise the gods they serve. Take the
Buddha statue for an example. This is a religious object that is sold
throughout the world and people buy it because it looks nice in their homes
or gardens. Any object that is connected to a spiritual entity allows a
spiritual contact point inside your home or premises. If you are a believer
then that will cause a curse to come upon you and your family because of
this abominable thing you allowed in your home (Deut 27:15).
The safest way to not break this Commandment, confirmed eight times in
Deuteronomy, is not to have any image of anything YHVH created in your
house or in your garden. If you are unsure about something an artist made, pray
and ask YHVH, and He will show you. If you are still unsure and in
doubtthrow it out!

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When YHVH Says No!
Sometimes, we desperately want something with
all of our heart and soul. We plead with YHVH
over and over again, but in the end, He refuses to
grant our request.
Q - How do we respond to these situations?
When King Davids infant son from his adulterous
affair with Bat Sheva became gravely ill, David
begged YHVH to spare the childs life. He fasted and prayed and prostrated
himself face to the ground all night (2 Sam 12:16). Nevertheless, the child died.
Q - How did King David react to YHVHs decision?
2 Sam 12:19-20 David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And
they said, He is dead. David then rose up from the ground, and washed
and anointed himself, and changed his garments. And he went into the
House of YHVH and bowed himself, then came to his own house, and
asked, and they set food before him, so he ate.
A Picture of submission to the will of YHVH! David realized that YHVH in His
wisdom had made His judgment, and he accepted it, recognizing YHVHs divine
rule and sovereignty. Paul prayed and YHVH said no.
Q - What was Pauls response to that?
2 Cor 12:9..My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in
weakness. Most gladly, then, I shall rather boast in my weaknesses, so
that the power of Messiah rests on me.
Yshua was met with the answer No from his beloved Father. In the Garden of
Gethsemane, YHVH asked if the cup of suffering could be taken from him And
going forward a little, He fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it
is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I desire, but as You desire.
(Matt 26:39) a second time He enquired: Again He went away, a second time,
and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it is impossible for this to pass unless I
drink it, let Your desire be done. (Matt 26:42) Yshua only sought to do the will
of the Father, not His own. When you have that in mind, then it is easier to
accept when the Father says no, not seeking what you want, but place His will
before your will. This is the key to obedience.
Q What believers do when YHVH says no?
Some reject YHVH because this faith thing does not work. Others renounce
Yshua because a Christian brother or sister disappointed them and He
allowed it. Then there are those who will grow cold and trust in their own
strength to get what they want.

Hear and Obey Enter the Gate

Deut 6:1,3-5 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the
judgments, which YHVH your Elohim commanded to teach you, that you
might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: 3"O Israel, you
should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that

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 you may multiply greatly, just as YHVH, the Elohim of your fathers, has
promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. 4"Hear, O Israel!
YHVH is our Elohim, YHVH is one! 5"You shall love YHVH your Elohim
with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
These Commandments were given so Israel could obey them in the Promised
Land. Many of our Christian brother believe the Commandments have been
done away with but forget that the Promised Land represents the Kingdom and
the destination of their faith, that leads to YHVH, under the rule of Yshua the
King. The King will use the Commandments as the basis of His rule and
government and they will apply more in the Land, than they apply now. The
reason is that various Commandments only apply once you enter the Land and
when there is a Temple.
Q Will there be a Temple in the New Jerusalem?
Rev 21:1-3 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,
for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the
sea was no more. 2I saw the holy city, the new
Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from Elohim,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I
heard a loud voice from the throne saying: Behold, the
dwelling place of Elohim is with man, and He will live
with them. They will be His people, and Elohim Himself
will be with them as their Elohim. 22 But I saw no
Temple in it, for YHVH Elohim Almighty and the Lamb are its Temple.

Yes, there is a Temple, but not the one you think about. When they travelled
through the Wilderness YHVHs presence was in the Tabernacle. Tabernacle is
the word mishkan
meaning tent, dwelling place and habitation.
Mishkan comes from the root word shakan that means dwell, inhabit
and to abide. These meanings are found in Psalm 91 where we dwell in the
secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of His wings.
Shakan is first found in Scripture in Gen 3:24 where YHVH placed Cherubims
East of Eden. East, as we learned in a previous lesson, represents the ancient
or original things or truths. These are the truths undefiled by man, like crystal
clear water flowing from the Throne of YHVH. The Tabernacle represents the
gate that restricts access to the Garden, but also represents the place where
you are taught in these ancient ways, the ways of YHVH that open up this
Gate so that you can enter back into the Garden.
This Temple is represented by the Father and the Son, YHVH the Almighty and
the Lamb. Temple is the word hekel that means Temple and Palace. It
refers to the New Jerusalem as the dwelling place of Elohim, the place from
where the King will rule. In other words His Palace. If we want access to this
Palace where the King is, then we have to enter in through the gate of the
Tabernacle, which is the Body of Messiah, the place where you, with fellow
believers, follow the Shepherd back to the Garden. Then you will enter through
that Gate, Who is Messiah, into the Palace, living together with the King as His
Bride.

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