Bible Code: Yeshua the Free-will Offering
In this introduction to our survey of the Bible codes, we would like to share our knowledge and expose the reader to the phenomenon of the Bible codes and Yeshua haMashiach in the Hebrew Scripture. It is thus the object of this work to uncover these Bible codes, investigate them in the immediate context of the Hebrew text, and in due course offer the conclusion for the reader’s consideration of what we intend to say in the following new series of the Time of Reckoning Ministry: The Bible codes and Yeshua the Messiah.
The reader has therefore to expect that the subject mentioned in this series is a matter of private interpretation to the best knowledge of the present author. For the purpose of this new study, we will focus on a passage in the Hebrew Scripture: the binding of Yitschak as a burnt offering on the altar.
On the Passover day many years ago
Rembrandt: Avraham sacrifices Yitschak (Hermitage).
The Sages believe that the binding of Yitschak by Avraham happened on the day of Pesach, the day when the [Passover] lambs were slaughtered for the first day of the Festival of the Unleavened Breads.
Regrettably, the truth-seeking people have been exposed to only one interpretation of the story of Yitschak, namely, that Elohim had told Avraham to offer his only son as a living sacrifice in order to test his faith. Even more regrettable is the sad fact that the traditional commentators inadvertently promote an idolatrous practice of human sacrifice.
No one in his right mind, however, should even come close to entertain the idea of human sacrifice, as if it had come from YHVH. Because YHVH would have never told Avraham to sacrifice Yitschak, the promised son, as we argued for in the article “Did YHVH tell Abraham to sacrifice Isaac?“. In it we reconsidered the whole story of the alleged sacrifice of Yitschak, and we are encouraging the intelligent reader to refer to the source for more insight and understanding.
But if the reader has already enriched him/herself with deeper knowledge of the discussed controversial matter of the promised son supposedly offered as a human sacrifice, it will be beneficial for him/her to reread it, as we have more to offer to the reader’s attention in the following study to which we now duly turn.
We thus intend to introduce our reader to a new view of the story of the binding Yitschak and will ask him/her not to substitute our view of the matter for his/hers but to consider what we have below to say.
The Yitschak sacrifice
After Avraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days, the word of Elohim came to him and told him to take his only son Yitschak and go to the land of Mount Moriyah and offer him there as a “burnt offering” to Him. After three days of travelling, they came to the place he was told of.
And Avraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on Yitschak. And he took the fire and the knife, and they both headed towards the top of the mountain (Gen 22:6) On their way Yitschak spoke to his father, saying,
My father.’ And he said: ‘Here am I, my son.’ And he said: ‘Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ And Abraham said: ‘God will provide Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ (Gen 22:7-8 JPS)
And they came to the place which Elohim had told him of. And Avraham built an altar there and laid the wood on it, bound his son, and laid him on the wood which Yitschak was carrying. (Gen 22:9)
This command from Elohim (expressed by the intensive word “now” used to preface a command or reproof) to Avraham to sacrifice his son on an altar comes out of nowhere. After they arrived on the summit and Avraham tied Yitschak to the altar, Elohim did not stop him, although it was obvious what Avraham was intending to do. Even after the whole incident was resolved, Elohim did not reveal to His friend what His plan for Yitschak was. We should recall that Elohim did not reveal to Iyov (Job) His deal made in heaven with the satan, either. From the translations we get the impression that the offering of Yitschak as a burnt sacrifice was Elohim’s will. Even at the end of the story, the reader still remains under the impression that this was a harsh test to try Avraham’s faith, because Elohim did not say to him, “I did not ask you to slaughter your son”. This whole notion of offering the promised son as a human sacrifice we exposed in the aforesaid article.
The word translated as “and offer him” וְהַעֲלֵהוּ ve’ha’alehu literally means bring him up. However, Avraham misunderstood Elohim’s words and thought that He actually wanted him to offer his son as a burnt offering, which he attempted to do.
But as we argued, Elohim’s intention was not that Avraham should sacrifice Yitschak. He simply asked Avraham to bring him up to the mountain with no further instruction given and patiently waited to see what his servant would do. This whole “theology” developed in the religions that Elohim wanted him to offer up his son but changed His mind, according to Avraham’s actions, did not stand its grounds in our article. He never intended for Avraham to sacrifice Yitschak.
So, what was the reason for the test? With this question we are coming to the deeper level of understanding, which we did not touch in the article. Now, however, we will.
This short episode of the story of the binding of Yitschak is phenomenal when read in context of what we are about to see below.
The Bible codes’ purpose
What is the Bible code? Bible codes are hidden messages uncovered by using Equidistant Letter Sequences (ELS) within the text. In Hebrew, the Bible code is hachurak ot shalav or the latticework of the equidistant-letter sequence. Simply put, the Bible code is a word or few words, embedded by the Supernal Author into the Hebrew text of the Tanach, which when read in an equidistant-letter sequence gives a hidden message.
The sages consider the Bible codes the literal word of the Omniscient, because it is humanly impossible to write such a complex form of messaging. The odds of a certain Bible code to occur randomly in the Scripture is rather astronomical. Therefore, the only one who can possibly write the hidden messages in the Bible codes is the Creator.
What is the purpose of the Bible code? The purpose of the Bible code is to assert genuineness visible only when read at certain conditions. The explanation of “banknote” may serve as an illustration of the Bible codes. As a genuine banknote can be recognized only by the watermark or other hidden marks indicated through a symbol, letter, or sign in it embedded by its issuer, i.e., the Central Bank, and visible when the note is held up to the light, so does the Bible code serve as a “watermark” of genuineness of the Creator’s Word and as verified authenticity.
A second purpose of the Bible code is to give a hidden message of wisdom and understanding, as David prayed,
Open my eyes, that I may see the hidden things in Your Torah. (Psa 119:18)
The Torah under the surface of its letters contains an abundance of such “hidden things” (as the Tanach commentator Rashi translates it) into which only eyes YHVH has opened can see. The Bible code is meant to bring up to the surface these hidden wonders in order to uncover to the scholar’s view a deeper insight of the unknown.
Thus, the prayer of the prophet Jeremiah was answered, and he saw great and hidden things men had not known (interpreted by Rashi as “future events”). We read,
Call to Me, and I will answer you and will tell you great things, and hidden, which you have not known. (Jer 33:3)
To the righteous men these great and hidden things were revealed through dreams and visions; to us they have been revealed through the Bible codes, for Solomon has said that for everything there is an appointed time.
Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It was here already, in the ages which were before us. (Ecc 1:10)
What is not the purpose of the Bible Code? Bible codes cannot and should not be used to predict the future even though they may speak of the future; they are not meant for this. Rather, the Bible codes reflect the fact that there is providential evidence of future events which the Creator has engrafted into the Hebrew text.
How this manifestation of His foresightful care for His Word will be interpreted and used by men is entirely adequate to the task they have been called to. If a reader has not been exposed properly to the Bible codes and does not know how to be careful with their interpretation or takes them beyond their proper concepts and intent, he or she will inevitably become confused.
The Bible codes reveal Yeshua
After all of the above, it remains for us to explain the story of binding Yitschak on the background of the Bible codes. It is phenomenal when this story is read anew and in context of the Bible codes to which we now turn. Below, we will uncover no less than eight Bible codes embedded in such a small passage as the four verses we read above.
What we have laid down before the readers is merely a ladder to help them ascend to the matter, where they can see and examine the phenomenon of the Bible codes themselves. We will offer our interpretation, but it is up to the readers to study the entire matter diligently and draw acceptable conclusions.
Disclaimer: At this point in the discussion, it is necessary to understand that the present author does not claim any ownership of the Bible codes, which we will show below. He has not received any revelations, visions, nor has he heard any voices from heaven. What he presents hereafter is what he has received freely, and freely he has given it.
The eight Bible codes as they appear under the surface of Gen 22:6-9 are as follows:
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- In verse 7, starting from yud in the word יִצְחָק and counting the first letter of every 5th word from left to right spells out the Name of the Creator: YHVH (in cyan).
- In verse 8, starting from yud in the last word יַחְדָּו and counting the first letters of every 5th word from left to right spells out again the Name of YHVH (in violet).
- In verse 9, starting from yud in the word יִצְחָק and counting the first letters of every 19th word from left to right spells out Yeshua (in red).
- In verse 9, starting from the first letter of 12th word הַמִּזְבֵּחַ and counting the first letter of every 6th word from left to right spells out הַלַּיְלָה halailah, “the night” (in orange). The word overlaps with the already coded word YHVH (in blue) at letter yud.
- The adjacent letters of the letters that spell out halailah reveal the word terumah (in yellow), “contribution”, “free-will offering”, or “voluntary gift”. The Bible codes go on to include even details of the crucifixion.
- In verse 7, starting with yud in the word וְאַיֵּה and counting every fourth letter from right to left overlapping at lamed in לּוֹ, spells Yah ha’mar lailah, or “the bitter night of YHVH”. The above code points back to the Creator YHVH, as we read the next code.
- In verse 8, starting with yud in the word יִרְאֶה (the first letter of the 4th word) and reading the first letters of every 10th word from right to left, spells YHVH.
- In verse 8, starting with mem in the word אֱלֹהִים (the third word) and counting the last letters of every 10th word, spells out מֶלַח melach, “salt”. This is remarkable as we will see below.
We should recall that from the sixth to the ninth hour of the day there was darkness, the day became as night, as we find this reference in the ancient Hebrew text of Matthew,
At the sixth hour darkness came in all the world and remained until the ninth hour. Yeshua cried in a loud voice saying in the language of The Set-apart One:
אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי
Eli, Eli, lama ‘azavtani.
One of those standing there said, “This one is calling for Eliyahu!” (Mat 27:45-47) (See also Mar 15:33-35)
Grammar note: In a translation, this whole episode makes a little sense, if it is not considered as a direct quote from Psa 22:1. Why would the passerby say that Yeshua was calling Elijah, if he was indeed calling El[ohim], as it is obvious in the Psalm? Perhaps, because in Hebrew the word אֵלִי Eli sounds like Eli, “my Elohim”, the short form of Elohim, but also like the short form of the name Eliyahu.
The Hebrew text of Gen 22:6-9 with the Bible codes reads as follows:
Verse 6
וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָהָם אֶת־עֲצֵי הָעֹלָה וַיָּשֶׂם עַל־יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיִּקַּח בְּיָדוֹ אֶת־הָאֵשׁ וְאֶת־הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו׃
Verse 7
וַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק אֶל־אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר אָבִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֶּנִּי בְנִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה הָאֵשׁ וְהָעֵצִים וְאַיֵּה הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה׃
Verse 8
וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה־לּוֹ הַשֶּׂה לְעֹלָה בְּנִי וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּו׃
Verse 9
וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר־לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּבֶן שָׁם אַבְרָהָם אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וַיַּעֲרֹךְ אֶת־הָעֵצִים וַיַּעֲקֹד אֶת־יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וַיָּשֶׂם אֹתוֹ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ מִמַּעַל לָעֵצִים׃
Thus deciphered, what does this puzzle of intricately and densely designed Bible codes seem to be telling us?
When we examine these Bible codes closely, we will notice that if even one letter is added to or subtract from the Hebrew text of Gen 22:6-9, the equidistant-letter sequences will be broken, and these Bible codes will be lost never to be recovered. This is why the Torah explicitly forbids any change of the literal Word of Elohim,
All the words I am commanding you, guard to do it. Do not add to it nor take away from it. (Deu 12:32) (See also Deu 4:2, Pro 30:6, Rev 22:18-19)
Obtain wisdom from knowledge and understanding
Ibn Ezra divides human intelligence into three parts: chokhmah (wisdom), binah (understanding), and da’at (knowledge). One can possess knowledge of what the Scripture says as a psychological result of perception, learning, and reasoning. One can have understanding of what the Scripture conveys; this is the capacity for rational thought and inference. But he can still be without a deep insight, wisdom.
For wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge, experience, and understanding. To obtain wisdom is to perceive the esoteric truths and comprehend Creator’s will. We see that although His wisdom and will are beyond man’s reach, they are made accessible to him through studying the Torah. Yet, the interpretation of the obtained knowledge can go either way: the right way or the wrong way, and the responsibility therefore comes with it.
With this in mind, we will try to obtain wisdom from the knowledge and understanding we have gathered so far from the aforesaid article and the Bible codes herein. We are not concerned with cryptic and deep matters beyond the realm of human comprehension and intellect. But it is incumbent upon us to know the matters that are revealed to us and consider them. We now turn to the interpretation of the Bible codes and Yeshua.
Yeshua, the Terumah of YHVH
We may glean a better understanding of the subject of the Bible codes when considering them in their textual context. Time came when Mosheh went up to the top of the mountain, and YHVH spoke to him that the people should take up a free-will offering (terumah) for Him for the building of the Tabernacle, so that their Elohim should dwell among them. The people donated all they had to build a Dwelling Place for Him (Exodus 25:1-27:12, Parshat Terumah). Because the people made a free-will offering, YHVH too made a free-will offering Immanuel, “With us is Elohim”, so that through him He should dwell among the people. It is the present author’s understanding that the message of Yeshua-terumah is the central point of the hidden codes YHVH embedded in the story.
It can thus be interpreted to mean that the plea of YHVH to His friend Avraham (expressed by the word נָא na, “please”) to take his son Yitschak was a shadow picture of the good things yet to come, which the Omniscient wanted to reveal to them. And when Yeshua indeed came, he came as YHVH’s free-will gift in that bitter darkness of the crucifixion to ratify the Covenant of Salt.
And this is the hidden message of the Bible codes in Genesis 22. YHVH wanted Avraham to take his only son Yitschak, the promised son, and bring him up on the Mount Moriyah in order to show him what was yet to come and how the promise would be fulfilled, namely, that from Yitschak’s loins the free-will gift of YHVH would come: Yeshua, the free-offering תְּרוּמָה terumah (from רוּם rum, a gift lifted or heaved), the heaved gift of YHVH.
And this hidden message of the Bible codes, which is revealed to us, Avraham and Yitschak indeed saw in a vision on Mount Moriyah.
For further knowledge on the matter, the reader will do well to read what we have written in our commentary in the article To Foresee Yeshua the Messiah.
Knowledge known to only a few will die out. If you feel blessed by these teachings of Time of Reckoning Ministry, help spread the word!
May we merit seeing the coming of our Mashiach speedily in our days!
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