Shabbat shalom kol beit Yisra'el and may the grace of our Master Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) be with us all on this the eighth day of the twelfth and last month of the current year. It is also, interestingly, the 333rd day of the year and as you know, 333 is NCAY's qodesh number - and there is also a satanic opposite, being half of 666. We are also 51 days to the end of the current countdown.

With the great discussion we had on Aviv over the last week completed nine of days ago, and knowing what we do about what is coming - at least in part - I expect you share the same excitement and anticipation as I do, though I have to admit that increasing age and the experience that comes with that, also brings a degree of caution because of what we know about the nature of our Elohim (God) - namely, that He tends to keep His metaphorical cards up His sleave until the last minute. So we don't know exactly how this is going to unfold save only in the most general terms. But Yahweh is revealing His will day by day - clearly - as we saw in the Vision of the Ploughed Field in which the members pooled their interpretations and we came to understand a great deal more detail. I have had members call me up and tell me how Yahweh is working a deeper cleansing in them than at any time previous in their lives. We are most definitely being prepared.

If there is one thing that has become clear to me concerning prophetic events, and how Yahweh distributes His foreknowledge of them to the nevi'im (prophets) on behalf of His people, it is that He reveals the details only in steps, expecting us to exercise the necessary emunah (faith) and obedience for each step and no more, because emunah (faith) is always linked to our responses, and we can only respond on a daily basis. Yes, I can exercise emunah (faith) in the second coming of the Messiah; yes, I can exercise emunah (faith) in the final resurrection of the qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones); yes, I can exercise emunah (faith) in the world that lies beyond this one and the current age. But in none of these can a quote you a date, for none of these can I actually do anything by way of making specific choices related to current events beyond choosing to continue in my trusting of Elohim (God) in each step; but when it comes to the next prophetic event, I can and must make specific choices, and take concrete action, related to that in order to remain on prophetic track for my personal life and the life of my family.

Right now, we have been called to gather at Aviv 1 in exactly three weeks' time for the Cleansing of the Temple of Messianic Israel, and what does that require of me - and you - right now? That we prepare to consectrate ourselves. And immediately beyond that we have been commanded to count 72 days (of which 21 have now passed) - rather like an Omer count to Shavu'ot - that takes us both to an exact point of time in which we are to make sure that we have made all our preparations and to be ready for the second Rosh Chodesh of the next year for a rendez-vous for an as yet unknown purpose, though obviously linked to a Late Pesach (Passover). So we do have some very specific instructions. Today we must focus on the first of these, which is to prepare for Aviv 1 in four weeks' time.

Since we are preparing ourselves for a cleansing that is to last 16 days in two 8-day segments, we need to know concretely what that cleansing is. What exactly does that 'cleansing' mean? How does one get cleansed, and what does it mean to be clean or unclean in Yahweh's eyes? We must not retreat to Protestant clichés about getting 'cleansed in the blood of the Lamb' and simply make declarations that we are 'choosing' to believe in, and accept, the emet (truth) about the efficiacy of the atoning blood of our Messiah, vitally important though that obviously is. We must know what is meant by these words and know what it is we are actually doing in real time and space.

When it comes comes to Yahweh's, and therefore Scripture's, meaning about this, we can say this: that which is clean or pure is in its proper place, whereas that which is unclean or impure is disgustingly out of place in the divine sphere. Ultimately cleanliness is about being in the proper place at the proper time, and that in turn requires proper thinking, proper heart-connections and proper actions. We know where we are supposed to be during the Aviv cleansing and we know where we are supposed to be during Late Pesach because we have received a direct mitzvah (commandment) to assemble then. After that, though, every individual and family needs to know where they are to be geographically located on a daily basis, and to be sensitive to the Ruach (Spirit) to move and to move fast - when that revelation is received. We are already at war - you have to be blind not to see that - even if our governments are refusing to tell us that we are, and it may come to our country, city, town or area at any time.

We can also say that the cleansing may be said to be limited by its opposite, the unclean, for dirt automatically pollutes or contaminates what is clean. In order to restore something or someone to a state of purity, the dirt has to be removed by certain actions or processes in which the one seeking to be clean must take a pro-active part. Dirty clothes, for instance, do not clean themselves - certain elements (water and cleansing agents) must be procured, a vigorous coordinated action (the physical, mechanical 'washing') must be implemented, oftentimes heat is required to facilitate or speed-up the process, and a vessel in which to do the cleaning (a sink or water-container) must be present for all of this to take place in. After that, the clothes must be 'hung out' to dry before they can be worn again.

Clean and unclean are very clearly defined in Torah - the things that are in their proper place in Yahweh's Kingdom and those which are disgustingly out of place. The things which are in place are arranged in a divine tavnith or pattern, and the things which are disgustingly out of place break that divine tavnith (pattern) and are therefore chaotic. Chastity (faithfulness) in marriage is in place, adultery is disgustingly out of place, to give you an illustration. When we fail to live in Yahweh's spiritual reality, in His emet (truth), in the tavnith (pattern) of living He has ordained and established, and know and love what is required of us because of Torah, then we sense our lives are disgustingly out of place which provokes anxiety and discomfort when we choose to be responsive to the Davar Elohim (Word of God) and sensitive to our conscience. The rules of purity or spiritual cleanliness (with their physical manifestations) ensure that we avoid this discomfort and maintain wholeness and completeness in the society of Yahweh's people by clearly defining what belongs (the clean) and what does not (the unclean).

Now obviously human beings can experience anxiety and discomfort based on the breaking rules invented and set in place by men and demons too. The emotions are exactly the same which is why our feelings are not a reliable touchstone for heavenly reality. We cannot depend on them to establish emet (truth). Our feelings pass through the filter of our conscience which is something that has to be trained - we literally have to be raised in emet (truth) so that the filter is not flawed and causing us to perceive awry. Atheists, Muslims, New Agers and others can have experiences of anxiety and discomfort when confronted with Yahweh's reality, as we all know they do, and react with the same kind of hostility to the emet (truth) as believers to do lies. The only differences is that believers are empowered by the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) to react with grace (undeserved loving kindness) toward their antagonists whereas the others react with anger, hostility and even murderous intent, often provoked by resident unclean powers within. It is most important that we understand this early on.

Impurity is especially dangerous when it is associated with death. And as you know Torah mandates dealth penalties for 25 categories of sin precisely because Yahweh has identified 25 behaviours that lead to 25 things so disgustingly out of place that they can have no part in His world. Because of the way our own consciences have been trained - because of our own upbringing (the way we have been raised), which was a mixture of emet (truth) and error - we can readily identify with some of these sins and accept that the death penalty is merited for actions like murder but we struggle, do we not, to understand why so 'terrible' a punishment was anciently meeted out for sabbath-breaking, for example. The unbelieving part of us feels - if we are totally honest with ourselves - that there is something 'wrong' with this rule but we are confounded as to what that unbelief actually implies when it comes to how disgustingly out of place we are in Elohim's (God's) realm when we choose to reject His torot (laws). Allowed to take its 'natural', carnal course, this can lead to atheism, to suppression (denial) or to an attempt to reform the Bible by adopting various liberal, evolutionary positions which are but an intermediary step toward atheism.

Please do not deny to me that at sometime or another you have been surprised, horrified or even outraged by what seems to you to be the 'unfairness' of such a stiff penalty for breaking a rule for something so apparently less important- like failing to keep the sabbath - than murder or adultery. I admit, I have been there, more than once. But the alternatives are altogether more dreadful that accepting in trust what Yahweh says until He chooses to reveal His purposes and reasons to us for these rules. If we truly believe the Bible to be inspired, we have no choice but to struggle with these things until the light of binah (understanding) arises out of the darkness of our ignorance fostered by relativism - what we cannot do is adopt the intellectually arrogant position of the revisionists who, to keep themselves mentally afloat and still in emunah (faith), as they suppose, start rejecting larger and larger chunks of the Scriptures as some friends of mine are currently doing with Paul and animal sacrifices. The end of that journey is the rejection of most, if not all, 'written scripture' and its substitution with subjective and egotistical instincts and feelings known (existentialism). Thus another of my friends believes that all religious books are 'bad' because they lead to such abuses. The emet (truth) is, abuses occur whether we have books or no books, because the problem isn't just some religious texts but the heart of man himself.

So impurity becomes very dangerous indeed when it threatens to gain access to the body and its very life. It is therefore most important than everyone understands from the outset that the biblical concept of 'cleanness' and 'uncleanness' is not identical to the modern notion of sanitary and unsanitary. Impurity can be physical, ritual or moral in the Scriptures. Uncleanliness is especially opposed to holiness (set-apartness), and so the Tanakh (Old Testament) torot (laws) separate the unclean from the unholy. It was the responsibility of the cohen (priest) to distinguish between the qadosh (holy, set-apart) and the profane, between the clean and the unclean. Cohenim (priests) were also obliged to teach Israel the torot (laws) of purity in order to avoid offending Yahweh's holiness (set-apartness):

"Then Yahweh spoke to Aaron, saying: 'Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, that you may distinguish between qodesh (holy) and unholy (defiled), and between unclean and clean, and that you may teach the children of Israel all the chukim (statutes) which Yahweh has spoken to them by the hand of Moses'" (Lev.10:8-11, NKJV).

"Her cohenim (priests) have violated My Torah (law) and profaned My qadosh (holy, set-apart) things; they have not distinguished between the qadosh (holy, set-apart) and unholy (defiled), nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them" (Ezek.22:26, NKJV).

"And [the cohenim/priests] shall teach My people the difference between the qadosh (holy, set-apart) and the unholy (defiled), and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My mishpatim (judgments). They shall keep My torot (laws) and My mishpatim (statutes) in all My moedim (appointed meetings), and they shall make qodesh (hallow, set-apart, make holy) My Sabbath" (Ezek.44:23-24, NKJV).

I want you to notice especially here that we are talking about the collective or national relationship between the people of Israel and their Elohim (God). This concerns mainly the Shavu'ot (Weeks, 'Pentecost') Covenant. Since the qadosh (holy, set-apart) and the unholy were incompatible, it was necessary to keep the sacred protected from pollution. This was especially true for the Sanctuary, Tabernacle or Temple, the altar, and those who ministered in sacred places. Since the cohenim (priests) crossed the boundaries from the profane to the sacred in the performance of their duties, it was important that they avoid impurity and defilement

The 'geography' is a little different in the B'rit Chadashah or New Covenant since all regenerated believers are cohenim (priests) or cohenim-in-the-making and live permanently (24/7) in the Sanctuary which is both their individual physical bodies as well as the collective Body which is the mystical assembly of all regenerated Messiah-trusting and Torah-obedient believers. The only time a New Covenant cohen (priest) crosses from the sacred into the profane is when he breaks a mitzvah (commandment) and thus breaks the corporate covenant of his local congregation (and of NCAY) and in the wider sense the covenant odf the whole of Messianic Israel in which case he must sanctify himself through the blood of Messiah. As in the former Covenant, we are to "touch no unclean thing" (2 Cor.6:17, NIV) in the B'rit Chadashah (new Covenant) either.

I expect some of you may be wondering how we are to actually identify 'Messianic Israel'. Are we, for example, bound by some sort of covenant to other Messianics in the corporate sense? The answer to that is most definitely no because the messianic movement is, like Protestantism, both a house divided as well as being riddled with error and heresy. As Paul warned:

"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers [by covenant]. For what fellowship has righteousness with Torahlessness (lawlessness)? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Messiah with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of Elohim (God) with idols? For you are the temple of the living Elohim (God)" (2 Cor.6:14-16, NKJV).

We cannot, therefore, view ourselves as being corporately united with those messianics who deny the Deity of Messiah, or with Mormons who worship an occult priesthood, or with Jehovah's Witnesses who believe Messiah is a second-rate 'god', or with any number of groups who link themselves to damnable heresies. At the other extreme we cannot go so far and say we reject those who accept the Deity of Christ but who believe in distorted doctrines like Catholic Trinitarianism. We hold common cause with those who acknowledge the Apostles' Creed at least as far as the covenants of Pesach (Passover) (those who accept the Atonement of Messiah for the sins of the world) and Yom haBikkurim (Firstfruits) (those who accept the physical resurrection of Messiah) are concerned. And we hold common cause with those who believe in repenting from sin and obeying the commandments as represented by Chag haMatzah (Unleavened Bread), which broadly-speaking includes those a part of the 'holiness movement'. So we view ourselves as being yoked, for example, with evangelicals and others who subscribe to these things. But beyond that - and especially when it comes to the Torah-obedience demanded by the Shavu'ot (Weeks, 'Pentecost') Covenant then we have to absolutely say, no, we are not united with you, or at least only to the degree that the mitzvot (commandments) are accepted and being obeyed. Given that most Bible-believing evangelicals are obedient to 40-60% of the Torah (Law) without actually calling it that (since they claim, ironically, they believe it has been nailed to the cross, as opposed to the debt note which sinners carry because of breach of Torah), then we can say we are partially in Shavu'ot (Weeks) Covenant with them. Beyond that (and the other four annual moedim) we have to state unambiguously and unashamedly that we are not in covenant with them. In that we are alone other than with others basically pursuing the same Derech (Way) as we are.

So we are joined with other Christians and Messianics by Covenant based on their respective believers and covenant obligations. Obviously for a covenant to work in the Body it has to be two-way so if we accept them while they reject us then clearly we are not in covenant with them. Our acceptance then becomes unidirectional or one-way and what they fail to reciprocate is their own responsibility. Therefore we let Yahweh, the omniscient (all-knowing) one define the extent of the covenant we are in with other believers. We can realistically do no more than that. In the meantime we extend grace, accepting fellow believers as people whilst not necessarily accepting their churches or assemblies. Our Covenant relationship is therefore flexible and partial, and the only way we can know where we are relative to others is where the Ruach (Spirit) tells they are in those areas we cannot see or observe.

What, then, are we going to be doing on Aviv 1? First, we are rededicating MLT (Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon) and NCAY (the New Covenanrt Assemblies of Yahweh) as this is the only fellowship we have any direct authority over. Secondly, we are rededicating "Messianic Israel" as a whole which, unless others have been led to do the same thing this Aviv and are in broad agreement with us (which may happen, I don't know), necessarily means that something entirely new is being born out of who we were and aspire to become to which others will be drawn in spirit (following our lead but remaining independent) or drawn in spirit and receive the witness to enter a corporate covenant with us here at NCAY. We obiously cannot rededicate other groups without their cogniscence (knowledge) or agreement as such an action would conflict with the divine principle of free agency and rather resemble the heretical Mormon practice of baptising for the dead against their will in the hope that they will accept their ordinances. We cannot possible do that. So the Aviv rededication is primarily for us, at NCAY, and is, in at least the spiritual realm, a kind of invitation to others to be drawn there by the same Ruach (Spirit) that drew us here too. I don't know the mechanics of how all this works as far as the latter is concerned, we are simply responding in obedience to carry do this task in emunah (faith). So we are not, in doing this, by any means claiming to be the 'one and only' true group of messianics to whom all others must come in order to be a part of the end-time work of restoration of Messianic Israel because we have absolutely no idea what the next step is, as I tried to explain earlier. We are walking by emunah (faith) one step at a time. We will take this one day, week and month at a time. We can do no more.

So I repeat, the coming dedication is for us individually as well as corporately as MLT/NCAY though I suspect the latter will come to greater prominence at the next Shavu'ot (Weeks) which is Israel's corporate covenanting time par excellence - but that is some distance in the future and we must approach that nearer the time when previous steps have been completed.

I was given something of a preview of what will be happening this morning in vision. At 8.30 a.m. I was in prayer asking Yahweh what vhe next wanted of me and I saw a vision of a high place, and at its summit was a park bench. I understood very clearly that He wanted me to metaphorically 'sit' with him and communion. We are all to do that, talk or dialongue intensely with Him so that we can know what is to be done each day during this countdown. Then I saw beyond the summit to the valley below and in vision I descended a little. As far as the eye could see, all there was was a stoney, orangey desert. It was a grim and harsh place but I understood that this was the wilderness we have all been called to enter - and have likely been for a very long time - where we are to perfected through the cleansing of isolation and challenging circumstances, like "the woman [who] fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by Elohim (God), where she might be taken care of" (Rev.12:6, NIV). And you will recall, in that prophesied event (or which this is the penultimate precursor), this was done because of "the dragon (Satan) [who] stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter" (Rev.12:4-5, NIV). And isn't that why we are to gather at Aviv 1? Have we not in many cases been pursued by the Enemy who has sought to destroy us? We are where we are for our safety so that Messiah can be reborn in us at a far deeper level so that we can received a far greater anointing of the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) than we have hitherto enjoyed. So the desert, though harsh, is a good place, a place of protection.

This was not the end of the vision, however. Interestingly, the vision itself was postage-stamp-sized relative to my whole field of view because I was only being permitted a glimpse, at a destance, of what is coming. Yet this visionary 'area' was very intense and clear indeed. As I looked at this barren place I saw hewn stones gathering at a single place in the air. They were not very precisely cut out, quite rough actually, but sufficiently cut and shaped as to be suitable for a building. The brown cuboid stones begann to assembly in a square on the ground and at first I supposed that an altar was being built. But as the structure grew in size I saw that it was a pyramid. The entire assembly took place very quickly. And then the vision ended and the postage-stamp-sized window vanished.

There are a number of things I need to say about this vision. First, that pyramids in and of themselves are not 'bad' or 'negative' things simply because pagan religions such as that of the ancient Egyptians, Mayans and many others used them. The actual geometric shape is morally and spiritually neutral - it depends who you dedicate them to and what you use them for. Solomon's Temple followed an architectural pattern not at all dissimilar to that of pagan temples in the Middle East, especially Phoenicia, but that does not invalidate the shape and dimensions of the building anymore than the use of mathematics and the alphabets is invalidated because both the good and the evil employ them (satanists sometimes use Hebrew, for example). It has been noted that even the Ark of the Covenant resembles, to some extent, similar religious objects in Egyptian pagan religion. We should not be surprised by that since for any religion to be credible it must conform to certain cosmic patterns and rules otherwise Satan would be unable to effect a deception. Where pagan symbolism and structure differs from that found in the sacred worship of Israel is, as I said, in specific details, who these things are dedicated to, and what they are used for.

Years ago Yahweh showed me in a vision that the pyramid structure is symbolic of a KINGDOM and GOVERNMENT. That can be any 'kingdom', indluding Yahweh-Elohim's and the Devil's. Every head of family's governmental rule is symbolically a 'pyramid' as that of a congregational leader or anyone else in a position of authority. The Kingdom of Yahweh is represented by a pyramid as is the Kingdom of Satan. NCAY is a pyramid as is every other 'denomination' or religious group. The important thing here is WHO builds it:

"Unless Yahweh builds the bayit (house, building, temple, family, tribe, nation, etc.) they labour in vain who build it" (Ps.127:1, NKJV).

In the invisible there is one here at MLT that also represents its toqef or authority - see Zion's Pyramid and the Harvest. So it is no surprise to see NCAY being represented by a pyramid too, though it was not the Firstborn Zionic one that pertains to MTL specifically but a regular 'unbent' one such as is typical in Egypt. The stones are rough because NCAY too is rough and unpolished spiritually - nevertheless we are a branch of the Kingdom and we do possess 'Elohim power'. There will be much refining of us to do particularly as the ministry grows and swells with new people all requiring systematic discipling and cleansing. It is for MLT to lead the way, keeping the centre qasdosh (holy, set-apart) whilst carefully monitoring the missions.

In his epistle to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul elaborates on a "great mystery", making a direct comparison between a husband and his wife and between Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) and the Messianic Community (Body of Christ, Church):

"Therefore, just as the Messianic Community (church) is subject to Messiah, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Messiah also loved the Messianic Community (church) and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of mayim(water) by the davar (word), that He might present her to Himself a glorious Messianic Community (church), not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be qadosh (holy, set-apart) and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Master does the Messianic Community (church). For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Messiah and the Messianic Community (church). Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband" (Eph.5:24-33, NKJV)

The responsibility of every husband in Messianic Israel toward his wife, as of Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) toward His Bride, the Messianic Community (Body, Church) is to "sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of mayim(water) by the davar (word)" with these expressed goals, namely to:

• 1. "Present her to himself";
• 2. "Not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing";
• 3. "That she should be qadosh (holy, set-apart) and without blemish".

A wife is supposed to be set-apart to, and for, her husband in the same way that we, the Messianic Community, are supposed to be set-apart to, and for our Messiah, and this is accomplished by the wife in her obedience to her husband in everything he calls her to do (short of disobeying Yahweh's mitzvot/commandments of Torah) and is accomplished for in as talmidim (disciples) and as the Bride of Messiah by being obedient to everything Yah'shua (Jesus) commands us to do, which will never be contrary to the Davar Elohim or Word of God for the simple reason it is the Davar Elohim (Word of God) that is the instrument of cleansing! Yahweh cannot break His own Davar (Word) without falling and a husband cannot break the Davar Elohim (Word of Elohim), or command his wife to do the same, without falling himself, and she is not bound to obey him if he does so. There are reciprocal (or better, åarallel) obligations which set up the conditions for a proper cleansing:

Our accountability in fulfilling these obligations is not to one another but to the One (Yahweh) who commanded them in the first place for the obvious reason that if one of the two parties waited for the other to fulfil his or her obligations before reciprocating there would, in the case of the human marriage, be an excuse to postpone these obligations indefinitely because of the imperfections of the other party. So each is obliged in his or her sphere of obligation and responsibility. Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), as the Divine Husband, has fulfilled His obligation of love and cleansing toward us by the unilateral Work of the Cross, by which our sins were atoned for, and our unilateral obligation to Him as the metaphorical Bride is to submit to Him in everything in obedience and show Him the proper respect. It is only by submitting and acting with reverence and respect that the door is opened for us to receive the cleansing of the Blood which was shed on our behalf centuries ago.

Through a careful study of this passage these mutual obligations ought to be self-evidence, but the emet (truth) is that our flesh loathes them. Fleshy husbands want submission from their wives without their showing forth the least amount of love or self-sacrifice; and fleshy wives want to be loved and doted on by their husbands without showing any sort of obedience, submission or respect. The gender wars and troubles in marriage generally that exist in this world, not to mention most of the social problems in the nations too, are the result of either this divine tavnith (pattern) being rejected or the husband or the wife waiting for the other to fulfil his or her obligation before they will dare to take the risk in fulfilling their own to their spouse.

I use the word 'risk' deliberately. When Yah'shua (Jesus) died on the cross for our sins He had no guarantee that the world would accept his salvation. He risked His work of ahavah (love) being trampled on by unbelief, disdain and rebellion, as indeed has happened on a grand scale. Most have rejected Him. When He stepped forward and risked all, He demonstrated unconditional ahavah (love) and grace - undeserved loving kindness. When godly men step forward and risk loving bitchy wives, or godly women step forward and risk obeying unloving, macho-men, the world calls them fools but the Besorah (Gospel) reminds them that they are simply doing what Elohim (God) did for us in Messiah and what He continues to do for us in Messiah though we absolutely do not deserve it. This is the chief attitude that separates true believers from false believers and the world. It is what enables them to love their enemies and give unmerited favour (grace) to those who plainly do not deserve it. And it is what separates sacrificial ahavah or agapé love that comes from Messiah from the other kinds of conditional romantic, sexual or other kinds of love that the world endorses and pursues. It is the difference between selfless and selfish love, for the former does not count the cost but gives anyway, even when it is being slapped in the face.

The means by which we are cleansed in the Blood of Messiah by the Washing of the Davar (Word) is the choice to accept living this way. Simply trusting in the atoning, cleansing and sanctifying Blood of Messiah - the Work of Calvary - without being at all prepared to love or be obedient in this fashion is not sufficient because it will simply 'wash off you', metaphorically speaking. It means stepping out of the comfort zone or cocoon of self-protection where we wait for the other (whether Yahweh or a husband) to 'do' certain things before we will step out in emunah (faith) ourselves. And that means moving out of the zone of 'me' or 'I' or 'self' into the zone of Him or him where the unexpected may very likely occur over which we have no control and which may often hurt. That's what it means to relinquish self-control and give it to the Divine or earthly Husband/husband.

The Divine Husband has already assumed the responsibility in that work of everlasting ahavah (love) in the form of the Work of the Cross and it is the responsibility of believing husbands to step up to the plate and do the same thing. We have confidence in Yahweh because of the promises He gives us in His Davar (Word), the Bible, and in His ongoing revelation (Rhema words), because we know His promises never fail:

"The Davar (Word) of Yahweh endureth for ever. And this is the Davar (Word) which by the Besorah (Gospel) is preached unto you" (1 Peter 1:25, KJV).

Wives have confidence in their husbands when they understand that their husband's davar (word) is reliable too. Woman was created, by nature, to trust in her husband, which is why the betrayal of his davar (word) by a husband is a wicked and an abominable thing indeed. Because of the Divine Requirement, woman is made more trusting; because of the Divine Responsibility, the husband is made more accountable. Yah'shua (Jesus) proved His accountability at the Cross - will you husbands, in your turn, prove your accountability by carrying your crosses too? Will you cover and carry your wives as the just and fair obligation for their total surrender to, and respect toward, you? Will you choose to view the heavenly system in these terms from now on?

We cannot as a people come to the Aviv 1 cleansing unless we are willing to accept these terms. This is the deal, these are the conditions for cleansing and sanctification from the Throne. If you come with coheadship in mind, as is taught in the world and in most of the modern, fallen churches, or if you come with a view to being in control and in charge, forget about coming to Aviv 1 because you cannot be in charge, you can't control heaven with any 'name it, and claim it' or feministic form of blasphemy - you cannot ever set conditions. You can only choose to be totally surrendered and to come in with perfect reverance and fear of Elohim, on your knees or flat on your face, with your sole object being to bring glory to the Father and not to 'get' anything, even if it is tov (good) or qadosh (holy, set-apart), like wanting an anointing for evangelism, for then you are setting conditions, then you are putting the glory on yourself, your ministry, or whatever it is you think you can do. Remember the vision that Yahweh gave me some time ago for you, of the proper attitude, consisting of the husband face down, prostrate before Yahweh, and his wife face down prostrate before and behind her husband [1]. If you will come in this way at Aviv 1, before Elohim (God) and Yah's elohim (rulers, judges), the heavens will part for sure.

Next week, Yah willing, we shall look at the distinctions between blood-, fire- and water-cleansing as we continue to make our personal preparations. In the meantime, I hope you will soberly reflect on these things. Let us not be found disgustingly out-of-place but occupy the places prepared for us as His servants to do as He wants and to go where He sends, is my prayer in Yah'shua's Name this Shabbat. Amen.

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