This is a posting of which I am greatly fond, for this is the subject of gospels, and really a new revelation for me in respect of certain scriptures upon which I have relied with . . . well, I would call it a previous misunderstanding.  Let us begin here:

Yahuchanon (John) 15:1-5

I AM the Vine of Truth, and my Father is the Husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, he purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the Vine, ye are the Netseriym (branches):  He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

This is our foundation and our gospel, but let’s explore this issue a bit more. I have discussed in my last blog on the Aleph Tav, that the mystery of salvation (that YAH would provide himself a Lamb as a blood atonement upon his altar for the sins of the world) was contemplated in the very beginning, i.e., Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 1:1; that Mashiach’s first advent would be one unmarked, but his second, with the mark of the nail (vav (ו)), which signifies that his arm is outstretched still.  This is reiterated in the Cepher Iyov:

Iyov (Job) 14:7

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

Now, the word here for a tender branch is the Hebrew word (יוֹנֶקֶת) yoneqeth.  We have all witnessed this, have we not?  A tree is reduced to a stump, yet a tender shoot springs forth, and the tree grows anew.  This visual is really the best understanding of the brit chadasha (the renewed covenant).  The tree was cut down, yet a yoneqeth emerged to restore and renew.  Consider David’s discussion on this point:

Tehilliym (Psalm) 80:8-19

You have brought a vine out of Mitsrayim: you have cast out the heathen, and planted it. 9 You prepared room before it, and did cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. 10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. 11 She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. 12 Why have you then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? 13 The boar out of the wood does waste it, and the wild beast of the field does devour it. 14 Return, we beseech you, O ELOHIYM TSEVA’OT: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; 15 And the vineyard which your right hand has planted, and the branch that you made strong for yourself. 16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of your countenance. 17 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, upon the son of Adam whom you made strong for yourself. 18 So will not we go back from you: quicken us, and we will call upon your name. 19 Turn us again, O YAHUAH ELOHIYM TSEVA’OT, cause your face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Who is the husbandman of this vineyard?  It is the Father.  Who is this vine?  It is Yashar’el.  Consider the words of Yeshayahu:

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 11:1

And there shall come forth a rod (choter (חֹטֶר) - which more accurately means a tender shoot) out of the stem (geza (גֶּזַע) - which more accurately means the stump) of Yishay, and a Branch (netser (נֵצֶר)) shall grow out of his roots:

Again, we see the prophecy that a shoot shall come up from the stump, i.e., that tree which has been cut down.  When did this tree get cut down? 

Melekiym Sheniy (2 Kings) 22:15-20

And she said unto them, Thus says YAHUAH ELOHIYM of Yisra’el, Tell the man that sent you to me, 16 Thus says YAHUAH, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, תא eth even all the words of the cepher which the king of Yahudah has read: 17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other elohiym, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. 18 But to the king of Yahudah which sent you to inquire of תא eth-YAHUAH, thus shall ye say to him, Thus says YAHUAH ELOHIYM of Yisra’el, As touching the words which you have heard; 19 Because your heart was tender, and you have humbled yourself before YAHUAH, when you heard what I spoke against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have rent תא eth-your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you, says YAHUAH. 20 Behold therefore, I will gather you unto your fathers, and you shall be gathered into your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought תא eth-the king word again.

And so the tree was cut down in the Babylonian captivity, when the Temple of Shalomah (Solomon) was destroyed, and the kingship was terminated.  We can mark this in the genealogy set forth in Mattithyahu 1:

Mattithyahu (Matthew) 1:2-17

Avraham begat תא eth-Yitschaq; and Yitschaq begat תא eth-Ya`aqov; and Ya`aqov begat תא eth-Yahudah and תא eth-his brethren; 3 And Yahudah begat תא eth-Perets  and תא eth-Zerach  of Tamar;  and Perets begat תא eth-Chetsron;  and Chetsron begat תא eth-Aram; 4 And Aram begat תא eth-Ammiynadav;  and Ammiynadav begat תא eth-Nachshon;  and Nachshon begat תא eth-Salmah; 5 And Salmah begat תא eth-Bo`az  of Rachav; and Bo`az begat תא eth-Oved of Ruth; and Oved begat תא eth-Yishai; 

Let’s break here in the list to see that the tree of Yishai (Jesse) begins here.

6 And Yishai begat תא eth-David the king; and David the king begat תא eth-Shalomah of her that had been the woman of Uriyahu;  7 And Shalomah begat תא eth-Rechav`am;  and Rechav`am begat תא eth-Aviyahu;  and Aviyahu begat תא eth-Aca; 8 And Aca begat תא eth-Yahushaphat;  and Yahushaphat begat תא eth-Yoram; and Yoram begat תא eth Uzziyahu;  9 And Uzziyahu begat תא eth-Yotham;  and Yotham begat תא eth-Achaz; and Achaz begat תא eth-Yechizqiyahu;  10 And Yechizqiyahu begat תא eth-Menashsheh;  and Menashsheh begat תא eth-Amon; and Amon begat תא eth-Yo’shiyahu;  11 And Yo’shiyahu begat תא eth-Yekonyahu  and תא eth-his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babel:

Here is where the tree of Yishai is cut down, and only the stump – the geza – remains.

12 And after they were brought to Babel, Yekonyahu תא eth begat She’altiy’el;  and She’altiy’el begat תא eth-Zerubbavel;  13 And Zerubbavel begat תא eth-Aviyhud;  and Aviyhud begat תא eth-Elyaqiym; and Elyaqiym begat תא eth Azzur;  14 And Azzur begat תא eth-Tsadoq;  and Tsadoq begat תא eth-Yoqiym;  and Yoqiym begat תא eth-El’ayil;  15 And El’ayil begat תא eth-El`azar; and El`azar begat תא eth-Matthan; and Matthan begat תא eth-Ya`aqov; 16 And Ya`aqov begat תא eth-Yoceph the father of Miryam,  of whom was born YAHUSHA, who is called MASHIACH. 17 So all the generations from Avraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babel are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babel unto HAMASHIACH are fourteen generations.

Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) 23:5-8

Behold, the days come, says YAHUAH, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6 In his days Yahudah shall be saved, and Yisra’el shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, YAHUAH TSIDQENU. 7 Therefore, behold, the days come, says YAHUAH, that they shall no more say, YAHUAH lives, which brought up תא eth-the children of Yisra’el out of the land of Mitsrayim; 8 But, YAHUAH lives, which brought up and which led תא eth-the seed of the house of Yisra’el out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) 33:15

In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of Righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days shall Yahudah be saved, and Yerushalayim shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, YAHUAH TSIDQENU.

The Branch of Righteousness – tsemach tsadiq – now is the vine, the tender shoot, which rises from the Geza – the stump – of the kingly lineage found in Yahudah (Judah), which becomes the line of Yishai (Jesse), which is hewn down at the time of Yeconiah, and which is renewed in YAHUSHA HAMASHIACH.

Zakaryahu (Zechariah) 3:8

Hear now, O Yahusha the high priest, you, and your fellows that sit before you: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth תא eth-my servant the BRANCH (tsemach).

Zakaryahu (Zechariah) 6:12

And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaks YAHUAH TSEVA’OT, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH (tsemach); and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build תא eth-the Temple of YAHUAH:

Once again we see that the branch is called tsemach.

Now we embark on that which is new in the kingdom – at least to me.  We shall discuss the Ben Adam – the son of Man – and the first born.

Shemot (Exodus) 4:22

And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus says YAHUAH: Yisra’el is my son, even my firstborn:

There is much to consider in this statement.  For those of you who hold that creation erupted from the spoken word of YAHUAH, consider a couple of things.  It is the spoken Word of YAH, which became the written word of YAH, that is the foundation of all of creation.  It is my contention that the pure language which was given to the world, and the language which men spoke before the tower of Babel was, in fact, Hebrew (and written in Paleo Hebrew).  So we then look to the original 22 letters of the Paleo Hebrew aleph beit as the foundation upon which the language is built.  Now consider the following:

Yovheliym (Jubilees) 2:20

And he said unto us: Behold, I will separate unto myself a people from among all the peoples, and these shall guard the Shabbat, and I will sanctify them unto myself as my people, and will bless them; as I have sanctified the Shabbat and do sanctify it unto myself, even so will I bless them, and they shall be my people and I will be their ELOHIYM. 21 And I have chosen the seed of Ya`aqov from amongst all that I have seen, and have written him down as my firstborn son, and have sanctified him unto myself forever and ever; and I will teach them the Shabbat, that they may guard the Shabbat thereon from all work. 22 And thus he created therein a sign in accordance with which they should guard the Shabbat with us on the seventh day, to eat and to drink, and to bless him who has created all things as he has blessed and sanctified unto himself a peculiar people above all peoples, and that they should guard the Shabbat together with us. 23 And he caused his commands to ascend as a sweet savor acceptable before him all the days. 24 There were two and twenty heads of mankind from Adam to Ya`aqov, and two and twenty kinds of work were made until the seventh day; this is blessed and holy; and the former also is blessed and holy; and this one serves with that one for sanctification and blessing. 25 And to this Ya`aqov and his seed it was granted that they should always be the blessed and qodeshiym of the first testimony and Torah, even as he had sanctified and blessed the Shabbat on the seventh day.

Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 32:28

And he said, Your name shall be called no more Ya’aqov, but Yashar’el: for you have power as a prince with ELOHIYM and with men, and have prevailed.

So when this word Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל) is discussed, we find an interesting interpretation, particularly given the first time this name is said, which is in the verse set forth above. The modern iteration is Israel, yet, this does not make the most sense. Instead, we have yod (which should be pronounced yah), shin-resh (which should be pronounced shar), and EL (which should be pronounced el).  Hence, the pronunciation is YAH-shar-EL.  We know the word YAH, the stand alone name; now, let’s look at this word shar.

שַׂר shar (Stong’s H8269) means a head person (of any rank or class): a captain (that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper, lord, ((-task- ))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.

So we see that in the first instance of the giving of the name Yashar’el, that it is said that he has the power of a prince (shar) with ELOHIYM.  And the name means the Godly prince of YAH.  The twenty-two letters of the Paleo Hebrew aleph beit are reflected in the twenty-two generations leading up to Yashar’el, who is the firstborn of ELOHIYM. But, like a tree whose leaves die every year and yet the tree survives; so Yashar’el would go generation to generation, from Yashar’el, to Yahudah (Judah), from Yahudah to Pheres, and so forth, until MASHIACH, who is the Ben Adam, the first born Yashar’el, and the first born of the dead.

But, before we finish, let’s talk a bit about the branches. Take a look at this passage out of Bemidbar:

Bemidbar (Numbers) 24:1-2

AND when Bil`am saw that it pleased YAHUAH to bless תא eth-Yisra’el, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Bil`am lifted up תא eth-his eyes, and he saw תא eth-Yisra’el abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the RUACH ELOHIYM came upon him.

This passage looks inconspicuous enough.  But a look at the underlying Hebrew discloses a little bit more, because the Hebrew word we find that is interpreted as tribes, is this word shebet.

שֵׁבֶט shebet (Strong’s 7626) which means to branch off; a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick, or figuratively a clan: i.e., a correction, dart, rod, scepter, staff, or tribe.

So, in the first instance, this word shebet means a branch, and in particular a scion.  Now, a scion is a young shoot or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting or rooting.

2 And Bil`am lifted up תא eth-his eyes, and he saw תא eth-Yisra’el abiding in his tents according to their branches; and the RUACH ELOHIYM came upon him.

Well, isn’t this a fine kettle of fish?  Where else do we have a discussion concerning a scion, i.e., a branch suitable for grafting?

Romayim (Romans) 11:17-24

And if some of the branches (shebet?) be broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if you boast, you bear not the root, but the root you. 19 You will say then: The branches (shebet?) were broken off, that I might be grafted in. 20 Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: 21 For if YAH spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not you. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of YAH: on them which fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness: otherwise you also shall be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for YAH is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches (shebet?), be grafted into their own olive tree?

We see here that the branches of the wild olive tree are shebetiym – each one being a scion. And who are the natural branches (shebetiym)? It is none other than all of the tribes of Yashar’el who had set up their tents as described in Bemidbar 24. 

So, what, or who, is the good olive tree?

Yermiyahu (Jeremiah) 11:16-17

YAHUAH called your name, A green olive tree (zayith ra’anan), fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he has kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. 17 For YAHUAH TSEVA’OT, that planted you, has pronounced evil against you, for the evil of the house of Yisra’el and of the house of Yahudah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Ba`al.

The good olive tree is Yashar’el, the first born. 

But, the scion is not grafted into a beza, or stump. The branches called scions are grafted into the RIGHTEOUS BRANCH (tsemach tsadiq) which is the one called MASHIACH who is identified as the tsemach tsadiq in the Cepher Zakaryahu by his name: YAHUSHA, the high priest.

Zakaryahu (Zechariah) 3:1-8

AND he showed me תא eth-Yahusha the high priest standing before the angel of YAHUAH, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And YAHUAH said unto Satan, YAHUAH rebuke you, O Satan; even YAHUAH that has chosen Yerushalayim rebuke you: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 3 Now Yahusha was clothed with filthy garments, and stood be-fore the angel. 4 And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with change of raiment. 5 And I said, Let them set a fair turban upon his head. So they set a fair turban upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of YAHUAH stood by. 6 And the angel of YAHUAH protested unto Yahusha, saying, 7 Thus says YAHUAH TSEVA’OT; If you will walk in my ways, and if you will guard תא eth-my watch, then you shall also judge תא eth-my house, and shall also guard תא eth-my courts, and I will give you places to walk among these that stand by. 8 Hear now, O Yahusha the high priest, you, and your fellows that sit before you: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth תא eth-my servant the BRANCH.