"I am the Way"

[tsth]

Actually there are hidden treasures that are found by those who seek Him.

Matthew 13:44 (Take a look)

Also, note these:

1 Cor. 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

1Co 4:5

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Eph. 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

Eph 3:9 -And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

1 Tim. 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Guest shiloh357]

Sister Fiosh,

I am by no means knowledgeable of Jewish tradition but I read somewhere once that "the way, the truth and the life" referred to the three entrances in the Jewish Temple... the outer gate, the inner door and the veil that separated man from the innermost dwelling of God, the Holy of Holies.

So what Jesus was teaching is that HE is the sole mediator between God and man and that HE is the only means of access to the Father.  I think He made it clear when He further stated, "no one comes to the Father but through Me."  Furthermore, His words were authenticated when at the moment of His death on the cross, "the veil of the temple (the life) was torn in two from top to bottom." [Matthew 27:51]

It is interesting to note that the Way leads us into the temple, the Truth leads into the inner court but it is the Life that Christ laid down willingly for all of us that leads to the Holy of Holies.

Maybe one of our Jewish scholars can confirm this?

May God Bless you richly,

Wayne

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Hey brother Wayne, I don't qualify as a scholar, but I have something that I think bears on what mentioned!

According to Rabbinic tradition, Jerusalem is in the center of where the Garden of Eden once stood. It is believed that the Garden was 1,500 miles square (or 12,000 furlongs in KJV speak) the same size incidentally of the "New Jerusalem" in Revelations.

Adam and Eve were ejected out of the Garden by God to the East. God then placed Cheruvim in front of the Tree of life with flaming swords to keep anyone from eating of its fruit.

Now, the Rabbis call the Temple "Eden in Stone" As you read the description of the Temple it has all kinds of carvings and embroidery of Palm trees, open flowers, and pomegranates and and Cheruvim.

The Rabbis believe that the Temple structure, and the Holy of Holies in particular, sat on the exact location where the tree of life stood. In fact they believe that Ark of the Covenant was on the very spot of once inhabited by the "Tree of Life." It is interesting to note that just as their were Cherubim standing in front of the Tree of life, if you read in 1 Kings 6:23-28, you will see two Cherubim with their wings outstretched in the main sanctuary standing in front of the Holy of Holies.

Remember that Adam and Eve were ejected to East. The Temple opens to the East, so to approach the Temple and enter, you must actually face west. The Rabbis saw this as man returning to Eden; Eden being a reminder of man's former fellowship with God. They saw the Temple rituals, and the sacrifices, over 1/3 of the Torah, not as dead ritualistic customs but a picture of a day when man would be finally be reinstated in Eden, a time when man and His creator would walk together in the cool of the evening just like in the Garden.

The "WAY" back to God started at the altar. It started with a Sacrifice, it started with the shedding of blood. The Ancient Rabbis knew this, and they knew what it meant. We know today that the only "WAY" to God is through the sacrifice and the shed blood of Jesus.

[traveller]

Thanks Shiloh! cool

[Fiosh]

Sister Fiosh,

I am by no means knowledgeable of Jewish tradition but I read somewhere once that "the way, the truth and the life" referred to the three entrances in the Jewish Temple... the outer gate, the inner door and the veil that separated man from the innermost dwelling of God, the Holy of Holies.

So what Jesus was teaching is that HE is the sole mediator between God and man and that HE is the only means of access to the Father.

[Fiosh]

One thing I must say here: There is nothing hidden in what Jesus did or intends. He said to go and preach the good news to all. There is no hidden knowledge that we must find in order to achieve salvation. God spells it out so that all may receive it.  It is a free gift that is laid out totally in the light for all to see.

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Hey traveller,

Yes, I absolutely agree..."there is no hidden knowledge that we must find in order to achieve salvation".

But, I do believe there is a richer and fuller relationship with Jesus that awaits those who are willing to risk all and delve into the mystery. My soul longs for nothing less than full and perfect union with my Master. My flesh constantly drags me away from that reality.

Amen?

Peace,

Your sister in Christ

[jc49]

:)Peace to you all!

great stuff,God is so awesome.

Btw I wanted ask concerning this :

Adam and Eve were ejected out of the Garden by God to the East. God then placed Cheruvim in front of the Tree of life with flaming swords to keep anyone from eating of its fruit.

Now the image is that the Cherubims are guarding the entrance into the garden having a "flaming sword"...ok?

But I read:

Gen: 3:

24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Do you see what I mean? The Cherubims ,AND a flaming sword which turned every way,to keep the way of the tree of life!

What strikes me is that the Cherubims ARE not holding " the flaming sword"....but it goes by itself!!!!

I interpret ( and I might be really wrong,that's why I would like to hear the opinions of the others) that this FLAMING SWORD IS THE WORD of GOD that UNLESS we go through JESUS ( promised in Gen 3:15) DOESN'T ALLOW ANYONE to re-enter in God's fellowship.

What do you peole think?

Shalom

[jc49]

One thing I must say here: There is nothing hidden in what Jesus did or intends. He said to go and preach the good news to all. There is no hidden knowledge that we must find in order to achieve salvation. God spells it out so that all may receive it.

[jesussaves]

Jesus is the Way...there is no other way to salvation, no other way to heaven.

many people try to earn their salvation by tryint to "be good".

Many people believe in false gods, such as Mohammid or Budda.

Many people believe all roads lead to heaven...but Jesus made

it very clear...there is no other way to be saved and live in

heaven except by believing in Him.

Jesus is the Truth...He gave us His word...He is His Word...and nothing can be

added to it...no doctrine outside Jesus Christ crucified is

sound.

Jesus is the Life...In Him we live and move and have our being. When Adam and

Eve sinned, death entered in. They tasted the forbidden fruit on

the forbidden tree and therefore tasted death. Jesus, by His

death on another tree at calvary, because our acceptable

fruit (the wine, which represents His blood) and food that

leads to life (bread, His body). We once had a death

sentence hanging over our heads, but now through Jesus,

we have been redeemed and been given the gift of

eternal life. He is our life...and without Him we can do nothing,

without Him we are nothing.

Oh taste and see that He is good!!

[Guest shiloh357]

I try not to push symbolism too far because we can end up sacrificing proper hermeneutics in an attempt to conjure up something we want to be true, so I approach what I am going to say gingerly, with some trepidation.

Here is what I see with regard to the flaming sword.

The word for Cherub in Genesis, in Hebrew is Kharuv

The word for sword in Genesis in Hebrew is Kherev

The children of Israel were taken to Mt Sinai which is the Mountain that Moses was on when he saw the burning bush. But the Bible also calls Sinai "Horeb" or as it is rendered in Hebrew, "Khoreb." The "b" at the end is the same letter in Hebrew as the letter "v" at the end of Kharuv and Kherev. It is the letter "vet" and it becomes a hard "bet" with the addition of dot called a dagesh.

The consonantal structure of the three words is identical, "KHRV"

The Word of God is a Kherev (sword) according to the Heb. 4:12.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

(Hebrews 4:12)

The Word of God is God's "truth." The Word of God separates like a sword. Just as a blade of the knife that separated the pieces of the sacrifices, that which was to be offered up to God, and that which was to go to priests, likewise the Word of God separates truth from falsehood. It reveals the differences between what is wrong and what is right.

The Word of God is a sword or divider that separates us from the World and sanctifies us for God's purposes.

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17 )

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

(Ephesians 5:25-26)

Just as the Torah separated the Children of Israel at Mt Khorev and sanctified them as God's nation, believers are sanctified by the Word of God, a two-edged sword.

In the Garden you can see the Kharuvim standing with the flaming Kherevim preventing access to the tree of life. Likewise the Word of God reveals to us that we in and of ourselves, due to our sin were separated from God unable to enter His presence.

The only way to gain access to the Temple/presence of God was through the sword and fire. The "sword" (kherev) had to be applied to the sacrifice of the offerer. We are to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, and allow the Holy Spirit to use the Word of God to separate from us those things which are not pleasing to the Lord. How often have missed out on the joys of experiencing God's presence because we do not laid our all upon the altar?

All of this is a picture of Jesus. He is the WAY, He is the TRUTH (our sanctifier/separator YHVH Kidshanu) and the the LIFE. Jesus is our salvation. His very Name in Hebrew means salvation. The angel said to Mary you shall call His Name Yeshua (Salvation) for He shall save His people from their sins." Jesus is OUR tree of life!!

[jc49]

I try not to push symbolism too far because we can end up sacrificing proper hermeneutics in an attempt to conjure up something we want to be true, so I approach what I am going to say gingerly, with some trepidation.

Here is what I see with regard to the flaming sword.

The word for Cherub in Genesis, in Hebrew is Kharuv

The word for sword in Genesis in Hebrew is Kherev

The children of Israel were taken to Mt Sinai which is the Mountain that Moses was on when he saw the burning bush.  But the Bible also calls Sinai "Horeb" or as it is rendered in Hebrew, "Khoreb."  The "b" at the end is the same letter in Hebrew as the letter "v" at the end of Kharuv and Kherev.  It is the letter "vet" and it becomes a hard "bet" with the addition of dot called a dagesh.

The consonantal structure of the three words is identical, "KHRV"

The Word of God is a Kherev (sword) according to the Heb. 4:12.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

(Hebrews 4:12)

The Word of God is God's "truth."  The Word of God separates like a sword.  Just as a blade of the knife that separated the pieces of the sacrifices, that which was to be offered up to God, and that which was to go to priests, likewise the Word of God separates truth from falsehood.  It reveals the differences between what is wrong and what is right.

The Word of God is a sword or divider that separates us from the World and sanctifies us for God's purposes.

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17 )

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

(Ephesians 5:25-26)

Just as the Torah separated the Children of Israel at Mt Khorev and sanctified them as God's nation, believers are sanctified by the Word of God, a two-edged sword.

In the Garden you can see the Kharuvim standing with the flaming Kherevim preventing access to the tree of life.  Likewise the Word of God reveals to us that we in and of ourselves, due to our sin were separated from God unable to enter His presence.

The only way to gain access to the Temple/presence of God was through the sword and fire.  The "sword" (kherev) had to be applied to the sacrifice of the offerer.  We are to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, and allow the Holy Spirit to use the Word of God to  separate from us those things which are not pleasing to the Lord.  How often have missed out on the joys of experiencing God's presence because we do not laid our all upon the altar?

All of this is a picture of Jesus.  He is the WAY, He is the TRUTH (our sanctifier/separator YHVH Kidshanu) and the the LIFE.  Jesus is our salvation.  His very Name in Hebrew means salvation.  The angel said to Mary you shall call His Name Yeshua (Salvation) for He shall save His people from their sins."  Jesus is OUR tree of life!!

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THANKS Shiloh