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_PREFACE_

_**A Brief Introduction to the Hebrew Letters/Numbers**_

For those who are new to the concept of the _number value_ of Hebrew letters and words, the following explanation is provided. While there are many different systems for deriving number values for each Hebrew letter, the most basic of these systems are the place value system and the gematria value system. The _place value_ system assigns a number (from 1 to 22) for the ordered sequence of the 22 letters of the Hebrew Alef-Beit:

_**\------------ Place Value (PV) Chart ------------**_

**←** **spaces** **←** **spaces** **←** **spaces** **←** **spaces** **←**

(8) x (7) z (6) w (5) h (4) d (3) g (2) b (1) a

(15) o (14) n (13) m (12)l (11) k (10) y (9) j

(22) t (21) S (20)r (19) q (18) u (17) p (16) e

_**\------------ Place Value (PV) Chart ------------**_

For example, the _place value_ (pv) for the word dxa/echad/one is 13 and this value is found by taking the sum of the individual letters:

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

_(pv)_ 13 = ( 4 ) d \+ ( 8 ) x \+ ( 1 ) a = dxa

The _gematria value_ system (which we have chosen to call the _misparim value_ system) assigns a number (from 1 to 400) to the ordered sequence of the 22 letters of the Hebrew Alef-Beit:

_**\------------ Misparim Value (MV) Chart ------------**_

**←** **spaces** **←** **spaces** **←** **spaces** **←** **spaces** **←**

(8) x (7) z (6) w (5) h (4) d (3) g (2) b (1) a

(60) o (50) n (40) m (30)l (20) k (10) y (9) j

(300) S (200)r (100) q (90) u (80) p (70) e

(400) t

_**\------------ Misparim Value (MV) Chart ------------**_

For example, the _misparim value_ (mv) for the word MwlS/shalom/peace is 376 and this value is found by taking the sum of the individual letters:

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

_(mv)_ 376 = ( 40 ) M \+ ( 6 ) w \+ ( 30 ) l \+ ( 300 ) S = MwlS

Many are unaware that even the earliest believers in the Messiah (those who wrote the Renewed Covenant Scriptures) knew these values to be fully inspired, and they drew _profound spiritual implications_ from words which were numerically connected. A remarkable example of this may be seen in the book of _Hebrews_. The author of that letter is alluding to this text from the Torah:

_14 Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath,_ _15 but with him that stands here with us this day before_ _hwhy_ _our Elohim, and also with him that is not here with us this day. 16 For you know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which you passed by; 17 and you have seen their abominations, and their idols (wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them)—18_ _ **lest there should be among you**_ _man, or woman, or family, or tribe,_ _ **whose heart turns away this day from**_ _ **hwhy**_ _ **our Elohim**_ _, to go and serve the elohim of these nations;_ _ **lest there should be among you a root that bears gall and wormwood;**_ _19 and it should come to pass, when he hears the words of this curse, that he should bless himself in his heart, saying, "I shall have_ _ **shalom/peace**_ _, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunkenness to thirst."_ Deuteronomy 29:14-19

This teaching from the Torah gives the warning that there will not be shalom/peace for those who turn away from hwhy in gall and bitterness. In a text that obviously draws from the one just seen above, we read this from the writer of _Hebrews_ :

_14 Follow after_ _ **shalom/peace**_ _with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see_ _hwhy_ _: 15 looking carefully_ _ **lest there be any man**_ _that falls short of the favor of Elohim;_ _ **lest any root of bitterness springs up**_ _trouble, and thereby the many are defiled; 16 lest there is a fornicator, or profane person, as_ _ **Esau**_ _, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright. 17 For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind, though he sought it diligently with tears._ Hebrews 12:14-17

In the _Hebrews 12_ text, we readily see the connection between shalom/peace and the root of bitterness/wormwood recorded in the Torah (Deuteronomy 29:14-19). The Deuteronomy 29 text seen in the Torah even contains the Hebrew word for peace: MwlS/shalom.

But how does Esau fit in with this teaching? Was his name just put into this discussion "out of the blue?" Why not Ahab? Or maybe even Achan? In _Hebrews_ , Esau was the one likened to the disobedient person spoken of in _Deuteronomy_ ; he was the one equated with the person who deceives himself and who says in his heart: _"I shall have_ _MwlS_ _/shalom/peace._ " Yet how would the writer have connected _Esau_ with such a person? In Hebrew, the word for peace is MwlS/shalom and (as we have already seen) this word has a _misparim value (mv)_ of 376:

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

_(mv)_ 376 = (40) M \+ (6) w \+ (30) l \+ (300) S  = MwlS/shalom/peace

Yet the name of wse/Esau also has the very same _misparim value (mv)_ as the word MwlS/shalom:

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

_(mv)_ 376 = (6) w \+ (300) s \+ (70) e \+ = wse/Esau

Since wse/Esau (376) has the same number value as MwlS/shalom (376), one would naturally wonder why his life turned out as it did. Why should he not have been the _fulfillment_ of MwlS/shalom? Why did he not attain to a life of shalom? Of course, the Scriptures (including the one in _Hebrews_ ) inform us of the answer:

wse/Esau (376) was a man who should have been _the epitome_ of MwlS/shalom (376), but he experienced just the _opposite_ because his heart had departed from the Living Elohim in unbelief and idolatry.

We believe all of this is evidence the writer of _Hebrews_ knew the number connection with _Esau_ (376) and _shalom_ (376). So he was inspired to include _the contrast to shalom_ in the form of the immoral Esau.

Throughout this study, readers may wish to refer to the Hebrew Number Charts seen at the end of this publication.

t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

Myrbdl Myrpomh

_**Ha'Misparim La'Debarim** **  
** The Numbers of the Words_

_by Craig Peters_

_**Yeshua The Messiah Teaches Fasting in the Beatitudes  
**__How a Life of Fasting and Prayer Continually Fulfills The Shema_

" _Shema/Hear Yisrael,_ _hwhy_ _is our Elohim,_ _hwhy_ _is one. And you shall love_ _hwhy_ _your Elohim with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." ~Deuteronomy_ _._ _6:4-5_ 1

a When the Messiah spoke forth that portion of Scripture which is now commonly called, "The Beatitudes," He was actually teaching us about the life of a person who expresses true faith in the Elohim of Yisrael through frequent times of fasting with prayer. It is sad to think of all the children who have grown up across the centuries learning about the Bible but having never been taught this remarkable fact:

" _The Beatitudes" reveal truths that are all directly related to a life characterized by the wholehearted seeking of_ _hwhy_ _which is only possible through fasting._

And so it was with these oft-quoted lines, and now-famous words, that the Messiah taught all who would follow Him of true humility and true spiritual service:

_Apart from a life characterized by fasting and prayer, believers will never experience authentic humility as_ _hwhy_ _defines it._

For the lowliness of mind which is fed by the Spirit of the Most High is only obtained through fasting-derived humility. Fasting and prayer are the ultimate acts of enduring righteousness. They are the believer's most powerful spiritual weapons. And because of the immense impact (and far-reaching potential) of these profound, Spirit-filled acts of absolute reverence, fasting and prayer are essential elements of True Worship that are greatly maligned in the camp of the Enemy. Because fasting and prayer are the two most consummate acts of True Worship—and because they are the two things that ensure we maintain hearts which have already been circumcised by the Spirit of hwhy —the Adversary does much to darken the paths that would lead the people of the Most High into new realms of spiritual refreshment, victory, blessing, peace, and prosperity, as Elohim defines them.

We pray the light that hwhy shines forth from His Word will illumine many hearts over this most critical topic. Surprisingly enough, there are scores of believers who will dismiss the importance of fasting as well as the importance of prayer. Yet their reasons for this are always without any substantial foundation; there is simply no scriptural basis for such falsehood. And it ultimately comes down to more fully understanding what it means to love hwhy with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength. Because the Presence of hwhy is the Ultimate and Only Source of love, joy, and peace/shalom, we cannot experience fullness of joy in this life apart from abiding in Him (i.e., apart from a life of continual, reverent prayer).

t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

Like marriage and food, times of fasting are sanctified (set apart) by prayer and the Word of Elohim. Through Yoel/Joel, hwhy called the people to "sanctify a fast." How did this sanctifying of the fast, this setting apart, occur? It came about through prayer. We see this in the life of Daniel: from the outset of his 21-day fast, the prophet's voice was heard in the Courts of Heaven; his time of fasting and humility marked his determination to seek hwhy with a whole heart and that time began with prayer.

" _Then he said to me, Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you did set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your Elohim, your words were heard and I have come for your words' sake." ~Daniel_ _._ _10:12_

So Daniel's time of fasting had been set apart through prayer. And those prayers ascended on a continual basis for the duration of that 21-day period. But that time was set apart from the very beginning by the prayer Daniel offered to commence his fast. Mosheh likewise spoke of the total devotion to prayer before hwhy while fasting across forty days:

" _And I fell down before_ _hwhy_ _, as at the first: forty days and forty nights; no bread I ate, and no water I drank ..." ~Deuteronomy_ _._ _9:18_

So Mosheh fell down before hwhy in continual prayer for the duration of his forty days of fasting. Such is the nature of truly seeking hwhy. Thus, we will not always write of fasting **with prayer** , but the reader should know the preponderance of prayer during times of reverent fasting is absolutely essential; and this preeminence should be fully understood by all as we progress through the present study.

t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

Authentic ministry-service emanates from the life a person lives. The author does not believe in sitting down to "study out" a given topic so he can then simply turn around and teach it to others. This manuscript came into existence across a lengthy period of time as the writer was led of the Spirit into a life of fasting and prayer in the early 1980s. Across the past 31 years since that time, many things have been revealed and confirmed in the Spirit over the matter of fasting and prayer. Thus, the present study emanates from the walk which hwhy has blessed to reveal His Son, His Name, and His greatness to all of Yahudah and Ephrayim. And this brings us to our final, opening thoughts—considerations over the connection between fasting and revival.

eSwhy prophesied that, before He returns to reign out of Tziyon, there would be many in Yahudah who would turn to Him—believing Him to be the promised Mashiach/Messiah:

" _O Yerushalayim, Yerushalayim, that kills the prophets, and stones those that are sent unto her! How often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say to you, "You shall not see Me henceforth, until you shall say, 'Blessed is He that comes in the Name of_ _hwhy_ _.'" ~Matthew_ _._ _23:37-39_

This prophecy informs us that there will be (there must be!) a spiritual awakening among the physical descendants of Yisrael, and that there will be many converts to the Messianic Faith among their numbers in advance of the Mashiach's return. And it further tells us they will be declaring of eSwhy the Messiah in advance of His descent from the Heavens:

" _Blessed is He that comes in the Name of_ _hwhy_ _."_

We note these Israelis will not be making this great proclamation in the Scripture-nullifying title of "Adonai." Replacing the Name of hwhy (in the above Scripture text) with a mere title is a severe violation of the Torah, wherein hwhy solemnly warns all Yisrael not to add to or take away from His Word. And still further confirming this reawakening among Yisrael, the psalmist indicated hwhy would not appear in His splendor until **after** He had begun to build up Tziyon:

" _When the_ _hwhy_ ___shall build up Tziyon, He will appear in His splendor." ~_ _Psalm_ _._ _102:16_

There could be nothing more significant in the building up of Tziyon than Ruach Elohim (the Spirit of Elohim) circumcising the hearts of those who will turn to Him in Yisrael as hwhy reveals the Messiah to those whose minds have still not perceived His great and marvelous mission. We magnify hwhy for working to fulfill His Word and to reveal His Salvation, even eSwhy, to all Yisrael.

In Hebrew, "Myhla xwr/Ruach Elohim/the Spirit of Elohim" adds to 300, as does the Hebrew word "lre/arel," meaning "uncircumcised:" = Ruach Elohim = the Spirit of Elohim. Remember, (mv) represents the 'misparim value' of each Hebrew character.

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←  
****_(mv)_** ** **214**** **=** **(8)** **x** **\+ (6)** **w** **\+ (200)** **r** ******=** **xwr**

**_(mv)_** **86** =(40) M \+ (10) y \+ (5) h \+ (30) l \+ (1) a = Myhla

******_(_** ** _total_** ** _mv_** ** _of Ruach Elohim_** ** _)_** ** **300**** ** ********= 86** ******\+ 214**

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

**_(_** ** _total_** ** _mv)_** **300** =(30) l \+ (200) r \+ (70) e = lre = arel/uncircumcised

Simply put, the Spirit of Elohim _answers_ the problem of being spiritually uncircumcised in heart. It appears rather evident that Sha'ul was well aware of this number connection and the implications the Spirit therein reveals. But the letter Shin ( S )—which begins the Hebrew word "MS/Shem/Name"—also has a value of 300. And because MS/Shem begins with the letter Shin ( S ), many Yahudim/Jews the world over, thus regard this singular, Hebrew letter to be a _representation_ of the Qadosh Name/Shem of hwhy. Ruach ha'Qodesh signifying the ultimate circumcision is the circumcision of heart that occurs when the Spirit of the Mashiach cleanses the heart and makes us _doers of the Torah_. This, in turn, brings about the greatest possible manifestation of His Name (Shem/S) in all the earth as His Kingdom increases yet more and more.

Blessed be His Qadosh and Awesome Name le'olam vay'ed.

t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

_**Hearing His Voice and Fulfilling the Shema**_

**In Hebrew, the word for "fast/fasting" is** **Mwu** **/tsōme. And the** ** _misparim value_** **for this word is 136:** 19

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

**_(mv)_** **136 = (40)** **M** **\+ (6)** **w** **\+ (90)** **u** ******=** **Mwu** ******= tsōme = fast/fasting**

**The number values of the Hebrew letters—and the words they subsequently form—have been appointed and inspired by the Infinite Mind of the Sovereign** hwhy **. This being the case, the Spirit often reveals significant, spiritual implications between Hebrew words that have** ** _the very same number values_** **.** 20 ******Not coincidentally, 136 is also the** ** _misparim value_** **for the Hebrew word translated "voice" (** **lwq** **, kol):**

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

**_(mv)_** **136 = (30)** **l** **\+ (6)** **w** **\+ (100)** **q** ******=** **lwq** **= kol/voice**

**So both "** **Mwu** **/tsōme/fast/fasting" and "** **lwq** **/kol/voice" equal** ** _136_** **. This inspired numerical relationship between** **Mwu** **/tsōme/fast/fasting and** **lwq** **/kol/voice is far from coincidental. But what might be concluded from the amazing connection which the Spirit of** hwhy ******has established between these two Hebrew words? What does the Spirit reveal based on other Scriptures? A cursory interpretation would fail to rightly divide the Word of truth by** ** _only_** ******leaning upon those texts that indicate** ** _our voice_** **is heard on high whenever we reverently fast before** hwhy **:**

" _Behold, you fast for strife and contention, and to smite with the fist of lawlessness: you_ _ **fast**_ _not this day so as to make your_ _ **voice**_ _to be heard on high." ~Isaiah 58:4_

**If such Scriptures were the** ** _only_** ******evidence which we pondered over this matter, a false conclusion would be quickly reached; and we would incorrectly state the main purpose of fasting is that** ** _our voice_** ******should be heard on high. To be sure, there is no need to negate, or even doubt, this obvious relationship; there is an immediate and apparent connection between fasting and prayer:**

**Our voice** ** _is heard on high_** **during those times of reverent worship characterized by fasting-derived humility.** 21

**Even so, is** ** _our voice_** **really the most important of all voices to be heard during such times? It is not difficult to establish the answer to that question is a simple and verifiable "** ** _No_** **."**

**_Since the greatest commandment in all of the Torah is The Shema—the command to hear His Voice out of a heart motivated by the believer's unbroken love and devotion—we posit that times of fasting and prayer are special seasons in which we humble ourselves before the Most High as we seek to hear Him and to consciously put His will above all else._**

**In Hebrew, the word "** **emS** **/Shema" means "to hear." Many will further add that "hear" has a far greater meaning—that this word enjoins us to** ** _hear_** ******with a heart that is ready** ** _to do_** **and** ** _to obey_** **. And the context of** ** _The Shema_** **—** **the text seen at the outset of this study** 22 **—** **shows this really is the case. It was the Messiah who taught us** ** _The Shema_** ******comprises the greatest commandment in all of the Torah.** 23 ******And there are many implications to the fact that** ** _the very first word_** **of the greatest and most preeminent commandment is "Hear."** 24 ******For if one upholds** ** _The Shema_** **, that person will also be found living a life of faith that subsequently upholds all of the age-abiding and immutable Torah.** 25 ******We will look at** the first six words of **this Greatest Commandment, as it is seen in the Torah, so that what Abraham fulfilled can be better understood and fulfilled by those sons of Abraham who believe in the Messiah. T** he first six words of _**The Shema**_ are seen below, and above each word is see the _place value_ _(pv)_ and the _misparim value_ _(mv), respectively_ :

**6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

**26** **/** **26  
****hwhy** **  
** YHWH  
YHWH |   
 | **64** **/** **541  
****larvy** **  
** Yisrael  
Israel |   
 | **50** **/** **410  
****ems** **  
** Shema  
Heart

---|---|---|---|---
**13** **/** **13  
****dxa** **  
** echad  
(is) one |   
 | **26** **/** **26  
****hwhy** **  
** YHWH  
YHWH |   
 | **48** **/** **102  
****wnyhla** **  
** Elohenu  
our Elohim

---|---|---|---|---

**Adding the values seen, the total** _misparim value (mv)_ of this phrase is **1118** :

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

_**(mv)**_ **1118** **=** **13** **+** **102** **+** **26** **+** **541** **+** **410**

**We will return to this amazing** ** _misparim value_** **of** **1118** ******later in the study. Readers are also asked to note the** _misparim value_ **for the word** **emS** **/Shema/Hear:** **410** **.**

**_Abraham Fulfilled The Shema_**

**Since Abraham is the father of all the faithful** 27 **—** **all those who will overcome and partake in the First Resurrection—it is his life and example that we will first reflect upon while seeking to understand still more about this Great Command to** ** _hear_** ******the Voice of** hwhy. ******Abraham lived a life that is regarded by** hwhy **to have been one which fulfilled** ** _The Shema_** **. After Abraham had died,** hwhy **spoke to Yitschak (Isaac) about the life his father had lived:**

"... _4 and I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto your seed all these lands; and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. 5 Because that Abraham_ _ **obeyed My Voice**_ _, and kept My charge: My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." ~Genesis_ _._ _26:4-5_

**What was so powerful about the patriarch's life? What was the key to Abraham's life of faith and obedience? And was this same key related to the** ** _great longevity_** **with which Abraham was blessed? The** ** _Genesis_** ******text just cited shows us that Abraham fulfilled** ** _The Shema_** **: he obeyed the Voice / Spirit of** hwhy **and consequently lived a life which upheld the Torah. And this same commandment-keeping obedience was later prophesied as the end result which would assuredly be seen in the life of every believer who would some day partake in the New Covenant:**

**_In the New Covenant, the Torah is now being written on the hearts and minds_** 28 ******_of all those who believe on the Messiah, and those authentic believers are upholding the very Law_** 29 ******_from which Yisrael of old almost continually fell away in apostasy._**

**But what fed the zeal and love-derived obedience which we see in the life of our forefather, Abraham? For the first-generation patriarch** 30 ******is the father of all the faithful. Abraham is the father of all those who now uphold the Torah, and all those** ** _immense multitudes_** **who will someday be called to follow in his footsteps. And we are given significant clues about what made Abraham's life so special and what cultivated his faithfulness to the Most High.**

**Recall that when** hwhy **appeared to Abraham and spoke of going forth to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, the uncle of Lot interceded before the Sovereign and pleaded that the Judge of All would spare the city if any righteous persons dwelt within it.** 31 ******After pressing the issue numerous times, Abraham began to be concerned he was angering** hwhy ******and, in a statement showing the utmost humility and deference, the patriarch asked for the patience of Elohim and started his appeal with these words:**

" _And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto my Sovereign, but I am dust and ashes ..." ~Genesis_ _._ _18:27_

**Abraham called himself** ** _dust and ashes_** **. But dust and ashes speak of the humility associated with fasting and prayer. We recall that the entire account of Job was fasting-related** 32 ******and that the prophet had long since been** ** _abiding in dust and ashes_** ******when** hwhy ******appeared to him.** 33 ******Based on this, it is not unreasonable to at least suspect Abraham himself was seeking** hwhy ******with fasting and prayer—sitting in dust and ashes at that time when Elohim—accompanied by two messengers— appeared to him.** ****

**Abraham called himself** ** _dust and ashes_** **. Identifying themselves with dust and ashes has been a common practice among all those who have been accounted by** hwhy ******as faithful. Many faithful men/women of old identified with both dust and ashes during times of affliction while seeking the Most High in fasting and prayer.**

" _I have sewed_ _ **sackcloth**_ _upon my skin, and have laid my horn in the_ _ **dust**_ _." – The Prophet Job [_ Job _._ 16:15]

" _He has cast me into the mire, and I have become like_ _ **dust**_ _and_ _ **ashes**_ _."_ – _The Prophet Job [_ Job _._ 30:19]

" _And Yehoshua_ _ **rent his clothes**_ _, and fell to the earth upon his face before the Ark of_ _hwhy_ _until the evening, he and the elders of Yisrael; and they put_ _ **dust**_ _upon their heads."_ ~Joshua _._ 7:6

" _For our soul is bowed down to the_ _ **dust**_ _: our_ _ **belly cleaves to the earth**_ _."_ ~Psalm _._ 44:25

" _For I have eaten_ _ **ashes**_ _like bread,_ 34 _and mingled my drink with_ _ **weeping**_ ..." ~Psalm _._ 102:9

" _My soul cleaves to the_ _ **dust**_ _: enliven me according to Your Word."_ ~Psalm _._ 119:25

" _The elders of the daughter of Tziyon sit upon the ground, they keep_ _ **silence**_ _; they have cast up_ _ **dust**_ _upon their heads; they have girded themselves with_ _ **sackcloth**_ _: the virgins of Yerushalayim hang down their heads to the_ _ **ground**_ _." ~_ Lamentations _._ 2:10

" _Let him put his mouth in the_ _ **dust**_ _, if so be there may be hope." –The Prophet Jeremiah [_ Lamentations _._ 3:29]

" _1 Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on_ _ **sackcloth**_ _with_ _ **ashes**_ _, and went out into the midst of the city, and_ _ **cried**_ _with a loud and a_ _ **bitter cry**_ _. 3 And in every province, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great_ _ **mourning**_ _among the Yahudim, and_ _ **fasting**_ _, and weeping, and wailing; and_ _ **sackcloth**_ _and_ _ **ashes**_ _were spread under many."_ ~Esther _._ 4:1,3

" _And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself therewith; and he sat among the_ _ **ashes**_ _." ~_ Job _._ 2:8

" _O daughter of My people, gird you with_ _ **sackcloth**_ _, and wallow yourself in_ _ **ashes**_ _: make you_ _ **mourning**_ _, as for an only son, most_ _ **bitter lamentation**_ _; for the destroyer shall suddenly come upon us." ~_ Jeremiah _._ 6:26

" _And I set my face unto the Sovereign_ _hwhy_ _, to seek by_ _ **prayer**_ _and_ _ **supplications**_ _, with_ _ **fasting**_ _and_ _ **sackcloth**_ _and_ _ **ashes**_ _." ~_ Daniel _._ 9:3

" _Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have_ _ **repented**_ _long ago in_ _ **sackcloth**_ _and_ _ **ashes**_ _." ~_ Matthew _._ 11:21

**While many other examples could be cited, what is shown above should suffice to make the point. And what might be said about the prophetic meaning of** ** _dust_** ******and** ** _ashes_** **? Some of the significance of "dust and ashes" may be seen and realized when one considers the First and the Second Death:**

**_Elohim has decreed the First Death will return man to the_** ** _dust_** ** _,_** 35 ******_but as the Consuming Fire,_** ** _hwhy_** ** _El Shaddai has solemnly warned the Second Death will turn the unrepentant into_** ** _ashes_** ** _._** 36

**So when Abraham spoke of himself as "dust and ashes," he was not just trying to** ** _sound_** ******humble. His use of that phrase indicates fasting and prayer were** ** _absolutely essential and very significant parts_** ******of Abraham's expression of faith towards the Most High Elohim:** ****

**_Abraham's use of the phrase "dust and ashes" is our indication the patriarch frequently identified with these elements of humility during his times of fasting and prayer._**

**And during such times of fasting, we should be expressing our complete dependence upon the** **dox** **/chesed/lovingkindness of** **hwhy** **.** 37 ******For apart from that chesed, we will become both dust and ashes.** While Abraham was returned to the dust, it is of great significance to note he will _never_ be turned to ashes since the Mashiach taught us the patriarch had overcome in this life and that, upon being resurrected, the father of all the faithful will sit down to eat in the Messianic- Kingdom Age. Abraham has overcome; he will surely enter into the Kingdom with a reward and an inheritance. **And there is yet more significant evidence that Abraham sought** hwhy ******with a whole heart via many, many occasions of fasting and prayer. We now move onward to ponder that evidence.**

t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

**That Abraham was well instructed in fasting-derived humility is also seen from his** ** _considerable longevity_** **: the patriarch lived to be 175 years of age.** 39 ******And science is now finally realizing there is much factual evidence behind the significant longevity associated with what many are calling a "** ** _reduced caloric intake_** **." This is a lifestyle in which one eats far less at any meal than is customarily had in our American society—orchestrated as it is by the rich,** 40 ******western mentality. Eating with commendable self-control, however, is only a part of the reduction of calories as** hwhy ******accounts it.**

**_Fasting and prayer is/should be the major contributor in this vein._**

**And** ** _nothing_** ******does more to promote the fear and reverence of** hwhy ******in our hearts and minds than these times of fasting and prayer. During such times of seeking** hwhy **, our hearts gain a reverence for His Word beyond anything we have previously experienced. Of course, the physical and emotional benefits of such fasting will contribute to** ** _physical longevity_** **and this result is spoken of in the true proverb:**

" _The reverence of_ _hwhy_ _adds days, but the years of the lawless shall be shortened." ~_ Mishle/Proverbs.10:27

**Days were added to the life of Abraham because of the reverence and zeal for** hwhy ******that burned in his heart—a reverence that was absolutely fueled by his times of fasting and prayer as the patriarch continually sought the Most High with a whole heart.**

**Centuries later, when Queen Esther—a descendant of Abraham—fasted to find favor before the Most High and the King of the Medes, in her statement "** Mwua **/I fast," she prophetically (and likely unknowingly) recalled the life and death of the patriarch:** 41

**6** ** _Go, gather together all the Yehudim that are present in Shushan, and you fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or by day: moreover, I and my maidens, I fast (_** ** _Mwua_** ** _) in like manner; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish._** **Esther 4:16** We note the full value for "Mwua/I fast" in this Scripture is **175** , the age at which Abraham died:

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****_(mv)_** **137 = (40)** **M** **\+ (6)** **w** **\+ (90)** **u** **\+ (1)** **a** ******=** **Mwua** **= I fast**

**_(pv)_** **38 = (13)** **M** **\+ (6)** **w** **\+ (18)** **u** **\+ (1)** **a** ******=** **Mwua** **= I fast** ****

********175**** ******(fv, full value** **of 'I fast'** **)** ** **=**** ******_(mv)_** **137 +** ** _(pv)_** **38**

hwhy ******had long since promised to remember His** **dox** **/chesed/lovingkindness to Abraham across 1000 generations** 43 ******and to make His people objects of compassion in the sight of their captors.** 44 ******So blessed it is—and awe-inspiring beyond measure—to see how** hwhy ******was ever mindful of that promise, and how He was still mindful of the life and death of His servant, Abraham, so many centuries later. In a special way, and at a critical time,** hwhy ******visited captive Yahudah with His great** **dox** **/chesed.**

t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

**"** ** _I Afflicted/Humbled My Soul With Fasting"_**

**The Hebrew word for "afflict(-ed)" is "** **yne** **/ani" and it means "afflict(-ed)" or "humble(-d)." This is the word used by the prophet David in the text of** ** _Tehillim/Psalm 35:_**

_But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth:_ _ **I afflicted my soul with fasting**_ _; and my prayer returned into my (own) bosom._ ~Tehillim/Psalm.35:13

**In Hebrew, the phrase translated, "** I afflicted my soul with fasting," looks like this:

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yspn  
**naph-shi  
****my soul** | Mwub  
**b'tsome  
****with fasting** | ytyne  
**aniti  
****I afflicted**

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**  
This text specifically links the Hebrew word "** **yne** **/ ani / afflict(-ed)" with fasting. Yet some people are of the opinion that the phrase "afflict (** hne/anah) **your souls"—a phrase used in connection with Yom Ha'Kippurim (The Day of Atonement)** 46 **—** **has absolutely nothing to do with fasting. But** ** _opinions_** **will not contribute toward anyone obtaining a reward in the forthcoming, Messianic Kingdom. And the text of** ** _Tehillim 35:13_** **clearly negates the opinions of those who would opt out of the immense blessings that come forth in the Spirit from fasting-derived humility. The righteous act of fasting is closely related to the Hebrew word for "affliction." And it is through fasting-derived afflictions that the Spirit can most readily produce the humility of heart, soul, and mind which** hwhy ******so desires to see within us.**

**So we further consider the word "** **yne** **/ani / afflict(-ed) / humble(-d)." Its various forms appear in a fasting-related context so often that it is only those who choose to refuse the truth who will deny the facts. The word "afflicted" (** **yne** **/ani) is not always so rendered; sometimes this word is translated as "humbled:"**

..." _I_ _ **humbled**_ _my soul with fasting" ..._ Tehillim/Psalm.35:13

**This is the same text we just considered and saw the word (** **yne** **/ani) had been rendered by various translators as "afflicted." In other places, the root (** **hne** **/anah) of this word (** **yne** **/ani) changes forms (to** **wne** **/anav) and it is then translated as "meek" or "humble:"**

" _And the man Mosheh was very_ _ **meek**_ _, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth." ~_ Numbers.12:3

**Yet this statement was written of Mosheh at a time which was** ** _subsequent_** **to his 80 days of fasting and prayer on Mount Sinai.** 47 ******Mosheh had sought** hwhy ******during that time of extended** ** _affliction_** **and** ** _humility_** ******(** **yne** **/ani) and the result was his remarkable** ** _meekness_** ******(** **wne** **/anav). As we move forward, let us remember the fasting-related connection between these words for** ** _affliction_** **,** ** _humility_** **, and** ** _meekness_** **. And let us not forget the Hebrew text we have pondered from the** ** _Psalms_** **: "** I afflicted my soul with fasting:" ****

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yspn  
**naph-shi  
****my soul** | Mwub  
**b'tsome  
****with fasting** | ytyne  
**aniti  
****I afflicted**

Tehillim/Psalm 35:13

**We now progress to the main portion of the study and ponder how each of the Beatitudes reveals a life of fasting and prayer.**

t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

_**The Messiah Teaches Fasting Through Each of the Beatitudes**_

**The words of** eSwhy **the Messiah were full of** ** _favor and truth_** **;** 48 ******His teachings abounded with the light and splendor that come from the very Presence of** hwhy **. So there is often far more truth to the words of the Savior than any of us may have ever realized. This is certainly the case with what are commonly called "** ** _T_** _he Beatitudes_ " (as well as the entire "Sermon on the Mount"). **We will now look at each of t** hese teachings—all of which may be readily located early within the Scripture text of _Matthew 5_. For those who may not know, we note **"** ** _T_** _he Beatitudes_ " are the lines that all begin with the word "blessed:"

" _Blessed are the poor in spirit ... Blessed are they that mourn ..._ _Blessed are the meek ..._ _Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness ... Blessed are the merciful ... along with a number of others."_

In this _main section_ of the present study, it will become readily apparent that, with these special lines, eSwhy of Nazareth was directing His followers to walk out a life which is _characterized_ by fasting-derived humility and the reverent prayers that will always accompany those set apart times of seeking hwhy. Our times of reverent fasting change history because they are times that _touch eternity_. And because they are times that _touch eternity_ , these special times of reverent worship are also miraculous events wherein heaven touches earth and the Name of hwhy is more greatly manifested.

t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

The Spirit reveals that a life of _fasting_ is being set forth in **"** ** _T_** _he Beatitudes_ " because, in His teachings, eSwhy uses many key words and phrases that are elsewhere seen to be clearly related to that most significant act of righteousness. These words show us what _occurs_ during a time of reverent fasting and prayer and/or they indicate the _results_ of such authentic times of seeking hwhy. We now move forward to ponder each section of this body of teaching and readers will note the last two of the nine Beatitudes have been combined into one.

_**  
1. Blessed are the Poor in Spirit**_

" _Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."_ ~Matthew.5:3

The Scriptures equate being poor in spirit with possessing a broken and contrite heart. This humility and brokenness occurs in the life of those who continually humble themselves before hwhy with times of regular fasting. Unfortunately, the word "poor" (or should we say the word " **yne** **/ ani /** afflicted / humbled"?) is _inconsistently translated_ many places in the Scriptures. In _Tehillim/Psalms 34_ , David speaks of his fasting-derived affliction:

" _4 I sought_  _hwhy_ _, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked unto Him, and were radiant: and their faces were not ashamed. 6 This_ _ **poor**_ _man cried, and_ _hwhy_ _heard, and saved him out of all his troubles."_ ~Psalm 34:4-6

The problem with the above translation is the word "poor:" for it is the same word elsewhere translated as "afflicted." This is the Hebrew word " **yne** **/ ani / afflict(-ed)"—the Hebrew word associated with** ** _fasting_** **. The context of** ** _Tehillim 34_** **shows David had emerged on the other side of** ** _fasting and prayer_** **with light** 51 ******and joy. Yet during that time of fasting he had offered to** hwhy " **the** sacrifices of Elohim"—a broken and contrite heart:

" _hwhy_ _is near to those that are of a broken heart; and saves such as are of a contrite spirit." ~_ Psalm.34:4-6

So when eSwhy spoke of being " _poor in spirit_ ," we believe the Hebrew word used there was " **yne** **/ ani / afflict(-ed):"** **"** ** _Blessed are the afflicted in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."_** **And this is the very kind of Heavenly-Ordained affliction which produces indescribable spiritual blessings.**

In still another psalm—also written in a repentance- and fasting-related context—David spoke directly of " _the sacrifices of Elohim_ "—a broken spirit and a contrite heart:

" _16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of Elohim are a_ _ **broken spirit**_ _; a_ _ **broken**_ _and a_ _ **contrite heart**_ _, Elohim, You will not despise." ~_ Psalm.51:16-17

Fasting breaks up the fallow ground of the heart so that the Spirit of Elohim can fully reside within us and sow/grow the Eternal Word; in this way, we will reap His chesed (lovingkindness) and His righteousness.

_Nothing besides fasting works to bring this about in the life of the believer at the depth which_ _hwhy_ _desires to see it._

During times of fasting and prayer, we find that it is difficult, if not impossible, to read the Word of hwhy without our hearts melting into absolute awe, reverence, gratitude, and brokenness before the Presence of His eternal love. This is the reverent trembling that hwhy was speaking of through the prophet Isaiah when talking about those who are in awe over His Word:

" _1 Thus says_ _hwhy_ _, Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool: what manner of house will you build unto Me? And where is this place of My rest? 2 For all these things has My hand made, and all these things came to be, says_ _hwhy_ _: but to this one will I look, even to one that is_ _ **poor**_ _and of a contrite spirit, and that trembles over My word." ~_ Isaiah.61:1-2

As readers may have anticipated, this is yet another translation that fails to convey the actual Hebrew word used by hwhy to convey the fasting-derived affliction and humility of those who walk before Him with reverence and awe. Once again, the word translated as " _poor_ " is the word " **yne** **/ ani / afflict(-ed)"—the Hebrew word associated with fasting.** When we draw near to hwhy in the lowliness of fasting, He draws near to us; and we are blessed with the light that comes from the Shekinah splendor of His Spirit dwelling upon us:

" _15 For thus says the High and Lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose Name is qadosh: I dwell in the high and set apart place, with him also that is of a contrite and_ _ **lowly**_ _spirit, to revive the spirit of the_ _ **lowly**_ _, and to revive_ _ **the heart of the contrite**_ _." ~_ Isaiah.57:15

The above Scriptures reveal the trembling and brokenness that were later seen in the woman who washed the feet of eSwhy, wiping them with her tears. This was the same trembling, contrition, and brokenness that Sha'ul—who fasted often—displayed when speaking the Word of hwhy before the earliest gatherings of Messianic believers. And this is the same trembling and brokenness that all followers of the Messiah will manifest as they learn to become "poor in spirit" through times of reverent worship in fasting and prayer.

" _Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."_ ~Matthew.5:3

_**  
2. Blessed are They that Mourn**_

" _Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."_ ~Matthew.5:4

The Hebrew word for "mourn/mourning" is found throughout the _Torah and Prophets_ and it is nearly always associated with times of fasting. When hwhy spoke of giving beauty for _ashes_ and the oil of joy for _mourning_ , He was indicating the joy and the blessings of righteousness that come to the believer as one emerges from a time of fasting and prayer:

"... _to appoint unto them that_ _ **mourn**_ _in Tziyon, that beauty should be given unto them instead of_ _ **ashes**_ _, the oil of joy instead of_ _ **mourning**_ _, the garment of praise instead of_ _ **the spirit of heaviness**_ _: that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of_ _hwhy_ _, that He may be beautified." ~_ Isaiah.61:3

The Messiah also clearly equated _mourning_ with _fasting_ in His response to those who inquired about why His talmudim/taught ones did not fast _often_ :

" _14 Then came to Him the disciples of Yochanan, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your taught ones fast not? 15 And_ _eSwhy_ _said to them, Can the children of the bridechamber_ _ **mourn**_ _, as long as the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they will_ _ **fast**_ _." ~_ Matthew 9:14-15

With these words, eSwhy asserted that His followers would fast often after He had been "taken away," after He had ascended into the Heavens where He would minister before hwhy across some 2000 years. Of course, we still remain in that special time of mourning as we await the return of the Bridegroom, and the words of the Messiah leave New Covenant believers without excuse should they choose to shun the righteousness of fasting. When eSwhy taught, " _Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted,"_ He was speaking forth the great blessings that would abide upon those who sought hwhy with the _mourning_ that accompanies times of fasting and prayer.

The prophet Daniel also indicated that _mourning_ was a tangible aspect of his fasting-derived affliction and humility:

" _2 In those days I, Daniel, was_ _ **mourning**_ _three full weeks: 3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, until three full weeks were fulfilled." ~_ Daniel.10:2-3

Like Jeremiah, Daniel was almost certainly _mourning_ over Tziyon and the promise of hwhy through Isaiah to favor her once again; so he was likely seeking Elohim to establish Yisrael in the Kingdom once again.

Ya'acov/James would also be found equating _mourning_ with _fasting_. When this first century leader wrote "to the twelve tribes scattered abroad," he spoke of that blessing of "greater favor"—that greater anointing which hwhy grants through the Spirit to those who seek Him with the _mourning_ that accompanies times of fasting and prayer. Because of their dire situation and flagrantly carnal attitudes, note the _emphasis_ James conveys by his usage of _so many fasting-related words_ which he employed:

" _6 And He gives_ _ **greater favor**_ _. Therefore it says, Elohim resists the proud, but gives favor to the_ _ **humble**_ _. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to Elohim. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8_ _ **Draw near**_ _to Elohim, and He will_ _ **draw near**_ 64 _to you._ _**cleanse hands**_ _, you sinners, and_ _ **purify hearts**_ _, you double-minded. 9 Be_ _ **afflicted**_ _, and_ _ **mourn**_ _, and_ _ **weep**_ _: let your laughter be turned to_ _ **mourning**_ _, and joy to_ _ **heaviness**_ _. 10_ _ **Humble**_ _yourselves in the sight of_ _hwhy_ _, and He will lift you up."_ ~James.4:6-10

hwhy will not exalt the proud, but He is ever pleased to exalt those who honor Him by walking before Him with reverence and awe. **And there is** ** _absolutely nothing_** ******that does more to promote the fear, reverence, and awe of** hwhy ******within our hearts than fasting and prayer.**

" _Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." ~_ Matthew.5:4

_**  
3.**_ _ **Blessed are the Meek**_

_Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. ~_ Matthew.5:5

**We have seen the Hebrew word translated "meek" (** **wne** **/anav) is derived from the root,** **hne** **/anah. Yet** **hne** **/anah is also the root word for** **yne** **/ ani / afflicted. And it quickly becomes evident that this word "** **wne** **/ anav / meek" is quite related to the fasting-derived meekness and humility that the Spirit of** hwhy ******produces within those who seek Him. The prophet Mosheh (Moses) sought** hwhy ******across two, forty-day periods of fasting and prayer (seemingly back-to-back and with no record of his taking food in between).** 65 ******Subsequent to these special times of Mosheh seeking** hwhy **, the following was written of him in the** ** _Book of Bemidbar (Numbers)_** **:**

**"** _And the man Mosheh was very_ _ **meek**_ _, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth." ~_ Numbers 12:3

**Given the close relationship between the two words afflicted/humbled (** **yne** **/ani) and meek (** **wne** **/anav)—both having the same Hebrew root word, "** **hne** **/anah"—we may rightly conclude the remarkable** ** _meekness_** ******(** **wne** **/anav) seen in Mosheh resulted from that that time of extended** ** _affliction_** **(** **yne** **/ani) and** ** _humility_** ******as he sought** hwhy ******for Yisrael across 80 days of fasting and prayer. Like Mosheh, meekness is something we are to seek and find during times of fasting-derived affliction.** hwhy ******even tells us this directly through the prophet Zephaniah:**

" _Seek_ _hwhy_ _, all you_ _ **meek**_ _of the earth that have kept His judgments: Seek righteousness, seek_ _ **meekness**_ _. It may be you will be hidden in the day of the anger of_ _hwhy_ _." ~_ **Zephaniah** **.** **2:3**

**James wrote of deeds which are done "** ** _in the meekness of wisdom_** **."** 66 ******What is the connection?** ** _Tehillim/Psalm 37_** ******speaks of the** ** _meek_** ******inheriting the earth as well as the** ** _wisdom_** ******cultivated within those who meditate upon the Torah:**

" _But the_ _ **meek**_ _shall inherit the earth;_  _and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."~_ Psalm 37:11

" _30 The mouth of the righteous talks of_ _ **wisdom**_ _, and his tongue speaks judgment. 31 The Torah of his Elohim is in his heart: none of his steps shall slide." ~_ Psalm **.** 37:30-31

**Yet, to our awe and amazement, the Hebrew words for** ** _meek_** ******(** **wne** **/anav) and** ** _wisdom_** ******(chokmah/** **hmkx** **) are quite related: one has a value of 36 and the other has the very same** ** _place value_** **(37) as the psalm in which it appears:**

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**_(pv)_** **36 = (6)** **w** **\+ (14)** **n** **\+ (16)** **e** ******=** **wne** ******= anav = meek**

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**_(pv)_** **37 = (5)** **h** **\+ (13)** **m** **\+ (11)** **k** **\+ (8)** **x** ******=** **hmkx** ******= chokmah = wisdom**

**As we seek** hwhy ******with fasting-derived affliction, the Spirit works** ** _meekness_** ******(36) within our hearts and increased** ** _wisdom_** ******(37) is the result. Just as 37 follows from 36, numerically, so wisdom follows from fasting-derived meekness. Yet 37 is also the place value for "fast/fasting:"**

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**_(pv)_** **37 = (13)** **M** **\+ (6)** **w** **\+ (18)** **u** ******=** **Mwu** ******= tsōme = fast/fasting**

**We also note that "meek/meekness" (36) is the mirror image of the Hebrew word for "prophet" (63):** ****

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**_(mv)_** **63 = (1)** **a** **\+ (10)** **y** **\+ (2)** **b** **\+ (50)** **n** ******=** **aybn** ******= na-vee = prophet**

**When the Mashiach spoke of** ** _meekness_** ******and** ** _fasting_** **, He further indicated those who sought and found** hwhy ******through fasting-derived humility would also number among** ** _the prophets_** **.** 68 ******Those who seek for wisdom** 69 ******from the Presence of** hwhy ******must do so with fasting and prayer. And all who seek** hwhy ******with fasting and prayer will experience the powerful way His Spirit opens our ears to hear: Elohim will give us a fuller understanding of His Infinite Word, and He will grant us increasing wisdom during those special times of affliction and humility.**

**_The Word "Seek"_**

**And we should take this opportunity to establish the significant evidence which shows us the word "** **Sqb** **/baqash/seek " is also fasting-related. This word is seen three times in the** ** _Zephaniah_** ******text which is now cited once more:**

" _ **Seek**_ _hwhy_ _all you meek of the earth that have kept His judgments:_ _ **Seek**_ _righteousness,_ _ **seek**_ _meekness. It may be you will be hidden in the day of the anger of_ _hwhy_ _." ~_ **Zephaniah** **.** **2:3**

**Another world-famous text contains the word "** ** _seek_** **"** **and while it is quoted so frequently in believing circles, one wonders if those teaching from it have any idea this Scripture actually refers to fasting and prayer (note there are several fasting-related words in the text):**

" _If My people, upon whom My Name is called,_ 70 _will_ _ **humble**_ _themselves, and_ _ **pray**_ _, and_ _ **seek**_ _My face, and_ _ **turn**_ _from their wicked ways; then will I_ _ **hear**_ _from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." ~_ **2Chronicles** **.** **7:14**

**Yet there is still more evidence that this word "seek" indicates the life/actions of those who consistently draw near to the Most High with times of reverent fasting.**

**Well in advance of the Babylonian Captivity, the Sovereign** hwhy ******prophesied over the things which would need to take place before He would deliver His people and bring them back to the Land:**

" _26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish from off the land which you pass over the Yarden to possess it: you shall not prolong your days on it, but shall be utterly destroyed. 27 And_ _hwhy_ ****_will scatter you among the peoples, and you shall be left a small company among the nations to which_ _hwhy_ ****_will lead you. 28 And there you shall serve elohim, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. 29 And from there you shall_ _ **seek**_ _hwhy_ ****_your Elohim, and you shall find Him, if you will_ _ **seek**_ _Him with your whole heart and with your whole soul." ~_ **Deuteronomy** **.** **4:26-30**

**Standing alone, this prophetic text is simply not enough to establish our point. But when we compare the Word of** hwhy ******through Jeremiah (and the faith-response it brought about in the life of the prophet Daniel), then it will become evident that one cannot** ** _seek_** **** hwhy ******with a whole heart apart from times of significant fasting and prayer. When** hwhy ******spoke to Jeremiah of the captivity in Babylon, this is what He stated:**

" _10 For thus says_ _hwhy_ _, After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform My good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says_ _hwhy_ _, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. 12 And you shall call upon Me, and you shall go and pray to Me, and I will hearken to you. 13 And you shall_ _ **seek**_ _Me, and find Me, when you shall_ _ **search**_ _for Me with_ _ **all your heart**_ _. 14 And I will be found of you, says_ _hwhy_ _, and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, says_ _hwhy_ _; and I will bring you again to the place where I caused you to be carried away captive." ~_ **Jeremiah** **.** **29:10-14**

**All evidence indicates Daniel studied this** ** _very prophecy_** **.** 71 ******And when Daniel began to** ** _seek_** **** hwhy ******in Babylon, what do we see him doing? We see a man who is humbling himself before** hwhy ******and** ** _seeking_** **Him with a whole heart through times of extensive fasting and prayer:**

"... _2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years whereof the Word of_ _hwhy_ _came to Yirmeyahu, the prophet, for the accomplishing of the desolations of Yerushalayim, even seventy years. 3 And I set my face to my Sovereign, the Elohim, to_ _ **seek**_ _by_ _ **prayer**_ _and_ _ **supplications**_ _, with_ _ **fasting**_ _and_ _ **sackcloth**_ _and_ _ **ashes**_ _." ~_ **Daniel** **.** **9:2-3**

**Daniel sought and found** hwhy **. And his** ** _seeking_** **not only fulfilled the prophecies of Mosheh** 72 ******and Jeremiah,** 73 ******but Daniel's understanding shows us that it is not possible to seek** hwhy _wholeheartedly_ **, as He defines it, apart from fasting and prayer. And herein we have yet another connection to loving** hwhy ******with all our heart and with all our soul:** 74 ******we cannot fulfill** ** _The Shema_** **apart from times of seeking/fasting before the Most High. And that Daniel's authentic seeking and humility were accepted in the Courts of Heaven became evident in his answered prayers as messengers were sent to speak with him and Yisrael was soon returned to the Land. Righteousness and meekness are things which must be** ** _sought_** ******and that** ** _seeking_** **does not occur apart from fasting and prayer.**

**Before closing this section, it should be further noted that the** ** _full value_** **of "** **Sqb** **/baqash/seek " is a** ** _multiple_** ******of the** ** _place value_** ******for "fast/fasting:"**

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**_(pv)_** **42 = (21)** **S** **\+ (19)** **q** **\+ (2)** **b** ******=** **Sqb** ******= ba-qash = seek**

**_(mv)_** **402 = (300)** **S** **\+ (100)** **q** **\+ (2)** **b** ******=** **Sqb** ******= ba-qash = seek**

**444 (fv, full value** **of** **'see** **k'** **)** ******=** ** _(pv)_** **42 +** ** _(mv)_** **402**

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

**_(pv)_** ******37 = (13)** **M** **\+ (6)** **w** **\+ (18)** **u** ******=** **Mwu** ******= tsōme = fast/fasting**

**_Both_** ** _ **fasting & wisdom**_** ** __****_have a_** ** _(pv)_** ** _place value of_** ********37**** ****

**_And ..._**

****37 x 12 =**** ******444**

**The wisdom of** hwhy ******is something which must be sought and found, and He has ordained that the chief way for His people to do this is through fasting and prayer.**

**May all those who follow the Mashiach be encouraged to** ** _seek_** **** hwhy ******with the whole heart to find the** righteousness ******and the meekness of wisdom that only His Spirit can impart:**

" _Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." ~_ Matthew.5:5

_**4. Blessed are They that Hunger and Thirst After Righteousness**_

" _Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." ~_ Matthew.5:6

While believers might _say_ they hunger and thirst for the righteousness of hwhy, fasting with prayer is the tangible evidence—the real faith-expression—of that hunger and thirst. **The physical hunger and thirst which accompany fasting are intended to be outward, faith-expressions toward** hwhy **of a deeper, inner, spiritual hunger and thirst on the part of one who desires to know the will of the Most High and to live in accordance with the things which Ruach ha'Qodesh** 76 ******reveals. So the** ** _spiritual hunger and thirst_** **which emanates from within the heart of one seeking** hwhy **is expressed during our times of fasting and prayer. Faith without works is dead:** 77 ******if a person claims** 78 ******to hunger and thirst for** hwhy **, but fails to fast and pray, there is no substance to such faith. Fasting and prayer are the authentic expression of faith towards** hwhy ******that our spiritual hunger and thirst are real and sincere. A** ** _spiritual hunger and thirst_** ******for** hwhy ******was expressed as the psalmist endured** ** _physical hunger and thirst_** **during his times of mourning, fasting, and prayer:**

_As a deer longs for the water streams, so my being longs for You, O Elohim. 2 My being_ _ **thirsts**_ _for Elohim, for the living El. When shall I enter in to appear before Elohim? 3 My_ _ **tears**_ _have been my food day and night, while they say to me all day, "Where is your Elohim?" ~_ Psalm.42:1-3,[ _ISRV]_

**David is here expressing his thirst for** hwhy **. We should not suppose his thirst stemmed from a mere lack of physical water; the great psalmist of Yisrael was hungering and thirsting for the Presence of the Most High:**

" _O Elohim, You are my El; I earnestly seek You; my being has_ _ **thirsted**_ _for You; my flesh has longed for You in a dry and thirsty land without water. 2 Therefore, I have had a vision of You in the set-apart place, to see Your power and Your esteem." ~_ Psalm.63:1-2,[ _ISRV]_

**Like Mosheh during his time of fasting, David desired to see the splendor of** hwhy **and the greatness of His Name.** 79 **** hwhy will always honor such desires and He will reveal still more of His dwbk/cabode/weight/splendor to those who seek Him with a whole heart.

**_**The Righteousness that Comes Forth From Times of Fasting**_**

**What evidence do we have that** ** _increasing righteousness_** **comes forth from times of fasting? While there have been those whose warped minds have twisted the original intent of fasting,** 80 ******much evidence indicates fasting is an act of reverence and righteousness. Yet righteousness will lead to still more righteousness.** 81 ******And we have seen that times of fasting are special times to seek both** ** _righteousness_** ******and** ** _meekness_** ******in the Presence of** hwhy **:**

" _Seek_ _hwhy_ _, all you meek of the earth that have kept His judgments: Seek_ _ **righteousness**_ _, seek meekness. It may be you will be hidden in the day of the anger of_ _hwhy_ _." ~_ **Zephaniah 2:3**

**Having earlier spoken of seeking** ** _meekness_** **, we pause for a moment to ponder seeking** ** _righteousness_** **. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness during their times of fasting and seeking** hwhy ******make themselves to be like "** ** _dry ground_** **"** **before the Throne of the Almighty. And for those who are contrite,** hwhy ******is pleased to respond by bestowing upon them the Rain of His Spirit:**

" _3 For I will_ _**pour water**_ _upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon_ _ **the dry ground**_ _; I will_ _ **pour My Spirit**_ _upon your seed, and_ _ **My blessing**_ _upon your offspring:_  _4 and they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses. 5 One shall say, "For_ _hwhy_ ****_am I," and another shall call himself by the name of Ya'acov; and another shall subscribe with his hand 'For_ _hwhy_ ' _and surname himself by the name of Yisrael." ~_ **Isaiah** **.** **44:3-5**

**Through the prophet Hoshea,** hwhy ******spoke of this very thing—the rain of righteousness that Elohim is pleased to bestow upon those who seek Him:**

" _Sow to yourselves in_ _ **righteousness**_ _, reap according to chesed/kindness, break up your fallow ground. For it is time to seek_ _hwhy_ _, till He comes and rains_ _ **righteousness**_ _upon you." ~_ **Hoshea** **.** **10:12**

**The Hoshea text, then, manifests how we can "sow to the Spirit,"** 83 ******and this word teaches us many, many things:**

**1. Fasting is an act of righteousness: it breaks up the fallow ground, the hard soil of one's heart, so still more righteousness can be planted. Yet like planting a seed, it is still just the beginning. Yet while only the beginning, fasting is not to be** ** _minimized_** **: Apart from preparing the soil and planting the seeds, there would never be any harvest (in this case, a harvest of righteousness).**
**2. All of the above notwithstanding, it still takes the miraculous working/watering and care of the Spirit—things which only** hwhy ******can do—to bring about the growth and harvest.**

**And if the Word of** hwhy ******is to be believed, the Ruach informs us that fasting breaks every yoke of bondage and oppression; the result is righteousness and light springing forth from the life of those who so seek** hwhy **:**

" _6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to_ _ **loosen the bands of lawlessness**_ _, to_ _ **undo the heavy burdens**_ _, and to_ _ **let the oppressed go free**_ _, and that you_ _ **break every yoke**_ _? 7 Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you should bring the poor that are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you should cover him; and that you should not hide yourself_ 84 _from your own flesh? 8 Then shall_ _ **your light**_ _break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth speedily: and_ _ **your righteousness**_ _shall go before you; the splendor of_ _hwhy_ _will be your rearguard. 9 Then will you call, and_ _hwhy_ _will answer; you will cry, and He will say, "Here I am." If you will take away from the midst of you the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity, 10 and if you will draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then will_ _ **your light**_ _rise in obscurity, and_ _ **your darkness be as the noon day**_ _, 11 And_ _hwhy_ _will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and make strong your bones: and you wiall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 12 And of you shall they build the old waste places: you will raise up the foundations of many generations; and you will be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in." ~_ Isaiah.58:6-12

**Above all others,** 85 **** eswhy ******the Messiah, fulfilled the fast that** hwhy ******has chosen:**

**_He let the oppressed go free;_** 86 ******_He loosened the enslaving bands of lawlessness;_** 87 ******_and He broke every yoke of bondage_** 88 **—** ** _including the bonds of death._** 89

**The Mashiach brought life and immortality to light through the Good News;** 90 ******_He_** ******was/is the Repairer of the Breach and the Restorer of Paths to dwell in! And in this regard, the Savior taught us a great deal surrounding fasting and prayer. We further profess that** eswhy ******was referring to nothing less than fasting and prayer—to those who truly** ** _hunger and thirst_** **for** hwhy during times of fasting-derived affliction **—** **when speaking these words to the multitudes:**

" _Blessed are they that_ _ **hunger**_ _and_ _ **thirst**_ _after righteousness: for they shall be filled." ~_ Matthew.5:6

**The Spirit of the Most High will fill those who hunger and thirst for Him.**

_**5. Blessed are the Merciful/Compassionate**_

" _Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." ~_ Matthew.5:7

In the teachings of the Torah and Prophets, _mercy was something to be extended to the poor_. Daniel spoke of this when admonishing King Nebuchadnezzar:

" _Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy/favor to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of your tranquility." ~_ Daniel.4:27

In the Torah, financially capable men who failed to extend themselves to the poor were said to have "an evil eye"—a phrase that connotes greed and selfishness:

" _Beware that there not be a base thought in your heart, saying, "The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand," and your eye is evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cries to_ _hwhy_ _against you, and it be a sin unto you." ~_ Deuteronomy.15:9

Other teachings bring out the various words used when one does/does not express mercy/kindness/favor to the poor:

" _Because that he remembered not to show mercy (_ _dox_ _/chesed/kindness), but persecuted the poor (_ _yne_ _/afflicted) and needy (_ _Nwyba_ _/eb-yone_ _)_ _man, that he might even slay the broken in heart ..." ~_ Tehillim/Psalm.109:16

" _He that despises his neighbor sins, but he that has mercy/favor (_ _Nnx_ _/chanan)_ _on the poor (_ _wne_ _/anav/meek), blessed is he." ~_ Mishle/Proverbs.14:21

" _He that oppresses the poor (_ _ld_ _/ dal) reproaches his Maker, but he that honors Him has mercy/favor (_ _Nnx_ _/chanan)_ _on the poor (_ _Nwyba_ _/eb-yone_ _)_ _."_ ~Mishle/Proverbs.14:31

Part of entering into fasting-related afflicted involves recognizing others in their afflictions. Hence, times of fasting and prayer are set forth by hwhy Himself as times that we extend ourselves to those who are in need. The fasting chapter of _Isaiah 58_ brings out this aspect of a true fast; those who seek hwhy will extend their hands to the poor and will deliver the oppressed:

" _6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loosen the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you should bring the poor that are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you should cover him; and that you should not hide yourself from your own flesh?_ 92 ... _9 ... If you will take away from the midst of you the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity ... 10 And if you will draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall your light rise in obscurity, and your darkness will be as the noon day ..." ~_ Isaiah.58:6-7,9,10

We note this Word of hwhy through Isaiah deals with fasting, prayer, and alms while the teaching of eSwhy in _Matthew 6_ sets forth alms, prayers, and fasting. Of course, the Messiah had already spoken of _fasting_ in His opening lines at the very outset of " _The Sermon on the Mount._ " And that is the very thing we are pondering in this main portion of the study: the fasting-related nature of " _The Beatitudes_."

" _Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." ~_ Matthew.5:7

_**6. Blessed are the Pure in Heart**_

" _Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see Elohim."_ ~Matthew.5:6

In one sense, fasting may be likened to a spiritual, emotional, and physical mikvah/cleansing. While we will never lessen the cleansing from sin that may only occur through the shed blood of the Lamb—eSwhy the Messiah—even He taught that there was something that _an individual must initiate_ to be cleansed on the inside of the cup and of the platter. We will see He spoke of _fasting_ when speaking of this _personal initiative_. The uncleanness of pride and arrogance are accounted by hwhy to be the filth of _an uncircumcised heart_. Note what Elohim said of the need for such hearts that have been wrongly lifted up with pride against His Torah:

" _36 And upon them that are left (alive) of you, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they will flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they will fall when none is pursuing. 37 And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none is pursuing: and you shall have no power to stand before our enemies. 38 And you shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. 39 And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them. 40 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against Me, and that also they have walked contrary to Me, 41 and that I also have walked contrary to them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies: if then_ _ **their uncircumcised hearts shall be humbled**_ _, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: 42 then will I remember My covenant with Ya'acov, and also My covenant with Yitschak, and also My covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the Land." ~_ Leviticus.26:36-42

We have seen how Daniel's heart was _humbled_ in the land of Yisrael's captivity:

_Daniel sought_ _hwhy_ _with a penitent heart and the prophet afflicted/humbled himself before the Most High with fasting and prayer._

During times of fasting and payer, the Spirit of hwhy works still greater humility in our hearts and minds, and hwhy intends for us to _carry that humility with us_ upon emerging from those times of humbling and affliction. True fasting _cleanses the heart_ of spiritual and emotional uncleanness that may attempt to linger or gain a foothold in our lives. Fasting, then, _prepares our heart_ 98 to see the salvation of hwhy at still greater levels and in still greater ways. The Hebrew word used for this _preparation of heart_ is Nwk / _koon_ , and it is most often translated as "prepare(-d)." But let us compare the _full value (fv)_ of this word, " _prepare_ ," with the _full value_ for the Hebrew word translated as " _circumcise(-d):_ "

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**_(pv)_** 31 = **(14)** N **\+ (6)** w **\+ (11)** k = Nwk = koon = prepare/establish

**_(mv)_** 76 = **(50)** N **\+ (6)** w **\+ (20)** k = Nwk = koon = prepare/establish

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**_(fv)_** **107** **  
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**_(pv)_** 31 = **(12)** l **\+ (6)** w **\+ (13)** m = lwm = mol _= circumcise(-d)_ **  
****_(mv)_** 76 = **(30)** l **\+ (6)** w **\+ (40)** m = lwm = mol _= circumcise(-d)_

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**_(fv)_** **107**

We doubt there could be anything more _amazing_ , or anything more _awesome_ , in all of the Scriptures: Blessed be His Qadosh Name who lives forever and ever; it is He who gives this revelation to His people by the Spirit. Not only does the _full value_ exactly match for these two words, but so do their _place values_ (31) and their _misparim values_ (76)! Let there be no doubt that reverent fasting _prepares the heart_ and allows the Spirit the means to cleanse our inner man, to mold us anew, and to make us vessels of honor in the Hand of the Sovereign Potter.

Many other Scripture shows us hwhy has ordained _fasting_ as a means for _personal cleansing_ which requires _personal initiative._ Referring to _fasting and humility_ , the Messiah told the scribes and Pharisees to cleanse the inside of the cup and of the platter:

" _25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full from extortion and excess. 26 You blind Pharisee!_ _**Cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter**_ _, that the outside thereof may become clean also." ~_ Matthew.23:25-26

Writing to Timothy, Sha'ul spoke of the very same _cleansing_ ; note the preparation of heart that occurs when that heart had been, thus, purified:

" _20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor. 21 If , therefore, a man_ _ **cleanses himself**_ _from these, he shall be a vessel of honor, set apart, suitable for the Master's use,_ _ **prepared**_ _unto every good work. 22 But flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those that call upon_ _hwhy_ _out of a_ _ **pure heart**_ _." ~_ 2Timothy.2:20-22

James also spoke of the very same cleansing. And in his teaching, he not only mentions a _cleansing_ / _purifying of the heart_ (and hands), but James uses several fasting-related words to emphasize the _great need_ for these believers to earnestly repent before hwhy so they could receive said cleansing:

" _6 And He gives_ _ **greater favor**_ _._ 101 _Therefore it says, Elohim resists the proud, but gives favor to the_ _ **humble**_ _. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to Elohim. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8_ _ **Draw near**_ _to Elohim, and He will_ _ **draw near**_ 102 _to you._ _**Cleanse hands**_ _, you sinners, and_ _ **purify hearts**_ _, you double-minded. 9 Be_ _ **afflicted**_ _, and_ _ **mourn**_ _, and_ _ **weep**_ _: let your laughter be turned to_ _ **mourning**_ _, and joy to_ _ **heaviness**_ _. 10_ _ **Humble**_ _yourselves in the sight of_ _hwhy_ _, and He will lift you up."_ ~James.4:6-10

Yet centuries earlier, hwhy said the very same thing—and He had spoken of the very same cleansing—through the prophet Isaiah:

" _10 Hear the Word of_ _hwhy_ _, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to the Torah of our Elohim, you people of Gomorrah. 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me? says_ _hwhy_ _: I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. 12 When you come to appear before Me, who has required this at your hand, to tread My courts? 13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination to Me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your Appointed Feasts My soul hates: they are a trouble to me; I am weary to bear them. 15 And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide My eyes from you: yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 16_ _ **Wash you, make yourselves clean**_ _; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes; cease to do evil; 17 learn to do good; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." ~_ Isaiah.1:10-17

The above lines speak of the cleansing/repentance that must occur _from earth to heaven_. It speaks of _the personal initiative_ —through times of fasting, prayer, repentance, and preparation of heart—which one must take before the Most High to be cleansed. Our hearts must be humbled, purified, and prepared for His Presence. And only after Yisrael had truly repented and humbled their hearts, only then would the all-important heaven-to-earth cleansing take place. Of this cleansing, hwhy immediately says:

" _18 Come now, and let us reason together, says_ _hwhy_ _: though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool." ~_ Isaiah.1:18

hwhy changes not, so it is no different today: forgiveness requires repentance and the Torah of hwhy defines what that repentance entails. So the personal cleansing we initiate to _purify our hearts_ during times of fasting expresses the ever repentant heart that hwhy must see if the Blood of the Messiah is to cleanse us from all sin. For even the Blood of the Lamb, we are warned, _will not avail spiritual cleansing_ for anyone who is given to the pride of an uncircumcised heart that practices intentional sin.

We should not close without considering a prime example seen in one who fasted before hwhy, who was consequently _purified in heart_ , and who was subsequently blessed to _see_ Him:

" _Blessed are the_ _ **pure in heart**_ _: for they shall see Elohim." ~_ Matthew.5:6

Mosheh had already fasted over the space of forty days; he had already greatly humbled himself before the Most High. Yet the prophet prayed that hwhy would show him still more of His splendor. And that prayer was answered as hwhy allowed Himself to be seen of Mosheh, proclaiming His great Name before the historic leader of Yisrael:

" _5 And_ _hwhy_ _descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the Name of_ _hwhy_ _. 6 And_ _hwhy_ _passed by before him, and proclaimed,_ _hwhy_ _,_ _hwhy_ _, an El merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in chesed and truth; 7 keeping the chesed (lovingkindness) for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation. 8 And Mosheh made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped." ~_ Exodus.34:5-8

When did Mosheh see Elohim? This revelation was given to Mosheh only after he had purified his heart through fasting and prayer in the Presence of the Most High. Mosheh saw Elohim only after he had sought hwhy with all his heart. And like Mosheh, many other prophets have seen visions of Elohim during their times of fasting, mourning, cleansing, and humility. Yet the promise of the Messiah still remains today:

" _Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see Elohim." ~_ Matthew.5:6

_**7. Blessed are the Peacemakers**_

" _Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of Elohim." ~_ Matthew.5:7

This may initially appear to be a teaching that has no relationship to fasting and prayer. Yet that is not the case. We should consider how and why Mosheh sought hwhy ******across his second, 40-day period of fasting. In so doing, it will be readily seen that the prophet was becoming a** _peacemaker_ in the fullest sense of the word. And even near the end of the first 40 days, the people of Yisrael had turned aside to worship false gods because Mosheh was delayed in his coming down from Sinai:

" _1 And when the people saw that Mosheh was delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said to him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Mosheh, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him ... 7 And_ _hwhy_ ****_spoke to Mosheh, Go, get you down; for your people, that you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: 8 they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed unto it, and said, These are your gods, O Yisrael, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt. 9 And_ _hwhy_ ****_said to Mosheh, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 10 now therefore, let me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of you a great nation. 11 And Mosheh besought_ _hwhy_ ****_his Elohim, and said,_ _hwhy_ _, why does Your wrath wax hot against Your people, that you have brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying, For evil did He bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Yitschak, and Yisrael, Your servants, to whom you swore by Your own self, and said to them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give to your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. 14 And_ _hwhy_ ****_repented of the evil which He said He would do to his people." ~_ Exodus.32:1,7-14

So even during this first 40 days of fasting, Mosheh interceded as a _peacemaker_ on behalf of Yisrael: he sought hwhy **** that Yisrael would not be destroyed in the wrath of Elohim. And recounting the events that led to the second 40-day period of fasting, Mosheh said this:

" _13 Furthermore,_ _hwhy_ ****_spoke to me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 14 let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they. 15 So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain was burning with fire: and the Two Tables of the Covenant were in my two hands. 16 And I looked, and, behold, you had sinned against_ _hwhy_ ****_your Elohim; you had made you a molten calf: you had turned aside quickly out of the way which_ _hwhy_ ****_had commanded you. 17 And I took hold of the Two Tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and broke them before your eyes. 18 And I fell down before_ _hwhy_ _, as at the first, forty days and forty nights; I did neither eat bread nor drink water; because of all your sin which you sinned, in doing that which was evil in the sight of_ _hwhy_ _, to provoke Him to anger. 19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith_ _hwhy_ ****_was angered against you to destroy you. But_ _hwhy_ ****_hearkened unto me that time also."_ ~Deuteronomy.9:13-19

Other prophets, too, have fasted and prayed before hwhy **** as peacemakers for all Yisrael as they interceded for the people in their various times of national rebellion. Eliyahu/Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel—all these men fasted and prayed before hwhy as peacemakers, requesting Him to turn with compassion upon the nation of His inheritance:

" _Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of Elohim."_ ~Matthew 5:7

Referring to this very text, and speaking of the fruit of righteousness that comes forth from such times of fasting and prayer, James wrote to all Yisrael:

" _And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those that make peace." ~_ James.3:18

_**8. Blessed are They that Have Been Persecuted for Righteousness' Sake**_

" _10 Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you." ~_ Matthew.5:10-12

Because fasting and prayer are the ultimate expressions of one's desire to live righteously, those who seek hwhy **** in this Elohim-ordained manner will also suffer persecution. It is just as Sha'ul wrote to Timothy:

" _Yes, and all who are determined to live in a reverent manner in the Messiah_ _eSwhy_ _will_ _be persecuted;" ~_ 2Timothy.3:12

While this is another teaching that initially appears to have no relationship to fasting, minimal study will show otherwise. During Job's time of great suffering, he embraced fasting-derived affliction as part of his mourning unto hwhy. And during this time of extended seeking, Job was _spit upon_ as well as _smitten on the cheek_ :

" _8 They are children of fools, yes, children of base men; they were scourged out of the land. 9 And now I have become their song, yes, I am a byword to them. 10 They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, and spare not to_ _ **spit in my face**_ _." ~_ Job.30:8-10

" _They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have_ _ **smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully**_ _: they gather themselves together against me._ ~Job.16:10

Those who humble themselves with fasting will likewise become the objects of reproach:

" _10 When I_ _ **lamented**_ _my soul with_ _ **fasting**_ _, that was to my_ _ **reproach**_ _. 11 When I made_ _ **sackcloth**_ _my clothing, I became a_ _ **byword**_ _to them. 12 They that sit in the gate_ _ **talk of me**_ _; and I am_ _ **the song of the drunkards**_ _." ~_ Psalm 69:10-12

Jeremiah likewise wrote of his times of fasting, wherein _his cheek was given to persecutors who smote him_ :

" _25_ _hwhy_ ****_is good to those that wait for Him, to the soul that_ _ **seeks**_ _Him. 26 It is good that a man should hope and_ _ **quietly wait**_ _for the salvation of_ _hwhy_ _. 27 It is good for a man that he_ _ **bear the yoke**_ _in his youth._ 106 _28 Let him_ _ **sit alone**_ _and keep_ _ **silence**_ _, because He hath laid it upon him. 29 Let him_ _ **put his mouth in the dust**_ _, if so be there may be hope. 30 Let him_ _ **give his cheek to him that smites him**_ _; let him be filled full with_ _ **reproach**_ _." ~_ Lamentations 3:25-30

Of course, we cannot help but notice how closely all of this _reproach_ aligns itself with the words of eSwhy, spoken in a fasting-related context during the _Sermon on the Mount_ :

"... _but I say unto you, resist not him that is evil: but whosoever_ _ **smites you on your right cheek**_ _, turn to him the other also." ~_ Matthew.5:39

Times of fasting and prayer are the ultimate, faith-and-love expressions for those desiring to live reverently in the Messiah. These times of seeking are the epitome of the most righteous desires that can be expressed towards Elohim for the advancement of His Kingdom; and those who so direct their hearts toward hwhy will suffer persecution. But the blessedness of inheriting reward in the Kingdom of Heaven, and the blessedness of intimacy, in this life, with the Creator and Redeemer, makes any such tribulations more than worth the exchange:

" _10 Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they shall_ _ **reproach**_ _you, and persecute you, and_ _ **say all manner of evil**_ _against you falsely, for My sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they_ _ **the prophets**_ _that were before you." ~_ Matthew.5:10-12

_**The Messiah Both Teaches and Prophetically Fulfills The Shema**_

As we have seen, eswhy the Messiah taught _The Shema_ to be the greatest commandment in all of the Torah. This is so because those who are truly walking in the love of hwhy will fulfill _The Shema_ and they will subsequently be upholding/learning to uphold (by faith) the rest of His Torah. And this is where the Word of hwhy reveals the amazing and powerful sovereignty and foreknowledge of the Most High.

The fact that eswhy taught _The Shema_ to be the greatest commandment is yet another proof He was (and is) the Messiah.

In Hebrew, the word "emS/shema" is "hear" and it has a _misparim value_ of 410:

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

**_(mv)_** ******410 = (70)** **e** **\+ (40)** **m** **\+ (300)** **SA** ******=** emS = shema = hear

But see what number is derived from adding both the _misparim_ and _place value_ of the Hebrew word, "xySm/Mashiach/Messiah:"

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

**_(mv)_** ******358 = (8)** **x** **\+ (10)** **y** ******\+ (300)** **S** ******\+ (40)** **m** ******=** xySm = Mashiach = Messiah

**_(pv)_** ******52 = (8)** **x** **\+ (10)** **y** ******\+ (21)** **S** ******\+ (13)** **m** ******=** xySm = Mashiach = Messiah

========

**_(fv)_** ******410**

The _full value (fv)_ of "Mashiach/Messiah" is 410. So the first word (emS/shema) of the greatest commandment in all of the Torah points to our Mashiach/Messiah, and our Mashiach points us _back to that first word_ (and that entire commandment) through His life, through His teachings, and even through the title that designates Him as the Anointed One of the Most High.

It is not a coincidence that "Mashiach" = "Shema"= 410, for it was the Messiah who set forth _The Shema_ in the light of the Eternal Torah.

In all that He did, and in all that He said, eswhy showed He always walked towards Elohim with a heart of love and with an ear that was ever ready to hear and obey the will of the Father.

_**A Life of Fasting and Prayer Fulfills the Shema**_

We often fast and pray to privately bear the burdens of others and because we are seeking hwhy to open the doors of favor in heaven to help and/or bless them in some special way. The Scriptures show that these times of fasting lead to us obtaining the humility that hwhy requires before He can bestow His _greatest levels_ of favor upon us. James wrote about this very thing—that "greater favor" which hwhy gives to the _humble_ —in a context that is clearly fasting-related:

" _6 And He gives_ _ **greater favor**_ _. Therefore it says, Elohim resists the proud, but gives favor to the_ _ **humble**_ _. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to Elohim. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to Elohim, and He will draw near to you._ _**Cleanse hands**_ _, you sinners, and_ _ **purify hearts**_ _, you double-minded. 9 Be_ _ **afflicted**_ _, and_ _ **mourn**_ _, and_ _ **weep**_ _: let your laughter be turned to_ _ **mourning**_ _, and joy to_ _ **heaviness**_ _. 10_ _ **Humble**_ _yourselves in the sight of_ _hwhy_ _, and He will lift you up." ~_ James.4:6-10

One law of physics states, "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction;" and this certainly applies in the spiritual realm. The righteousness of sincere, reverent fasting _on earth_ will _always_ result in a positive, blessed, and light-emanating reaction from hwhy _in the heavens_. And the results will often be something very tangible which is subsequently seen in the lives of those who are, thus, truly seeking hwhy.

Of fasting with prayer, it may be accurately said that there is _absolutely nothing_ that contributes more greatly toward a believer growing in the favor and knowledge of hwhy.

Whenever we hear the Voice of hwhy and He confirms His Word in our lives, our understanding changes, our vision changes, our whole being changes. At the outset of this study, it was indicated that the main intent of fasting is to _hear the Voice_ of hwhy, to _hear His Spirit_ , to grow in our ability to fulfill _The Shema_. ******Recall the Hebrew phrase—"** I afflicted my soul with fasting" **—** that was seen earlier in the study. We show this text, once again, in its Hebrew form; and then we will calculate the _misparim value_ of the three-word phrase:

**←** **ace-space** **←** **ace-space** **←** **ace-space** **←**

---

yspn  
**naph-shi  
****my soul** | Mwub  
**b'tsome  
****with fasting** | ytyne  
**aniti  
****I afflicted**

Tehillim/Psalm 35:13

The _misparim value_ of this phrase **—"** I afflicted my soul with fasting" **—** is now calculated as seen below:

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

540 = **(10)** y **\+ (400)** t **\+ (10)** y **\+ (50)** n **\+ (70)** e = ytyne = I afflicted/humbled

138 **= (40)** M **\+ (6)** w **\+ (90)** u **\+ (2)** b = Mwub = with fasting

440 **= (10)** y **\+ (300)** s **\+ (80)** p **\+ (50)** n = yspn = my soul

======

**Total (mv) 1118**

Yet **1118** is also the exact _misparim value_ of the first six words of _The Shema_ :
**13** **  
****dxa** **  
** echad  
(is) one | ... | **26** **  
****hwhy** **  
** YHWH  
YHWH | ... | **102** **  
****wnyhla** **  
** Elohenu  
our Elohim | ... | **26** **  
****hwhy** **  
** YHWH  
YHWH | ... | **541** **  
****larvy** **  
** Yisrael  
Israel | ... | **410** **  
****ems** **  
** Shema  
Heart

---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---

**6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

_**(mv)**_ **1118 = 13 + 102 + 26 + 541 + 410**

Could anything be clearer than this marvelous and amazing number connection we are provided by the Spirit of Elohim?

_When we humble our souls with fasting, we are especially preparing our hearts to_ _ **hear His Voice**_ _and to fulfill The Shema._

It is not a coincidence that the phrase **—"** I afflicted my soul with fasting" **—** and _The Shema_ both add to a _misparim value_ of 1118! _This is so by Infinite Design and Blessed Providence._ The Sovereign hwhy has provided for us some very telling evidence about _hearing His Voice_ and being those who desire more of His Spirit and Presence. And we express that desire as we hunger and thirst for righteousness during those most special times of fasting and prayer. **Ruach ha'Qodesh** 111 ******signifies that our seasons of fasting and prayer are set apart times for fulfilling** ** _The Shema_** **by hearing** ** _His Voice_** **, His Spirit, with ever increasing clarity.** 112 ******Our times of fasting and prayer are times to hear His Voice:**

**Only when our hearts are inclined to** ** _hear and obey His Voice_** **, only then will our voices be heard on high.** 113

**So the humility that surrounds fasting and prayer involves our humble, loving submission before** hwhy ******as we seek to know, to hear, and to do His sovereign will:**

**This is the all-important** ** _beginning_** ******of living a life that truly fulfills** ** _The Shema_** **.**

_**The Infinite Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Hidden in the Mashiach**_

**For the believer, seeking and finding the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in the Word of** hwhy ******is one of the greatest honors that He so graciously bestows upon those who worship Him. The only greater honor on this side of the Resurrection is dwelling in His Presence during times of prayer:**

**_It is the Spirit of the Almighty that creates within us a hunger for the Presence of_** _hwhy_ ******_and a hunger for His Word._**

**One of the significant ways that** hwhy ******speaks to us is through the things He teaches us** 114 ******from His written Word.** 115 ******And as our understanding of His will and ways increases, we see the path growing ever brighter:** 116 ******we progress in the Faith, and we progress in the levels at which we can serve Him more effectively.** 117 ******But the Mashiach was the Word made Flesh:** 118 ******and because He was/is/remains the** ** _embodiment of the Torah_** **, it is ultimately** ** _in Him_** **that** hwhy ******has hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Sha'ul wrote of this very thing:**

"... _2 in order that their hearts might be encouraged, being knit together in love, and to all riches of the entire confirmation of understanding, to a true knowledge of the secret of Elohim, and of the Father, and of the Messiah, 3_ _ **in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge**_ _." ~_ Colossians.2:2-3,[ _ISRV]_

During times of fasting and prayer, we grow in our ability to fulfill _The Shema_ —to hear the Voice of hwhy **** and to more fully understand His Word. Those with the Spirit of the Mashiach will increasingly gain His ears to hear. Through eSwhy, we will both see and reveal the light and splendor which Ruach hwhy **** shines forth from the Torah:

" _12 Having therefore such an expectation hope, we use great boldness of speech, 13 and are not as Mosheh, who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Yisrael should not look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away: 14 but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, it not being revealed that it is done away in the Messiah. 15 But until this day, whenever Mosheh is read, a veil lies upon their heart. 16 But whenever it shall turn to the Sovereign,_ _ **the veil is taken away**_ _. 17 Now_ _hwhy_ ****_is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of_ _hwhy_ ****_is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the splendor of_ _hwhy_ _, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from_ _hwhy_ **,** _the Spirit." ~_ 2Corinthians.3:12-18

In this text, Sha'ul indicates only the Messiah can _take away the veil_ that prevents a person from seeing the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in the Torah. For those who follow Him, eSwhy now shines immense splendor on the Infinite Torah; and He is more greatly revealing the Name and the ways of the Most High. hwhy **, the Father,** wishes to shine that splendor upon all nations through those who have believed on His Son.

Yet seeking and finding hwhy **** through His Word even goes beyond the benefits and blessings of this life as His Kingdom increases. It is actually part of the means by which hwhy **** will reward us in the Resurrection. Solomon wrote about how Elohim conceals His Ways and about those who acknowledge that concealment and who act accordingly. Those who know Him to be an Elohim who hides Himself, then live lives which are established to seek out those hidden aspects of the Words of the Torah:

" _The splendor of Elohim is the concealing of a word, but the splendor of_ _ **kings**_ _is searching out a word." ~_ Proverbs.25:2

There are treasures of wisdom and knowledge within the Torah which Elohim has generally hidden from plain view; and those who faithfully seek out those things will be rewarded with a rule and an inheritance in the Kingdom. If we hope to number among those who rule with the Mashiach, even "the least" of His commandments is never to be minimized. In guarding His Word, overcoming believers—those who seek first the Kingdom of Elohim and His righteousness—will show themselves to be _worthy kings_ and they will guide the nations on the earth during the Millennium.

_**The Hand of**_ _hwhy_ ****_**and His Sufficiency/Provision**_

**We recall the account in which Ezekiel was carried in the Spirit to the captives by the river Chebar. Note the hand of** hwhy ******was upon him and he wound up fasting for at least seven days:**

" _14 So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away. And I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; and the hand of_ _hwhy_ ****_was strong upon me. 15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel–Aviv, that dwelt by the river Chebar, and to where they dwelt; and I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days. 16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of_ _hwhy_ ****_came to me, saying, 17 Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the House of Yisrael: therefore hear the word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me." ~_ Ezekiel.3:14-17

**Hebrew thought is cyclical/circular: If the Hand of** hwhy ******is upon us, we will fast and pray; conversely, if we fast and pray, the Hand of** hwhy ******will be upon us.** 123 ******The Hebrew word for "hand" is** **dy** **/yad, yet this word** ** _reversed_** ******gives us the Hebrew word** **yd** **/dai, meaning "sufficient." And as we have already seen from numerous Scriptures, the word "** ** _seek_** **"** **is fasting-related:**

**Those who seek** hwhy ******are given to times of fasting and prayer, while those refusing to truly seek Him in this Elohim-designated way are "neglecting so great a salvation."** 124

**"** **Seek" is a word that conveys the searching heart of those who fast and pray unto** hwhy ******because they hunger and thirst for righteousness. That being the case, it now becomes evident** eSwhy ******was talking about a life given to fasting and prayer when He spoke of** ** _seeking_** ******first the Kingdom of** Elohim **and His righteousness:**

_But seek first the Kingdom of Elohim and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ~_ Matthew.6:33

**The Spirit reveals a wonderful truth in this matter of fasting and experiencing the provision of** hwhy **: those who** ** _seek_** ******first His Kingdom and righteousness are given to times of fasting and prayer; the hand (** **dy** ******/ yad) of** hwhy ******is upon them. In turn, they will know His sufficiency/provision (** **yd** ******/ dai).**

**In Hebrew, the** **Shin** ******prefix (** **S** **) can mean "who." Affixed to** **yd** ******(dai / sufficient), we would have the word "** **ydS** ******/ Shad-dai" meaning, "Who is Sufficient." And this is the way in which** hwhy ******revealed Himself to the patriarchs:** 125 ******as "** **ydS la** ******/ El Shad-dai"—the El who was their Sufficiency—He was the only thing they really needed. All their needs were met in Him. And that is exactly what** eSwhy ******taught about** ** _seeking_** ******first the Kingdom of Elohim and His righteousness:**

**Through the seeking of fasting and prayer, the Hand (** **dy** ******/ yad) of** hwhy ******will be upon us, and we will know His sufficiency/provision (** **yd** ******/ dai).**

_**The Halleu-Yah Victory Over All the Enemies of**_ _hwhy_

If there were ever a time in the world's history that the people of the Most High needed victory over the many enemies that would besiege us on every front, that time is now.

Fasting leads us into a greater fulfillment of _The Shema_ and a greater obedience derived from still greater love. Many scholars have pointed out the connection between the exclamation " hywllh/Hallelu-Yah! " and the defeat/overthrow of the lawless. In the _Companion Bible_ , E.W. Bullinger indicates that the first occurrence of this word in the Tanak is found in _Tehillim/Psalm 104_ —where its context is a prayer for the ultimate judgment of hwhy **** over the lawless:

_Let sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the lawless be no more. Bless_ _hwhy_ _, naph-shi._ 126 _Hallelu-Yah! ~_ Tehillim/Psalm.104:35

Bullinger further points out that Jewish scholars have also noted this same connection. Yet Scripture brings us even more light on the matter.

The short form " hy / Yah " of the Name, hwhy, is the form used in the word "hywllh / Hallelu-Yah." Since this is used in the word "hywllh / Hallelu-Yah," it is of special instruction to note the short form, " hy / Yah," is first seen/used in Scripture (and in worship) when hwhy defeats the enemies of Yisrael at Yam Suph (the Sea of Reeds):

" _1 Then sang Mosheh and the children of Yisrael this song to_ _hwhy_ _, and spoke, saying, I will sing to_ _hwhy_ _, for He has triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea. 2 My strength and song is_ _ **Yah**_ _, and He has become to me for salvation/deliverance. This is my El, and I will praise Him; the Elohim of my father, and I will exalt him." ~_ Shemot/Exodus.15:1-2

This short form, _**Yah**_ , is the word that would later be placed with "Hallelu-" to form "Hallelu-Yah." So the short form ( hy / Yah ) of the Name ( hwhy ) really reveals/exalts His power to both _redeem His people_ and to _bring them salvation and deliverance from their enemies_. Yet does fasting, likewise, result in such power falling from the Heavens? It does.

We have spoken about how fasting brings forth the _righteous splendor_ of hwhy into our lives and into all the earth. And the Word bears witness to this as having occurred with many prophets of old. Those many who sought hwhy by fasting and prayer were subsequently used to show forth still more of His greatness, power, and deliverance before all Yisrael and before all the world. **Amazingly, this victorious exclamation of praise, "Hallelu-Yah!" is not unrelated to fasting. We see this further revealed in the Hebrew** ** _misparim_** **. Note the** ** _place value_** **, the** ** _misparim value_** , and the _full value_ of this inspired word, **** hywllh/Hallelu-Yah:

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

_(pv)_ 50 = **(5)** h **\+ (10)** y **\+ (6)** w **\+ (12)** l **\+ (12)** l **\+ (5)** h = hywllh/Hallelu-Yah

_(mv)_ 86 = **(5)** h **\+ (10)** y **\+ (6)** w **\+ (30)** l **\+ (30)** l **\+ (5)** h = hywllh/Hallelu-Yah

**=======**

**_(fv)_** **136**

**Yet this 136 exactly matches the** ** _misparim value_** **for "** **Mwu** ******/ tsōme / fast / fasting:"**

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

**_(mv)_** **136 = (40)** **M** **\+ (6)** **w** **\+ (90)** **u** ******=** **Mwu** ******= tsōme = fast/fasting**

**Through this revelation, the Spirit provides us yet more confirmation that fasting and prayer are the means by which we serve** hwhy **in establishing the righteousness which is so characteristic of the Kingdom of Elohim.** 129 ******Only through our times of reverent, fasting-derived humility and seeking of the Most High will the defeat of the enemies of darkness become a reality.** 130 ******May** hwhy **stir up His people to take hold of Him.**

_**Let Not Your Circumcision Become Uncircumcision**_

There is no place for pride and arrogance in the Presence of hwhy, or anywhere else within His Kingdom. All greatness must be ascribed to Him and His servants will attribute greatness to none other. Those who have believed on eSwhy have also been immersed into His Name, and in so doing, they have also been circumcised with "the circumcision of the Messiah." Yet Sha'ul warned believers not to let their _circumcision_ become _uncircumcision_. How could this occur? As we have seen, _uncircumcision_ is associated with pride and disobedience. The lack of having any need, or impetus, to seek hwhy is an outright lack of humility. We are warned in the _Proverbs_ that the proud (uncircumcised) in heart will not go unpunished:

" _An abomination to_ _hwhy_ _, is every one who is proud in heart: hand to hand, he shall not be unpunished." ~_ Mishle/Proverbs.16:5

And we cannot _truly live to the fullest_ until we are seeking hwhy:

" _For thus says_ _hwhy_ _to the House of Yisrael, Seek Me and you shall live."_ ~Amos.5:4

Yet more confirmation over this matter (of circumcision/humility contrasted with the pride of an uncircumcised heart) was recently revealed in the Spirit. The record indicates that approved men of faith would sometimes rend their garments at the outset of a time set apart for fasting, prayer, and humility. This rending of the garment was _an outward sign_ of what hwhy desires to see _inwardly_ : the rending of one's heart before Him. Elohim spoke of this humility through the prophet Yoel/Joel:

" _12 Yet even now, says_ _hwhy_ _, return you unto Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13_ _ **and rend your heart**_ _ **(**_ _Mkbbl werqw)_ _, and not your garments, and return to_ _hwhy_ _your Elohim; for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in chesed/kindness, and He repents of the evil." ~_ Joel.2:12-13

We will consider more about the phrase " _And rend your heart_ ," momentarily. But first, we review the Hebrew numbers around the word "lwm/mol/circumcise(-d)" are established:

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

**_(pv)_** 31 = **(12)** l **\+ (6)** w **\+ (13)** m = lwm = mol _= circumcise(-d)_

**_(mv)_** 76 = **(30)** l **\+ (6)** w ******\+ (40)** m = lwm = mol _= circumcise(-d)_

========

**_(fv)_** **107**

Presently, we will only consider the _full value (fv)_ of lwm/mol/circumcise(-d): the number 107. In a previous study, we saw how this value of 107 related _Psalm 107_ to _circumcision of heart_ and Book Five, the _Debarim, or Deuteronomy Book_ of _Tehill_ _i_ _m/Psalms_. The Spirit teaches us that an uncircumcised heart is _proud and lifted up_ while a circumcised heart is continually _humbled_ before the Almighty. This is what the apostle Kepha/Peter meant (and to what he referred) when he wrote of _humbling_ ourselves under the mighty Hand of Elohim. And this is what Ya'acov/James referred to when teaching believers to humble themselves in the sight of hwhy. We once more note his usage of _so many fasting-related words_ in these lines of truth:

" _6 And He gives_ _ **greater favor**_ _. Therefore it says, Elohim resists the proud, but gives favor to the_ _ **humble**_ _. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to Elohim. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8_ _ **Draw near**_ _to Elohim, and He will_ _ **draw near**_ 139 _to you._ _**Cleanse hands**_ _, you sinners, and_ _ **purify hearts**_ _, you double-minded. 9 Be_ _ **afflicted**_ _, and_ _ **mourn**_ _, and_ _ **weep**_ _: let your laughter be turned to_ _ **mourning**_ _, and joy to_ _ **heaviness**_ _. 10_ _ **Humble**_ _yourselves in the sight of_ _hwhy_ _, and He will lift you up."_ ~James.4:6-10

Ya'acov was clearly indicating they needed to rend their hearts. That the humility of fasting and prayer are critical to this aspect of True Worship becomes yet more evident when we study the _place value (pv)_ for the phrase " _And rend your heart:_ "

**←** **spaces** **←** **spaces** **←** **spaces** **←**

---

Mkbbl  
**le'bav-kem  
of your hearts** |   
 | werqw  
**v'kir-oo  
And rend you**

Joel.2:12-13

To fuel our awe and amazement before the Most High, this phrase has a _place value (pv)_ of 107—a number identical to the _full value_ of the word "lwm / mol / circumcise:"

**←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**

= Mkbbl werqw

**(pv) 67 = (6)** w \+ **(16)** e + ******(20)** r \+ **(19)** q \+ **(6)** w

(pv) 40 = **(13)** M \+ **(11)** k \+ **(2)** b \+ **(2)** b \+ **(12)** l ****

=========

**_(pv)_** **107**

Once more, Ruach ha'Qodesh shows us of the connection between a _circumcised heart_ and fasting-derived humility. This more clearly reveals what it means to seek hwhy with the whole heart:

_Another of the many spiritual ironies in the Kingdom of Elohim is that brokenness results in wholeness._

So the relationship between fasting, humility, and seeking hwhy with a whole, circumcised heart is only confirmed by this marvelously inspired number connection. Blessed be His Name.

s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

_**Closing Thoughts**_

The Hebrew word "shema/emS " means "hear." In our opening text, this word serves as a call to hear the Eternal Word of hwhy, the Elohim of Yisrael. It is a call to hear and obey the King of Yisrael from a heart of love—not from a lukewarm heart acting out of a sense of mere moral duty, and not from an even colder heart motivated by an outward show of religious display or an arrogant self-exaltation steered by the religious self-supremacy people so often feel due to the punishable pride of denominational idolatry. If eSwhy taught us to uphold the Eternal precepts of the Age-Abiding Torah (and He did), then those who castigate such a life of _loving obedience_ (by calling it "legalism") are setting forth their Messiah as a senseless imposter before all the world. When eSwhy taught us to seek first the Kingdom of Elohim and His righteousness, He was directing us to fulfill _The Shema_ with a reverent life characterized by fasting and prayer. Of course, we cannot fast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but the reverence and humility that we cultivate during those special times of fasting will remain with us as we emerge from our sanctuary of seeking, mourning, and affliction.

The carnal man rejects fasting outright, perhaps due to the unwillingness to suppress the appetite even for relatively brief periods of time. One could rightly expect this from the unconverted. But for sincere believers to outright reject fasting is a concern of significant proportions. There is an ancient saying which pertains to the beginning of a great sojourn; it goes something like this:

_The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step._

Our spiritual sojourn through this life is much like that 1000-mile journey on foot. Once one has placed his or her faith in the Messiah, if that person refuses to seek hwhy by fasting and prayer, then the first major leg of this life-long journey can never be what our Savior has always intended.

To follow the Lamb wherever He goes, we must believe and keep His Teachings. And He clearly teaches His followers the importance of fasting through _The Beatitudes_. The believer who does not fast is much like a light which continually flickers due to a fluctuating power source—perhaps caused by a nearly severed or shorted cord. Such light may be minimally helpful, but it cannot dispel the darkness.

To be sure, fasting is not an end in itself, but it is most certainly a rather significant and necessary beginning—the _beginning_ expression of the deepest reverence which cultivates a lasting, far-reaching faith, expectation, and love towards hwhy El Shaddai. Such seeking is clearly a _required_ beginning in the Mind of hwhy, and we have seen that these times of fasting prepare and cleanse the heart. Thus, those who refuse to seek Him by fasting and prayer simply never get past "square one," so to speak. Their service rendered for the Kingdom of hwhy will be likely be without reward, and their understanding of His Word and ways will likely remain deficient, watered-down, and incomplete.

We are commanded to teach every nation all that the Messiah taught. And since eSwhy clearly indicated a life given to fasting and prayer would _characterize_ His followers after His ascent into the Heavens, we can advocate nothing less.

_As with everything in the realm of obedience, fasting is an act of faith, expectation, and love into which one must grow. And the Spirit will lead and teach all those who desire to obey._

But spiritual growth requires _action_. A mere mental ascent to the goodness of fasting will not bring about spiritual benefit. We pray no one will make the mistake of waiting, only to realize many years from now that you have missed out on so many vital opportunities to serve your Creator and to enter into a greater spiritual progression because you failed to humble yourself before Him during so many special and blessed times of fasting and prayer.

This work has been written in judgment of no one. However, having spoken with believers across the nation and from around the world, I have often encountered the close-minded objections of numerous people who outright reject the truth of fasting. Yet their objections oppose the Word of hwhy and His Messiah. Emerging from the Dark Ages, many men have died in their mission to translate and distribute the Scriptures. For the sake of those reformers, and certainly for the sake of his Messiah, this author feels obligated to make sure every true doctrine, and every upright practice, is not set aside in disuse, or ill-repute, based on unlearned deductions which never came forth from the Mind of hwhy. As we have seen, _fasting often_ was taught by the Messiah and practiced by all of His apostles. t

**  
Craig Peters**

**11/2013-12/23/2013**

_The author of this study is a Messianic writer who ministers the Word of_ _hwhy_ _, in part, through free articles provided to feed the Messiah's sheep worldwide. He believes the Spirit reveals the Hebrew misparim/numbers—as given in the inspired Aleph-Beit—provide us with the Most High's very own Commentary on His Eternal Word._

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_Most of the truths in this study were presented at the 2013 Sukkot gathering for those congregating with the believers of Living Messiah Ministries. While this writing does not exactly mirror the message given at that earlier date, it certainly includes the great majority of those things which were set forth during the blessed and Appointed Time of Sukkot._

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_**PC**_ _**Personal Copyright**_ _**2012-201**_ _ **6**_ , by the author.

_Version 1.07_

_Edited/Reprinted on:_

_1/18/2013, 2/16 /2015, 6/19/2016_

This document may be freely copied and distributed if it is left unaltered and in its entirety. It must also be given away _without cost to recipients_ , and it may not be included in any publication without the author's written permission.

_hwhy_ _El Shaddai will rebuke anyone who copies these truths for republication and/or who subsequently attempts to reproduce and sell them._ _[_ _Isaiah 55:1-2, Micah 3:11, 1Peter 5:2_ _]_

We believe most copyrights have been abused worldwide in religious circles as false shepherds and other merchants feed on the sin of the people. These many abuses have filled the worship house of hwhy with money changers who hinder _True Worship_ by robbing and oppressing the poor. Many have turned reverence and the worship of hwhy into a means of great, personal gain. We assert such things were never meant to be. Hence, this copyright is intended to allow for _free distribution_ of the Word of hwhy with the following, minimal limitations:

• _This document may be copied and distributed (or freely printed in its pdf format after being downloaded from the Internet):_

1. _If it is left unaltered._

2. _If it is left in its entirety._

3. _And if it is given away at absolutely no cost._ Matthew 11:5, Luke 4:19, Galatians 2:10

• _Neither this article, nor any portion of this article, may be included in any publication which is_ _ **sold**_ _._ _This stipulation applies regardless of the nature of the organization or the nature of its sales, meaning: profit or nonprofit. Further, whether an organization's publication is of a religious nature, or otherwise, this stipulation still applies._

• _With the exception of our first stipulation (i.e., the one specified under the first bullet point giving permission to photocopy the work in its entirety), publishing any portion of this work without the author's written permission is strictly prohibited._

t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

For other free publications which are offered to provide encouragement and edification from the Word of hwhy, please refer to the following web links below:

  1. <http://amazon.com/craig.peters> (kindle formats)

  2. <http://archive.org/craig.peters> (pdf, epub, mobi, etc.)

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_**An Excellent Translation of the Scriptures**_

" _ISRV"_ is an acronym which means: " _Institute for Scripture Research Version_." If this acronym has been used in the current document, it is to indicate we have quoted a Scripture text from the translation produced by the Institute for Scripture Research. These believers have published a most helpful, edifying version of the Word of hwhy which is entitled " _The Scriptures._ "

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_**The**_ _ **Aleph-Beit**_ _**Place Value and Misparim Charts**_

(All Charts are Read From Right to Left)

A letter's _place value_ , or what some people call the _ordinal value_ , is simply obtained by finding its numerical _order_ , or _position_ , within the Aleph-Beit. So, from first to last, we have Aleph = 1 while Tav = 22. Below is simple _**Place Value**_ and _**Misparim Chart**_ which readers may wish to print and cut out so they may more readily confirm the calculations in this document as well as finding the MV or PV of any Hebrew word.

**6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←** **6spaces** **←**
_**Misparim Value (MV)**_ |   
 | _**Place Value (PV)**_ |   
 | _**Name**_ |   
 | _**Letter**_

---|---|---|---|---|---|---

1 |   
 | 1 |   
 | Aleph |   
 | a

2 |   
 | 2 |   
 | Beit |   
 | b

3 |   
 | 3 |   
 | Gimel |   
 | g

4 |   
 | 4 |   
 | Dalet |   
 | d

5 |   
 | 5 |   
 | Hey |   
 | h

6 |   
 | 6 |   
 | Waw |   
 | w

7 |   
 | 7 |   
 | Zayin |   
 | z

8 |   
 | 8 |   
 | Chet |   
 | x

9 |   
 | 9 |   
 | Tet |   
 | j

10 |   
 | 10 |   
 | Yod |   
 | y

20 |   
 | 11 |   
 | Caph |   
 | K, k

30 |   
 | 12 |   
 | Lamed |   
 | l

40 |   
 | 13 |   
 | Mem |   
 | M, m

50 |   
 | 14 |   
 | Nun |   
 | N, n

60 |   
 | 15 |   
 | Samech |   
 | o

70 |   
 | 16 |   
 | Ayin |   
 | e

80 |   
 | 17 |   
 | Pey |   
 | P, p

90 |   
 | 18 |   
 | Tzade |   
 | U, u

100 |   
 | 19 |   
 | Kof |   
 | q

200 |   
 | 20 |   
 | Resh |   
 | r

300 |   
 | 21 |   
 | Shin, Seen |   
 | s, S

400 |   
 | 22 |   
 | Tav |   
 | t

 Jewish tradition divides this Commandment into two separate parts: "The Shema" (Deuteronomy 6:4) and the "V'havta" (Deuteronomy 6:5). Since the Messiah made no such division (He taught the entire text embodies the single, greatest commandment), we will refer to both verses as " _The Shema_ " (capitalized and italicized).

 Matthew 5:3-12

 2Corinthians 10:4-5

 2Corinthians 13:5-6

 Romans 2:28-29, Colossians 2:11-12

 Psalm 16:11, Isaiah 26:3, John 15:7-11, 16:23-24

 John 15:4,7

 1Timothy 4:3-5

 Joel 2:15 (for context, see verses 12-18)

 Daniel 10:2-3. _**Note**_ : This was a 21-day fast; it was not a time of drinking water, honey, and lemon juice, as many today teach with no support of Scripture.

 And it is a lack of humility that would even begin to imagine one has fully "studied out" any topic in the Kingdom of יהוהor within His Infinite Word. Job 26:14, Psalm 119:96, Romans 11:33

 Ezekiel 37:15-22

 (i.e., they will not fulfill this word by saying, "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of Adonai." "Adonai" is not a name, it is not a part of the original text, and it does not fulfill the prophecy).
 Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32, Proverbs 30:6, Revelation 22:18-19

 Ezekiel 36:25-27, Romans 2:28-29, 5:5, 2Corinthians 3:3, Philippians 3:3

 Jeremiah 31:31, Romans 2:13/28-29, Hebrews 8:8-12, James 1:22-25, 4:11

 Isaiah 9:7,Matthew 6:9-10, Deuteronomy 4:5-8

 Blessed be His Set Apart and Awesome Name to the Age and beyond.

 All _misparim_ and _place values_ seen in this study may be verified using the _Misparim and Place Value_ charts which appear at the end of the present document.

 Case in point: the previous footnote regarding "Ruach Elohim" and the word "uncircumcised." Both Hebrew words have a _misparim value_ of 300. It is not likely the apostle Sha'ul was unaware of this exact numerical connection. Evidence is that he was well aware of this truth and the resulting implications. For the spiritual implications revealed to Sha'ul by יהוה over the matter are now seen within many of his writings: numerous times he connects circumcision of heart with "Ruach Elohim/the Spirit of Elohim." And the message is clear: _**Ruach Elohim**_ (300) answers to the problem of an _**uncircumcised**_ (300) heart.

 Also see Daniel 10:1-12—a text which shows the prophet's words/prayers were _**heard**_ on high _at the very outset_ of his 21-day fast.

 Deuteronomy 6:4-5

 Mark 12:28-30

 For more details, see the study "Yeshua The Messiah Teaches The Shema—Hear and Obey"

 Romans 3:31

 Readers are invited to confirm all _misparim_ and _place values_ using the charts which appear at the end of this study.

 Romans 4:11-12,16

 Deuteronomy 5:29 shows this has always been the intent of יהוה and many Scriptures prophetic of the New Covenant confirm this: Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Hebrews 8:8-12.

 Matthew 5:17-20, Romans 2:13, 3:31, 1John 5:2-3

 Abraham is the first of 1000 generations prophesied to pass before all that יהוה has spoken within the Torah will finally be fulfilled. Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalm 105:8-12

 Genesis 18:20-33

 Job 2:11-13, 16:15, 33:18-24

 Job 42:5-6
 The author has done this himself. He obtained such ashes by burning wooden sticks in a fire pit. The black, charred wood was then pounded into ashes and/or eaten. Science informs us ashes are an _adsorbent_ —that they pull heavy metals out of the bloodstream as they pass through the digestive tract.

 Genesis 2:7, 3:19, Job 34:15

 Matthew 5:21-30, 10:28, Revelation 14:9-11, 20:10-15

 2Samuel 24:14

 Matthew 8:11-12, Luke 13:28-29

 Genesis 25:7

 Revelation 3:17

 This is the Hebrew text of Esther 4:16.

 Genesis 25:7

 Deuternomy 7:9, Psalm 105:8-11

 1Kings 8:50, Ezra 7:27-28, Nehemiah 1:11-2:8, Daniel 1:9

 ענה/ anah is the root word ofעניani/afflict(-ed).

 Leviticus 16:26,31; 23:27,32, Numbers 29:7

 Mosheh fasted _**forty days**_ the first time (Deuteronomy 9:9,11), with another _**forty days**_ almost immediately afterward. Deuteronomy 9:18, 25, 10:10

 John 1:14, Psalm 45:2

 Matthew 5 - 7

 We will shortly see the word "seek/sought" is also fasting-related.

 Isaiah 58:8

 Tehillim/Psalm 51:16-17

 James 1:21 ("meek/meekness" is a fasting-related word)

 Hoshea 10:12

 Psalm 34:18, James 4:8

 Luke 7:37-48

 2Corinthians 6:4-5, 11:23-27 (actual text in vs. 27)

 1Corinthians 2:3, Acts 20:31

 Lamentations 1:1-22

 Isaiah 61:1-4

 Acts 1:6

 James 1:1

 James 4:1-4

 Psalm 34:18

 Forty days the first time (Deuteronomy 9:9, 11) with another forty days almost immediately afterward: Deuteronomy 9:18, 25, 10:10.

 James 3:13

 Please note, the Word of **יהוה** indicates the meek shall inherit the earth, not heaven (Matthew 5:5): The Kingdom of **Elohim** will descend from heaven to earth and not the other way around.

 Matthew 5:12

 James 1:5

 The reference here is to the "Birkat Kohanim" the "Aaronic Blessing," which puts the Name/Spirit of יהוהupon His people. Numbers 6:22-27

 Compare Jeremiah 29:10 and Daniel 9:2.

 Deuteronomy 4:26-30
 Jeremiah 29:10-14

 Deuteronomy 4:30, 6:4-5

 And we emphasize toward יהוה, but not outwardly toward others. Matthew 6:16-18 However, we should not take this to mean that _corporate fasting_ among a body of believers was ever forbidden by the Messiah (see Acts 13:1-3). For there are many in our days who are not rightly dividing the Word of truth and who readily and erroneously make such baseless assumptions. Because _corporate fasting_ among a body of believers is so powerful, the Adversary works overtime to prevent this.

 The Set Apart Spirit

 James 2:17,20,26

 James 2:18

 Exodus 33:13 - 34:9

 Luke 18:9-12

 Romans 6:19 (even as iniquity will lead, in a downward spiral, to still more iniquity).

 This text further explains Hebrews 6:4-8

 Galatians 6:7-8, James 3:18

 See Luke 10:31-32.

 Colossians 1:18

 Luke 6:5-10, 13:16; Acts 10:38

 Matthew 9:1-7, Luke 5:17-26

 Luke 13:16, John 8:11, 31-32, Hebrews 2:14-18

 Luke 7:11-17, John 11:14-44

 2Timothy 1:10, John 10:10

 Thousands of years later, the Torah made Flesh taught likewise: Matthew 6:23, 20:15, Mark 7:22, Luke 11:34. So this is still the case today. Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33

 See Luke 10:31-32.

 Matthew 6:1-18

 Matthew 5-7

 Matthew 23:25-26

 Tehillim/Psalm 119:21

 See Daniel chapters 9 and 10.

 2Chronicles 12:14, 19:3, Ezra 7:10, Tehillim 57:7, 78:8, Hoshea 10:12

 2Timothy 2:21

 Isaiah 64:8, Jeremiah 18:6

 This is that _**greater favor**_ which Mosheh had sought and found via reverent fasting and prayer: Exodus 33:12-17

 Psalm 34:18

 Malachi 3:6

 Hebrews 6:4-8, 10:26-31, 12:25

 Exodus 33:18-19

 To read more about this yoke, see the study,"Yeshua Teaches The Yoke of the Kingdom

 Romans 3:31

 Hebrew for "Anointed One" of יהוה

 John 5:30, 14:31

 2Peter 3:18

 The Spirit of יהוה

 Proverbs 4:18

 Isaiah 58:4

 Psalm 119:102, 171

 Psalm 119:105

 Proverbs 4:18

 2Peter 3:18

 John 1:1-5, 14

 John 17:26

 Isaiah 60:1-3

 Isaiah 8:16-17, 45:15

 Matthew 5:17-20

 Thus, Kepha/Peter wrote of fasting, " _ **Humble yourselves**_ under the mighty Hand of Elohim." 1Peter 5:6

 Hebrews 2:3

 Exodus 6:3

 (translated "my soul")

 (in the Talmud and Midrash)

 For so is it used in the Tanak as well as within its first occurrence in the Renewed Covenant Scriptures (see Revelation 19:1-2).

 Matthew 6:33, Romans 4:17

 2Chronicles 7:14, Luke 18:7-8

 Colossians 2:9-15, Romans 2:28-29

 Romans 2:25, Jeremiah 9:25-26

 Revelation 3:16-17, Amos 6:1, Tehillim/Psalm 10:4

 The present document was first written around 12/2013; the newer revelation (here mentioned) came around 1/20/2015 and was first seen in the study, " _ **The Shabbat and the Return to the Land of Israel**_."

 Genesis 37:34, Joshua 7:5-7, 2Samuel 13:30, and many others.

 Psalm 51:6

 See the study referenced in footnote 75.

 1Peter 5:6

 Psalm 34:18

 The Set Apart Spirit

 Matthew 5:17-20

 Romans 8:7-8, Philippians 3:19

 Revelation 14:1-4

 Deuteronomy 18:15-19, Matthew 17:5, John 14:23

 Hebrews 12:25

 Revelation 3:1-2, John 15:5

 Matthew 9:14-15

 Zechariah 7:10

 Micah 3:11, 1Timothy 6:5-10, 1Peter 5:2

 Isaiah 55:1,2, Mark 11:15-17

