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Field of Dust Field of Blood by Fran Regan
10/29/2010
“And Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.
And Sarah died in Qiryath Arba,(7153 to 704, 702 – city of the four giants) that is Hebron, in the land of Kena’an, and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.” (Genesis 23:1-2) “Then Abraham rose up (6965 – accomplish, be clearer, confirm, continue, help to lift up again, establish, strength, make to stand, rise [This is the same word used in Genesis 9:9 for Yah ‘establishing’ His Covenant with Noah after the flood.]) from beside his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, (2845 – cheth – tav, chet - terror = ‘sons of terror’) saying, ‘I am a foreigner (8453 – a dweller as distinguished from a native citizen) and a sojourner (1616 to 1481 – sojourn as a guest, to shrink in fear as in a strange place) among you. Give me property for a site among you, so that I bury my dead from my presence.’ (Genesis 23:3-4) “By belief, he (Abraham) sojourned in the land of promise as a stranger, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise, for he was looking for the city having foundations, whose builder and maker is Elohim. In belief all these died, not having received the promises, but seeing them from a distance, welcomed and embraced them, and confessed that they were aliens and strangers on the earth.” (Hebrews 11:9-10,13) “Then Abraham rose up (6965) from beside his dead”… Genesis 23:3 “And I, see, I establish (6965) My covenant with you and with your seed after you…” Genesis 9:9 Sarah, as a picture of Israel, in her death prophesied the exile (darkness of the cave) of Israel into the world (field of Ephron). Even in our exile, the Father secures a place for us at a great price bringing to mind His redemption and everlasting Covenant. “And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, “Hear us, my master: You are a prince (5387 – nasiy – alef, yud, shin, nun from 5375 – alef, shin, nun – an exalted one - to lift, arise, able to bear, bring forth) of Elohim among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us withholds from you his burial site, from burying your dead.” (Genesis 23:5-6) “So Abraham rose and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your desire that I bury my dead from my presence, hear me, and approach Ephron (6085 from 6081, a var. of 6082 – from 6080 – aphar, resh, pey, ayin – to pulverize, used only as a demon. from 6083 - to be dust – dust, as powered or gray: hence, clay, earth, mud: ashes, dust, earth ground, morter, powder, rubbish.) son of Tsohar (6714 – same as 6713 – whiteness, to dazzle, comp. 3328 – he will shine) for me, And let me have the cave (4631 – a cavern, as dark, from 5783 – to be bare, be made naked) of Makpelah (4395 – fem of 4392 from 4390 – something fulfilled, i.e., abundance (of produce): first of ripe, fruit, fullness, accomplish, confirm, consecrate, be at an end, overflow, fullness, gather together) which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me for the complete amount of silver, as property for a burial site among you.” (Genesis 23:7-9) (He accomplished it all/paid the whole price Himself.) “And Ephron dwelt among the sons of Heth. And Ephron the Hitttite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth, all who entered at the gate of his city, saying, “No, my master, listen to me! I shall give you the field and the cave that is in it. I shall give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people. I shall give it to you. Bury your dead!” (Genesis 23:10-11) “And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land, and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, ‘If only you would hear me. I shall give the amount of silver for the field, [Matthew 13:38 - “The field is the world.” – Whatever it takes, I (Yah) will give it] take it from me, and let me bury my dead there.” “And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, ‘My master, listen to me! The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.’ And Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out the silver (redemption) for Ephron (dust or world) which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred (the numerical value of the ‘Tav’, which is the Covenant) shekels of silver, currency of the merchants. (Genesis 23:12-16) Where else does a field come to mind, for which silver was paid? “Then Judas - he who delivered Him up – having seen that He had been condemned, repented, returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and to the elders, saying, “I have sinned in delivering up innocent blood.” And they said, ‘What is that to us? You see to it!’ And throwing down the pieces of silver in the Dwelling Place he left, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not right to put them into the treasury, seeing they are the price of blood.” So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field, for the burial of strangers. [What did Abraham call himself? Why was he buying the property?] Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood, until today.” (Matthew 27: 3-8) Abraham called himself a stranger and a sojourner. We are his seed. A ‘Field of Dust’ (or clay or earth) and a ‘Field of Blood’, both bought with silver, symbolizing redemption: For the field of dust – 400 shequels of silver 400 is the number of the Tav, which is the covenant, the mark, sign, seal, crossed (2) sticks – which it took for the redemption of man (who is but dust) or the world. [“For He knows how we are made; He remembers that we are dust.” Psalms 103:14] For the field of blood - 30 shequels of silver. Thirty is the numerical value of the lamed. The lamed is represented by a staff, teaching or learning, or to lead. Y’shua is our Rabbi, our Teacher, our Leader. “Everyone, then, who has heard from the Father, and learned, comes to Me.” John 6: 45b The numerical value of the shekels added together, equals 430. Could there be meaning to this number and Exodus 12:40, 41, “And the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was 430 years. And it came to be at the end of the 430 years, on that same day, it came to be that all the divisions of Yah went out from the land of Egypt”? The Field of Dust and the Field of Blood added together equal the Covenant of Yah, deliverance from bondage to sin and end of the exile, bringing us into the promises. His blood was poured out into the dust of the earth. It is His blood and His alone that makes atonement for mankind (earthern vessels). He alone paid the full price. Both fields were for ‘strangers’. Who did Y’shua come for? The lost sheep of the House of Israel are called ‘strangers and sojourners’(1 Peter 1:1). It is His blood, poured out on our earthen vessels (the dust of the earth) that brings atonement. Y’shua called Himself the ‘Bread of Life’ (John 6:48). Bread comes from the earth (Son of Adam – Yah taking on the form of a man.) Bread also comes from heaven. (“I am the living Bread which came down out of heaven.’” John 6:51) “For let this mind be in you which was also in Messiah Y’shua, who, being in the form of Elohim, did not regard equality with Elohim a matter to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and came to be in the likeness of men. And having been found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, death even of a stake. Elohim therefore, has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name,…” Philippians 2:5-9 “looking to the Princely Leader and Perfecter of our belief, Y’shua, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the stake, having despised the shame (cave, darkness, nakedness) and sat down at the right hand of the throne of Elohim” (Makpelah, as first of the fruit) Hebrews 12:2 Life is in the blood. It is by His blood we are redeemed or given new life. We are told not to eat blood for the life is in the blood. (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17: 10-14) Leviticus 17:10-14 “And any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among you, who eats any blood, I shall set My face against that being who eats blood, and shall cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your lives, for it is the blood that makes atonement for the life.’ Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘No being among you eats blood, nor does any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood.’ And any man from the children of Israel, or from the strangers who sojourn among you, who hunts and catches any beast or bird, which is eaten, shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust, For it is the life of all flesh. Its blood is for its life. And I said to the children of Israel, ‘Do not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Anyone eating it is cut off.’” Y’shua, however, tells us in John 6:54 - 56, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood possesses everlasting life, (His life is in His blood) and I shall raise him up in the last day. For My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood stays in Me and I in him.” We cannot create life and therefore have no right to partake of (take) the life of another – EXCEPT of Y’shua’s life, which if we do not partake, we will surely die. It is His blood that makes atonement for us; that was poured out for us, that gives life to us. “Thus the field of Ephron which was in Makpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. And after this Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Makpelah, before Mamre, that is Hebron, in the land of Ken’an. Thus the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property fore a burial site.” Genesis (23:17-20) Field of Ephron: pulverized, powder, dust, earth – symbolizes the world - Y’shua came into the world and took on the form of a man, who is but dust and was ‘crushed’ {pulverized?} beyond recognition for us. Through His redemption (silver – bought and accomplished at 1st Advent), the world (field of Ephron and all that is in it – even if now full of death and suffering) belongs to Yah. In this field was the cave of Makpelah: Cave: darkness {death}- the world was full of darkness and desolation; we were naked, (Genesis 3:7, 10-11) having lost our covering before Yah. Y’shua also, as a man, was humiliated in His death on the Cross. (He was crucified naked.) Darkness covered the earth. But from this cave, Makpelah is first of the fruit (conquering death and darkness), something fulfilled, confirmed, at an end – also meaning to gather together. From His death came life. He, as the second Adam, was a new beginning for all who would ‘eat His flesh and drink His blood’. He came to gather together the lost sheep; to put an end to the exile and alienation; to bring us out of darkness into light. His blood from His earthern state was the atonement for our earthern state. “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles – the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and upon those who sat in the land and shadow of death, light arose to them.” Matthew 4:15-16 In this story of Sarah’s death (representing Israel) and Abraham securing a burial place for her, we see shadows of the coming Messiah, His mission and our redemption. Who He was: ‘first of the first fruits’ (Makpelah) who took on the form of man (dust) (Ephron, son of Tsohar) who came from the Father of Lights (James 1:17, rep. by Tsohar’ – He is shining). What His mission was: to bring to an end, bring to completion, the darkness (death, [cave]) that encompasses us, bringing life to Israel by regathering (Makpelah) the two sticks (Tav – crossed sticks/two houses into one [Ezekiel 37]) and bringing an end to the exile by His work of redemption (400 sheqels of silver). He and He alone accomplished the Covenant He made with us (as He did with Abraham), while we slept. “But Elohim proves His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners (in darkness, asleep) Messiah died for us. Romans 5:8 It is time now that we: “Arise, shine, for your light has come! And the esteem of Yah has risen upon you. For look, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness the peoples, (cave/crucifixtion). But Yah arises over you, and His esteem is seen upon you. (silver = redemption) And the gentiles shall come to your light, and sovereigns to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around and see: all of them have gathered, (Makpelah) they have come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are supported on the side.” Isaiah 60: 1-4 (End of the Exile – completion, to be at an end) “And you shall know that I, Yah, your Savior and your Redeemer, am the Elohim of Jacob.” Isaiah 60:16b “No longer does your sun go down, nor your moon withdraw itself, (darkness) for Yah shall be your everlasting light, (Tsohar) and the days of your mourning shall be ended. (death) And your people, all of them righteous, (Abraham’s seed) shall inherit the earth forever (the promise, the covenant) – a branch of My planting, a work of My hands, to be adorned.” Isaiah 60:20-21 The theme of the Covenant (the Tav from the numerical value of 400 shekels) and redemption (silver) is carried on in Chapter 24, with the choosing of a bride for Isaac. “And the servant took ten of his master’s camels and left, for all his master’s good gifts were in his hand.” Genesis 24:10a “And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a fountain of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. And he said, “Yah, Elohim of my master Abraham, please cause her to meet before me this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing here by the fountain of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. And now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar to let me drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink and let me water your camels too,’ let her be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And let me know by this that You have shown kindness to my master.” Genesis 24:11-14 [Fountain of Water: Genesis 24: 11, 13, 16, 30, 42, 43, 45 – mentioned 7 times] Camel – 1581 gamal – lamed, mem, nun from 1580 in the sense of labor – 1580 – to treat a person well, i.e. benefit or requite bestow on, deal bountifully, do good, recompense, reward, yield Ten – 6235, to 6237, ident with 6238 eser, – resh, shin, ayin, - - to accumulate, to cause to grow or make rich Fountain or well – 875 – resh, alef, beit – from 874: a pit; a well, to dig, by anal. to engrave, to explain, declare, make plain “at evening time” [just before the beginning of a new day? – around 6:00 p.m.] “And the servant took ten of his master’s camels and left, for all his master’s good gifts were in his hand…” Genesis 24:10 “All that the Father has is mine. John 16:15a “And He who sent Me is with Me…… for I always do what pleases Him.” John 8:28b, 29b “And [the servant] said to them, ‘Do not delay me, since Yah has prospered my way. Let me go so that I go to my master.” Genesis 24:56 “Y’shua, knowing that the Father had given all into His hands, and that He had come from Elohim and was going to Elohim,..” John 13:3 All his master’s good gifts were carried on the 10 camels. All of Elohim’s good gifts (Covenant) are summed up in the 10 Words. Our true treasures are contained in the Words of Elohim. From It, we treat each other well; we are benefited (given life); dealt bountifully with (“I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10); and are recompensed and rewarded for our love for and obedience to. Y’shua used this same setting years later to proclaim His mission, in gathering the bride. “And Jacob’s fountain was there. So Y’shua, being wearied from the journey, was sitting thus at the fountain. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Shomeron came to draw water. Y’Shua said to her, “Give Me to drink.” The woman of Shomeron therefore said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Yehudite, ask a drink from me a woman of Shomeron?” For Yehudim do not associate with Shomeronites. Y’shua answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of Elohim, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me to drink’, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” John 4:6-7, 9-10 “And Y’shua answered and said to her, ‘Everyone drinking of this water shall thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water I give him shall certainly never thirst. And the water that I give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13-14 “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone guards My Word he shall never see death at all.” John 8:51 “And I know that His command is everlasting life.” John 12:50 [gift of Elohim = living water = life = His Word/Covenant] “And on the last day, the great day of the festival, Y’shua stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me, and let him who believes in Me drink. As the Scripture said, out of His innermost shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-38 …out of him shall flow the Words of Yah to life everlasting….. Just as the servant represented Abraham and all his goods to Rebecca’s family; Y’shua represents The Father and IS the goods (covenant) to the lost sheep of Israel or family members still out in the world. The Fountain of Living Water is His Words, His Spirit within us, springing up into everlasting life. Rebecca recognized and honored the Ten Commandments (Words) shown by watering the camels. This is the test Yah gives us too. Will we water the camels? Will we keep/guard His Words or Commandments? This is a test of the Bride of Messiah today. It is not just a cerebral belief but a doing of the Word. (James 1:22; 2:14) Rebecca didn’t just say she believed the camels needed water and then left it at that, she actually watered them. “He who possesses My commands (camels) and guards them, (waters them) it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father and I shall love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21 “Y’shua answered him, “If anyone loves Me, he shall guard My Word. And My Father shall love him, and We shall come to him and make Our stay with him.” John 14:23 “So they called Rebecca and said to her, “Are you going with this man?” And she said, “I shall go.” Genesis 24:58 The servant was sent by Abraham and represented him and all that he had in coming for the bride of his son. Y’shua was sent by the Father and represented Him and all that He had in coming for His bride. There were certain qualifications/characteristics the bride HAD to have. There were certain tests she HAD to pass. Is Yah discriminating? Yes. She had to not only give water to Abraham’s servant (acknowledge belief in Messiah) but she also had to water his camels (keep His Commandments). Water is a daily need with us. Not to have it daily would negatively affect the functioning of our bodies. Just so, not to have the water of the Word, not to guard His Commands on a DAILY basis, negatively affects the functioning of His body, His assembly. Water is necessary for our survival – so are His Words, His Covenant. We can no more live without the Words of Elohim than we can live without water. We must have the fountain of living water (His Words/His Spirit) flowing from within, engraved upon our hearts, bubbling up into life everlasting. Will you water the camels? It’s not easy. They drink a lot. Do you have the endurance? [Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit, said Yah of hosts. Zechariah 4:6] Will you be chosen as the bride of Y’shua?
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