Shabbat Shalom Fellow Believers,

Praise Yahuah for this first Sabbath in the Rosh Hashanah (New Year) to worship Him in one accord.  Whether you are alone in your new beliefs or able to share the coming Feast Days with friends or family, be encouraged that Yahuah sees and hears you and includes you with all those worshiping.

The very best preparation for the coming Passover that will occur next week on the Gregorian Thursday, May 5, with the Feast of Unleavened Bread commencing on Friday, May 6, is to re-read the stories in the Torah in Shemot (Exodus) 12.  Then follow that up with the story of the Lamb of Yahuah, who takes away the sins of the world in the Brit Hadasha, MatithYAHU (Matthew) 26, 27, and 28.  Don’t feel as though you must wait until next week, but begin today filling your mind with the final events of our Messiah’s Redemption story upon earth.  Think of it as preparing the garden soil for planting. 

The Purpose of Hyssop

by Barbara Lardinais (some terms changed)

Hyssop is a common herb which grew in Scripture times and still grows extensively today in many varieties all over the world. It’s possible you have seen it in a garden near you. Common varieties grow to about two feet tall and spread about a foot. It has beautiful purple blue flowers and a strong mint smell. If you have ever seen or grown catmint, hyssop looks somewhat similar.

In “the old days” – before grocery store shelves were lined with cleaning products for every conceivable need, people used nature’s products. Hyssop was readily available, especially in the Middle East. Because it had detergent properties, it was widely used to clean sacred places such as the temple.

Here are some times it was used in the Scriptures:

• A bunch of hyssop was used to dip in the basin of blood of the Passover lamb to apply to the lintel and doorpost before the Israelites left Egypt. (Exodus 12:22) Since hyssop has strong woody stalks it could stand up to being shaken.
• Cleansing ceremony for a leper in Leviticus 14:1-8. Again, hyssop was the dipping agent into blood of a bird and used to sprinkle over the unclean person.
• In John 19:29, it was used at the crucifixion of our Messiah. “Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.”

Psalms 51:7 says, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” This was a plea from King David to Yahuah for forgiveness. He had sinned with Bathsheba and had been called to account for it by Nathan the prophet.

David is asking for deep heart cleansing and uses hyssop to symbolize that, since it is a common cleaning agent. It is interesting that when he says “wash me,” he is talking about the way clothes were washed in his time, with beating and pounding. He is so deeply sorry; he wants more than a quick wash-up. He wants the very desire for sin to be washed out of him. Do we ever feel repentant over our own sin?  ◊

The hyssop is then a symbol of the work of YAHUSHA, our Messiah, who through His shed blood, purges our hearts, leading us to confession that we may be clean. Only His washing can make us whiter than snow.

PRAISE YAHUSHA!

If you are new to this site or if you have not yet had a chance to read the several articles covering varying aspects of Passover, I encourage you to do so as well. Enter Here.

SONG:  This is Amazing Grace ~ Lauren Daigle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRmdoJWxrPw&list=PL4QXN2CVPii7zbX3SmNkyaZcomT2Jj1-8&index=13

SONG:  Once And For All ~ Lauren Daigle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oaRYLEIeis&index=5&list=PL4QXN2CVPii7zbX3SmNkyaZcomT2Jj1-8

Barak ha shem Yahusha ha Mashiach! (Bless the name of Yahusha the Messiah!)

Kerrie French
The Creators Calendar