1Corinthians 10:1-4
For, brothers, I don’t want you to miss the significance of what happened to our fathers. All of them were guided by the pillar of cloud, and they all passed through the sea, and in connection with the cloud and with the sea they all immersed themselves into Moshe, also they all ate the same food from the Spirit, and they all drank the same drink from the Spirit — for they drank from a Spirit-sent Rock which followed them, and that Rock was the Messiah.
Contrary to the traditions of the church, what Rav Shaul is saying is that the glimpse of Messiah and Ruach Elohim was seen and experienced even during the days of Moshe. Here, he says, though, that all (who fled Mitzrayim) were immersed (tevilah) into Moshe.
After they had seen the wonders, great judgements of Hashem, and having lives spared through the Pesach sacrifice, were expelled out of Egypt with favor of material possessions, and were once again to be challenged by their enraged oppressors.
Exo. 14:13
Moshe answered the people, “Stop being so fearful! Remain steady, and you will see (Yeshuat Adonai ) Salvation of the Lord. He will do it today — today you have seen the Egyptians, but you will never see them again!
(14:15-16)…Adonai asked Moshe, “Why are you crying to me? Tell the people of Isra’el to go forward! Lift your staff, reach out with your hand over the sea, and divide it in two. The people of Isra’el will advance into the sea on dry ground.
(14:27-29)…Moshe reached his hand out over the sea, and by dawn the sea had returned to its former depth. The Egyptians tried to flee, but Adonai swept them into the sea. The water came back and covered all the chariots and cavalry of Pharaoh’s army who had followed them into the sea — not even one of them was left. But the people of Isra’el walked on dry ground in the sea, with the water walled up for them on their right and on their left.
(14:15-16)…Adonai asked Moshe, “Why are you crying to me? Tell the people of Isra’el to go forward! Lift your staff, reach out with your hand over the sea, and divide it in two. The people of Isra’el will advance into the sea on dry ground.
(14:27-29)…Moshe reached his hand out over the sea, and by dawn the sea had returned to its former depth. The Egyptians tried to flee, but Adonai swept them into the sea. The water came back and covered all the chariots and cavalry of Pharaoh’s army who had followed them into the sea — not even one of them was left. But the people of Isra’el walked on dry ground in the sea, with the water walled up for them on their right and on their left.
Rav Shaul says that B’nei Israel were immersed (tevilah/mikveh) into Moshe.
Tevilah is the Biblical act of immersing oneself in a natural water source. In ancient times a stream or river was used, but in modern times a specially constructed pool called a mikveh is normally used. Today, the terms are used somewhat interchangeably, with mikveh emerging as the more familiar term. As believers in Messiah Yeshua the term baptism plays a significant part of our walk with our Messiah. How can the tevilah and mikveh become important concepts in our lives today? Let’s take a look at the significance of the tevilah and mikveh and discover symbolism that is available to us as Grafted-In believers.
Maimonides (R. Avraham ben moshe ben maimon) finds symbolic significance in tevilah:
Tevilah is the Biblical act of immersing oneself in a natural water source. In ancient times a stream or river was used, but in modern times a specially constructed pool called a mikveh is normally used. Today, the terms are used somewhat interchangeably, with mikveh emerging as the more familiar term. As believers in Messiah Yeshua the term baptism plays a significant part of our walk with our Messiah. How can the tevilah and mikveh become important concepts in our lives today? Let’s take a look at the significance of the tevilah and mikveh and discover symbolism that is available to us as Grafted-In believers.
Maimonides (R. Avraham ben moshe ben maimon) finds symbolic significance in tevilah:
“The person who directs his heart to purify his soul from spiritual impurities, such as iniquitous thoughts and evil notions, becomes clean as soon as he determines in his heart to keep apart from these courses, and bathes his soul in the water of pure knowledge.”
In the Aramaic translation of the Tanakh, Targum Yonatan (parshat bo), it states:
“And Mosheh called all the elders of Israel, and said to them, Withdraw your hands from the idols of the Mizraee, and take to you from the offspring of the flock, according to your houses, and kill the paschal lamb And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the earthen vessel, and upon the upper bar without and upon the two posts you shall sprinkle of the blood which is in the earthen vessel, and not a man of you must come forth from the door of his hour till the morning.” (in effect preaching teshuva)
In like or similar manner we see Yochanan the immerser. So when Yochanan the Immerser (John the Baptist) was down along the river of Jordan and there were multitudes that came down to him (it wasn’t unusual that so many of those Judeans had come out of Yerushalayim and Judea).
The book of Yochanan states,
On the next day, he saw Yeshua coming to him, and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘ Behind me comes one who has passed ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but for this reason I came immersing in water: that he would be revealed to Yisra’el.” Yohanan testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. I did not recognize him, but he who sent me to immerse in water, he said to me, ‘On whoever you will see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who immerses in the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” (Yohanan 1:29-34, Online Kitvei Talmidei HaMashiach)
We need to get the picture, almost 2,000 years ago, of Yochanan the Immerser, along the river of Jordan, a prophet, one who came in the spirit of Elijah. He was down along the hot desert area of the Jordan. The people that responded to the call were down along the river of Jordan because they knew the prophecies, saw the signs of the time, and recognized there was going to be a Messiah (and that he should come at that time).
However, why was Yochanan immersing? It was not a mikveh for a woman at her monthly cycle. It was not for a man with a skin disease or a running sore. It was not for the high priest at Yom Kippur. In fact it was for something different and special. It was a tevilah for repentance! It was fulfilling the words of the prophet,
However, why was Yochanan immersing? It was not a mikveh for a woman at her monthly cycle. It was not for a man with a skin disease or a running sore. It was not for the high priest at Yom Kippur. In fact it was for something different and special. It was a tevilah for repentance! It was fulfilling the words of the prophet,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'”
This was a mikveh/tevilah for repentance.
According to history, in the first century, there were many men who were prophesying and many of those claimed to be the Messiah. Many prophets rose up talking about the coming of Messiah. When Yochanan was immersing, he said,
“The reason I came is that the Messiah might be revealed to Isra’el.”
Even though the Messiah was before all the people who were there, and these were sincere people, honest people who were looking for Messiah, they still didn’t see or recognize him.
Then Yochanan gave this testimony,
According to history, in the first century, there were many men who were prophesying and many of those claimed to be the Messiah. Many prophets rose up talking about the coming of Messiah. When Yochanan was immersing, he said,
“The reason I came is that the Messiah might be revealed to Isra’el.”
Even though the Messiah was before all the people who were there, and these were sincere people, honest people who were looking for Messiah, they still didn’t see or recognize him.
Then Yochanan gave this testimony,
“I saw the spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I would not have known him except that the one who sent me to immerse with water told me the man on whom you see the Spirit (Ruach) come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh). I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”
Yochanan was testifying and telling that this was the Son of God, this was Yeshua, the Emmanuel (God with us).
Much later, continuing with the theme Tevilah/Mikveh of water, Yeshua reveals
“You must be born again.”
And Nakdimon questioned him. Yeshua replied,
“I tell you the truth — no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
Something has to really happen to a person to see what God is doing. It takes something on the inside to change a person’s life, to want to live a life that’s holy and pure and righteous and reject the world. In the book of Hebrews, it says that Moses “chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.” He made a choice to follow in the righteous way that God showed him to lead the people, and we also have to walk in the righteous way God shows us.
“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nakdimon asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born.” Yeshua answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the spirit.”
Actually going into the water (tevilah) does not give you birth. But what happens, is something takes place before you go into the water. It’s an outward manifestation of something that has taken place in your life. Repentance must take place and an acknowledgement that you need God and are a sinner must be realized. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.
“Flesh gives birth to flesh, and spirit gives birth to spirit.”
Part of receiving the Spirit of the Lord (Ruach HaKodesh) into your life comes with repentance, acknowledging our sins, changing our ways, and beginning to walk in the ways of righteousness.
In contrast, sin is an act or deed against God and His Torah, (1) by failure, (2) the breaking of a covenant with God or fellow man, or (3) being crooked by cheating, swindling, dishonesty or being a deceiver in general.
For these transgressions we must repent. The same Encyclopedia Judaica describes repentance as such:
“Flesh gives birth to flesh, and spirit gives birth to spirit.”
Part of receiving the Spirit of the Lord (Ruach HaKodesh) into your life comes with repentance, acknowledging our sins, changing our ways, and beginning to walk in the ways of righteousness.
In contrast, sin is an act or deed against God and His Torah, (1) by failure, (2) the breaking of a covenant with God or fellow man, or (3) being crooked by cheating, swindling, dishonesty or being a deceiver in general.
For these transgressions we must repent. The same Encyclopedia Judaica describes repentance as such:
“Repentance is a prerequisite for divine forgiveness: God will not pardon man unconditionally but waits for him to repent. In repentance, man must experience genuine remorse for the wrong he has committed and then convert his penitential energy into concrete acts. Two sub-stages are discernable in the latter process: first the negative one of ceasing to do evil and then the second, the positive step of doing good. It is a call to return to God, or “t’shuvah” (to return).
The motion of turning (or returning) implies that sin is not an ineradicable stain but a straying from the path, and that by the effort of turning, (a power God has given to all men) the sinner can redirect his (or her) destiny.”
This is all a part of being born again: Changing our sinful ways and turning or returning to a righteous God with righteous deeds. First we must acknowledge our sins and second, repent and turn from our evil ways and deeds. After that, going though the mikveh or water of separates us from our past. Only then is new birth or rebirth evident by our deeds and actions.
When does tevilah take place?
When a Jew goes into the mikveh tank he or she is symbolically starting afresh, hence the parable used by Yeshua as he conversed with Nak’dimon (Nicodemus). The symbolism is surprisingly similar to being baptized when a convert entered the mikvah, the water itself was referred to as the womb of the world and as the convert came out of the water, it was considered a new birth, seperating him from the pagan world.
Going back to the words of Rav Shaul, there is an analogy that he’s hinting to. According to biblical and rabbinic teaching Messiah is to be like Moses. In this regard it is written in the Midrash(B.Talmud tractate Zevachim 101a) that:
This is all a part of being born again: Changing our sinful ways and turning or returning to a righteous God with righteous deeds. First we must acknowledge our sins and second, repent and turn from our evil ways and deeds. After that, going though the mikveh or water of separates us from our past. Only then is new birth or rebirth evident by our deeds and actions.
When does tevilah take place?
When a Jew goes into the mikveh tank he or she is symbolically starting afresh, hence the parable used by Yeshua as he conversed with Nak’dimon (Nicodemus). The symbolism is surprisingly similar to being baptized when a convert entered the mikvah, the water itself was referred to as the womb of the world and as the convert came out of the water, it was considered a new birth, seperating him from the pagan world.
Going back to the words of Rav Shaul, there is an analogy that he’s hinting to. According to biblical and rabbinic teaching Messiah is to be like Moses. In this regard it is written in the Midrash(B.Talmud tractate Zevachim 101a) that:
As it was with the first Redeemer so will it be with the Last Redeemer.
The first redeemer is Moshe. Just as they were immersed in the mission and guidance of G-d through Moshe with all the children of Israel at one time, so did (and is ) G-d immersing those who have, are and will cross over from bondage of sin and death to righteousness and fullness of Life in Mashiach Yeshua. A spiritual renewal, rebirth.
For those who have wandered off…
The Great King of Isra’el, Dah-vid HaMelekh, cried to God for mercy and said,
“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;… Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, 0 God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
For those who have wandered off…
The Great King of Isra’el, Dah-vid HaMelekh, cried to God for mercy and said,
“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;… Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, 0 God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”