Tetsaveh 20-1

...and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.

Ex. 28:12 NIV

What are the stones on the shoulder pieces for?

The high priest on earth is a shadow of the heavenly High Priest. All that Moshe had to do in the earthly tabernacle was a copy of what he had seen in heaven. This shows us that Moshe saw the Heavenly High Priest.

We have to take into account that time in heaven isn't as time on earth. So, in spite of Yeshua's not having been born yet, nor died, nor risen, nor glorified, nor set in his eternal heavenly ministry in the order of Malki-Tsedek, Moshe saw him. What he saw was the Messiah's future ministry in the heavenly temple.

Now, we live in the time after the first manifestation of the Messiah, when he came as the suffering servant. After his resurrection he was lifted up, glorified, vested and appointed as High Priest in heavenly service.

So, if we study the garments of the earthly high priest we are able to know what kind garment Yeshua is wearing in heaven right now. On each shoulder, he has an onyx stone. The names of six sons of Israel are on one of the stones and the other six on the other one. The purpose of these stones is to bear the names of the twelve tribes in memory before the Eternal, so He remembers each one of them and their descendants.

This teaches us that when Yeshua is serving day and night in the heavenly temple as High Priest, he is mentioning before the Almighty all the descendants of the sons of Israel alive in the world and probably also the dead, who are waiting for the resurrection. Yeshua has been interceding for the restoration of the twelve tribes for almost 2000 years. Do you think his prayer will be heard?

When the sons of Israel cried out for 400 years there was a really mighty answer from heaven, with the deliverance from Egypt's bondage and all those miracles and wonders. How will the answer of Yeshua be, who has been praying five times more than they did with a totally pure and righteous soul from his heavenly position?

How will the restoration of the twelve tribes be? The prophet gives us the answer as it is written in Isaiah 49:5-6:

"And now the LORD says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him-- for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength--.he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."" (ESV)

And in Zechariah 10:6 it is written:

"I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.² (ESV)

The heavenly High Priest's prayer will be heard in a powerful way. The twelve tribes will be remembered before the Eternal. And not only that, but salvation will reach the ends of the earth with the tribes' restoration. The world will see such powerful things that if they were narrated today nobody would believe them. Heavenly Malki-Tsedek's prayer will be heard! The names on his shoulders will be remembered and restored and then the world will be born again.

Blessed be the Eternal for His great plans! And blessed be the Eternal for having risen Yeshua as the heavenly High Priest! Blessed be Yeshua for having been faithful to bear the burden and the memory of the sons of Israel before the Eternal for almost 2000 years! Worthy is Yeshua, the anointed High Priest, of receiving honour, glory, power and praise for his priesthood!

Shavua tov ­ good week,

Ketriel