From: Ephraim Frank (shevet@netvision.net.il)
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: The Cycle of Recovery

NOTE FROM EDDIE

In I Corinthians 10:1-4, we are told to NOT BE IGNORANT that
ALL our fathers were "under the cloud, and all passed through the
sea". The comes from the Hebraic concept in Deuteronomy 29:12-15 that
BOTH the present and FUTURE generations were STANDING at MT SINAI.

In other words, WE (as believers in Messiah) are COMMANDED to
NOT BE IGNORANT that WE were at Mount Sinai. Since this is so, WE AND
our ANCESTORS BROKE the covenant made at Mount Sinai. One of the
harshest punishments for breaking the covenant was EXILE.

However, upon repenting, the EXILE would turn into REDEMPTION.
The Redemption is a return BACK to the LAND OF ISRAEL.

The fulfillment of this promise at the dawn of the Messianic Era
is found in Ezekiel 37:15-28.

Because we are living in the FINAL generation (before Messiah
setting His feet upon the Mount of Olives), we are told by the
prophets that this FINAL generation will RETURN to the land of Israel
(REDEMPTION) from the punishment for departing from Torah (which is
EXILE).

In CONCEPT:

EXILE = DIVORCE
EXILE = NAKEDNESS

REDEMPTION comes from REPENTENCE for the SIN which caused the
EXILE (we embrace Torah and our Hebraic Heritage).

REPENTENCE from our sins brings the ATONEMENT for our sins.

Because we ARE living in the FINAL generation, we are living in
the GENERATION which WILL see the "restoration and regathering of BOTH
houses of Israel". For this reason, it is IMPORTANT to understand the
CONCEPTS in this article because it pertains to YOU.

END OF NOTE

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FROM EXILE TO REDEMPTION

This article, that has been written a number of years ago,
touches upon the
meaning and significance of "Gilgal".

THE CYCLE OF RECOVERY - from Gola (Diaspora/Exile) to Ge'ula
(Redemption)

"Surely the Lord God does nothing until He reveals His secret counsel
to His servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).

Many times the key to unlock the "secret counsel" of God is but a
single word. One such word is to be found in the above verse, from the
book of Amos. The root for to "reveal," in Hebrew, is "galo." Various
verbs stem from this three-letter root (g.l.h.), among them are: to
remove, display, reveal, disclose, send away, and uncover.

Let us attempt to disclose the secret which may help to "uncover our
eyes," (see Num. 24;4). Very early on in the Biblical narrative, in
B'resheet (Genesis) 9:21, we read, "Noah uncovered himself inside his
tent". Two of his sons, Shem and Yefet (Japheth), were quick to cover
their father and were careful not to look upon his nakedness. For this
their father rewarded them and their progeny with a blessing. However,
the less reverent attitude of the third son, Cham (Ham), cost him and
his offspring (Can'an, Canaan) their liberty. Noach pronounced that
they would become "slaves of slaves!" (Gen. 9:25).

Noach, evidently, recognized the significance of being "uncovered"
and, conversely, the implication of being "covered." Some time before
this incident, when he was building the ark, we read that Elohim told
him "to cover [the ark] with pitch inside and out," (Gen. 6:14). The
Hebrew word used here for "cover" originates from the root k.p.r., or
k.f.r., which is also the root for "atonement," i.e. "kippur," or
"kappara." Hence the Day of Atonement is called Yom Kippur.

The Torah is very strict concerning uncovering nakedness (see
Leviticus chapters 18, 20). The connection with atonement makes it
clear that sin requires a covering. In light of this, Noach's reaction
to his son's action (or lack thereof), is quite understandable. Cham's
heart attitude was thus revealed, or uncovered. His misdemeanor found
him out, as it always does.

Throughout the history of the people of Israel, numerous occasions are
recorded where Israel's fornication and her nakedness were uncovered,
as Y'chezkel (Ezekiel) 23:18 points out. As a result, God delivered
Israel into the hands of her enemies, and Himself uncovered her
nakedness before them. He declares: "... and the nations shall know
that the House of Israel was exiled for their iniquity," (Eze. 29:23).

Exiling them from the land constituted "uncovering." How? The word
"exile" -"gola" is also a derivative of the root g.l.h. This
illustrates the severity of the crime and of the penalty that followed
it. However, YHVH was not without mercy. He promised the exiles of
Yehuda (Judah) - who were taken to Babylon for 70 years - that He
would prosper them while there (Jer. 29:4-7).

Yet, the greater promise that He gave was to eventually bring them
back to the land. In verse 10 of the same chapter (Jer. 29), it is
written: "I will visit you and confirm the good work to you, to bring
you back to this place" (that is, to the land of Israel).

"Galut", or "gola" (exile, diaspora) is, therefore, a condition which
denotes punishment and speaks of the nakedness and shame which are
revealed when being removed from under God's "kippur" (covering),
which covers and multitude of sins.

A returnee to the land of Israel is always called an "oleh" - "one
who ascends" (see Jeremiah 27:22, Ezra 2:1 and Nehemiah 7:6). But
after leaving the Diaspora, or "galut", there is still no guarantee
that the "galut" has left the "ascending ones." God therefore promises
to "sprinkle pure water" on them, and to "purify" them "from all
[their] iniquities and... idols," (Eze. 36:25). The word there for
"idols" is "gilulim," from the root g.l.l. Another word, which comes
from the same root is found in Ye'ho'shua 5:9, a passage which deals
with the returnees from Egypt and the wilderness. Here we read that
the Lord "rolls away the reproach of Egypt from them." The verb "roll
away" - "galoti," has the same root letters (g.l.l). as that of the
idols - "gilulim" - mentioned in the above-quoted verse from Y'chezkel
(Ezekiel). Thus, the merciful Father rolls off the gilulim - idols -
which literally mean (the "round balls of) dung," and the "reproach of
Egypt," that is, the reproach of the "galut" (the place of nakedness).
In fact, He re-covers His people with His hand, so that they need not
be ashamed any more (see Is. 54;4).

Now the "oleh" (ascending returnee) may indeed, in the words of our
Messiah, "look up for the 'geula' (redemption) draws nigh." It appears
that the land of Israel is the road winding up from "gola" (exile and
nakedness) to "geula" (redemption). . It was in Gilgal, where the
reproach of Egypt was rolled off. Gilgal means a "wheel" or a
"circle," the name having been formed by a word- play, connecting it
to g.l.l. (i.e. to the root of the verb to "role away"). However,
Gilgal, true to its name, is more than just a word play; it indicates
completion of a cycle. It is the cycle which starts with sin and idol
worship that result in the uncovering of the shame in the Diaspora.
When redemption ("geula") finally comes, it constitutes a return, in
the course of which the "rolling away" of the idols, i.e. the reproach
and the shame, takes place. Finally, the hour of re-covering and
redemption "draws nigh," as the Almighty's "salvation is about to
come" and His "righteousness [is] about to be revealed, or uncovered,"
(Isaiah 56:1). Thus, the promise, "when Messiah, who is our life, is
revealed we too will be revealed with Him in glory" (Col. 3:4) can be
fulfilled.

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