From: Wendy McNulty
To: "'heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org'" <heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org>
Subject: Shiloh and The Ark of the Covenant

SHILOH & THE TRAVELS OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

DIGGING DEEPER ... Beyond the Peshat Sense of the Torah

BY Rebbetzin Wendy McNulty
YATI STAFF CANADA

HIDDEN TORAH TREASURES

LOOKING INTO THE REMEZ MEANING OF SHOPHETIM/JUDGES 21:19

"So they said, 'See, there is a yearly festival of Yahueh in Shiloh, which
is north of Beyth El, on the east side of the highway that goes from Beyth
El to Shekem, and south of Lebonah." (Shophetim/Judges 21:19)

The Hebrew language has various levels of meaning and the Scriptures can be
interpreted on four levels: Peshat (literal), Drash (allegory), Remez
(symbolic) and Sode (mystical, hidden). In Shophetim 21:19, there is a
Remez (symbolic) interpretation in the place names given to describe where
Shiloh is located. It presents a shadow picture of the Messiah, His
crucifixion and the Temple, and relates back to Abraham offering up Yitshaq,
which is prophetic shadow picture of Yahueh offering up Yahushua.

Shiloh, S#7886, means tranquil, and has been used since the time of Ya'aqob
as an epithet/descriptive title of the Messiah (see Bereshith/Genesis
49:10). Shiloh comes from the root word, Shalah, S#7951, which means to be
tranquil, i.e. secure, successful, be happy, prosper, be in safety - all of
which can be used to describe the "peace that passes understanding"
(Philippians 4:7) that is offered to us by the Messiah.

Beyth El, literally means the House of El, and is the place name given by
Ya'aqob to the place where he dreamed and saw a ladder extending to the
heavens and angels of Elohim going up and down on it (Genesis/Bereshith
28:10-22). He took the stone upon which he had slept, anointed it with oil,
and set it up as a standing column to mark the House of Elohim, and he
committed to tithe a tenth of all he had to Yahueh.

Shechem, S#7926, means a place of burden, the neck, i.e. between the
shoulders (as in taking upon a yoke). It can also mean the ridge of a hill.
It comes from the root word, Shaham, S#7925, which means to incline the
shoulder to a burden, literally to load up on the back of a man or beast,
i.e. to start early in the morning.

"And Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two
of his young men with him, and Yitshaq his son. And he split wood for the
burnt offering, and arose and went to the place which Elohim had commanded
him. ... And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it upon
Yitshaq his son." (Bereshith/Genesis 22:3,6a)

Lebonah, S#3828, means frankincense, as in being descriptive of its
whiteness or that of its smoke when burned. It comes from the root word,
Laban, #3835, which means to be or to become white. In Scripture,
frankincense was one of the ingredients in the ketoret/incense used by the
priests upon the incense altar in the Set-apart Place of the Tabernacle and
in the Temple. Incense is symbolic of the prayers of Yahueh's people, and
it provided to the High Priest a protective covering from intense brightness
of the Shekinah of Yahueh when he would enter the Most Set-apart Place once
a year on Yom Kippur/the Day of Atonement.

What is the shadow picture hidden in the place names given in Shophetim/
Judges 21:19?

Remember that Mt. Moriyah (Yah is my Teacher) has two peaks. The lower peak
is where Hebraic tradition tells us that Abraham told his servants to while
he and Yitshaq went to worship (Bereshith/Genesis 22:5). This is the peak
upon which the Temple of Solomon was later built (the Temple Mount). The
higher peak, directly north of the Temple Mount, is where Avraham bound his
only son Yitshaq to the wood of the altar as a sacrifice ...

Putting the meanings of the place names together, this is what we find:
Shiloh (Messiah), north of Beyth El (The Temple Mount), on the east side of
the highway from Beyth El (The Temple Mount) to Shekem (a place of burden,
the ridge of a hill), and south of Lebonah (frankincense, to be or to become
white). Let's expand on this:

The Messiah, Yahushua, would be crucified north of the Temple Mount, on the
higher ridge of Mt. Moriyah, where He would take the wood of the execution
stake upon His back and bear our burdens, so that we might become white/pure
in the eyes of Yahueh, covered by the protective covering of Yahushua the
Messiah in His sacrificial offering. His sacrifice was a fragrant incense
offering, a sweet savour, unto Yahueh. In the days of His Millennial reign
upon the earth, living waters, Scripture tells us, shall flow from the south
side of the altar.

Yehezqel 47:1 tells us that the future Temple of Yahueh in Jerusalem shall
face east, and that water shall flow from the south side of the altar.
Yehezqel 47 describes these waters as living waters, which will even turn
the Dead Sea (Sea of Arabah) fresh again (vs. 9), and there shall be trees
which shall not wither, with fruit for food and leaves for healing, on
either side of the stream of water that runs from the south of the altar.
These verses parallel the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 22.

Just as Shiloh is described as being "on the east side of the highway" that
goes from the House of El (Beyth El) to the place of burden (Shekem), so
also, The Scriptures tell us that Yahushua entered Jerusalem prior to His
crucifixion through the Eastern Gate of the city (Mattiyahu 21, Yehezqel
44:2) - this Eastern Gate remains sealed to this day, in fulfillment of
Yehezel 44:2. The Scriptures also tell us that Yahushua shall re-enter
Jerusalem through the Eastern Gate upon His return (Yehezqel 46:2).

Shophetim 21:19 begins with the mention of "a yearly festival of Yahueh in
Shiloh". Zekaryah 14:16-19 tells us that during Yahushua's Millennial
Reign, all the nations of the earth shall go up to Jerusalem, to the House
of El, to celebrate the Festival of Booths - a prophetic rehearsal of the
time when Yahueh once again "pitches His tent" with man. The other Feasts
of Yahueh will have been fulfilled and the people keeping the Festival of
Booths during Yahushua's reign will be observing it as a rehearsal for the
days of eternity, when Yahueh and the Lamb shall abide in the midst of His
people in Yahueh Shammah, the New Jerusalem (Yehezeqel 48:35), when the new
heavens and the new earth have descended from the heavens above (Revelation
21-22).

All of these prophetic shadow pictures are concealed within the Hebrew words
of one simple verse describing the location of Shiloh ... an epithet for the
Messiah. Selah, selah. Think about it and marvel! Baruch haShem Yahueh!

LOOKING INTO THE REMEZ MEANING OF 1 SHEM'UEL 3:21

"And Yahueh continued to appear in Shiloh, because Yahueh revealed Himself
to Shemu'el in Shiloh by the word of Yahueh." (1 Shemu'el 3:21)

Shiloh, as we have seen, is an epithet for the Messiah. Shem'uel means
"heard of El". The above verse can be re-worded, in terms of it's symbolic
meaning as follows:

"And Yahueh continued to appear in the Messiah, because Yahueh reveals
Himself to those heard by Yahueh by the Word of Yahueh, Yahushua."

As Rav Sha'ul wrote: "So then, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the
Word of Elohim." (Romans 10:17)

THE TRAVELS OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
More Hidden Pictures in Hebrew Place Names

Once the children of Yisra'el entered into the Promised Land and settled
there, the Ark of the Covenant came to rest at Shiloh, as we have seen.

During the time of the Prophet Shemu'el, the Ark of the Covenant was moved
to the site of a battle at Eben Ha'ezer, captured by the Philistines, and
later was returned to Yisra'el, coming to rest at the house of Abinadab, on
a hill in Qiryath Ye'arim. Here, too, the meaning of the Hebrew place
names provide an interesting picture, as the Ark of the Covenant went
through a second "wilderness wandering", so to speak!

In Shemu'el 4, we find Yisra'el in battle against the Philistines, and they
sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant to the site of the
battle at Eben Ha'ezer (1Shemu'el 4:1-5). Eben Ha'ezer means "stone of
help".

The Philistines captured the Ark (1 Shemu'el 4:11) and took it from Eben
Ha'ezer to Ashdod (1 Shemu'el 5:1), then to Gath (1 Shemu'el 5:8), then to
Eqron (1 Shemu'el 5:10). In total, the Ark of the Covenant was in the land
of the Philistines for seven months (1 Shemu'el 6:1), before they sent it
back the Israelites living in Beyth Shemesh (1 Shemu'el 6:2-21).

The Ark came to rest in the field of Yehoshua of Beyth Shemesh (1 Shemu'el
6:14), but because the priests and the people of Beyth Shemesh profaned the
Ark, Yahueh smote the people in judgment (1 Shemu'el 6:15, 19-20). Then the
people of Beyth Shemesh sent messengers to the people of Qiryath Ye'arim to
come and take the Ark of Yahueh, which they did and they placed it in the
house of Abinadab, on the hill, and appointed Abinadab's son El'azar to
guard it there (1 Shemu'el 6:1-2, The Ark remained in Abinadab's house until
King David later came to take it to Jerusalem (2 Shemu'el 6:1-19).

In the account of the moving of the Ark from Abinadab's house to Jerusalem,
we read that after Uzzah touched the Ark and died, King David became afraid
and left the Ark in the house of Obed-Edom, the Gittite, for 3 months (1
Shemu'el 6:10-11), before he finally brought the Ark to Jerusalem with great
rejoicing. (1 Shemu'el 6:12)

Let's look at the travels of the Ark of the Covenant and the meaning of the
Hebrew place names given:

Place Name Meaning Further details

Shiloh Messiah
(
Eben Ha'ezer Stone of Help
( The field/land (sedah) of
the
Ashdod Ravager Philistines for seven months.
( "Sedah" means land, ground,
Gath Winepress field, soil, by inference
wild,
( a wilderness place.
Eqron Eradication
(
Beyth Shemesh House of the Sun
Field of Yehoshua Yehoshua = Yahueh saved
(
Qiryath Ye'arim City of Trees
House of Abinadab House of the Generous One
(
Obed Edom, Worker of Edom, Edomites are the descendants
"A Gittite" "from Gath" of Esau. Edomites
were/are
For 3 months enemies of Yisra'el.
(
Jerusalem Established in "City of David" - an epithet
for the
peace "City of the Messiah"

Interesting progression, is it not? There are many, more "in-depth"
interpretations which could be drawn from the above, but for the purposes of
this study, let's look at one symbolic interpretation which can be drawn
from the above.

Firstly, the Ark of the Covenant contained the manna, the stone tablets of
the Ten Commandments, and Aharon's rod, all of which are symbolic of the
Messiah. The Shekinah Presence of Yahueh dwelt between the cherubim on the
Mercy Seat which rested on the top of the Ark. In the above travels of the
Ark of the Covenant, we discover that it abided in Shiloh, representing the
Messiah. Yahueh's Presence is made manifest in Messiah, who is the Stone of
Help to His followers, but a "stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense"
(1 Kefa 2:6-8) to those who do not believe, or submit to His authority.

Then came the "ravager" (an apt description for the adversary of our souls,
s.a.tan), who stole/captured the Ark - the place where the Presence of
Yahueh dwelt - and "ravaged it". This has happened within both Houses of
Israel as they have fallen prey to the deception of the adversary and fallen
away from Yahueh's ways into sin and idolatry.

Next, came "the winepress", which is symbolic in Scripture of the wrath and
judgement of Yahueh, which is always a consequence of man's idolatry and
sin. "And the messenger trust his sickle into the earth and gathered the
vine of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of
Yahueh." (Revelation 14:19) "And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that
with it He should smite the nations. And He shall shepherd them with a rod
of iron. And He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of El
Shaddai." (Revelation 19:15)

The Ark went from Gath, the winepress, to Eqron - eradication. The purpose
of Yahueh's wrath and judgement is to eradicate evil, which the coming
outpouring of His wrath and judgment during the Great Distress shall
accomplish, when Messiah returns and reigns.

The Scriptures tell us that the Ark/Dwelling Place of the Presence of Yahueh
was in the field/land of the Philistines for 7 months. The Hebrew word
"sedah" means ground, soil, field, as in a "wild" or wilderness place.

We know from Scripture, based on the Creation account in Bereshith/Genesis
and many other references, that this present earth will exist for 7 days -
7000 years - "with Yahueh one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand
years as one day" (2 Kefa 3:8). Six days - 6000 years - have been appointed
to man to rule this earth, but in the seventh day, Messiah shall reign.
This is pictured in the command that man shall labour for six days, but on
the seventh day, the Shabbat, he shall rest from his labour. The Shabbat is
a prophetic picture of Yahushua's Millenial Reign upon the earth during the
7th 1000-year day. Adam, the first man was appointed by Yahueh to rule over
His creation (Bereshith/Genesis 1:28). Man's misrule and sin have turned
creation into "a wilderness" instead of Eden, yet Yahueh's Presence has
always been evident throughout history ...sometimes strong, sometimes
seemingly hidden. Just like the Ark was "in the field/land of the
Philistines" for seven months, so, too, Yahueh's Presence has "been in the
wilderness of the world" for 6000 years now and will be in strong, visible,
"iron rod" evidence in the 1000 years ahead of us.

From the land of the Philistines, where it's presence brought continual
plagues and judgment, the Ark was moved to Beyth Shemesh, which literally
means "the House of the Sun". Sun worship has completely infiltrated the
worship of Yahueh. The Prophets warned both Houses of Israel about this
idolatry, and it resulted in the exile of both the House of Judah and the
House of Ephrayim. The kirche/ch-rch today is full of traditions which find
their origin in sun worship - Chr-stmas and Easter/Ishtar being two of the
most prominent. Constantine, the father of the Chr-stianity, was an ardent
sun worshipper, who continued to worship Sol Invictus even after his public
"conversion" to Chr-stianity. As a result, he created a religion that
blended the traditions of sun worship into the traditions of the Patriarchs
and followers of Messiah Yahushua, resulting in mixed worship, which is an
abomination in Yahueh's eyes (Devarim/Deut. 4:13-19, 17:2-5;
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 10:1-2; Yehezqel/Ezek. 8:9-16; 2 Melakim/ 2Kings
17:33,41, 1 Corinthians 10:14-21).

Note that the Ark - the Dwelling Place of the Presence of Yahueh - was
placed in the field of Yehoshua in Beyth Shemesh. Yehoshua means Yahueh
saved. In the midst of all the idolatry and abominations of sun worship
within the Two Houses of Yisra'el, especially within Ephraim Yisra'el, the
salvation of Yahueh, Yahushua haMashiach has prevailed. The Presence of the
Living Elohim has been found in the Body of Messiah, the followers of
Yahushua haMoshiach from both Houses of Yisra'el, down through the past 2000
years. "The Ark" has been in the "field of Yehoshua" in the House of the
Sun.

Unfortunately, it is in "Beyth Shemesh", the House of the Sun, that most of
Chr-stianity finds itself still today. But, we are living in the days, that
the Presence of Yahueh is being found in Qiryath Ye'arim!

In the account in 1 Shemu'el 7:1-4, the men of Qiryath Ye'arim, the City of
Trees, brought the Ark to the house of Abinadab, the generous one, located
on the hill, and appointed El'azar (El is Helper) to guard it. In
Tehillim/Psalm 1, the followers of Yahueh's Torah are likened to a
fruit-bearing tree planted by the rivers of water, i.e. The fruit of the
Ruach haKodesh born within the lives of believers as a result of the
life-giving water of Torah/Yahushua. Rav Sha'ul refers to Yisra'el as an
olive tree in Romans 11:17-24. Yahushua refers to His followers as
"branches" in Yochanan 15, and Rav Sha'ul does likewise in Romans 11.
In this present day, Yahueh is "lifting up the fallen Tabernacle of David"
(Amos 9:11) where all the Twelves Tribes of Yisra'el worshipped Him in
unity. As Messianic Israelites the world over, both Houses, are returning
to Torah, the Tree of Life (Mishle/Proverbs 3:18), we are becoming a City of
Trees. We are becoming a spiritual "Qiryath Ye'arim"!

The Presence of Yahueh is found in the House of The Generous One (Abinadab),
the One who gave His very life, Yahushua our Messiah, and it is guarded
there by Yahueh Elohim, our Helper. True believers in Yahushua form the
present Dwelling Place/House of Yahueh: "Do you not know that your bodies
are the Dwelling Place of the Set-apart Spirit who is in you ...?" (1
Corinthians 6:19)

As King David went to bring the Ark from Qiryath Ye'arim to Jerusalem, the
judgment of Yahueh fell upon Uzzah who touched the Ark without having
authority to do so. The Ark remained at Obed-Edom for three months.

Obed-Edom means "worker of Edom". Edom is the nation that descended from
Ya'qob's brother Esau, who sold his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew.
His descendants became enemies of Yisra'el and entered into a covenant
against Yahueh with the Yishm'aelites (Tehillim/Psalm 83:5-6). The
Yishma'elites are the descendants of Abraham's son by Hagar, Yishma'el, who
became the father of the Arab nations. History traces the migrations of the
Edomites to Europe, specifically to those of Germanic descent. Germany is
the lead/dominant country in the new European Union, a revived Roman Empire,
from which Scripture prophetically indicates that the anti-Messiah ruler
will come.

Scripture also tells us that the anti-Messiah will be given authority to
rule for three and one-half years (Revelation 13:5), and Yahushua tells us
in Mattiyahu/Matthew 24:22 and Mark 13:20, that "for the sake of the elect
those days shall be shortened." Isn't it interesting that the Ark of the
covenant, as it was being taken to Jerusalem, stayed in Obed-Edom for 3
months? The Dwelling Place of Presence of Yahueh, en route to the City of
David, The Messiah's City, was set aside in the place of the worker of Edom,
symbolic of the anti-Messiah, for 3 months ... could it mean 3 years?
Selah. Time will tell.

Returning to the travels of the Ark of the Covenant, we read in 2 Shemu'el
76:12-19, that once King David saw the blessing of Yahueh upon the place
where the Ark was kept, that he went and got it and brought it into
Jerusalem with great rejoicing. He "danced before Yahueh with all his
might" (vs. 14) wearing "a linen shoulder garment", and brought up the Ark
"with shouting and with the sound of the ram's horn" (vs. 15).

Linen garments are symbolic in Scripture of righteousness. The High Priest
carried two onyx stones, inscribed with the names of the Twelves Tribes of
Yisra'el, upon his shoulders. Yahshua will return at the sound of the last
trumpet/shofar that heralds the final bowl of Yahueh's wrath being poured
out upon the earth (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, Revelation 11:15). In this
passage from 2 Shemu'el, we have a shadow picture of Yahushua, the King
Messiah, in robes of Righteous, bringing with Him the Two Houses, the Twelve
Tribes of Yisra'el, and entering into Jerusalem, to the sound of the shofar,
with great rejoicing and celebration, where the Dwelling Place of the
Presence of Yahueh shall be established in peace. Jerusalem literally means
"founded in peace". Selah. Think about it.

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