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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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