The Illegal Trial

by Dr. Donna Beccia Carick

April 7, 2023

Yeshua spent 100% of his time going from village to village, teaching the Torah and the Prophets, healing people from their diseases, and delivering them from demonic strongholds. The public loved him. The Sanhedrin didn’t. Several Pharisees were angry because Yeshua had raised Lazarus from the dead. Such a crime! They were worried that he was gaining a whole lot of followers, way too fast, and the Roman government might come against the Jewish people because a Jewish man was leading an insurrection. That was their claim, anyway.

Some members of the Sanhedrin got together to discuss their vindictive plan. They bribed Judas with silver, so he would testify against Yeshua. Judas directed an army of 600 Roman soldiers to “capture” him while he was praying in the Mount of Olives, just after he had celebrated the “Last Supper” before the “Fast of the Firstborn,” in preparation for Passover.

Peter was a viable witness who could testify that Yeshua was innocent. He lost it when he saw the massive number of Roman soldiers, and he cut off one soldier’s ear. Yeshua told Peter to calm down, and then healed the soldier’s ear. Peter later crumbled under fear and denied he ever knew Yeshua.
By Torah Law, a person being accused of a crime punishable by death must have a proper trial, during the daytime, in a proper court. There must be two or three witnesses who testify against the criminal. After the trial, if the person was convicted, there had to be a “cooling off” period to allow the person to gather additional witnesses on their behalf.

The Torah laws were not followed. The JUDGES were the accusers––that’s illegal. They had decided Yeshua’s fate of death before they hauled him in for questioning––that’s illegal. They took Yeshua to Caiaphas’ home in the middle of the night––that’s illegal. They used Judas’ testimony against Yeshua––but Torah law said that a bribed person could not testify. They dragged people from off the streets to make up testimonies against Yeshua––that’s illegal. Their only possible credible witness was Peter, who knew Yeshua personally, but he was a liar––he had denied knowing him. They took their trumped up charges to Pilate––that Yeshua claimed he was the Son of God––but Pilate didn’t care because the Emperor Caesar considered himself to be a god. Pilate said Yeshua was innocent, so they tried another approach––they called him an insurrectionist against Rome. They eventually got their way, and Yeshua was crucified––because he did not protest or defend himself. HE DIED WILLINGLY, laying down his life for you and me.

Will we lay down our life for him?

Yeshua was slaughtered at the exact time and manner that the Passover lambs were being slaughtered for the Passover meal. They had to be skinned, hung, and roasted––Yeshua’s skin was ripped off his back from flogging, he was hung on a cross, dehydrated from extreme loss of blood and excessive thirst, roasting under the hot afternoon sun.

Man earned spiritual death by eating from the forbidden tree. Yeshua gave us spiritual life by hanging from a tree.

Resurrection – The Proof

by Dr. Donna Beccia Carick

April 9, 2023

Today, across the world, people are celebrating the resurrection of Yeshua HaMashiach (in Hebrew), that is, Jesus the Christ. During his ministry, he had many followers and many who opposed him––no different than today.

The Judean leaders challenged him with a question (see John 20:18-20): “What sign do You show us, since You are doing these things?” Yeshua replied: “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” He was talking about the temple of His body. So, after He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He was talking about this. Then they believed the Scripture and the word that Yeshua had spoken.

Some time later, Yeshua was informed that his dear friend, Lazarus was extremely ill. Before Yeshua arrived at his home, Lazarus had already died. Yeshua reassured Martha, the sister of Lazarus (see John 11): “I am the resurrection and the life! Whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, shall live.” In front of many witnesses, Yeshua called Lazarus to come out of his tomb. Lazarus came alive again, and with his body bound in burial wrappings, he hobbled out of his tomb.

Before the resurrection of Lazarus, Yeshua had already been gaining followers, but now the number of his followers was increasing exponentially. His ministry was perceived as quite a threat to some of the religious leaders.

John 11:47-48 says:

So the ruling kohanim and Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we doing?” they asked. “This Man is performing many signs! If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our holy place and our nation.”

John 11:53 says, “So from that day on, they plotted to kill Him.”

John 12:10-11 says, “So the ruling kohanim made plans to kill Lazarus also, because on account of him many of the Jewish people were going and putting their trust in Yeshua.”

Ironically, it was the resurrection of Lazarus that brought the death of Yeshua, and his subsequent resurrection. According to the first-century historian, Josephus, many eyewitnesses saw Yeshua alive again three days after his crucifixion (the books of Josephus have been published widely). Pontius Pilate said the same thing in a letter he wrote shortly after the resurrection (his letter is contained in the British Museum).

The resurrection of Lazarus was the evidence that Yeshua’s teachings were true. The resurrection of Yeshua was the absolute proof of his words, “I am the resurrection and the life! Whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, shall live.” If that wasn’t enough proof, right after Yeshua’s resurrection, many others woke up from death and came out of their tombs, and were seen by many eyewitnesses (Matthew 27:52-53). Then Yeshua appeared, in his resurrected body, “to over five hundred people at one time” (1 Corinthians 15:6).

Yeshua, in his resurrected body, visited with his disciples and many others for forty days. One of those appearances included Sha’ul (Paul), a Pharisee (the strictest sect of Judaism, and the strongest proponents of a belief in the resurrection and an afterlife). Sha’ul was a very public threat to Yeshua’s followers. One day, Sha’ul was on his way to capturing followers of Yeshua, to “bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:2), and suddenly, in the middle of the road stood Yeshua, in his resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:8). Imagine this! Sha’ul was facing Yeshua, whose teachings he deeply opposed, and Yeshua was proving him right, that there really is a resurrection!

The resurrection of Yeshua is what sets him apart from any other religious leader. Buddha did not resurrect. Mohammad did not resurrect. Joseph Smith did not resurrect. Yeshua DID. And after forty days of appearances in his resurrected body, Yeshua ascended into the clouds as hundreds watched him depart. He promised them he would return, at the end of the age, to gather together his followers to live eternally with him.

Yeshua claimed to be the Messiah. One day, he asked his disciples the question (Luke 9:20-21), “who do you that say I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.” How do WE answer that question? What does his resurrection mean to you or me?  

Yeshua’s life was so central that calendars were reset to “BC”, “Before Christ”, and “AD”, meaning, “after the Lord.” Yeshua’s life changed the world. Question is, does it change MY world, or YOUR world? What we believe determines how we live, how we die, and whether we will live again.

John 14:6 –– Yeshua said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life! No one comes to the Father except through Me. Did Yeshua give us enough proof?   Can we trust his words?    

Festival of Shavuot

June 12, 2016

We just celebrated the festival of Shavuot (Hebrew for “Weeks”), also known as Pentecost (“pent” means “50”, relating to the 50 days of counting the omer to get to Pentecost). We talked about the history of Shavuot — that it was the day that Moses was given the Torah, and a day to offer the Firstfruits of our harvest to the Lord. A Firstfruit offering is 100% of the initial part of our harvest, while a tithe (10%) is a small part of 100% of our harvest! Firstfruit offerings can only be offered at the very beginning of the produce. When we bring the Firstfruit offering, God promises to bless our entire harvest.

We also talked about a promise that is not well known — in Exodus 34:24 — “For I am going to expel nations ahead of you and expand your territory, and no one will even covet your land when you go up to appear before Adonai your God three times a year.” This is referring to the three Pilgrimage Feasts (Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Shavuot, and Feast of Sukkoth) — on these dates, all adult males are to appear before the Lord in Jerusalem, bringing a specified offering.

Yeshua promised the disciples that, when He went away, He would send the Spirit. This happened on Shavuot. The same day the Torah was given to Moses is the same day that the Spirit was given to the Jewish believers, so they could be empowered to walk in the Torah.

If we compare the story in Exodus 19 (when Moses was given the Torah) and the story in Acts 2 (when Yeshua gave the Spirit), we see some common occurrences — a loud sound coming from the heavens, fire and smoke, and rushing, violent wind.

What is the significance of the “tongues of fire”, and the empowerment to speak in other tongues. Remember the Tower of Babel? YHWH confused and separated everyone, by creating several different languages. When the Spirit was given to the church, YHWH put the scattered folks back together — under the power of His tongues.

Also, consider the book of James that discusses the tongue, the little member of our bodies, and yet it can cause so much destruction. Consider Proverbs 18:21, that says that “life and death are in the power of the tongue.” Man cannot tame his own tongue, but YHWH can! When we yield our tongue to the Spirit, and let him speak through us, we are going to speak LIFE, not death! We can change the course of our lives with our tongue.

The message of Shavuot is this:

1) Bring our very first produce to the Lord and He will bless the rest of the harvest.

2) Moses gave us the Torah on stone tablets, and the Spirit wrote the Torah on our stony hearts.

3) When we obey YHWH’s instruction to come before Him during the three pilgrimage festivals, He enlarges our territory and keeps our enemies away from our property.

4) When we yield our tongue to the Spirit, we produce a harvest that brings LIFE.

And thus, we have completed our 50-day cycle of Counting the Omer! SHALOM! Blessings on your crop!

Yeshua’s “Last Will and Testament”

June 2, 2016

Imagine if this was your dying day, and you knew you would be saying your final good-byes to your closest loved ones. What would you say? These final words would be the most urgent things you could express, the matters that were most important to your heart.

For 40 days, we have been counting the omer, during the days of the maturing harvest of barley, and leading to the celebration of first fruits of the wheat harvest. It was during these 40 days after Yeshua arose from the grave (and many more after Him) that He appeared suddenly and unexpectedly to his disciples, and to several hundred people at a time. Now it was the 40th day — the day when He knew He would be ascending into the heavens. It would be his final moments with his beloved disciples. What did He say to them in His parting words?

In Acts 1:3, it says “During a period of forty days they saw him, and he spoke with them about the Kingdom of God.” Of course, the Kingdom of God was an important topic! But what was the topic in the very final moments (Luke 24, Mark 16, and Acts 1)? Acts 1:8 says ” But you will RECEIVE POWER when the Ruach HaKodesh comes upon you; you will BE MY WITNESSES both in Jerusalem and in all Judah and Samaria, indeed to the ends of the earth!”

This was Yeshua’s “last will and testament” to the heirs of the Kingdom, and He expected them to execute His final wishes. He instructed the disciples to stay together, waiting for the promise from the Father, the gift of the Spirit. His Spirit would empower them to be witnesses. What is the duty of a witness? It is to testify! To speak the truth! To tell what they had seen and heard and experienced, to the best of their ability!

These parting words were for them, and for all Yeshua’s disciples. Notice, we are to start with the Jewish people — Jerusalem, Judah and Samaria, and then the rest of the world. Yeshua told the woman at the well that “salvation comes from the Jews” (John 4:22). Romans 2:9-10 shows us the Father’s order — “to the Jew first”, in suffering and in blessing. The “Great Commission” is to receive the Spirit’s power, and to preach the gospel to the Jew first! Are we fulfilling the final, most important words of Yeshua?

“Bo, Ruach Elohim” (“Come, Spirit of God”)

May 29, 2016

This season of counting the omer builds great anticipation as we come closer and closer to Shavuot, the day when the Torah was given to Moshe, and the day the Spirit was poured out upon the followers of Yeshua.

This song seems so appropriate for this season! The music draws us into His holy presence, as we begin the first day of the week.

“Bo, Ruach Elohim” (“Come, Spirit of God”)

Lag BaOmer

May 26, 2016

Today is Lag BaOmer, the 33rd day of the omer count. While it is not a public holiday in Israel, schools close for the day, and bonfires are lit throughout the communities. The origins of the holiday have their roots in paganism, although many today say that it is a day to commemorate the death of a famous rabbi. If we use the traditions of pagan idolatry to celebrate the life of a holy man, does this truly honor that man?

Sadly, this too closely resembles the celebration of Christmas, which was outlawed in the United States as a pagan holiday until 1836. Just like Lag BaOmer, at Christmastime we use the traditions of pagan idolatry to celebrate the life of Yeshua. Does this make sense? Does this give proper honor to the King of Kings? I wonder how the Father feels about this. I know He didn’t like the golden calf.

Message of The Three Harvests

May 19, 2016

Today, we past the half-way point in counting the omer for 50 days. As we reflect on this season, there are some things to notice about the biblical feasts. They center around harvesting.

There are three pilgrimage feasts, when all adult males were to appear before the Lord in Jerusalem, to bring their offerings into the temple. It says in Exodus 23:14-17 — “Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed. You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God.”

There are three harvests. The first is barley. The second is wheat. The third harvest is a celebration of the pressing of the grapes, and the final threshing of the wheat.

Scripture offers us many lessons about seedtime and harvest, and sowing and reaping. In fact, Yeshua said that the parable of the sower was the key to understanding ALL the parables! (Mark 4:13 — “And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?”)

So what can we learn about these three harvests? Yeshua was resurrected at the beginning of the barley harvest, on the very day that the Israelites were to wave their sheaf offerings, which contained their first bundle of barley from their fields. He was the first fruit of many resurrections that took place over the next few days. (Matthew 27:52-53 — “The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”).

During the 50 days of counting the omer, Yeshua appeared to many individuals and to large crowds. He was demonstrating the barley harvest!

The second harvest day was Shavuot, which is also known as Pentecost. This was a celebration of the wheat harvest. It was the day, historically, that Moses was given the Torah, and then, on the same day centuries later, it was the day that Yeshua gave us the Spirit. There was a harvest that day too. First, the Spirit was poured out on the Jewish disciples who were gathered together for Shavuot. Their display of power and boldness, and speaking in many tongues, brought in an immediate harvest of 3000 new believers.

Is is possible that the wheat is symbolic of the church? Yeshua taught so many parables about wheat, and these parables were directed at the church, and the lessons we need to know.

The first and second harvest were only 50 days apart from each other. Then there is a period of six months before the next harvest.

The third harvest was also about wheat, but only at the final threshing. Perhaps this is representative of the end of the age — the FINAL harvest, after the church has been tried and tested and proven worthy.

But notice that the third harvest is also a celebration of the pressing of the grapes. When Yeshua attended the wedding at Cana, he turned water into wine, and the guests said that he saved the best wine for the LAST. Could this wine be representative of the Jewish people? The grapes are not freshly cut from the vine, but rather, they are at their final pressing.

In the first two harvests, we celebrate barley and wheat that have not been processed into food yet. In the third harvest, the wheat and grapes have been processed into a usable product.

Could this be the message of the three harvests? Is this the season that we are currently in — the final harvest, of Gentiles and Jews, both being pressed, to become ready for the Master’s use?

COUNTING THE OMER — What is it? Why do we do it?

May 17, 2016

An omer is a unit measure of barley. Exodus 16:36 says “An omer is one-tenth of an eifah [which is a bushel dry-measure]” (Complete Jewish Bible). The timing of the harvesting of barley was a very big deal. The barley had to be “aviv”, a description of the amount of ripening and maturity, and a readiness for the sickle.

“Aviv” was the name of the first month of the ecclesiastical year. The Israelites were to watch for the first sliver of the new moon, AND watch for the maturity of the barley, at the same time. When the barley was mature enough to harvest, the new year was declared at the sighting of the next new moon. The maturity of the barley determined the calendar!

Leviticus 23:10-11 says “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘After you enter the land I am giving you and harvest its ripe crops, you are to bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the cohen (the priest). He is to wave the sheaf before Adonai, so that you will be accepted; the cohen is to wave it on the day after the Shabbat.”

Wikipedia defines a sheaf as “a large bundle in which cereal plants are bound after reaping.” The priest would wave the sheaf before the Lord, as an offering of the first fruits of the barley harvest. After that offering, the people were allowed to eat the crops of their harvest.

The day of waving the sheaf is exactly the same day that Yeshua was resurrected from the grave, as the first fruit offering of the harvest!

Now the count begins. Leviticus 23:15-16 says “‘From the day after the day of rest — that is, from the day you bring the sheaf for waving — you are to count seven full weeks, until the day after the seventh week; you are to count fifty days; and then you are to present a new grain offering to Adonai.”

Fifty days from Yeshua’s resurrection was Shavuot (the Greek word is Pentecost). Shavuot is the celebration of the wheat harvest! Shavuot is the day that the Spirit was poured out upon the Jewish believers. On that day, 3000 new believers were added to the believing community. It was the beginning of the next harvest.

We count the omer in great anticipation, from Resurrection Day until Shavuot, knowing that Yeshua will pour out a major blessing on the 50th day, as we gather in His name!

YHWH’s Torah is written upon our hearts

May 13, 2016

In the Exodus story, during the time period of counting the omer, the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea, and were celebrating their new freedom from slavery. They were anticipating their arrival at Sinai in 50 days, when they would receive the Torah, the constitution for their new nation under YHWH.

In the time of Yeshua’s crucifixion, the time period of counting the omer began at His resurrection. His disciples were celebrating the fact that He was moving among them once again, and they were anticipating Shavuot, the celebration of the First Fruits of the harvest, in 50 days.

The day that the Spirit was given to the church is the same day that the Torah had been given to the Israelites. The Spirit was given to the church, in order that we might have the power to walk in YHWH’s holy Torah!

When the Israelites received the Torah, 3000 were struck dead because they were worshipping a golden calf. When the Messianic believers were gathered together on Shavuot, 3000 were added to the church.

When Moses received the Torah, YHWH showed Himself with signs and wonders. When the Messianic believers received the Spirit, again, there were signs and wonders.

As we count the omer, from Resurrection Day until Shavuot (Pentecost), we can anticipate the signs and wonders that will be demonstrated in our lives. As Jeremiah 31 tells us, this is the new covenant, that YHWH’s Torah would be written upon our hearts!

What exactly is “Counting the Omer”?

May 11, 2016

What exactly is “counting the omer”? In fact, what is an “omer”? An omer is a dry measure of barley, equivalent to about 3.64 liters. The omer (also translated as “sheaf”) offering was waved before YHWH by the high priest, as a first-fruit offering on the designated day after Passover. An omer is a large enough unit that the barley would have to be bundled up to present the offering.

Scripture commands us to count the omer, starting on the day of waving the sheaf in the temple, continuing on to the 50th day, which is Shavuot (also known as Pentecost).

The first Passover took place in Egypt, just prior to the Israelite exodus. Passover was the day that Yeshua was crucified.

The Israelites took three days to reach the Red Sea, where they were issued across on dry land. In future years, the Israelites waved the sheaf offering in commemoration of this day. This is also the day of Yeshua’s resurrection from being in the tomb for three days. Resurrection Day is Day One of the Counting of the Omer.

Moses (a prince, a shepherd, and a deliverer) received the Torah (with the Ten Commandments) on the 50th day after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. Yeshua (a prince, shepherd, and deliverer) gave the Spirit to the church on the 50th day, Pentecost.

The period of 50 days of counting the omer is a time of watching the barley harvest mature and be harvested. During this time period, Yeshua made several appearances to his disciples, and these appearances brought an increasing harvest of souls.

Yeshua is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. If he appeared to his disciples then, making himself real, we can expect him to do that today. If the harvest of souls was maturing and increasing at that time, we can expect the same in our day. That’s why we count the omer! It’s an exciting time!