Hebrew Nation Online | Ancient Roads: Real Israel Talk Radio – Avi Ben Mordechai

Within the priestly line of Tzadok, there were several well-known priests, according to Nehemiah 11:11, which included such personalities such as Jeremiah the Prophet (Jeremiah 1:1) and Ezra the Priest/Scribe (Ezra 7:1-5).

Previously, I focused on the priestly line of Aaron and how it came to be established through his firstborn son, Eliezer, who passed on his elected authority to Pinchas, who then passed his authority on to Tzadok  (1 Chronicles 24:3 and Nehemiah 12:4) as he was the chosen priest for the House of Solomon, the Son of David. Further downline, according to Luke 1, Zecharias was chosen by lot to offer incense in the House of Yehovah. But remember, only those of the House of Tzadok were permitted for the job according to 1 Chronicles 23:13 and Numbers 4:16, and recall that Zecharias was called “righteous” and “blameless.”

Zecharias and Elisheva brought a son into the world who was named Yochanan or John.  But why did the Angel Gabriel tell Zechariah to name his yet unborn child Yochanan or John? There appears to be a connection to the last known and legitimate high priest in the line of Aaron, dating to around 175 BCE. The priest was called in Greek Onias III, but according to the Scroll of Ben Sirach Chapter 50, Verse 1, his name in Hebrew was Yochanan HaCohen (“Yochanan the Priest”), corresponding to the abbreviated name “Honi.”

In naming the child Yochanan or John, it connected the earthly Zadokite priesthood of John the Baptist to the last known and legitimate Zadokite priesthood of Yochanan (Onias III) just before the whole Zadokite line was removed from their Temple service about 50 years before the birth of Yeshua. Through John the Immerser, the nearly broken Zadokite priesthood of Earth was given legitimacy to the Melchizedek/Zadokite line of Heaven,  establishing an eternal connection to Melchizedek/Yeshua (Genesis 14:18) to Daniel 9:24.

Join us for Real Israel Talk Radio, Episode 138, and Part 25 in my series on the last Passover Week Chronology and Timeline of Yeshua.

Today’s episode continues our study of the well-known House of Tzadok (the “Zadokites”) as it relates to the life of Yeshua, Hebrew Scripture, and the New Covenant.

Recall from Hebrew Scripture a hereditary line that began with Abraham and then to Isaac, to Jacob. Then, through Leah, Jacob’s wife, she conceived and gave birth to Levi, which means “attached” or “joined.”  Through her son Levi, a son was born – Kohat. He later produced Amram. Amram added two sons, Moses and Aaron. These two were split into two unique branches, each with special functions.

The branch of Aaron came to be established through his sons. They were Eliezer, Itamar, Nadav, and Avihu. These four were set apart to serve as Priests to El Elyon in the Tabernacle. Still, Scripture tells us that Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avihu died as a punishment for their rebellion. Then, Aaron’s son Itamar later produced sons, establishing the House of Ithamar. Still, due to more rebellion, that house of descendants was forever forbidden to serve in the priesthood, leaving only Aaron’s firstborn son, Eliezer, who was chosen to carry on the hereditary line of the Aaronic priesthood. Later, Eliezer passed on his elected authority to Pinchas, who passed it down to a man named Tzadok. He became the chosen priest for the House of David and Solomon.

Just before the birth of Yeshua, John (Yochanan), the Son of Zechariah and Elisheva (Luke 1:5), received the Mantle of Zadok authority. He transferred his authority over to Yeshua, son of Miriam and Yosef, but in a way that appears to be an “upline” transfer (kind of like a spiritual loop) which returns to its beginning through the Order of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18), who was and continues as King Tzadok of the celestial city of Shalem. All who come into the New Covenant by receiving the testimony of Yeshua are then included into the chosen and elected priesthood status of the Order of Melchizedek, at least, according to Exodus 19:5-6, and are therefore called the “Sons of Tzadok” and Yehovah’s “Sons of Light.”

Let’s look into this historical line of Tzadok in today’s study, Episode 137 and Part 24 in the Chronology of Yeshua’s Last Passover Week.

With today’s episode, we will learn about the well-known House of Tzadok (the “Zadokites”) from Hebrew Scripture. We will look at four specific aspects of their collective life as they wrote about it in the Dead Sea Scrolls. We will learn that

This is Episode 136 and Part 23 in this series about the life teachings, death, resurrection, and ascension of Yeshua HaMashiach. Join us for all these details and more on this episode of Real Israel Talk Radio.

Let us examine the biblical terminology often called “First Fruits” or “Bikkurim.” This terminology is often confused with another ceremony called the Omer Wave-Sheaf offering, more accurately referred to in biblical parlance as Reisheet Katzir – Harvest of the First Cutting of the Grain.

“First Fruits” is about the scriptural festival of Shavuot or Pentecost. The timing of the festival was understood from Leviticus 23:15-16 and based on two different points of view.

These two conflicting counts are easily resolved in a study of the timeline of Yeshua’s 3rd-day resurrection (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1-2, Luke 24:1, John 20:1) and 40th-day ascension (Acts 1:3).

The chronology of both events is played out based on the following  timelines:

We will take a look at all these details on this episode of Real Israel Talk Radio. Join us!

Once again, remember that in Pharisaic and Second Temple times, two different festival calendars were operationally running side by side.

Typically, Matthew 28:1 is interpreted and read precisely as the NKJV presents it: “Now, after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn…she (Miriam) came to see the tomb.”

This said, let’s look at what I think is likely being expressed, at least according to the redactor of the Greek text: “But now, at a late hour of the Sabbaths…she (Miriam) was coming to see the tomb.”  This is speaking about the arrival time of the women at a late hour while it was still Sabbath, which can only mean one thing; their arrival was according to the Tzadok sunrise-to-sunrise reckoning.

Then, we read: “…the dawning (of the morning light) was toward the First of the Sabbaths.”

Writing the narrative this way strongly mirrors how the Pharisees understood Leviticus 23:15. “And you shall count to yourselves, from the morrow of the sabbath, from the gathering in of your harvest – an Omer, seven sabbaths, complete!” This is about when to start the count of the Omer AND ALSO when to start the count of the seven sabbaths leading up to the Feast of Weeks, called Shavuot or Pentecost.

Ultimately, Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1-2, Luke 24;1, and John 20:1 all embrace a kind of dual timestamp from two different points of view: Pharisaic AND House of Tzadok chronology. But why? I will show you and speak of much more related to Yeshua’s last Passover Week timeline of events on today’s Real Israel Talk Radio episode, Episode 134, and Part 21.

If we want to understand the timing of Yeshua’s Third-Day resurrection, we must first understand how the priestly families of the House of Tzadok (“Zadok”) defined a day.

For the priestly House of Tzadok (Ezekiel 44:23-24), a 24-hour day was measured from sunrise to sunrise.  For the Pharisee Separatists, a 24-hour day was measured from sunset to sunset. These measurements of the passage of time were two reckoning systems that operated side-by-side at the time of Yeshua’s public ministry.

Also, to understand the timing of Yeshua’s Third-Day resurrection, it is important to recognize how these two religious groups defined the starting and ending dates for the 50 days and 7 Sabbaths Count of the Omer based on Leviticus  23:15.

Join us for this two-part podcast in my teaching series, “An Analysis of the Passion Week Timeline of Yeshua’s Crucifixion to His Resurrection – PART 20: Event Numbers 25-26. This episode will set the stage to help us better understand the resurrection timing that is reflected in the recorded resurrection narratives of Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1-2, Luke 24:1, and John 20:1.

We will learn four important principles in this extended (90-minute) podcast for Passover and Unleavened Bread (Festival of Matza). In fact, I think the information in this podcast is vital to learn and understand, particularly in these days in which we are living. Therefore, I strongly encourage you to download, listen and share this special 90-minute program with others. I think our time is very short, and we must get focused on biblical truth more than ever before.  Here are the four principles that we are going to learn about Yeshua’s crucifixion:

1)     Yeshua, with his disciples, slaughtered, roasted, and ate a Passover Lamb on the 14th of the first month, precisely according to the instructions written in Exodus Chapter 12.

2)     Yeshua was slaughtered (crucified) on the 16th of the first month, which is always remembered as the Second Day of Unleavened Bread (the Second Day of Matza).

3)     Yeshua was dead for a composite period of three days and three nights multiplied by three, beginning on the 16th of the first month and concluding on the 18th of the first month. When Yeshua said, “three days and three nights,”  it was never meant to be understood as a precise 72 hours or six periods of 12 day hours and 12 night hours. Biblically, a composite day was always understood as one or more day and/or night parts coming together to define one composite “Day.” This is where we get the Hebraic concept that part of a day or part of a night is still called a Day or a Night. Hebraic time is all about composites.

4) Yeshua stepped into the role of a Sin Offering but not on the 14th – Passover. There is a fundamental reason why his death happened the way it did, and we will understand the basis from the prophecies of Ezekiel 44:23-24, Malachi 2:7-8, and 2 Chronicles 29:1-16.

If you listen to any of these episodes in this series, I strongly recommend that you, at least, bend your ear to this one crucial special 90-minute episode. I remain confident that you will not regret the time spent.

On our podcast today, we’ll look at the gospel narratives showing us that it was now early Thursday morning the second day of Unleavened Bread (Aviv 16) according to the House of Tzadok reckoning of the annual festivals BUT according to Judean reckoning, it was Aviv (Nisan) 14 – the Passover Preparation Day (John 19:14). Yeshua was once again brought before Pilate for a SECOND INTERVIEW early in the morning at about 0600 hours. His FIRST INTERVIEW was the day before, on Wednesday morning at about 0600 hours.

With today’s study, we’ll examine what happened to Yeshua after Pilate sent him off to his crucifixion in John 19:17. We will also look at the ritual  “Clean Place” on the Mount of Olives referred to in Hebrews 13:11-13.

With today’s study, we’ll also examine the context of Matthew 23:37-39 when Yeshua said, “You will not see me again until you say, Blessed is He who comes in the Name of Yehovah.”  We will learn that this statement is linked to the phrase, “The Teacher of Righteousness” (HaTadik – Qumran Texts 4Q491, 4Q171) and “The Just One” (Acts 3:13-14). Yeshua made a clear reference to this in Matthew 23:10 and Sha’ul or Paul also made a clear reference to this in 2 Corinthians 6:5-7:1.

I’ll have a lot more to say about all of this on today’s podcast episode 131 and PART 18 in our study of the events of Yeshua’s last Passover week, which led to his crucifixion and his third-day resurrection.

It is often assumed that Yeshua’s overnight inquisition was under the auspices of a legal hearing conducted by Annas and his family. Be assured, there was nothing legal about it. The real and legal trial of Yeshua began at sunrise and continued through the bulk of the daylight hours.

In the early morning of the fourth day of the week – “Wednesday” – at about 0600 hours on what was the first day of Unleavened Bread (according to the Sons of Tzadok calendar of sevens),  Yeshua’s legal “criminal” trial began under Caiaphas and the Jerusalem Sanhedrin in their Chamber of Hewn Stones. After hearing his testimony, the court transferred him to Roman Prefect Pontius Pilatus.

“Pilate” spoke to Yeshua (John 18) in a FIRST interview and then concluded that he had done nothing deserving of crucifixion. Meanwhile, the collective voice of the Judeans grew louder in protest.  On hearing that Yeshua was from Galilee, Pilate decided to send Yeshua to Herod who happened to be in Jerusalem. Herod mocked Yeshua and then sent him back to Pilate. In the meantime, the legal Jerusalem Sanhedrin conducted more courtroom deliberations and heard more testimony.

By sunset, they had already ruled for Yeshua’s crucifixion. However, under the Judean Oral Law legal system, the court had to wait until the next day (the following morning) to make their ruling official as it is written in the Mishnah at Sanhedrin IV:1 –

Therefore, early the next morning on the fifth day of the week – “Thursday” – the second day of Unleavened Bread (according to the Sons of Tzadok priestly calendar reckoning), the Sanhedrin sealed their official ruling and sent Yeshua back to Pilate for a SECOND interview to authorize his crucifixion under Judean court order. Pilate washed his hands in the matter and declared, “Behold the Man!” and Yeshua was led away to his crucifixion at about 0900 hours.

Let’s learn more about all of this with today’s episode 130 and PART 17 in our study of the events of Yeshua’s last Passover week, which led to his crucifixion and his third-day resurrection.

In today’s program, we will continue with our study in Event Number 14 and look into the life of Annas also called Ananias or Annas, and his son-in-law Caiaphas as referenced in Luke 3:1 and Luke 16:19-31. A coregency of two high priests was not permitted in biblical law, and yet here we see that both are in fact called “high priests.” So, what’s up with this?

We will also take a deep dive into the timing of Peter’s three denials of Yeshua and the two crows of the Rooster. We will study the timing of these Tuesday overnight events announcing Peter’s third and final denial of Yeshua with the second crowing of the Rooster happening during Yeshua’s transfer from Annas to Caiaphas.  We will learn about three important timestamps:

Join us for the lesson today in Episode 129, Part 16, and Events 14-16 in the chronology of Yeshua’s last week and Passover event.