The definition of the Hebrew ‘word’ Tevilah means ‘to fully dunk into’ a Mikvah, which is a collection of a body of water’. The meaning in Judaism is pointed to the ‘bath’ used in ritual immersion. The transliterated word baptizo from the Greek has Pagan origins and I choose not to use this word. The act of tevilah was known to Jews during the time of Yochanan (called John) who did call people to Mikva’ot in the Jorden River. He called his fellow Jewish members in that society to come to the Jorden River Mikvah outside the camp of Rabbinical Judaism and make Teshuvah to Yehovah (called Adoni due to the sixth century ban on the name). We will address the importance of all that surrounded the life of the man known to Christianity as John the Baptist. It is only with this man, Yochanan, that we can begin to gain a full understanding of Yehovah’s will concerning Yeshua.
At a well near Sh’khem Yeshua reveals a truth that subjugates the mind of those outside of the true worship system, the established instructions (Torah) of Yehovah. These ‘established instructions’ (the Torah) were entrusted to the Yehudim – the Jew. Christianity forgets this revealed truth time and time again with each attempt to broaden understanding concerning Scripture by the Protestant Reformation. It is high time to stop this foolishness by attempting to form a ‘new’ religion as seen with the historical Samaritan narrative.
“You gentile Samaritans worship, but you do not know Him who is to be worshiped. We Yehudim know whom we worship, for salvation comes from the Yehudim.” John 4:22 CKJV
Yochanan
Yochanan (Yo-ha-nan) is the Hebrew name of the man recorded in the New Testament as baptizing Yeshua in the River Jordan. This Hebrew name means Yehovah is merciful (Yah is merciful). First came the mercy of Yehovah unto the Hebrew children who were under the covenants of Yehovah.
Understanding the prophecy of and the call upon Yochanan’s life is crucial to developing a clear understanding of the beginning fulfillment recorded in Jerimiah 31:31.
Fear not Zecharyah! Your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elisheva will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Yochanan. You will have great joy, and many will be exceedingly glad on account of his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of Yehovah. He shall not drink wine or any strong drink, and he will be filled with the Ruach Kodesh (Holy Spirit) from his mother’s womb. He shall turn many of the children of Israel to Yehovah their Elohim. He shall go before Yehovah in the spirit and power of Eliyahu to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. He shall cause the disobedient to understand righteousness and make ready a people prepared for Yehovah. Luke 1:13-17
Ponder upon these prophices and understand the ministry of Yochanan! Allow the Spirit of Yehovah to bring to your soul what He set to accomplish through Yochanan, to His people. Reject the onslaught of foolishness held within the theology of what is called Christianity. And I know, oh, how I know, how hard this will be if you are one who grew up accepting theologies from your youth! But I pray for your soul.
After the eighth day of the birth of Yochanan people gathered together for the circumcision of Yochanan. Zecharyah his father had not spoken in nine months. When it came time to circumcise Yochanan, his relatives assumed and voiced that the child would be called by his father’s name. Nevertheless, his mother said: “No! He shall be called Yochanan”. Then Zecharyah’s tongue was loosed and spoke and praised Yehovah.
“Blessed be Yehovah Elohim of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up for us a horn of salvation from the house of his servant David. As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from the beginning of the age, that we shall be saved from our enemies and rescued from the hand of all those that hate us. He has performed the mercy he promised to our fathers and has remembered his holy covenant; the oath which he swore to our father Avraham that he would grant us deliverance out of the hand of our enemies. That we might serve him without fear, and stand before him in holiness and live in righteousness all the days of our lives.” Luke 1:68-75
And you, little child, you will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of Yehovah to prepare his way. You will give knowledge of salvation to his people through the forgiveness of sins, through the tender mercy of our Elohim whereby the rising sun from heaven has visited us to give light to those who sit in darkness and under the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:76-79