SEALED BY GOD

“PURITY TO YAH”—Ancient seal discovered in Jerusalem

"Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation" (Psalm 24:3-4: Trans: NKJ).

"A pure heart create for me, God, and a firm spirit renew within me. Do not fling me from Your presence, and Your holy spirit take not from me. Give me back the gladness of Your rescue and with a noble spirit sustain me" (Psalm 51:12-14: Trans: Robert Alter).

The Israeli Antiquities Authority this week revealed discovery of a tiny "seal" discovered on the route of a street which ran through ancient Jerusalem just outside the Temple Mount. The seal is dated sometime between the 1st century B.C. and 70 AD when the Temple was destroyed by the Romans. On the seal are two words lettered in Hebrew, Daka Le'Yah. Daka is an Aramaic word corresponding to Hebrew tahor-"pure". Le in either language means "to" or "for"; Yah is an ancient shortened form of YHVH-Yehovah-the LORD. Archaeologists translate the seal "Pure for the LORD" and believe it was used to stamp objects designated for Temple use as being ceremonially pure. It appears similar to seals described in the Mishna for this purpose. Indeed, the account in the Talmud of the single cruse of oil discovered in the Temple by the Maccabees over 160 years earlier relates that it "lay with the seal of the High Priest" (i.e. it was pure and could be used in the Temple).

Some months ago we wrote of a tiny bell, thought possibly to have been worn by a priest passing from the Pool of Siloam up to the Temple during Yeshua's time, which had been discovered in the City of David. Now we have another artifact, with lettering certifying purity to the Lord. We believe that discoveries like this in Israel cannot be without significance. We received word of a prophetic message released through interpretation by Chuck Pierce on December 18 in the US: "Many signs are coming into your midst. I will use these signs to recreate the path that you normally walk on. Look carefully! Signs are now being released from My throne room and will enter the earth realm in the next few days.Watch the signs, for the signs will light your way." Please pray for revelation to be granted as to what the Spirit is saying to the congregations as signs are released both in Israel and in the nations.for ears to hear and clarity to understand "what the Spirit is saying to the congregations."

Certainly, we sense a spiritual call to Israel for purity: "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like launderers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering of righteousness" (Malachi 3:2-3). David prayed (see Psalm 51 above) that God would create in him a "pure heart". Hebrews 1:3 speaks of the divine Son, Messiah Yeshua "making purification for sins." And Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV) portrays those who have availed themselves of that purification as being sealed "with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." In other words, the presence of the Holy Spirit in believers is our "purity seal" qualifying us to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.on the Temple Mount or anywhere else! (John 4:21-23) Please pray for a longing for purification to take place in Israel; that the veil would be lifted on Jewish hearts and they would recognize the means which God has provided, the work of His Son. "Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool"(Isaiah 1:18).

This appears to be the first discovery close to the Mount of an artifact confirming in writing the Jewish religious rituals practiced there 2,000 years ago. (In the year 2000 then Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat mounted a history-modification campaign denying that there had ever been a Jewish presence associated with the mountain.) A picture in the Hebrew-language Ha'Aretz showed in the foreground a hand holding the tiny "purity seal"; a portion of the Temple Mount with the dome of the Al Aqsa mosque rises in the background. Recently the Temple Mount has begun rising in controversy again. The entrance used by non-Muslims was damaged a few years back by an earthquake. It was deemed unsafe and dismantled, a temporary wooden ramp being built in its place. A date set for rebuilding the permanent replacement came and went recently with nothing having been done. There had been strong warnings from both Jordan and Egypt against doing so, and authorities felt, given the circumstances taking place presently in Cairo, that the work should be postponed.

Israel gained technical sovereignty over the Mount in 1967, but shortly thereafter granted a Muslim Jordanian force (WAQF) custodial rights over the Muslim holy sites there. The area is presently patrolled jointly by Israeli soldiers and WAQF security forces. This past year has seen more and more harassment of non-Muslim visitors.and Muslims religious have illegally taken over a sizable area of lawn there for daily "Koran study". Any time Israel does anything at all reflecting her sovereignty there, a hue and cry rises from the Muslim world that it is being done in preparation for destruction of the Al Aqsa mosque. What is building is of course a great spiritual as well as physical conflict. As we have written in the past, the Koran passage inscribed above the doors of the Dome of the Rock states: "Allah is great and he has no son". Psalm 2 in the Hebrew Bible not only affirms that Yehovah has a Son, but that He will be enthroned and rule from that Mountain! A confrontation is coming. It has been well said, "The last battle will be over who will be worshipped on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem." Please pray for wisdom and guidance for Israeli authorities in how most wisely and courageously to govern this holy place which the Lord has allowed to come under Israel's sovereignty. Pray for conviction from the Holy Spirit of the need that all actions regarding it are done in purity, integrity and truth (see Psalm 24 above).