Prophetic Principles, Properties, & Performances-
Yom Kippur & the Scarlet Cords of Fate
As Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Judgement, approaches and the Nation’s attention turns to the nomination of a new Supreme Court Justice, America is gripped with the question of what Justice truly is. Fortunately for Believers, we don’t have to worry, as Christ fulfilled the Fall Feast of Yom Kippur.
The first instance of red cords seen in Scripture is the birth of Patriarch Judah’s grandsons through deception by his daughter-in-law Tamar, after the deaths of Judah’s two wicked older sons. (Genesis 38). While she was giving birth to a set of twins, the first son put out his hand and the midwife tied a red string to confirm that this was the firstborn. This child, later named Zerah, pulled back his arm and his brother, Perez was born instead, though officially Zerah broke the womb first and was thus considered the firstborn. But it was through Perez’s lineage that the kingly Tribe of Judah would birth King David and eventually, Christ Himself. Though Zerah, who was adorned with the red string, had the responsibility of the first born son, it was Perez who would carry the burden ultimately.
During the reconnaissance mission within the fortress of Jericho, the two spies sent in by Joshua were discovered and searched for by the local government, but were hidden in the thatched roofing of Tamar the Prostitute’s home, which was in the city’s wall. In exchange for saving their lives, she requested that her family be spared during the siege of Jericho. They promised that as long as she left out the red rope she let them outside the city from, they would know not to attack anyone within that home. Tamar eventually married Salmon and was the mother of Boaz, and the great grandmother of King David.
When someone was discovered with leprosy, they were required to be quarantined and live outside the camp boundaries or city walls to prevent the spread of the disease. After the disease had subsided and cleared up, a priest would inspect the healed person and perform a cleansing ritual, which involved two live clean birds, a red string, cedar wood, and hyssop. One of the birds was killed in an earthenware jar over running water and the live bird, red string, and other items were dipped in the blood of the killed bird. The healed person would be splashed seven times with the blood of the dead bird using the little bundle, and the live bird would be allowed to be set free in the open fields afterwards.
This ceremony was extremely similar to the one done during the Yom Kippur sacrifice. Two goats which were identical in every way, had lots cast, with one goat given a red string around its neck where the High Priest would place the ceremonial knife and the other goat had the red string tied around its horns like a bloody crown. This second goat would have part of the red string around its horns removed and placed on the door of the Temple, before being led into the Wilderness. After the Yom Kippur sacrifice, the red string on the door would turn white when the released goat died in the Wilderness.
Simeon the Righteous, a very famous and respected High Priest, was known for several miracles during his forty years serving. One of the most well know was that the red string turned white on the day of Yom Kippur, which was extremely rare, every single year. This was significant since the citizens of Jerusalem usually had to wait several days or weeks for the sign to occur. This changing from red to white was thought to symbolize G3D forgiving the sins of the Priesthood and the Nation, and began to be known as the Consolation of Israel.
When Jesus was presented in the Temple, this is what Simeon, a righteous and devout man had been waiting for. Not only was Simeon’s name an allusion to High Priest Simeon the Righteous, but he was waiting on the sign, most recognized during his tenure. Simeon was surprised to realize that the true Consolation of Israel was not a piece of string, but the Messiah Himself.
In each case, the lives connected to the red string were spared the consequences that they would have faced otherwise. Zerah the first born of Tamar’s twins, bore the red string on his wrist, but was not required to carry on the family name, and instead Perez, his twin bore the weight of his family’s shame, before the redemption by King David. The two spies was hidden from the King’s guards and escaped down the red rope outside Rahab’s home. But that same red rope which spared the spies, was used as a sign for which house not to attack during the siege of Jericho. The red string secured the safety of Rahab and her family and she eventually married into the Tribe of Judah and gave birth to Boaz. It was through her family line that both King David and Christ would be born.
The cleansing ceremony to heal lepers and the Yom Kippur sacrifice both required two animals, with one being killed and the other one associated with the red string let free. Regarding the Yom Kippur sacrifice, the red string tied to the door of the Temple would eventually turn white after the goat led into the Wilderness finally died. When Christ was presented in the Temple, Simeon recognized Jesus as the true Consolation of Israel.
Several Jewish sources confirm that for forty years before the destruction of the Temple, starting after Christ’s Crucifixion, the red string never turned white, which is fitting since Christ fulfilled the Yom Kippur sacrifice fully.
Red string was a sign that the wearer would be freed from the consequences that would normally befall you. Whether it was relieving you of the weight of a legacy of sin, sparing your physical life, or allowing you to enter back into the loving embrace of society again, the red string was a sign of our salvation. Likewise we are covered by the blood of Christ and are spared from sin’s debt and are allowed to go free while he carried our burden instead.
Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Judgement, is no longer a day to afflict our souls and wait and pray hoping that we will receive a sign that G3D has forgiven our sins. We can now rest assured that we are free because Christ not only paid that debt, but He also fulfilled Yom Kippur.
Prepared by, Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet & Eric Sepulveda, PMT Administrator
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