Dr Hollisa Alewine – Footsteps of Messiah Part 139 (The Bounty on Your Head) for week of January 5, 2025

When those four riders of the apocalypse come, think about...   In Scripture, the head often represents the authority, the will of the person. When we dedicate our heads to Yeshua, we submit our will to him. Because he submitted his will to the Father, he has bounty in his hand. That bounty consists of the Bride, those who respond to the Father, who drew them to Yeshua. They have a marriage covenant with Heaven as described by King Solomon in the Song of all Songs:   Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits, henna with nard plants. (So 4:13)   It was customary for the bridegroom to send pomegranates as gifts to the bride in the interim between the betrothal and the actual ceremony and consummation of the marriage. These are gifts of the Bridegroom to the Bride to “wear" until he comes. It is the way for the Bride to learn the nature of her Groom until they physically dwell together. When she learns who he is, his will, what pleases and displeases him, she adjusts her own attitude and behavior to reflect those desires. She prepares for him just as he prepares for her.   Ultimately, Yeshua is preparing a place for the Bride "in my Father's House." Because no one can dwell in the Father's House in rebellion, the Bridegroom is preparing the bountiful Bride to dwell in the Presence of the Almighty's House. As she walks in the Father's will, and therefore Yeshua's will, the Living Word, she builds the reputation of the King of Kings. She proclaims His Name on earth by her deeds, which are His deeds. She re-introduces mankind to their Creator and Lover of their Souls.   The Good Name built by the pomegranates, whose pips (seeds) represent the 613 commandments, is pictured by the ancient marriage customs. Although betrothed and technically married, the couple lives apart until the final stage of the marriage, kiddushin. Only then will they dwell together. In the meantime, though, the bride is considered already married, forbidden to all others, and she wears the name of the bridegroom. This gift of a good name reflects unity with the Bridegroom, who by His “pomegranates” has set apart the Bride from all other nations and gods who represent an adultery for her:   “And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, before Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods?” (2 Sa 7:23) “So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’” (Dt 4:6)   The Mishkan (Tabernacle in the Wilderness) is a template of the Famous Name gift exchange between Bride and Bridegroom. The Bride brought the Bridegroom thirteen items as gifts for the building of the Mishkan:   Gold Silver Copper Turquoise wool Purple wool Scarlet wool Linen Goat hair Red-dyed ram skins Tachash skins Acacia wood Shoham stones Stones for the settings   This list does not include items that were depletable, such as olive oil and spices for anointment. Then the Bridegroom gave her similar gifts, each mirroring one of her gifts to Him for the preparation of a Mishkan to make a place for His Presence to dwell with her:   “I also clothed you with embroidered cloth and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk. I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck. I also put a ring in your nostril, earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your dress was of fine linen, silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey and oil; so you were exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty. Then your fame went forth among