I’m a Gentile Believer, a devoted mother of five wonderful children, and the wife of an amazing husband. Nature, gardening, and dance bring joy and inspiration to my life. In my spare time, I play the piano, care for my garden, or study the Bible in Hebrew. And I’ll drop just about anything for a game of cards.
My unwavering quest for a genuine relationship with the God of the Bible has driven me to delve deeply into His Word, which guides my journey and shapes my life's path. This exploration, combined with dedication to living out my faith, is at the heart of my writing. I seek to share my insights and discoveries with readers, encouraging them to embark on their own spiritual journeys.
We at Holy Branches have created an online store and aim to be a single marketplace that provides the highest quality items from around the world for those in the growing Hebrew Roots and Messianic Christian Movements. Whether you’re learning the Hebrew language, seeking high quality Christian jewelry, searching for gifts for friends and family, or pursuing the latest in Biblical resources, our products are useful and enlightening for Christians from all backgrounds.
Check back with our growing store as we’ll be adding new items regularly, many of which you won’t find anywhere else.
The Scriptures version of the Bible used the original names of people and places, as well as both the English and Hebrew names for the books of the Bible. It also has retained as the name of the Most High, יהוה, throughout.
Another feature is that the references/quotes from the Old Testament found in the New Testament are in bold print, showing just how much these two sections of our Bible are related!
The rich background of the culture and customs of Biblical times comes alive in this study Bible. With beautiful and detailed pictures and diagrams, this is a valuable resource for any student of the Word of God. We have the Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible in NIV and NKJV.
Hebrew Bibles
We carefully chose our Hebrew Bibles as those that would be the most useful to those in our faith.
For those with a knowledge of basic Biblical Hebrew vocabulary. This Hebrew Bible contains the complete Tanakh (Old Testament) from the Leningrad Codex and is a valuable resource for those studying the Hebrew language. The footnotes include translation for the words that occur 100 times or less throughout the Hebrew Bible.
For those interested in Greek as well, we offer a Hebrew-Greek Readers Bible, which has a Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament, along with all of the features that make the Hebrew Reader’s Bible unique.
This leather-bound NASB version contains both the Old and New Testaments in Hebrew and English alongside one another.
The Old Testament is the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia version in Hebrew and the NASB in English. The New Testament is Modern Hebrew, along with the English NASB. The maps included in the back are in Modern Hebrew.
For homeschoolers, we offer the books I’ve found extremely helpful in teaching Hebrew to my homeschoolers. For years of homeschooling, I couldn’t find a quality program for teaching Hebrew to my children and Biblical Hebrew: A Homeschool Primer is a refreshing difference!
We’ve found beautiful Messianic and Christian jewelry to meaningfully reflect our faith. Here are a few of the items we offer. Check the Hebrew Roots Market website for more!
Like many of our products, the Tear Drop Eilat Christian Necklace contains Eilat stone, which is mined exclusively in Israel and is also known as the King Solomon stone. It’s an attractive stone that embraces the significance of the nation of Israel in our faith.
We also have Eilat Stone earrings that match our Eilat stone necklaces if you’re looking for a set!
Our Mobius Bracelets have been a popular item and they make wonderful gifts for the women in your life! We have Shema, Aaronic Blessing, and “Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li” (“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine”) Mobius Bangles in 925 Sterling Silver.
Speaking of bracelets, we have beautiful cuff bracelets as well. You can get these with either the Shema or “Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li”.
The Messianic Seal signifies the oneness of Jews and Gentiles in Messiah and we have some beautiful options with this seal on them.
I hope you enjoy your online shopping experience at Hebrew Roots Market! Continue to check in, as we’ll be adding unique and useful items for your Hebrew Root journey as we find them.
What do you need to be a Christian? Well, nothing physical, really. You need a repentant, humble, and open heart, willing to hear what God has to say to you. For some of those who followed God in the Bible, that was all they had! But just about every Christian owns a Bible. Many also have Bible study books, jewelry with Christian themes, nativities, and Biblically-themed art in their homes.
So, what do you “need” to be a Christian on the Hebraic path? There are no specific items, but there are some things that will help you live out your faith. Here are a few things my family and I have found helpful in practicing our faith in this way.
Since the Bible’s original languages are such deep and meaningful languages, the same words can be translated differently, and translators don’t interpret scripture in the same way. While it’s nearly impossible to translate the Bible without highlighting the land of Israel and the Hebrew people, there are some translations that clarify those concepts and those related. Here are some Bibles used by my family as well as other Hebraic Believers.
Many Christians choose to learn Biblical Hebrew to better understand the Bible, specifically the Old Testament. Here are 7 Ways Learning Hebrew Benefits Your Christian Faith. Numerous resources exist to help learn the Hebrew Language, and below are a few I’ve found helpful. Make sure to check out my free printable flash cards for the Hebrew Alphabet and Hebrew Vowels as well.
Although there’s no shortage of Bible studies, it can be difficult to find a study that highlights the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Here are some that I’ve used and enjoyed.
The Bible is clear that we’re to pass our faith on to the next generation. Here are the programs I’ve used for my children. Bible Pathway Adventures has many activity books on Feast Days, weekly Parsha readings, Bible stories, and characters.
Passover is a rich celebration for Christians, as we celebrate deliverance and salvation through our Passover Lamb, Jesus! Many items can be used during a Passover Seder, a few of which are listed below.
A time to remember what God has provided for us, Sukkot is also when we celebrate God coming to earth to dwell with His people. We’re instructed to “dwell” in a temporary dwelling for Sukkot’s 8 days, which is what this holiday is centered around.
This post contains affiliate links. I only advertise items I personally recommend and may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit our Affiliate Information Page.
God is given many names throughout the Bible by His people and even by Himself! Each of these names reveals an aspect of His character, of who He is. The amazing thing here is that we can get to know God and grow closer to Him through a study of His names.
This article covers the name Adonai and those related. If you’re interested in more names of God, here are others in this series you may enjoy.
When it appears in Hebrew scripture, English Bible translators most often translate this name as “Lord”. Note that it will appear as “Lord” in lower case letters and not “LORD”. When the word “Lord” is in all caps in the Bible, it’s referring to the name יהוה.
It’s an extended form of the word Adon (אָדוֹן), which is also a name for God but can also be used to refer to men or angels. Adonai can be found in combination with Yahweh as Adonai Yahweh (אֲדֹנָי יַהְוֶה), which is another name translated as “Lord God”. It’s also used to substitute יהוה when reading from Hebrew scripture or praying out loud out of respect for God’s name.
Adoni אֲדֹנִי
Sometimes the word Adonai will be conjugated differently to mean similar but different things. When it appears as Adoni, it means “my Lord”, as David used it in Psalm 110:1. We can all use this name in prayer! Claim Him as your Lord!
Like Adoni, the meaning of this name is “our Lord” and is also translated “our Master” as in 1 Samuel 16:16. Isn’t it amazing that we can call the God of the Universe ours?!
It can also be spelled אֲדֹנֵינוּ, which is pronounced the same but used to refer not just to God but also to King David. Examples of these differing uses can be found in Ps. 8:1 and 1 Kings 1:43.
Adonei HaAdonim אֲדֹנֵי הָאֲדֹנִים
Meaning “Lord of Lords”, one place this name can be found is in Deuteronomy 10:17. This is just after the second set of tablets is brought to the Hebrew people by Moses. Verses 12-22 give an awesome description of who God is and what He requires of us. Read it today if you have a moment!
Adon Yahweh Tsevaot אָדוֹן יְהוָה צְבָאֹות
This is translated as “Lord God of hosts” or “Lord God of Armies”. It can refer to both earthly and supernatural armies.
This is the name David calls God by when he’s before the Philistine army in 1 Samuel 17:45. He announced that they were up against God and not just him and predicted their impending doom. As powerful as the armies of the world (or even the supernatural world) are, God is over even them!
Adon Kol HaAretz אֲדֹון כָּל־הָאָרֶץ
The “Lord of all the earth” or “Lord of the whole earth” is what this name means. It’s used in Psalm 97 (verse 5), which is a breathtaking description of God’s power and elevated position over all.
The name Adonai introduces us to God as our Lord and our Master. He’s the Lord of Lords and over all the earth. Isn’t it humbling that such a God knows and loves each of us individually? What an awesome God we have!
This post contains affiliate links. I only advertise items I personally recommend and may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit our Affiliate Information Page.
There are so many names for God in the Bible. Among them are Yahweh (יהוה), Adonai, Elohim, and more. But His names aren’t just there so we know what to call Him. In Hebrew culture, names meant a lot more than that. They told of personality traits or even of of the purpose of someone’s life.
This is the same with God. It’s through His many names that we can discover His characteristics and get to know who He really is! Some of His names were ways He named Himself while others were given to Him by His people. Like many things we learn from the Bible , we learn many of God’s attributes through His interactions with the people in the Bible and the names they gave Him.
This article will cover the name Elohim and those related. If you’re interested in even more names of God, here are other articles in this series you may enjoy.
If you’re new to the Hebrew language, it may be helpful to start with my posts on the Hebrew Alphabet and the Hebrew Vowels.
Elohim אֱלֹהִים
Plural for Eloah (אֱלֹוהַ ) and from the word El (אֵל), this is the first name of God given in the Bible in Genesis 1:1, just before God created the universe. This name implies God’s mighty nature. Elah (אֱלָהּ), a name meaning “awesome One” is an Aramaic word found many places throughout the Old Testament, Daniel 2:18 for example.
Like יהוה, Elohim is often attached to other words to expose additional aspects of God’s character. In English translations of the Bible, Elohim is translated as “God”. It doesn’t just refer to our God but also to angels and to gods in general, although it’s not capitalized in this case to indicate that. For example, it’s the word used in Exodus 20, verse 3, in the command “You shall have no other gods before Me”.
As I said above, Elohim is a plural form. But why is the plural form used when referring to God? Well, the Bible doesn’t directly explain it but we do have a few clues. First, it’s not uncommon in Hebrew for something we think of as singular to be found in the plural form. Some examples are “water”, which is mayim (מַיִם) and “face”, which is panim (פָּנִים). Some say Elohim in the plural form refers to the Trinity and others say that it’s a form of royal “we”, or an “honorific plural” used by or in reference to those of great importance and power.
Elohai, meaning “my God”, can be found where Ruth stays with Naomi in Ruth 1:16, when she says “Your people shall be my people and your God, my God”. It’s used in many places throughout the Old Testament and was used by Jesus when he quoted David (Ps. 22:1) before his death on the cross by saying “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. Just as Elohai changes Elohim to make it “my God”, Eloheinu is “our God”.
El Shaddai אֵל שַׁדַּי
God gave this name to Himself in Genesis 17:1 when establishing His covenant with Abram. El Shaddai means “all sufficient God”. The word Shaddai is also used by itself in Numbers 24:4, commonly translated as “Almighty”.
Echad means “one” in Hebrew so this name means “one God” as in Malachi 2:10. It also points us of The Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4 “our God is one”!
El Hanneman אֵל הַֽנֶּאֱמָן
Also in Deuteronomy, this name means “the faithful God” and is used in chapter 7, verse 9 in a warning to the Hebrew people no two turn from their faithful God.
El Tzaddik אֵל צַדִּיק
God gives Himself this name through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 45:21. It means “righteous God”.
El Elyon אֵל עֶלְיֹון
Meaning “most high God”, El Elyon is what King David called God in Psalm 9 when thanking Him for His perfect justice. Elyon can also be found alone, as in Numbers 24:16 as Baalam praises God in prophecy when Balak has tried to convince him to curse Israel.
El Elim אֵל אֵלִים
This name is used in Daniel 11:36. It shows that, while others may have many gods, ours is the one that’s above them all!
El De’ot אֵל דֵּעֹות
Hannah gives God this name, meaning “God of knowledge” in a prayer of thanksgiving for her much-awaited son, Samuel (1 Sam. 2:3). The fear (reverence) of God is described as the beginning of knowledge in Proverbs 1:7, so we can know that He’s the source of all the knowledge we need!
El Haggadol אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים
When addressing the Hebrew people, Moses gives God this name, meaning “the great God” (Deut. 10:17).
El HaKevod אֵל הַכָּבֹוד
“The God of glory” is what this name means. It’s found in Psalm 29, verse 3, where David beautifully describes our awesome God, as he does so ofter throughout the Psalms.
In a description of God’s justice, this name, meaning “the holy God” is given in Isaiah 5:16. There is no one holier than God, making His the only perfect and right judgement.
El HaShamayim אֵל הַשָּׁמָיִם
Meaning “the God of the heavens”, this comes from Psalm 136 (verse 26), a Psalm of praise and thankfulness to God for His goodness and blessings to Israel.
El Olam אֵל עֹולָם
This names means “everlasting God” and can be found in Genesis 21:33, just after Abraham makes a covenant with Abimelech. Our God is everlasting! He has no beginning and no end! Isn’t that amazing?
El Roi אֵל רֳאִי
In Genesis 16:13, Hagar gave God this name when she found out she was pregnant with Ishmael. It means God who sees”. Because of her life circumstances, it didn’t seem like God saw her but He did, just like He sees all of us, even when we don’t feel like it!
El Yeshurun אֵל יְשֻׁרוּן
Yeshurun (also translated “Jeshurun”) means “Israel” or “righteous people” so this name means “God of Israel”.
El Yisrael אֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל
Just like El Yeshurun and from a Psalm of David (Psalm 68:36), this name means “God of Israel”.
El Channun אֵל חַנּוּן
Jonah gave this name to God in Jonah 4:2 in a complaint to Him. It means “gracious God”.
El Rachum אֵל רַחוּם
From a message to the Hebrew people from Moses, this name means “God of compassion” and is found in Deuteronomy 4:31.
El Yashuati אֵל יְשׁוּעָתִי
Related to the name of Yeshua (Jesus), this name means “God of my salvation” and is found in Isaiah 12:2. “God of our salvation” is El Yeshatenu (אֵל יְשׁוּעָתֵנוּ), from Psalm 68:19.
El Kanno אֵל קַנֹּוא
In Joshua 24:19, God’s described as “kana”, which can be translated as either “jealous” or “zealous”. This aspect of God’s character is better understood if we compare it to a marriage relationship. It’s similar to a man being jealous for his wife. He wants her to himself and doesn’t like to share. This is how God is with us. He wants to be our only God and doesn’t want to share!
El Hannorah אֵל הַנּוֹרָא
God is described in Nehemiah 9:32 as “the awesome God”. There’s no truer statement than that! He is indeed the most awesome there is!
El Chaiyai אֵל חַיָּי
This name, from Psalm 42:8, means “God of my life”. Is He the God of your life? If so, you know the peace that can bring! Closely related is Elohim Chai (אֱלֹהִים חַי), “living God”.
El Ghmulot אֵל גְּמֻלוֹת
In Jeremiah 51:56, Jeremiah refers to God using this name to warn that God will bring Babylon to justice for their treatment of His people. This name is translated as “the LORD is a God of recompense” or “the LORD is a God of retribution”.
Immanu El עִמָּנוּ אֵל
This is one we’re all familiar with. Commonly translated “Immanuel”, “God with us” in Isaiah 7:14 points forward to when Jesus came to earth and humans experienced God with them in the form of a man.
Elohim Emet אֱלֹהִים אֱמֶת
While discussing idolatry, Jeremiah distinguishes our God as the “true God” with this name from Jeremiah 10:10. El Emet (אֵל אֱמֶת) has the same meaning and is found in Psalm 31:5.
Elohim Bashamayim אֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם
“God in heaven” is the name given by Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:6.
Elohim Chayim אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים
This name, meaning “living God” is similar to El Chaiyai and Elohim Chai above. Chai (חַי) in Hebrew means “life”.
Elah Shamayia אֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא
Similar to Elohim Bashamayim, from the book of Ezra (7:23), Elah Shamayia means “God of Heaven”.
Elah Yerushalim אֱלָהּ יְרוּשְׁלֶֽם
God is referred to as the “God of Jerusalem” in Ezra 7:19 and as the “God of Israel” (אֱלָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל) yet again in Ezra 5:1.
I’m so thankful for this one! In Nehemiah 9:17, it says that our God is a “God of forgiveness”. We don’t deserve it but He’s patient with us and has given Jesus to us to redeem our sin which we can’t do for ourselves.
Elohei Tz’vaot אֱלֹהֵי צְבָאֹות
In 2 Samuel 5:10, this name, “God of hosts” is said to be the cause of David’s greatness.
To distinguish from the many gods of the surrounding peoples, our God is the “God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob”. “God of Jacob” can also be found as Eloah Ya’akov (אֱלוֹהַּ יַעֲקֹב) in Psalm 114:7.
Elohei HaElohim אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים
In Deuteronomy 10:17, this is another name for “God of gods” like El Elim above. Another name with the same meaning, Elah Elahin (אֱלָהּ אֱלָהִין) can be found in Daniel 2:47.
Elohei MaUzzi אֵל מָעוּזִּי חָיִל
“God, a strong fortress” is what this name means, found in 2 Samuel 22:33. David gives Him this name in praise, attributing all his success to God. A similar name, El sal’i (אֵל סַלְעִי), meaning “God, my rock”, can be found in Psalm 42:9. The word for rock here can also mean a crag or a cliff.
Elohei Mikkarov אֱלֹהֵי מִקָּרֹב
“God who is near” is what God says about Himself in Jeremiah 23:23. What an amazing gift we have in that we’re able to have a God that wants to be close to us!
Elohei Marom אֱלֹהֵי מָרֹום
“God of heights” or “God on high” is how God’s described in Micah 6:6. While this may seem like the opposite of the previous name, “God who is near”, but since He’s God, He can be both near to us and a God whose exalted!
Elohei Tzur Yishi אֱלֹהֵי צוּר יִשְׁעִֽי
Similar to El Yashuati above, this name given by David means “God, the rock of my salvation” and is found in 2 Samuel 22:47.
In Isaiah 30:18, the people of Israel are given hope in that their God will bring justice to those who have treated them badly. This name means “God of justice”.
Elohei Kedem אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם
“Eternal God” is what this name means. It’s used in Deuteronomy 33:27, by Moses on his deathbed. Although he knows he can’t accompany the Hebrew people into the Promised Land, he does know the God that will go with them and that He is forever.
Elohei Tehellati אֱלֹהֵי תְהִלָּתִי
This should really be the name we all have for God. Elohai Tellhelati means “God of my praise”. Like no one else, God’s the only one deserving of all of our praise!
Elohei Avoteinu אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹותֵינוּ
Meaning “God of our fathers”, this is yet another name given by David and it can be found in 1 Chronicles 12:17. Elah Ahavti (אֱלָהּ אֲבָהָתִי) is similar but means “God of my fathers” (Daniel 2:23).
Elohei Nachor אֱלֹהֵי נָחוֹר
Just as He’s the God of Abraham, God is also described as the God of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, in Genesis 31:53.
Moses and Aaron describe God as the “God of the spirits of all flesh” in Numbers 16:22 and Moses says this again in chapter 27, verse 16. Our God is not only God over everything physical but also over the spiritual world! What an amazing God we have!
There are so many names of God related to El and Elohim! It’s impossible for us to get our mortal minds around all of who He is but the study of His names gives us a little glimpse of His character and He’s just awesome!
This post contains affiliate links. I only advertise items I personally recommend and may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit our Affiliate Information Page.
Yeshua: A Guide to the Real Jesus and the Original Church
As my family and I have grown in our Christian faith and embraced the Hebrew Roots of that faith, I’ve found so many benefits along our journey! It’s put to rest some of the inconsistencies that have bothered me about the Christian faith as well as given me a better understanding of the Scriptures, our Savior, and of God! Here are the main benefits I’ve noticed of this perspective on my faith.
1. It clarifies the continuity between the Old and New Testaments.
Many regard the Old and New Testaments to be separate books, with separate stories, maybe even with different Gods. Although most Christians will say they believe Bible to be the inspired word of God in its entirety, some even go so far as to consider the Old Testament irrelevant to our faith. I used to embrace this belief and it led to colossal misunderstandings of God, Jesus, salvation, the Bible, and many other concepts.
The truth is that the whole Bible is one story of one God and His people. There is no “God of the Old Testament” as I have heard Him described. God is the same as He was then and we can expect Him to be the same in the future.
Both Testaments are not only relevant to our faith, they each contain concepts that we must apply to our lives as Believers in Christ. While most of us can see the relevance of the New Testament clearly, some see the Old Testament as difficult to understand, outdated, and harsh.
But without a solid understanding of the Old Testament, we cannot fully understand the New. It was in the Old Testament that the roots were laid – for the Messiah, Israel (both the people and the land), for the church, and for the future.
The complete story can’t be found in the New Testament alone and interpreting the Old Testament in light of the New is backward and will lead to much confusion and misinterpretation. I have very recently found a simple way to understand the strong connection between the two Testaments in the version of the Bible called The Scriptures. It puts in bold the parts of the New Testament that are directly from the Old Testament and there’s a LOT of bold!
2. Jesus’s words are easier to understand.
While it may be difficult for some Christians to get their heads around (it was for me at first!), Jesus is very, very Jewish. The thought that once blew my mind is that he’ll STILL be Jewish when he returns!
With that in mind, how can we interpret what Jesus says from the mindset of American culture? For example, when Jesus is asked what the most important commandment is, his response includes the words of the Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, which is recited at least twice daily by Orthodox Jews, both today and in Jesus’s time. His audience would have easily recognized his response as the familiar words of the Shema.
Jesus said that all of the rest of the Law and prophets (the Old Testament) hung on these words. With an understanding of the Shema and its prominent place in Jewish life, no one in his audience would have interpreted him as saying that these were now the only two laws that applied, as some believe today. They would have seen, as many do, that this verse shows us that loving God is following His commands – all of them!
3. Paul’s writings no longer seem to contradict one another.
I’ve always found Paul’s letters, particularly when he writes about the Law, to be confusing. I’m not the only one. Even Peter notes in 2 Peter 3:3 that Paul’s writing is confusing to some. Here are two excerpts from Paul’s writings as an example:
Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident…
Galatians 3:11
And
…for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
Romans 2:13
And Paul appears to not only have contradicted himself but to have contradicted Jesus as well! Jesus says that he didn’t come to abolish the Law (Matt. 5:17-19) and then Paul says that Jesus abolished the Law (Eph. 2:14-15).
The common Christian interpretation takes the position that the Law has been abolished and interprets these and other verses with that understanding. They hold Jesus’s words up to Paul’s and take the position that Jesus must have meant something else when he contradicted Paul. But when you take the words of Jesus and the rest of the Bible as the authority for interpretation of Paul’s words, a very different result is reached.
Even though his writings confuse many due to the different types of laws he refers to and his differing audiences, Paul believes (as do many Hebrew Roots Christians and Messianic Jews) that, while our adherence to the Law doesn’t save us, it is the code we should adhere to after salvation out of sanctification and growth in righteousness. I’ll say it again because this is the point where the Hebrew Roots Movement tends to lose a lot of Christians – following the Law does NOT save us. But it is the way we should live as God’s redeemed people.
4. God’s Laws can be seen as blessings instead of constraints.
Biblically, God’s Laws are good but many see them instead as negative and as constraints put on the lives of those before us just to show us what sin is and that we can’t live up to what God desires of us. But that’s not what God says about them. Here are some verses that show us how God views His Laws for us (emphasis mine):
The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul…
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:1-2
Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!
Deuteronomy 5:29
The entire chapter of Psalm 119 has wonderful things to say about God’s Law and so do many, many other places in the Bible! Although they don’t have the power to save us, God’s Laws are the best way to live as His people and they are a blessing to us!
5. God gets the glory.
Reverence for God, His name, His Word, and His Law are all major themes when Christianity is practiced from a Hebrew Roots perspective.
Many have returned to using the tetragrammaton (יהוה or Yahweh, as it’s most commonly pronounced) to refer to God or even to not saying or writing a name for Him at all. This is done out of reverence as well as out of obedience to the third commandment. While some may see this as impersonal, it comes as a result of faith in and awe and reverent fear of the God of the universe.
As I stated in #1 above, the Hebrew Roots perspective gives equal weight to the Old and New Testaments. The Torah (the Bible’s first five books) and the words of the prophets are extensively referred to in the New Testament. In synagogues, these precious books of the Old Testament are studied and celebrated weekly! It glorifies God to take all of His words as applicable to our lives and our faith.
When His Word says that His Laws are “perfect” and that we should “delight” in them and many other positive things, we don’t glorify Him if we make them out to be negative constraints that God set up to trap us. We can rest in the trust that God gave His Laws because He knows what’s best for us as people belonging to Him.
6. Otherwise confusing cultural customs become clearly relevant.
Take, for example, when the Holy Spirit was given to the Apostles. What they were celebrating when that happened was Shavuot. This is the time they celebrated God giving His Law to His people. With this background, they would’ve clearly understood the giving of the Holy Spirit as fulfillment of prophecy (Jere. 31:33). They would have seen that those same Laws they celebrated were the very ones being written on their hearts that day.
Celebrating Shavuot as a Christian puts the connection between the Law and the Holy Spirit in perspective. Rather than the Holy Spirit replacing the Law, it instead helps us be able to obey, since those Laws are now within us and have become a part of us.
7. Study of the Bible in its original languages brings clarity that no translation can.
Most Christians who have a Hebrew Roots perspective to their faith are at some level of learning the Hebrew and Greek languages to aid in their Bible studies. The Old Testament, written largely in Hebrew, cannot be fully understood from merely studying it in its translated form. Hebrew doesn’t translate seamlessly to English as there are some Hebrew words that cannot be fully expressed in our language.
I often use the well-known Hebrew word for peace as an example of this. In Hebrew, shalom is the word for peace. Shalom doesn’t just mean peace though. Its full Hebrew meaning encompasses completeness, welfare, prosperity, perfection, soundness, safety, health, and more. Yet when translated into English almost everywhere it appears in the bible, in nearly every English bible translation, it is merely translated as “peace”, leaving the reader to interpret the meaning as simply that.
Learning Hebrew has great benefit to our Christian faith in that it aids our understanding of the Bible. Although there are great English translations of the Bible, none of them compare in accuracy to the original texts.
8. Jesus is celebrated year-round.
Celebrating the Biblical Holy Days, which all point to Jesus in some way, is a great benefit to our faith! Seven times a year (and on the Sabbath), we can look to these Days to remind us of Jesus – who he is, what he’s done for us, and what he will do in the future!
Here’s a summary of the Holy Days and their relevance to Jesus:
The Sabbath/Shabbat: Jesus is our Sabbath rest. Out of mercy, he covered our sin so we can escape the eternal punishment we deserve.
Pesach/Passover: Jesus is our Passover Lamb. His blood is what protects us from God’s just wrath.
Chag HaMatzot/Unleavened Bread: Being without sin, Jesus is the only “unleavened” one fit to take the place of sacrifice for our sin.
HaBikkurim/First Fruits: Jesus is our first fruits offering. Through him, we look forward to the future harvest, his resurrection, and to his eventual rule over the earth!
Shavuot/Pentecost: Jesus was the Word with us here on earth and left so that we could have the Spirit and the “Word” was then written on our hearts.
9. Believing Jews and Christians can be one in Jesus.
Jesus didn’t come to earth to start a new religion. He came to be the sacrifice necessary to bridge the gap we created between us and God through sin. He came as the Messiah for Israel and we, as Gentile Christians, are grafted in to the promises God gave to His people Israel.
Christians and Jews weren’t meant to be separate but one body in Jesus. In communities of Hebrew Roots Christians and Messianic Jews, this complete body of Christ can be seen and experienced and it’s amazing to see them come together as one!
This post contains affiliate links. I only advertise items I personally recommend and may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit our Affiliate Information Page.
I’ve heard from more Christians this year than ever before that they’re planning to celebrate Passover and hold their first Seder. How exciting that hearts are turning to Passover and its rich symbolism to remember and re-focus on God’s faithfulness and salvation of His people!
If you’ve never participated in a Seder before or are holding your own for the first time, it can be intimidating but there are many resources to guide you through it. For those in this position, I’ve found the following videos very helpful. For a simple written guide, see my post entitled A Very Basic Christian Passover Seder Guide.
Believers Passover Seder
by Tom Bradford from Seed of Abraham
I listed this video first because I truly think it will be the most helpful for Christian Passover first-timers. You could watch this video to learn about a Seder, prepare for one, or even use the video to lead you, your family, or church group through an actual Seder!
Seed of Abraham has excellent free Bible studies on various topics as well. I listen to them often and learn so much! Check them out at torahclass.com.
The Last Supper Passover
By Paul Wilbur at Wilbur Ministries
Paul Wilbur highlights the connections between the Last Supper and Passover as he and his family lead the viewer through a Passover Seder. Here’s the printable Passover Guide to accompany the video.
Broken for You: A Messianic Passover Seder Walk-Through
By Matthew Vander Els at Founded in Truth Ministries
This is a thorough video that should answer all your questions about a Christian Seder. They offer a free download of their Broken for You Haggadah to use during your Seder. I love how Founded in Truth Ministries conveys seemingly complicated Biblical concepts clearly and in a way that’s interesting to watch and listen to.
Christ in the Passover
By David Brickner from Jews for Jesus
Jews for Jesus is a Messianic Jewish ministry comprised of Jewish people that believe in Jesus as the Messiah. They
This is an entertaining video that explains both the traditions of Passover and how they point to the sovereignty of God as well as to Jesus and his sacrifice for us.
This post contains affiliate links. I only advertise items I personally recommend and may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit our Affiliate Information Page.
As many followers of Jesus are realizing how important the Biblical Holy Days are to our faith, we look to Passover to remind us of the lamb. This Holy Day reminds us of both the lamb whose blood was spilled to save the Hebrew people from the plague of the firstborn in Egypt and of Jesus, whose blood saved all people from their destruction due to sin.
Passover also serves as a reminder that we were all once slaves
in our sin and that Jesus, our Passover Lamb, freed us from that slavery in his
death on the cross. Jesus also tells us
that he’ll celebrate the Passover with us again in the future (Mark 14:24-25
and Luke 22:15-16)!
Check out my calendar for the upcoming Passover dates. Here are the main elements and supplies you’ll need to host a Passover Seder in your home, church, or other group.
1. Haggadah
This is just a booklet, one for each participant, that leads everyone through the Seder. In recent years, I’ve found more and more Haggadahs that are Messianic. This means they’ll focus on and incorporate the concepts of Jesus throughout the Seder. A Haggadah from a Jewish source (not Messianic Jewish) will cover the themes of the Passover, just without reference to Jesus. Here are a few different ones.
The first part of a Passover Seder is the washing of hands,
signifying a clean and pure heart before God.
Although we wash our hands for other meals, doing it in this way sets
this time apart and puts our focus where it belongs. While not traditional, I’ve heard of some
that use this time to wash one another’s feet like Jesus washed his disciples’
feet, which would be a beautiful way to start a Seder!
3. Seder Plate
A Seder Plate is specifically made to display the elements of the
Seder. Another large plate could also be
used or individual plates for each participant could be used as well. They’re typically an attractive piece to add
to your table but there are also disposable Seder Plates as well as those made
for children with kid-friendly designs on them.
Many have a place for a roasted egg, which has various
meanings. While some say it represents
renewal and new life, others say it’s a symbol of mourning the destroyed
Temple, and still others use it as a representation of the Temple pilgrimage or
festival sacrifice. My family doesn’t
use the egg in our Seder but you have to determine whether it has a meaningful
place in yours.
There are so many choices out there for Seder plates but here are a few to start with.
Matzah is basically a large cracker and serves as the unleavened
bread during the Seder. The bread being
unleavened is important because it reminds us of the Passover story. The Hebrew people had to flee Egypt quickly,
without time to allow their bread to be naturally leavened. Leaven, or yeast, also signifies sin in the
Bible. Eating bread without yeast
reminds us both that we’re to be sinless before God and that Jesus, being
himself sinless, paid for our sin on the cross, allowing us to be acceptable before
God.
You’ll need about 5 pieces per participant at your Seder. Most come in packages of about 10 pieces. You may be able to get it at a local grocery store but here are some you can order online as well.
5. Matzah Cover or Napkin
To wrap 3 of the matzah pieces in for use during the Seder. One of these pieces will be broken and remind us of
when Jesus was broken for our sin. After
this, some people hide the larger piece, called the Afikomen, and have the
children search for it later, which is reminiscent of Jesus’s burial and
resurrection.
You can use a napkin or a matzah cover made just for this purpose. Here are a few beautiful matzah covers.
Used to symbolize the bitterness of slavery (both the Hebrews
enslaved by the Egyptians and us previously enslaved by sin), these are dipped
in salt water during the Seder. We use
parsley or celery as our bitter herbs. Whatever
you choose to use, you’ll need 1 piece for each participant.
7. Dish(es) of Salt Water
Dissolve enough salt into water to make it taste noticeably salty. There can be a small dish of salt water for each person or a shared dish. The bitter herbs will be dipped into this solution during the Seder to represent the tears of both the Hebrew slaves in Egypt and our tears as we were slaves to sin prior to accepting Jesus
8. Charoset
Charoset is the sweet and tasty mixture of apples, nuts, and juice that is used during the Seder to remind us of the brick mortar the Hebrew slaves had to use to build for the Egyptians. Here’s the link to the Charoset recipe I use. You’ll need about 1/2 cup per participant.
9. Shank Bone
A lamb shank is traditionally used here and you’ll need 1 per Seder
Plate. To simplify, we’ve used a
drumstick and made sure to discuss the significance of the animal sacrificed
being a lamb.
10. Horseradish
This is another of the bitter herbs but is used differently during the Seder. You’ll need about 1 tablespoon per participant, depending on how much spice your family or guests can tolerate. While it can be found at your local grocery store, here are a couple online options.
Whether you use wine or juice is up to you but whichever you use,
have enough for every participant to have at least 4 glasses or cups. Seders often take many hours but if 4 glasses
of wine seems like a lot or if you’re planning on a shorter Seder, use very
small cups or just have participants take a drink in place of each of the four
cups in the Seder.
12. Full Meal
Not included in the Seder itself, this is to eat together afterward.
The meal can consist of whatever you choose but should be something everyone
will love since this is a day for celebration!
Traditionally, this is a pork- and yeast-free meal.
Now what you know what you need for your Seder, start preparations ahead of time. The most important preparation, however, is your heart. Pray about your Seder and that those participating will have open hearts to what God wants to teach them through it. Go over the story of the Passover and ask the Holy Spirit to show you what parts to highlight. Going through the motions of a Seder (or anything, really) is a waste so make sure the focus stays on God and that He gets the glory!
Rose Publishing makes a pamphlet called “Christ in the Passover” that will really help as you and your friends and family prepare for Passover. It’s a great resource!
This post contains affiliate links. I only advertise items I personally recommend and may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit our Affiliate Information Page.
Charoset (pronounced by most Americans as “har-oh-set”) is one of the items on a Seder Plate during a traditional Passover Seder. It is supposed to remind the Seder participants of the mortar between the bricks of the buildings the Israelite slaves built for their Egyptian captors. It’s in stark contrast to horseradish, which is eaten at the same time as charoset during a Seder. While horseradish is bold and shocking, charoset is sweet, mild, and pleasant.
This can be made a day or two ahead of time, which can give a Seder host a welcome break on the day of the Seder itself.
Any type of apple you like will work for this recipe. Gala are the most highly recommended and sweeter apples are preferred by most, but we usually use Granny Smith apples or a combination and it always turns out delicious!
Traditionally, a food processor is used, and the entire mixture ends up resembling the brick mortar from the Passover story. It can then even be molded into a pyramid shape to serve it! Many people simply chop the apples coarsely, giving the charoset a fruit salad type appearance. How you make yours is up to you!
One of the frequent regulars in our home, this is an easy and healthy meal that you can prepare ahead of time and mix just before you serve it. For that reason, it’s a great choice for a lunch or dinner on Shabbat. I often make the noodles and chicken and cut the veggies on Friday so that it’s ready to combine and serve before a meal on Shabbat.
While it may be tempting to mix it ahead of time, don’t! If kept overnight or even for a few hours in
your fridge, the croutons will become mushy and the cheese slimy and very
unappetizing!
This dish is very flexible and we have varied it a lot over the
years! The type of pasta, cheese,
vegetables, dressing, and more can be substituted with your favorites.
The chicken can be whatever type you prefer – chicken breasts,
rotisserie, thighs, or even canned chicken.
I marinate the chicken first sometimes for a more rich flavor. I either cook it on the stove or in the
Instant Pot. Iceberg, romaine, leaf lettuce,
or a mix of greens are all great options for the lettuce.
For the pasta, we commonly use spirals, but have also have used
shells and tortellini with wonderful results.
The tomatoes can be any type – halved grape and cherry tomatoes are what
we like best. Cheddar, Mozzarella, and
Parmesan cheeses work well in this recipe so use your favorite between those or
use a mixture of all three! Have fun
with it!
