Samples of The Nazarene Cipher
Sample 1: Shimon Ben Jonah / Simon (Peter)
Shimon (or Simon in the Greek) means “He has heard” or “Obedient one”. This disciple is by far the most well known. He was the son of Jonah (Matt. 16:17) and brother of Andrew (together they were referred to as the “sons of thunder”), and was raised on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, in the fishing town of Bethsaida. Emotionally and psychologically he was a complex paradox of extremes. He was capable of fierce loyalty while at other times shameful cowardice (Mk. 14:66-72), sometimes altruistic, other times brazenly self motivated. We find him acting as “a man’s man”, fully in charge of himself and his surroundings, while elsewhere looking more like a naughty schoolboy in need of a good scolding. A rugged, hardy, hot-headed individualist, he was not afraid to open his mouth and was often found with his own foot in it. Peter was the only disciple to declare Yeshua “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16) yet the only one to be rebuked as an instrument of the Devil (Mk. 8:31-33).
Quick Guide to Shimon Ben Jonah Panel
• Holding fire and stone – Shimon’s radically different natures. Yeshua gave him the nickname “stone” / “rock”.
• Upside down cross – His death as a martyr (crucified upside down).
• Stepping into water – Shimon walking on water (Matt. 14:28-29).
• Three dots surrounding gold dot – One of Yeshua’s inner circle.
• Icon of transfiguration (middle right) – Witnessed the transfiguration.
• Fish hook – A fisherman and a “fisher of men”.
• Key – Christ gave him the key of the kingdom (Matt. 16:13-19).
• Three drops of blood and a leaf – Present during Yeshua’s three prayers at Gethsemane.
• Fish with Coin – The miracle of the coin in the fish’s mouth (Matt. 17:27).
Quick Guide to The Frame of Shimon Ben Jonah
• Two spheres – First and Second Peter.
• Flower of Judah – He was the head of the Jewish Church. (Note: James, the brother of Yeshua, was soon to replace Peter as leader of the Jerusalem Church (Acts 12:17; 15 and 21).
Sample 2: Obadiah
Obadiah preached during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. The name Obadiah means “servant of YaHWeH” and was a common title.
The Edomites were the direct descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob (Gen 36:9). The word edom (meaning “red”) is first associated with Esau in the account of Genesis (Bereishit) when he despised his birthright and traded it to Jacob (Yaakov) for a bowl of red stew (Gen. 25:30). His skin also possessed a reddish pigmentation (Gen. 25:25).[174] From the very start, even within their mother’s womb, they were in conflict with each other (Gen. 25:22-23). As their fortunes grew, they found it necessary to part company. Esau left Canaan and traveled to the mountainous region of Seir where he married the daughters of some of the local tribal chiefs.
Like the original animosity between Jacob and Esau, their descendants shared the same bitterness. When the Kingdom of Judah fell to the Babylonians in 586 B.C., the Edomites rejoiced, gloating over her terrible destruction.
Much of Obadiah’s oracle is directed toward this particular evil (Psa. 137:7). As the direct descendants of Esau, the Edomites should have felt a profound sense of grief over Judah’s (Jacob’s) sorrow. Instead they clapped their hands with glee and prepared to receive the plunder (1:12-13); not only did they refuse to help but they actually participated in the bloodshed (1:11; 14). The prophet declares that while the Edomites may be laughing now, a day will come when they will share the same fate (1:15).
The Remnant Motif
Edom’s punishment would be terrible and absolute; she would never recover from it (1:18). Israel’s affliction, on the other hand, would last only a short while; one day they will return to their Promised Land (Eretz Yishrael) and their former glory will be restored. This will happen with the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah (1:17). In one final twist of irony, Israel’s kingdom will eventually extend to the mountain region of Seir and they will take hold of all that Edom once possessed (1:19-21).
Quick Guide for Panel of Obadiah
• Twins in womb – The two sons of Isaac, Jacob (the Israelites) and Esau (the Edomites).
• Remnant icon – A remnant shall return.
Sample 3: Job
The name Job or Yobe means “hostility” in Hebrew. Truly Job represents an individual who, in spite terrible hardships, devastating losses and bitter rejection, never faltered in his belief of God’s goodness and justice (1:1).
Three of Job’s closest friends hear about his great calamities and arrive to comfort him. What follows is a series of discussions between them and Job. They are convinced that God would never afflict a truly righteous man in such a terrible way. Job must be harboring some heinous sin, which he must immediately confess. In their eyes his afflictions are the physical proof of the wickedness that he has stored up in his heart. But Job is convinced that he has done nothing wrong and that it is sometimes God’s will to break down even the most righteous.
Eventually God Himself steps in, appearing to Job in the form of a storm cloud. He literally pummels him with questions, shaking him out of his dejected state. These questions deal not so much with the nature of suffering but more with the man’s limited perspective: “Where was Job when God created the Universe?” “How infinitely small is Job’s mind and outlook compared to God’s?” YaHWeH then sharply rebukes Job’s friends for their harsh and prideful words. Ultimately Job is lifted out of the ash pile, restored to good health, and blessed with twice his former wealth, name and family.
The Mystery of Job Revealed
• Job was the greatest in the land but became cursed, yet was then lifted back up to his former position of power. Christ resided eternally with the Father in glory but took on human flesh, becoming a curse for us, yet was lifted back up to His former position of power.
• Although Job was struck down he was eventually raised out of the ashes. Although Yeshua was struck down, He was eventually raised from the dead.
• Job’s new life and double blessing from his grim condition of suffering and satanic oppression symbolizes the Christian’s “new life” that is received when he is freed from his spiritual suffering and satanic oppression. The Christian’s double blessing will be fully realized at Yeshua’s second coming.
Quick Guide to Job
• His three friends - Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite.
• Satan – Much of Job’s affliction was orchestrated through Satan (Ha-satan).