As we have already learned, many pagan religious practices involve sexual relations as a part of religious observance.  The religious orgy is foremost among them.  Even many pagan religions had a rudimentary understanding of the need to reconcile the consequences of the sin in the Garden of Eden.  The sin involved the inappropriate mixing of seed and the subsequent corruption and curse of that seed.  Man became subject to death, whereas before the fall the production of man’s seed and fruit was meant to be in the image of YHWH.  Due to man’s fall and now inappropriate covering (nakedness) he had to leave the Garden of Eden to ensure he did not attempt to take of the Tree of Life in his fallen and corrupted state, which was no longer in the image (seed) of YHWH.  Notice that in the perfected state YHWH is commanding them to “be fruitful and multiply” and to cleave to one another and be one flesh.

Genesis 1:27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Genesis 2:And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.25And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Notice they are in the perfected state and YHWH has declared everything good.  Physical sex is a part of the Garden of Eden in man’s perfected state, while his seed is still in the image of YHWH.  Many Christians have the mistaken belief that in the Kingdom, resurrected people will either be sexless or be spirit beings without bodies.  Both beliefs are erroneous.  Yeshua came to restore our flesh, to graft us into His incorruptible flesh.  He is the second Adam and we are His bride.  If we don’t partake in His flesh we do not have life. 

Matthew 22:Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.31But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

Angels do not marry.  It does not mean that they are sexless.  Notice that the rulership relationship in marriage was not instituted until after Adam and Eve fell.

Genesis 3:16Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Something had changed in the marriage relationship.  Man could no longer produce seed in the image of YHWH and now conceiving seed would multiply their sorrow.  The essence of the religious observance is to restore man to relationship with YHWH as things were originally intended in the Garden of Eden.  YHWH was building Adam and Eve “tents” to dwell in the Garden of Eden and in Exodus, YHWH is instructing Israel on how to build YHWH a tent to live in among them.  At the pinnacle of that relationship, when Moses is on the mountain for 40 days receiving the Torah, the Ketubah (marriage contract) between YHWH and Israel, they decide to make a golden calf.  The 10 commandments were YHWH’s revelation of His image to them, and at the very moment He concludes writing His image on tablets of stone for them, they decide to choose a different image, the golden calf.

Exodus 32:And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.2And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

This wasn’t the action of an ignorant people that were still confused by the pagan worship of the Egyptians.  They are doing things very much as if they were worshiping YHWH, but they are doing it to a golden calf and with some mixed in observances.

1. Even though the elders of Am Yisrael saw the God of Israel who took them out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 24:10), they now look upon a golden calf proclaiming that it took them up from Egypt. 2. In Exodus 24:4-5 Moses arose early in the morning and built an altar upon which he offered olah (whole burnt offerings). So likewise, in Exodus 32:6, Am Yisrael arose early, build an altar and offer olah before the calf. 3. In Exodus 24:9-11 Moses and the elders eat and drink before Adonai. So likewise, in Exodus 32:6 Am Yisrael rise up to eat and drink. 4. The people stood at the foot of the mountain (Exodus 19 & 24) to receive the Torah. So likewise, in Exodus 32:19, the people are at the foot of the mountain when they worship the golden calf. 5. We know that Am Yisrael wore jewelry and ornaments at Matan Torah. So likewise, in Exodus 32:3, they use those ornaments to fashion the golden calf. 6. Just as Am Yisrael had taken up a collection of gold, silver, etc., for the building of the Mishkan (Exodus 25:1-7), so also did they take up a collection to build the golden calf (Exodus 32:2-4). Do you notice the striking contrasts? The sin of the golden calf is almost like an anti-covenant with Adonai.   (*From Ki Tissa Torah Study by Tony Robinson)

But there are some things they are doing incorrectly.  They “rose up to play”.  If you do a study of the word “play” you will see it frequently occurs in connection with the promised son/seed.  We see it with Abraham and Sarah when Abimilech is trying to take Sarah as his own and sees Isaac “sporting” -same word as “play” from Exodus 32.

Genesis 26:And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.9And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

The same word is used again when Ishmael is sent to the desert by Sarah and Abraham.

Genesis 21:And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.10Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

Notice that this word “Play”, Strong’s #H6711 is used each time in connection with the promised son/seed:

Gen 17:17
Then Abraham 085 fell 05307 upon his face 06440, and laughed 06711 , and said 0559 in his heart 03820, Shall [a child] be born 03205 unto him that is an hundred 03967 years 08141 old 01121? and shall Sarah 08283, that is ninety 08673 years 08141 old 01323, bear 03205 ?
Gen 18:12
Therefore Sarah 08283 laughed 06711 within herself 07130, saying 0559 , After 0310 I am waxed old 01086 shall I have pleasure 05730, my lord 0113 being old also 02204 ?
Gen 18:13
And the LORD 03068 said 0559 unto Abraham 085, Wherefore 04100 did Sarah 08283 laugh 06711 , saying 0559 , Shall I of a surety 0552 bear 03205 a child, which 0589 am old 02204 ?
Gen 18:15
Then Sarah 08283 denied 03584 , saying 0559 , I laughed 06711 not; for she was afraid 03372 . And he said 0559 , Nay 03808; but thou didst laugh 06711 .
Gen 19:14
And Lot 03876 went out 03318 , and spake 01696 unto his sons in law 02860, which married 03947 his daughters 01323, and said 0559 , Up 06965 , get you out 03318 of this place 04725; for the LORD 03068 will destroy 07843 this city 05892. But he seemed as one that mocked 06711 unto 05869 his sons in law 02860.
Gen 21:6
And Sarah 08283 said 0559 , God 0430 hath made 06213 me to laugh 06712, [so that] all that hear 08085 will laugh 06711 with me.
Gen 21:9
And Sarah 08283 saw 07200 the son 01121 of Hagar 01904 the Egyptian 04713, which she had born 03205 unto Abraham 085, mocking 06711 .
Gen 26:8
And it came to pass, when he had been there a long 0748 time 03117, that Abimelech 040 king 04428 of the Philistines 06430 looked out 08259 at 01157 a window 02474, and saw 07200 , and, behold, Isaac 03327 [was] sporting 06711 with Rebekah 07259 his wife 0802.
Gen 39:14
That she called 07121 unto the men 0582 of her house 01004, and spake 0559 unto them, saying 0559 , See 07200 , he hath brought in 0935 an Hebrew 0376 05680 unto us to mock 06711 us; he came in 0935 unto me to lie 07901 with me, and I cried 07121 with a loud 01419 voice 06963:
Gen 39:17
And she spake 01696 unto him according to these words 01697, saying 0559 , The Hebrew 05680 servant 05650, which thou hast brought 0935 unto us, came in 0935 unto me to mock 06711 me:
Exd 32:6
And they rose up early 07925 on the morrow 04283, and offered 05927 burnt offerings 05930, and brought 05066 peace offerings 08002; and the people 05971 sat 03427 down to eat 0398 and to drink 08354 , and rose up 06965 to play 06711 .
Jdg 16:25
And it came to pass, when their hearts 03820 were merry 02896, that they said 0559 , Call 07121 for Samson 08123, that he may make us sport 07832 . And they called 07121 for Samson 08123 out of the prison 0631 house 01004; and he made them 06440 sport 06711 : and they set 05975 him between the pillars 05982.

Here is what most people are missing about this situation where Israel “rose up to play”.  They are assuming this golden calf is taking the place of YHWH and that is what the people of Israel were intending.  This is wrong.  They are worshiping almost identically to the Torah and with knowledge of how to worship.  The pillar of fire and the cloud (Shekinah) is still present.  The fire/cloud on the mountain is still present.  They can see the physical manifestations of YHWH all around them and they want to worship.  So what is missing that needs to be replaced?  It is not YHWH.  It is Moses, the prophetic type of Yeshua, the Prophet, the High Priest who goes into the Holy of Holies, the only one that can ascend the mountain and enter the cloud with YHWH to receive His image and bring it back to the people.

They are attempting to worship, which is the reconciliation of Man with God.  They take part of what they have learned and mix it with an incorrect way of worshiping-the sexual religious orgy is meant to correct the corruption of seed from the sin in the Garden of Eden by mixing their seed with God in worship.  Unfortunately they are using the wrong seed image and a method not prescribed by YHWH.  What they are doing is switching the true way back to the Garden, the true seed, the true image of YHWH, with a false image, and a false practice of religious sex to fix the corrupted seed.  They know that Moses is the only one through which they can communicate to YHWH.  He is the only one that can enter the Holy of Holies, and he is the only one who can ascend the mountain and enter the cloud where YHWH resides.  They assume he is lost to them and they must replace him in order to complete their worship and reconciliation with YHWH, fix the corruption of their seed, and re-enter the Garden.  Many of their assumptions are correct in that only the role that Moses/Yeshua can complete the act of reconciliation, but they choose the false image over the true and syncretize their worship with those practices not prescribed by YHWH.

Each time the Strong’s word H6711 is used there is a circumstance of either deliverance of the promised son/seed, or potential violation or corruption of the promised son/seed.

This occurs at the very conclusion of Moses receiving the Image of YHWH, and at that very moment Israel is creating their own graven image to take the place of Moses to enter the Holy of Holies and provide that missing link to worship YHWH.  This is cited by the Rabbis as the “original sin” for Israel, the great sin in their history.  For millennia, we thought this great sin was the replacement of YHWH.  It is not; it is the replacement of the Red Heifer with the Golden Heifer.  The great original sin of Israel is the replacement of the true seed, the true promised son, the true image of YHWH with a false image.  This is the same original sin from the Garden of Eden.  Adam and Eve chose to mix their seed with the false image, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and it brought death (nakedness).  To reconcile us to YHWH, our corrupted seed must be grafted into the Tree of Life, the true image of YHWH, Yeshua.  We cannot replace that image with another.  Israel was attempting to mix their seed in a religious sexual practice with an image they thought could enter the Holy of Holies, the Garden of Eden.

Numbers 19:And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:3And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:5And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.7Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.
...13Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.20But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.22And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.

Moses is prophetic of Yeshua.  Israel’s great “original sin” is the rejection of the true intercessor that takes away sin, the only one who can ascend the mountain, the only one who can enter the Holy of Holies, the only one that can receive and carry the true image of YHWH.  The one that all must bathe in (waters of purification) in order to be clean on the seventh day.  They (and we) had replaced the true of image of YHWH, Yeshua, with a graven image of gold that only brought death.  While Moses was on the mountain receiving the covenant of life (image of YHWH), Israel was wondering where Moses/Yeshua had gone for so long.  And they replaced him with a golden heifer, an image that could not bring life, purification, or the Image of YHWH.

They viewed Moses as a God/Elohim (Exodus 32:23), as someone who would go before them, or intercede for them.  They knew they needed him and that without him, they could not proceed.  Remember the covenant of life is tied up in our hearts receiving YHWH’s torah, His marriage contract, sown into our hearts and producing fruit.  We are Mikva’d into his flesh for the purification of our seed.  This water of purification can only be provided through Yeshua/Moses (prophetic type).  Let’ skip ahead to Yeshua’s first miracle, and likely the most telling.

John 2:And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.11This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

Notice the key points here.  This is Yeshua’s first miracle. His goal is to restore in man the image of YHWH.  He personally bears YHWH’s image for the salvation of our flesh.  And in His first miracle He uses six waterpots of stone after the manner of purifying the Jews.  These are the same waterpots used in the Red Heifer sacrifice, which were used for the purification of Israel — the one where everyone must bathe (Mikva) in on the third day in order to be clean on the seventh day.  Yeshua miraculously produces wine (blood of the renewed covenant) that no one can tell where it came from except those servants that drew the water.  No one but His true servants can tell where His flesh and blood truly comes from.  This act manifested His glory.  This was the true goal of Yeshua and the 10 commandments to manifest the glory (image) of YHWH to the people of Israel.  The people must have Yehsua (Moses) in order to receive the image, the seed, the flesh of YHWH.  There is no hope or worship without Yeshua.  He is the only one who’s covering flesh can enter the Holy of Holies or ascend the mountain.  Yeshua has been on the mountain (heaven) for some time now and many are wondering when he will return.  Some will leave the faith because He hasn’t returned when we think he should.

2 Peter 3:That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

These will cleave to a golden calf, an anti-messiah, one who does not worship as YHWH commands.  This will be a covenant of death with a false image of YHWH.

Isaiah 28:7But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.13But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

The religions of the world are busy consuming a false image, a false communion, a false wine, a false water of purification.  We must cleave unto the tried corner stone, the bread of heaven, the true image of YHWH, the true wine of the covenant, that will purify the people.  Even though he is physically absent, we should not cleave to a false image, but be patient and have faith and await His return.  Those that do not wait will cling to the golden calf.

I John 4:Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

I John 2:Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.24Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

Those who reject Yeshua are the same as those who couldn’t wait for Moses to come down from the mountain and decided to make their own intercessor to replace Moses.  They wanted their own Messiah, they wanted their own image of who they thought would carry the seed and image of YHWH.  If you want to abide you must remain in Yeshua’s seed/flesh.  Israel’s great sin was indeed the creation of the Golden Calf.  That Golden Calf was meant to take Yeshua’s (Moses) place to go before the people.  That is why Yeshua and the Apostles preached redemption through Yeshua not only to those who left the covenant (Israel in Diaspora), but also to all Judeans!  They also must bathe in the Mikva of the Red Heifer and receive the image of YHWH.  Notice the result of taking this false image. 

Exodus 32:15And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables….19And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.20And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.21And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

Notice the image is broken because they received a false intercessor.  They are even commanded to take communion with it by grinding it down and consuming it with water.  It did not bring them life!  They needed the true of image of YHWH, Yeshua, to take communion with his flesh and blood in order to receive life.    Next, division comes, separation between those that worship a false image and those who remain in covenant with YHWH.

Exodus 32:Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

The key question is, “Who is on YHWH’s side?”  YHWH decides how to worship.  YHWH decides who is the true intercessor.  YHWH decides what is a true image of Him.  Notice 3,000 people die for worshiping a false intercessor, a false Moses, a false image of YHWH.  YHWH is dealing according to His covenant, death for those who sin.  Leap forward to the Pentecost after the true Red Hiefer dies for the purification of His people and we have another 3,000 people who are guilty for killing and rejecting the Red Heifer.

Acts 2:And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.6Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

These were Israelites from Judea and from Diaspora from all over the world.  They were Torah observant and they were there to keep the Feasts.  These were representatives of the dead branches of Israel that were cut off and still in exile.  They were responsible for the killing of Yeshua.

Acts 2:22Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

Being convicted by what they witnessed, they were repentant and wondered how they could be forgiven.

Acts 2:Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

They had to accept Yeshua, the Red Heifer sacrifice in order to be forgiven and have life!

Acts 2:38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

To be saved, they had to accept Yeshua, the true Red Heifer, they had to consume the water of life, His blood, they had to Mikva in the Bath of the Red Heifer.  Notice how many are saved...3,000.  While they are under the giving of the Torah from the mountain the first time, YHWH is dealing with them according to Holiness.  Violation of the covenant required the death of the violator.  Notice after the event of the golden calf, YHWH was going to destroy the people.

Exodus 33:And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.16For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

After the golden calf incident, YHWH didn’t consider Israel His people any longer and he wasn’t  planning on taking them to the Holy Land.  If it wasn’t for the intercession of Moses (Yeshua), YHWH would destroy Israel.  YHWH accepts the intercession of Moses (Yeshua) and declares His Presence shall go with him.  Yeshua is YHWH’s Presence going with Moses (Yeshua).  He even asks to be shown YHWH’s way.

John 14:Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

It is through knowing YHWH’s way that we may know Him and find grace in His sight.  Yeshua must know us by name. 

Acts 4:10Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 

We must bear His name.

Isaiah 62:For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.3Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

Revelation 3:Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

After the golden calf, because of Moses’ (Yeshua’s) intercession, YHWH decides to renew the covenant, this time with tablets that they must provide (our hearts) and that same Torah is written upon our hearts with YHWH exhibiting new traits of a living covenant made with abundant mercy and forgiveness.

Exodus 34:4And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O LORD, let my LORD, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.

Notice Moses pleads with YHWH to “let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us”.  Moses is reiterating his plea from Exodus 4, send Yeshua!

Exodus 4:13And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. 

YESHUA!  The True Intercessor, The True Red Heifer, The True Water of Purification, the True Presence of YHWH, the One Moses prophesied of!  The True one that would go before the people!