THE DIVINE KISS – by Raphael ben Levi
During the Temple period, everyone sang the melodies as they worshipped God. The Psalms were written specifically for singing, but following the destruction of the 2nd Temple these melodies were lost in exile. Since then, the Jewish people have the Torah but have still not yet regained its melody, but one day soon they will worship at His feet and proclaim Him as their Lord and King.
The word ‘worship’ in Hebrew implies a ‘kiss,’ or to give reverence with a feeling of awe and devotion. Prov.24:26 states that “An honest answer is as precious as a kiss on the lips.” (i.e., a sign of true friendship).
In biblical times, people would greet a friend with a kiss on the cheek as an open expression of friendship and mark of relationship between friends. Of course, there was also the counterfeit as with Judas Iscariot: “ Jesus looked at him with sorrow and said, “A kiss, Judas? Are you really going to betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” Satan used a kiss—a sign of affection—to unleash a surge of hatred.
The highest position we can ever achieve is when we kneel in the presence of Yeshua, like the unnamed woman who anointed Yeshua’s feet with the most precious ointment and dried them with her tears. It was a kiss that drew the attention of the Divine for it was in that spontaneous moment that He spoke tenderly to her with a glance containing unspoken words. And for those in His presence who looked on in disdain He explained in mild rebuke, “She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial”. Only this woman, scorned by the company who surrounded her, understood the prophetic nature of her action.
Soon, the Bridegroom will return for His bride, and every true believer will be gathered to Him with a loud shout from the heavens and a piercing sound of the shofar. The bride, pure and spotless will greet Him with joy unspeakable as with a kiss on the cheeks with words of the Bridegroom resounding in our ears, “Welcome home my beloved! Enter into your eternal rest.”
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