I was thinking the other day….and I thought I should look up the word for ashes in Hebrew and I found something interesting. This word in Hebrew is Strong number 665. Does this actually mean anything other than its the number before 666? Probably not, but its the predecessor of 666 being that 666 follows it. In a strange synchronistic way, it is very simliar to how the Phoenix (represented here as 666) rises not from its own ashes, but from its predecessors ashes (represented by 665). Do you see where I’m going with this? The phoenix represents resurrection in the occult and in this thought, 665 would represent death.

The next thing I noticed was the word itself. Ashes in Hebrew is אפר (‘êpher) and that is pronounced ay’-fer. Now in English this word sounds an awfull like heifer right? Well there is a reason as to why this is. The pictograph is a picture of an open mouth, and a picture of a head (right to left). The mouth looks familiar to an open eye.

Combined these and they mean “open the head”. Open the head is a Shamanistic term that means you are to open your mind through the use of psychedelics. Now in the new age and occult its actually a good thing to “open your mind”, whether its with drugs or throughout meditation. To open your mind means that you will eventually let something in and Scripture tells us to guard our minds (2 Corinthians 10:5; Romans 12:2). We are to renew our minds and cast down these imaginations that will rise up in our minds.

Now back to the Biblical Paleo-Hebrew view. It was represented by when “the heads of grains are scattered on the threshing floor, a smooth, hard and level surface. An ox is lead around the floor crushing the heads, opening them to reveal the seed inside. Also the fruit of trees that were harvested that were ornamental”. (AHLB) Threshing the floor is symbolic of a harvest that seperates the wheat from the chaff that will lead to the burning (judgement) of the chaff. The wheat is gathered for the storehouse and saved.

So there is a strong connection here with a bull or heifer on the threshing floor to this Hebrew to English word that can be translated as ashes. This word ‘êpher or ashes is used 22 times in the Old Testament. There are 3 (H1880, H6368 & H1878) other words that had been translated into ashes in English.

So what is the connection here to sackcloth and ashes? I understand what this phrase means but I want to get a second opinion so you can see what this represents. “Sackcloth and ashes were used in Old Testament times as a symbol of debasement, mourning, and/or repentance. Someone wanting to show his repentant heart would often wear sackcloth, sit in ashes, and put ashes on top of his head. Sackcloth was a coarse material usually made of black goat’s hair, making it quite uncomfortable to wear. The ashes signified desolation and ruin.”

So it was a sign of morning and repentance and was symbolic of desolation. I get back to that in a second. Abraham was the first to use this word ‘êpher in scripture. In Genesis 18 he pleaded with God to not destroy Sodom and said he was but dust and ashes before God.
Daniel also used this word in Daniel 9:3 when he was fasting and in prayer to God. So you can see that this word is connected to a repentant heart.

I believe that the ashes that were used for this phrase “sackcloth and ashes” could have been either the ashes of a bull or heifer. We know from Numbers 19 that the red heifer ashes were used to purify something that was unclean. This could be said about repentance, we are unclean avid come to God because of our wicked heart seeing true repentance. Could you imagine if we sat in ashes today? Some of us, including me, may never get out of that pile.

These Jews want to sacrifice a red heifer but they do not realize that Jesus fulfilled this sacrifice. Their ashes aren’t going to cleanse the temple or the temple artifacts. What they don’t realize is that these ashes should be a sign of their true repentance to God and I doubt they will even realize that. These ashes are as ironic as them standing at the Wailing Wall looking towards the one that they pierced. But they can’t see the one they pierced that was on the Mount of Olives, because they are blinded in part according to Paul in Romans. And that blinding is due to a giant wall that they copulate with on a daily basis.

I want to leave you with the final verse in the Old Testament and I believe its connected to what will happen with this abomination of desolation, which I believe is this red heifer sacrifice on the Mount of Olives. And remember, these ashes signify desolation. I want you to notice verse 2 and 3 with the reference to us being as caves in the stall and treading the wicked like ashes or ‘êpher. There is even a reference to Horeb, where the first red heifer of Numbers 19 was sacrificed by Aaron. And please don’t miss the symbolic two witnesses reference in verse 5. This is the time of the end we are living in.

Malachi 4

1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.