Topic Study

טָבַל tabal (H2881) means to dip, plunge, or immerse usually in a liquid such as blood (cf. Genesis 37:31; Exodus 12:22; Leviticus 4:6), water (cf. Joshua 3:15; 2 Kings 5:14; 2 Kings 8:15), vinegar (cf. Ruth 2:14), honey (1 Samuel 14:27), or oil (cf. Deuteronomy 33:24) but can also refer to something non-liquid such as a pit (cf. Job 9:31).

טָבַל tabal is equivalent to the Greek word βαπτίζω baptizo (G907) which means to immerse, submerge or overwhelm (with water). “The word baptizo should not be confused with bapto (G911). The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words. Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be ‘dipped’ (bapto) into boiling water and then ‘baptized’ (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptizing the vegetable, produces a permanent change.” – Vines Expository Dictionary

Purpose of Immersion Through Scripture:

– To be saved from judgment (cf. Genesis 7:23; 1 Peter 3:21; Matthew 3:7; Luke 3:7)
– To be saved from death (cf. Exodus 14:22; 1 Corinthians 10:2; 1 Corinthians 15:29; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, Romans 6:3)
– For righteousness (cf. Matthew 3:13-15; Matthew 21:32)
– To enter the Reign of Elohim (cf. John 3:5-6)
– For confessing sins (cf. Matthew 3:6; Mark 1:5)
– For repentance (cf. Matthew 3:1-2; Mark 1:14-15; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Acts 8:22; Acts 17:30-31; Acts 19:4)
– For forgiveness of sins (cf. Acts 2:38)
– For washing away sins (cf. Acts 22:16)
– In the name of Yeshua (cf. Acts 2:38; Acts 8:2; Acts 8:16; Acts 8:34-37; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:5; Acts 22:16; 1 Corinthians 1:13-16; Galatians 3:27)

To Be Saved From Judgment

Genesis 6:17 – 7:1 “And I, behold, I am bringing the flood of waters on this land, to destroy all flesh having the spirit of lives from under the heavens. Everything that is in the land will die. But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your woman, and your sons’ wives with you. Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to guard them alive with you. They shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, of the livestock after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after their kind, two of every sort will come to you, to guard them alive. Take with you some of all food that is eaten, and gather it to yourself; and it will be for food for you, and for them.” Thus Noaḥ̣ did. He did all that Elohim commanded him. YHWH said to Noaḥ̣, “Come with all of your household into the ark, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation.

1 Peter 3:18-22 Because Messiah also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to Elohim, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, who before were disobedient, when Elohim waited patiently in the days of Noaḥ̣, while the ark was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. This is a symbol of immersion, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward Elohim, through the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah, who is at the right hand of Elohim, having gone into the heavens, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

Do you believe this symbol of Immersion now saves you with an answer of a good conscience toward Elohim through the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah?

To Be Saved From Death

Exodus 14:21-22 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and YHWH caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. The sons of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Messiah.

1 Corinthians 15:51-57 Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (cf. Isaiah 25:8) “Death, where is your sting? Sheol, where is your victory?” (cf. Hosea 13:14) The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Torah. But thanks be to Elohim, who gives us the victory through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

Do you understand you are about to be immersed into Messiah Yeshua and into his death? (cf. Romans 6:3) 

Do you understand that through this immersion, death will be swallowed up in victory through our Lord and Master Yeshua the Messiah?

For Repentance and Righteousness

Matthew 3:11-15 “I indeed immerse you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will immerse you in the Holy Spirit. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.” Then Yeshua came from Galilee to the Jordan to Yochanan, to be immersed by him. But Yochanan would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be immersed by you, and you come to me?” But Yeshua, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.

Mark 1:14 Now after Yochanan was taken into custody, Yeshua came into Galilee, proclaiming the Good News of the reign of Elohim, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the reign of Elohim is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”

John 3:5-6 Yeshua said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into the reign of Elohim. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Do you understand that immersion is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness and enter into the Reign of Elohim?

For Confessing Sins

Mark 1:4 Yochanan came immersing in the wilderness and proclaiming the immersion of repentance for forgiveness of sins. All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were immersed by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.

Repeat after me: “I confess my sins before YHWH and the witnesses here”

Repent and Be Immersed

“Repent and be immersed in the name of Yeshua the Messiah for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as YHWH our Elohim will call to himself… Save yourself from this crooked generation!”

Repeat after me and then fully immerse yourself in the water, “In the name of Yeshua the Messiah, I repent of my sins and believe in the Good News”