“From the River to the Sea . . . to the ends of the earth”
You may have heard the Palestinian chant back when Hamas’ Gaza still stood strong, “From the River to the sea, Palestine shall be free.”
The problem with the chant is that it (either inadvertently or purposefully) calls for the annihilation of Israel. Palestine wanted to claim the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.
So when I read this portion of Zechariah’s prophecy in preparation for today’s message, I was struck by the ending of verse 10:
Last week we talked about Philip. He was the eager one. We’ve found Him! We have identified who the Messiah is and He is alive in our time today! On that first Palm Sunday, Philip would have been among those who were crying out “Hoshia-na!” Lord, save us!
That same excitement and enthusiasm is what we need. We know who the Savior is. He is alive in our time and He is coming back. We need to share with others that He is indeed the only One who can save us!
Philip and Andrew were long-time friends. People were coming far and wide to celebrate the Passover feast. It is very interesting that the Scriptures tell us that some Greek travelers were in town and wanted to see Jesus. The message of Jesus was reaching beyond the Jewish enclave. The message was for Jew and Greek, Jew and Gentile.
Philip, Andrew, Mary, Martha, the Risen Lazarus, and a whole multitude were waving palm branches and doing their best to get as close to Jesus as they could.
Enough had transpired that they loved Him. They waved the Palm Sunday branches just like they would have done with the lulav during the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles was like a divine dress rehearsal for the receiving of the Word who dwelt among us:
Notice, the people were commanded to rejoice. Now, the crowds in Jerusalem freely rejoiced and they heard testimony of witnessing Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead!
His fame was spreading and eyewitnesses to Lazarus’ resurrection were now willing to speak up and testify.
The Bible tells us the disciples didn’t understand at first (John 12:16). It took many of them until after the ascension to reflect back and see that Jesus had fulfilled the prophetic Scriptures.
The Greek word, δὲ, should be translated “and” in John 12:23. The “but” used in the NKJV should be “and.” KJV, ESV, and NIV got this right here.
Victory Proven
Jesus is fully triumphant. He is the One the Scriptures have foretold, He is revealing Himself to His disciples on that Palm Sunday and even the crowds around Him, and has announced that the hour has come for Him to be glorified.
He didn’t say, the hour of terror has come. It will be an excruciating hour, but Jesus is focused on the victory.
Meanwhile the Pharisees are wallowing in their ineffectual campaign against the Lord.
They are pointing fingers at each other. You’ve done nothing to stop this! The whole world is following this donkey-riding “king.” Their strategy to bring Him down is imploding because of their own disunity.
Unity is so very important. If we want to see a genuine move of God in this city, we need to be of united purpose. Division and finger-pointing are the enemy’s tactics to destroy such a movement.
“We wish to see Jesus”
On the first Palm Sunday, the Greek men expressed that they wanted to see Jesus. They didn’t care about the Pharisee’s religious constructs. Judaism was fairly foreign to them. They wanted to meet the miracle-working, salvation-bringing Son of God.
Similarly, there’s a hunger in hearts today.
Our culture here in North Central Wisconsin is also longing to see Jesus. They see a glimpse,
The human part of Jesus would really feel strongly about verse 5, don’t you think?
The divine part of Him knows He can’t ask the Father to detain this. He came to earth for this very moment.
And the Father’s voice was heard audibly. This gets glossed over a lot. A voice thundered. It’s unclear whether or not the people heard what was said to Jesus, but they knew a voice from above had spoken.
If any around had doubts, there could be no doubt now.
Who is the Son of Man?
The Palm Sunday crowd asked the essential question: who is this Son of Man? The Messiah we know about will live forever, but you talk of your death. Where do you fit into the story, Jesus? We don’t understand who is a “Son of Man.”
He spoke cryptically: be sons of light.
And then He left from that place and was hidden to them (v.36).
“Behold, our King is coming to you”
“Behold, our King is coming. He is just and having salvation.” Zechariah’s words that were fulfilled on Palm Sunday are still true to this day and they have a two-part meaning. The LORD rode in on a colt, but His dominion will extend to the ends of the earth. Maranatha!
Daniel 1: God our Governor (a verse-by-verse Bible study)
Daniel is a complex, but very fascinating book of the Bible.
Time periods covered by the book of Daniel
The book of Daniel covers the Babylonian captivity though the second coming of Christ our Messiah!
Languages used in the original text of of the book of Daniel
Daniel 1 and 8-12 were originally written in Hebrew while Daniel 2-7 were written in Aramaic (which was the language of the Chaldean Babylonians.) Daniel had become so fluent in the language of the Chaldean regime that he actually wrote chapters 2-7 in their (the Babylonians’) language.
There are also actually a few Persian words in the book of Daniel (Babylon was a “satrapy”, meaning a province of the Persian empire). Additionally, some Greek language musical instrument names (indicating the origin of the instruments) are found in Daniel 3, for example.
Daniel 7:15tells us in the first person that Daniel is the author. He wrote in 3rd person (Daniel 1-7:14) until that point when he switched into his 1st person account.
Now for the skeptics out there who would like even further evidence that corroborates our claim of Daniel’s self-authorship, Jesus (Yeshua) Himself ascribes Daniel’s prophecies to – Daniel. (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). If Jesus accepted Daniel as the author of Daniel . . . that should be good enough for us. Scripture and even extraBiblical historical chronicles provide overwhelming evidence that Daniel was a reliable historian as well as prophetic figure.
In Daniel chapter 1, which we will get to in a moment, the now-experienced servant of God, Daniel, is reflecting upon his experience in being taken captive and deported to Babylon from Judah. He describes himself as one among the youths who were taken in the first wave around 597BC. Some say the date would have to be a little later, such as 587BC. In any case, it is believed to be accurate to say that Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem in 586BC.
But who was Daniel before he was taken captive?
We don’t know Daniel’s exact age when Nebuchadnezzar’s army came, but we can reasonably deduce a few of his attributes. It is likely that Daniel came from Israel’s upper class precisely because he was included in the first group of captives. Many kings in those days would conquer another king and capture the rest of their noble family and relatives. So Daniel would have had fairly prosperous and distinguished ruling class parents and he would have had opportunities available to him in Judah like attending the best schools or easily obtaining an influential job.
An analysis of the dates in the Biblical record shows that when Daniel was a child, the good, God-fearing young King Josiah would have been reigning. Daniel and his family would have been well-aware of King Josiah‘s positive reforms in restoring Solomon’s temple and the finding of the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22-23).King Josiah was the last good king who reigned in the Southern Kingdom (Judah) prior to the Babylonian takeover. During King Josiah’s reign, the people experienced revival and restoration.
After King Josiah died, Judah’s leadership returned to the idolatry and wickedness that had characterized the Southern Kingdom for so long. Like those of us who lament the ungodliness that permeates our nation today, Daniel would have observed the stark difference between living under godly leadership versus living under the corrupt and ungodly leadership of people like King Jehoiakim as he was growing up. God was preparing Daniel, ever since his youth, to be an influential leader and also important writer of the Biblical text.
World History at the time of Daniel
Jeremiah
Not everyone realizes that Daniel actually lived at the same time as Jeremiah and Ezekiel, so he was a contemporary of these prophets. During the reign of King Josiah (Daniel, remember, was a little boy then), Jeremiah was beginning his prophetic ministry.
Jeremiah ended up fleeing with a remnant to Egypt (he started in a northern town called Mizpah and ended up going through Gaza and then down into Egypt in a place known as Tahpanhes along the Nile River.) Jeremiah never gets a break from being the prophet of lamentation and he continues prophesying that Nebuchadnezzar would reach Egypt, as well, as part of God’s judgment (Jeremiah 43:8-13).
Daniel grew up with positive spiritual influences. Besides living under King Josiah’s godly leadership, Daniel would have grown up hearing Jeremiah’s prophecies. Daniel demonstrated exceptionally strong faith in the LORD and it is fair to attribute some of that to his godly upbringing. Never underestimate the value of training up your children in the way they should go:
While all of that was going on in the Middle East, the Greek civilization was also flourishing. In Greece, a slave was gaining popularity for his storytelling abilities.
Have you ever read Aesop’s fables? Aesop was born in 600BC so he would have likely been aware of Babylon’s conquests east of the Mediterranean. Aesop’s fables (like the Tortoise and the Hare or The City Mouse and The Country Mouse) were so clever that it is said that his master finally gave him his freedom.
If you know those stories, Aesop used animals to represent people. That would have been a very wise tactic in his day. Just as in Babylon, the Greek culture had a hierarchical society, so Aesop could make societal commentary without directly offending a noble and ending up in jail.
Within the next hundred years or so, democracy was established in Athens, Greece. Then the famous philosophers like Plato and Socrates lived, so there was a lot going on in that region.
Daniel 1:1 records the existence of 2 different kings:
Jehoiakim (king of Judah – remember, Judah was the Southern Kingdom after the North/South split over the disputes between Rehoboam and Jeroboam).
King Nebuchadnezzar (king of Babylon). Nebuchadnezzar (II) was the son of Nabopolassar, the founder of the Neo-Babylonian/Chaldean empire. He was probably named after his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar I. King Nebuchadnezzar reigned from 605-562 BC: 43 years – making him the longest reigning king of Babylon. He tackled a large number of construction projects, one of the more famous being the Hanging Gardens of Babylon which you may know were considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Jehoiakim
Jehoiakim was one of Josiah’s sons. He chose wickedness rather than following his father’s righteous example of leadership. We find information about him in the Biblical Chronicles:
Notice in 2 Chronicles 36:4, the Egyptian Pharaoh Necho (probably Necho II) changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim.
Hebrew names had great significance and we will talk further about this when we get to the changed names of Daniel and his friends, but a way for another nation to exert dominance would include the changing of an individual’s name.
Interestingly enough, the name “Eliakim” meant, “God (or El/Elohim) will establish or raise up.” The name “Jehoiakim” is not a large departure from that. Jehoiakim means “Jehovah/YHWH will establish or raise up.” So Pharaoh or King Necho is identifying which “God” in Necho’s opinion Eliakim will be serving.
Some scholars have deciphered that to Necho, “El/Elohim” may have been considered very powerful and may have been recognized as the true Supreme Deity whereas culturally, Necho’s polytheism accepted a “lower deity” known as “Jehovah” or “YHWH.” Necho “thought” he was diminishing Eliakim’s name, but as Christian believers we know that Elohim is YHWH and that we serve one true God.
Jehoiakim’s son, Jehoiachin
After Jehoiakim, his son Jehoiachin reigned for three months. Jehoiachin’s name is a variation of Jehoiakim.
Leaders must be responsible for their actions. Jehoiakim established a pattern that continued producing bad fruit. In 2 Chronicles, nothing is recorded regarding Jehoiakim’s manner or time of death – we are informed only that he was replaced.
Jeremiah 22:18-19 fills us in. Jehoiakim did not receive a special kingly burial:
But Jehoiakim had had his chance. God had sent Jeremiah to prophesy and to warn him that if he didn’t change, his kingdom would be scattered and destroyed. Similarly, we must preach to the lost the Gospel of repentance because only then can we be saved from sin and eternal destruction.
Zedekiah is the last known king of Judah. According to Josephus (the first century Jewish historian), Daniel and his friends were each related to Zedekiah’s royal family. Despite Zedekiah’s poor leadership, Daniel and others managed to remain faithful to the One True God.
Throughout the Book of Daniel, you will see an emphasis on God’s sovereignty and His role in the unfolding of history.
Nebuchadnezzar symbolically thought he could control the deity of the Judean Israelites. He stole the Temple’s sacred items which was a way that Near Eastern empires of that time demonstrated victory over another group. These cultures believed that by taking religious artifacts, the deity attributed to them lost its powers. Nebuchadnezzar didn’t know Who he was taking on: our God does not live in things made with human hands!
Young, handsome Daniel of Judah with all sorts of good prospects and abilities was suddenly taken away from his home.
I can’t help but think of the Israelis who were taken hostage into Gaza on October 7, 2023.
That type of experience can break a person.
But Daniel‘s gifting and trust in God enabled him to grow from that experience. By seeking God’s wisdom, Daniel was able to allow his experiences to form him into a truly righteous servant of God Most High.
And if you are looking for a word of hope in this troubled time, the spirit of Babylon will not win in the end. While none of us like to hear of more judgment, death, or destruction, we may at least rest knowing that God is handling it:
Nebuchadnezzar had a strategy to weaponize education. He re-trained the Judean noble youth in Babylonian customs with the idea that once they grew up, they would be very capable of governing in Babylon.
Sadly, we see similar tactics used today. Hamas and other jihadists enroll children in their terrorist training camps, Russia attacks Ukrainian schools, and our own public school system has been hijacked by secularists. If a conquering nation can control that narrative of the educational system, the weaker nation will cease to exist.
King Nebuchadnezzar thought that by selecting the youth who were fast learners, he would be able to indoctrinate them with Chaldean ideologies.
Truly, King Nebuchadnezzar underestimated just how astute Daniel and his friends really were.
The name דָּנִיֵּאל Daniel is often briskly translated as “God is my Judge.”
And that isn’t incorrect, but there is a nuance that we shouldn’t miss:
The verb from the Hebrew word דן , means “to judge” or additionally, “to govern.”
So Daniel’s very name means “El/Elohim/God is my Governor” or “Governed by God.” “God rules over me.” “God governs.”
Daniel served as governor, but he never forgot that he himself was governed by God.
Names and Identity
Daniel 1:6 records that Daniel’s friends were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Hananiah’s name means “God is gracious.”
Mishael means “Who is what God is?”
Azariah means “The Lord has helped me.”
In the Hebrew world, a person’s name was very much associated with their identity. Even today, some of us have names that perhaps we don’t know the clear meaning of, but if someone gives us a degrading nickname or uses our name in an offensive manner, it rightly bothers us.
The ruling regime of the day did everything it could do to strip Daniel and his friends of their Judean world. Nebuchadnezzar hoped these youth would internalize the new names that the Babylonians forced upon them.
The chief eunuch began to call Daniel, Belteshazzar. This name refers to a goddess named Sarpanitu, the wife of the famed Babylonian deity, Marduk. Belteshazzar translates to “Lady Protect the King.” It has been posited that Belteshazzar appears to be a girl’s name. Gender confusion was a thing back then, too. The Babylonians wanted to offend and confuse Daniel so that he would lose his godly values and godly identity.
Hananiah became Shadrach which means “I am fearful of the God.” This is psychological warfare! Babylon wanted fear to be instilled in young Hananiah, to cause him to forget that the One True God is gracious and to cause him anxiety. The spirit of Babylon wants us to lose our faith and trust in God. If we begin to internalize fear, we will not turn to God in prayer as we should. We will either attempt to trust in ourselves or, worse yet, turn to false gods.
Mishael was renamed Meshach, meaning, ” I am of little account.” Again, Babylon sought to diminish the confidence of the Hebrew youth. The world always seeks to make people feel worthless and of no value.
Lastly, Azariah was given the name Abed-Nego meaning, “Servant of (the god) Nebo.” Babylon tried with all its might to convince Azariah that he was no longer servant of the Most High God of Israel. How often the devil tries to convince us that God has abandoned us.
When there is a situation like this, and the world wants to put something on you that isn’t yours to own, you have the power in Christ to reject that. The Babylonians could call Daniel and his friends anything they wanted to, but these faithful servants of the True God did not internalize and accept what the world was imposing upon them.
Three-year training program
Daniel and his friends were forcibly enrolled in a three year Babylonian training program. Daniel 1:5 says the end-goal of this training was that these special youth could serve in the king’s government.
Nebuchadnezzar appointed them to be given the king’s “delicacies” and the royal wine.
Always seek the favor of God. Just as we are to be ready to preach in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2), we must be ready at any time to serve God in any situation. When we have diligently prayed and fasted, He gives us the favor we need:
Daniel was not alone in requesting to abstain from the king’s food and drink. “Your food” is plural in Hebrew. Daniel’s friends agreed with him in refusing to eat the prescribed meals.
What was the issue with the food?
The Scriptures do not tell us exactly what was on King Nebuchadnezzar’s standard menu, but we do know that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were observant Jews.
Babylon’s food would have included
nonKosher/unclean/forbidden food – food not prepared according to the Torah’s regulations
meat dedicated to Babylonian idols
It would have been a violation of conscience for these Hebrew youth to eat nonKosher meals.
The chief of eunuchs, while kind to Daniel, expressed concerned that he would get beheaded over this!
So Daniel turns to a steward, rather than the chief. Did you ever notice that before?
Daniel trusted in God. He had the confidence that despite not eating any meat of any kind, he and his friends would be able to maintain their health and strength because God would be their portion.
Daniel stood out – he could understand visions and dreams.
Being knowledgeable has its place. How valuable it is when a God-fearing, God-loving person uses their God-given gifts to acquire knowledge and to serve, even in secular roles. But even more valuable than that is a pure and contrite spirit, a Spirit-filled person who God entrusts with revelation through visions, dreams, and interpretations thereof. Daniel had this anointed combination and it granted him great favor.
The Bible says that King Nebuchadnezzar interviewed the young men. They had to prove themselves prepared to serve him, and he surely was curious to know how they were faring on their vegetarian diet.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah proved themselves worthy of the tasks ahead, for “none was found like [them].” They served before King Nebuchadnezzar and the Hebrew youths were 10 times more accurate in their wisdom and understanding than Babylon’s own magicians and astrologers.
God is our Governor!
As Daniel’s name declares, God is our Governor. He rules over all of us in fairness, righteousness, and love.
We do not have to “prove” ourselves worthy. In fact, that would never be possible.
We are formidably unworthy of all that God has done for us. He has spoken throughout history and used faithful servants like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. He has made a way for our salvation from sin and death by sending His Son, Jesus, (Yeshua) to save us.
Allow the LORD Most High to rule and reign over your life today! Be inspired by Daniel’s great favor and seek the LORD with all your heart! Have confidence and faith, that no matter where life takes you or what is set before you, God will provide, intervene, bless, and help you if you will trust in Him today.
The Gospel of Matthew begins with his account of the birth of Messiah. What has always stuck me the most is that the Son of God would be called Emmanuel: God with us:
The God of the entire universe humbled Himself and became flesh, to live among us and to die for our sins in order to save us. If you need some reassurance today, know this: God is with us, and He will never leave us nor forsake us.
I heard an excellent sermon recently. The pastor invited the congregation to consider all the billions of stars and realize that Scripture reports that the magi knew “His” star. One specific star. God has named each of the stars, and there was one particular star that would be the heralding star of the coming of God Incarnate, Jesus (Yeshua) the Messiah.
The wise men were probably not ethnically Jewish. Scripture gives us clues to believe these seasoned astronomers were Gentiles.
First of all, the fact that they are looking for the King of “the Jews” suggests this was not “their” king. The wise men didn’t say, “Where is our King?”
This is nonetheless extraordinary because somehow these Gentile star-gazers knew that the Jewish Messiah would come and they wanted to be a part of the history God was writing.
A second reason that suggests that the wise men were not ethnically Jewish is because they did not identify Bethlehem as the place to find Jesus (Yeshua). If they had been deeply familiar with the Jewish Scriptures, the wise men would have been likely to discern that the promised Messiah would be found in Bethlehem, but instead, they ask where they can find Him.
The wise men were Gentile astronomers who fulfilled even this Messianic prophecy from Psalm 147:
The Gentile nations would come before the Promised King of kings bringing their gifts, their treasures, foreshadowing that the glorious Gospel would be available to all – Jew and Gentile alike.
Relationship Evangelism
I had an interesting conversation with my dental hygienist during my most recent visit. My dental hygienist comes from a very open, liberal background and attends a Unitarian “church.”
She has expressed curiosity about Jesus and I try to minister to her gently when my mouth isn’t full of toothpaste or her dental instruments!
At one point during our conversation, I said something about how Jesus is still alive.
To which she replied, very innocently, “Yes, you mean He still lives on when we talk about Him or in how we live.”
I challenged her nebulous response a bit, by saying, “Well, more than that. Jesus is literally still alive and sitting on His throne at the right hand of God the Father.”
(The Unitarians believe that Jesus and Buddha and Muhammed should all receive equal respect.)
I continued, “Think about it carefully. Buddha is dead. Muhammed is also dead and buried. Ghandi, same fate. Jesus was dead and buried, too, but the difference is, Jesus rose up from the dead and is literally alive and well! He is still alive!”
Her eyes lit up. I know she felt the impact of Truth in that moment.Please pray for her, the LORD knows her name. She is spiritually hungry and is open to hearing the Truth, but is in a relationship with a man who also espouses Unitarianism.
When those who are from spiritually afar come to us wondering who is the King, and is this King alive, and where can they find Him, it is our Commission to openly share the Gospel with them! Be sure to build relationships so that you can help lead others to a saving relationship with our Messiah!
Where is He who was born King of the Jews?
He is in our hearts –
but so much more than that –
He is alive and will forever rule and reign!
He is our King – the King of all kings!
Jesus (Yeshua) our Messiah came to dwell among us, and now He invites us to choose our eternal dwelling place to be with Him.
Shalom!
Hanukkah in the New Testament – and why this might be the best year to join in the celebration!
20 Kislev 5784 B”H
With Israel in the news and the ongoing war against Hamas, the celebration of Hanukkah will be especially meaningful this year.If you and your family have never celebrated Hanukkah, may this be the year! Pray and stand in solidarity with the nation of Israeland celebrate the victory God has given us through His Son, Messiah Jesus!
Hanukkah is mentioned in the New Testament
Many Christians do not realize that Hanukkah is actually mentioned in the New Testament.
Yes, the New Testament!
The reference to Hanukkah (the Feast of Dedication) is found just after Jesus (Yeshua) tells us that He is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for His sheep in John chapter 10.
Our Good Shepherd Jesus (Yeshua) was being criticized by some of the Jewish leaders about His amazing claim and His revelation that He would lay down His life for His sheep.
Jesus (Yeshua) knew how to deal with the spirits of criticism, contention, and unbelief: He focused simply on declaring Truth and revealing who He is.
Christians should not be uncomfortable with Hanukkah
Similarly with Hanukkah, you will find that some Christians get very uncomfortable with the topic of Hanukkah. I’ve heard it all:
“Hanukkah is a holiday only for Jews.”
“We live in the time of grace.”
“We aren’t bound to the Old Testament.”
“Hanukkah has nothing to do with us.”
It makes me terribly sad that Christians have sat under teachings that ultimately reflect a supercessionist viewpoint.
Like the pharisaical accusers of John 10, some Christians accuse other Christians of being “out of their mind” for sharing in the celebrations of Hanukkah and even Passover. Let us learn from our Master Teacher, Rabbi Jesus, who shows us by His example how not only to respond to questioning but also how to live.
Supercessionist teachings have unwittingly caused Christian antisemitism
“Supercessionism” (also known as “replacement theology”) is the teaching that Christianity has completely “replaced” Judaism and so the “religion” of Christianity is therefore superior. “Replacement theology” leads to antisemitism because Christians distance themselves from their Hebraic beginnings and unwittingly lose sight of the fact that it was the Jews who were waiting for their Messiah. And Jesus came and lived as a Jew among Jews.
On the contrary, Christians really ought in some ways to feel indebted (!) to Israel for being welcomed by the grace of the God of Israel and grafted in to the chosen nation!
While we know that our Savior Jesus (Yeshua) fulfilled the entirety of the Law’s requirements, Biblical Judaism provides the framework for our faith and we need to understand our Hebraic roots. The Scriptures come alive when we immerse ourselves in the culture that is ours both to the native and to the grafted in.
We also need to collectively repent for the antisemitism that does lurk in the church.
The antisemitic attack against Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023 was an attack against all of us – Jew and Gentile believer alike. We must show our support and love for Israel during such a time as this.
Jesus (Yeshua) is the King of Israel
Do you ever feel like you don’t belong?
In America, sometimes people feel like they don’t belong neither here nor there because they don’t know much about their family history or the countries from which their ancestors emigrated. I think these genealogy sites are helping like ancestry.com because people can start to piece back a bit of their story!
But what is so neat about the Gospel, if you really think about it, is that we see how united we really are. We might be from Europe or from Asia or Africa or Australia, but ultimately, heaven is our homeland:
And while we are here on earth, our identity is found in Christ (our Messiah) – the King of Israel.
This time of year many churches celebrate the coming of our Emmanuel. O Come, O Come Emmanuel . . . . born is the King of Israel.
You absolutely belong and you are not without country. We have a King! Our Jesus is the King of Israel and the King of all.
By the way, you absolutely have the freedom and invitation to celebrate the miracles that God has done, right along with Israel. Some unbelieving orthodox Jews consider the participation of Christians in Jewish holidays as religious appropriation, but that is because they do not (yet!) understand the full picture of salvation. We pray for and with them. This really is not religious appropriation because the story of Israel is truly the story of God’s plan for the salvation of the entire world: Jew and Gentile alike.
As to those who are concerned that perhaps we are “binding” ourselves back to Old Testament Law. By no means! Instead, we see our place in history, celebrate all that God has done throughout history, and await the future reality when our King will return for us. We respect and value the entirety of Scripture and embrace the Biblical celebrations of our faith.
The King of Israel celebrated Hanukkah
Our LORD Jesus (Yeshua) revealed Himself as the Good Shepherd who would give His life, even for those who would oppose Him or act incredulously toward Him.
And since He was not always met by cheerful recipients of His message, He sometimes went away.
In this case though, Jesus (Yeshua) did not retreat to the wilderness or the mountains.
He decided to head over to the celebration of the Feast of Dedication!
In Hebrew, “the Feast of Dedication” is “Hanukkah.”
So if we realize this, it is plain to see that Jesus (Yeshua) went up to the temple for Hanukkah.
Simply, He went for a winter walk.
He got away from his critics and chose to attempt to focus on the beauty of the holiday feast.
Sometimes we need to follow this exact example.
When you find yourself as an outsider or feeling attacked or burdened, step away for a while. Do something you enjoy and surround yourself with those who love you.
The enemy is always on the prowl
Despite His efforts to have some time to enjoy the Hanukkah celebration, Jesus (Yeshua) quickly had to deal with His critics all over again.
Have you ever tried to step away from something only to immediately be bombarded in another way? Maybe you went home to try to get some rest but the phone keeps ringing as your coworkers try to find you? Maybe you took a day off, but issues managed to arise and your hope for a quiet day turned into anything but?Maybe you even retired from a job only to find yourself back in the workforce?
Or maybe you cooked the entire Thanksgiving dinner and wanted to enjoy it, but by the time you finally got to sit down, your portion of food was ice cold. You still loved the company, but you didn’t get to enjoy it quite as much as perhaps you wanted!And then after you are tired and worn out, one of your distant relatives has the nerve to insult you.Surely that has never happened!
Messiah Jesus (Yeshua) was present for the yearly celebration of the rededication of Solomon’s temple and there He was on Solomon’s porch, but He couldn’t just relax and enjoy.
Our Savior would not have been surprised by any of this. The Feast of Dedication was about having overcome adversity. Solomon’s Temple had been attacked and desecrated, so Hanukkah was all about rededicating the sanctuary to the LORD and a miracle which occurred when a small amount of oil for the menorah (enough for one day) lasted for 8 days.
The Significance of the Temple
On the particular Hanukkah when Jesus was at Solomon’s porch, the mob took up stones as they accused Him of blasphemy. They attempted to stone Him, but His time had not yet come. The Temple would be destroyed and raised in three days – the Temple of His body. This Holy Temple, too, was attacked, but the enemy (again!) could not prevail.
There – together – Jesus and the Jewish leaders were at Solomon’s Temple to celebrate the purification of the temple from defilement, and yet the leaders were completely missing the point.
Jesus (Yeshua) is ultimately our Hanukkah miracle – our oil of gladness. He is the Anointed One and He pours out His Holy Spirit upon and into us so that we can shine bright for Him, just like the menorah that didn’t go out.
Hanukkah and the Light of the World
The Feast of Dedication, or Hanukkah, celebrates the victory of the Maccabees but also foreshadows the coming Light of the World who would give us everlasting victory.
When it seems that our victories are not long-lasting, we do not need to become discouraged. The Second Temple was ultimately destroyed by the Romans, but we do not cease celebrating the prior victory of the Jewish nation. Likewise in our world today, we have trouble, but we know that our Messiah and Savior has overcome the world.
Jesus (Yeshua) again had to slip away from his enemies. They were intent on stoning Him that Hanukkah, but He escaped and went beyond the Jordan:
Hanukkah commemorates the reality of war and the reality of victory if we trust in our LORD.
The Jewish people have dealt with diaspora and antisemitism and terrorism throughout their history. But they have not given up. God allowed Israel to become a modern nation in 1948 and it is not time to just give up on the dream of a sustained, safe Jewish homeland.
Israel is at war right now. Yet even so, menorahs have been erected in Gaza and all around the world menorahs will be lit outdoors and placed in prominent windows inside because the Jewish people refuse to cower to fear. Even the dreidels used on Hanukkah represent the toy tops that children would use when they were hiding in the caves during the Maccabean war. Israel is no stranger to war, but Israel will not be destroyed.
The battle is fierce, but history teaches an important lesson: if we trust in God, the flame ignited in our hearts by the Author of our Salvation can never be extinguished.
So if you have never celebrated Hanukkah before, this may be the best year to begin. Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Celebrate that God has delivered His people on more than one occasion, and He will not abandon us now. Share online that you are celebrating so that people even in Israel can see how many believers support them and are praying for them. Pray for the salvation of the nation of Israel!
There is a saying among the Jewish people who say:
“The story of Hanukkah is they wanted to kill us, we didn’t let them, we won, and now, we eat!”
So grab yourself some filled donuts (sufganiyot!), make some potato pancakes (latkes), and decorate Hanukkah cookies with your children!
Am Y’israel Chai! Long live Israel! . . . and Have a very Happy Hanukkah!
The Prophet Daniel had much to say about the end times and the war in Israel has really brought some of the Biblical prophecies to light as we witness the ongoing conflict. I have received many questions regarding the Biblical timeline of the end of days, so I thought we should take a closer look at Daniel today.
Daniel‘s prophecy describing the determined “seventy weeks” can be better understood as 70 “7’s.”
What is translated as “weeks” in most English Bibles is really describing groupings of 7 in Hebrew.
During the 70 “7’s, 6 important things will happen:
To finish with transgression
To put an end to sin
To make reconciliation (atonement) for iniquity
To bring in everlasting righteousness
To seal up vision and prophecy
To anoint the Most Holy (or the Most Holy Place)
Notice the first three are concerned with eradicating sin and transgression. The last three speak to the everlasting reign of our King.
In the Bible, 6 indicates lack of completion or total fulfillment. Therefore, we know to look more deeply, search God’s Word for more. Let’s move on to the next verse:
Daniel 9:27 clearly informs us that the antichrist (antimessiah) will make a covenant with Israel and then betray Israel. Daniel 7:8 so aptly describes this evil charismatic figure as the epitome of pompousness.
With the war in Israel, many Bible-believing Christians are starting to wonder:
Has the antichrist already been born? Is he walking the earth today?
Only prayer and discernment will answer those questions as history continues to unfold.
But for those who believe that the coming of our King is in the very distant future, consider all that is going on right now. If Iran and even Russia get involved in the current conflict (in a greater way than they already have by supporting Hamas and even Hezbollah) the violence will escalate to a level never seen before. The people of Israel will become desperate for hope and change, and many could quickly be swept away by the lies of a false messianic figure.
The final seven years begin with the covenant.
Are you prepared for the true end of days?
This is not intended to incite fear in you, but do you realize how very close we are to the true end of the age? We are nearing the end of the Biblical timeline of history. We must be prepared! We must know the Word and hide it in our hearts, we must have a living, ongoing relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Yeshua haMashiach), and we must do everything we can to share the Gospel to as many people as we can.
There is revival happening in pockets all around the world. It is not coincidental that we see so many falling away and so many also being rescued just in time. These are all signs that the end is near and soon, so very soon, our Righteous Redeemer will come again and reign!
Time to Forgive
Don’t worry if some of this seems overwhelming. Mathematics has never been one of my strengths so these prophetic words of Scripture make me scratch my head, too!
But there’s no escaping math, and even Jesus said we have to forgive 70 x 7 times!
The return of Jesus Christ (Yeshua haMashiach) is imminent
The imminent return of Christ should motivate each one of us to study the signs of the times and the signs in the heavens. Each of us should be diligently praying and fasting and studying the Word of God. There are so many parallels between the different concepts presented in the Bible and I believe this passage on forgiveness is one such parallel.
Redeeming the time
We know time is short. And so for that very same reason, we must be diligent to love and to forgive so that we can make the most of our time, redeeming our time:
I pray that you have taken to heart the importance of knowing the Word of God and where we stand in relation to the fulfillment of significant portions of Biblical prophecy.
I am praying for you today, dear reader, and your family – that you and your household may be saved. Please leave a comment below with any prayer requests, comments, or questions!
The End Times and the War in Israel
9 Cheshvan 5784 B”H
Most people who know the Bible agree that we are living in the end times. With Israel at war, what does living in the end times mean for us now?
The Word of God is a perfectly designed “guide to the end times”
In this world of uncertainty and turmoil, I am grateful that we have the unchanging Word of God.
The Bible is the perfect blueprint for how to construct our personal lives in relationship to God and it informs us about what will happen in the end times. If we follow God’s instructions properly we will build our lives upon the Rock with our Messiah as the Chief Cornerstone and the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. The Apostle Paul expressed this more eloquently than I ever could in his letter to the church in Ephesus:
God’s Word is also a perfectly designed “guide to the End times.”
The “perilous times” in which we live: a sign of the end times
If you are feeling overwhelmed lately, you are not alone.
It is one thing after another. Innumerable school shootings, a worldwide pandemic, widespread drug and substance abuse, global human trafficking, nations rising against nation (like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine),
and now the horrific war in Israel.
We are certainly living in eventful times. Paul called these “perilous times” when he taught Timothy about the end times to come:
Did you ever notice that it is in that very same chapter in 2 Timothy, we find the famous verse that declares the absolute infallibility and perfection of the original autographs of the Word of God:
When we are faced with the worst that the world has to offer, it is exactly at that time when we need to know we can rely on God’s Perfect Word. When we see the evil all around us, we can stand firm knowing that God has the Final Word. Our Aleph-Tav (our Alpha-Omega), the One who is the Beginning and the End has declared that He will help us to be “thoroughly equipped.”
It is safe to say we are indeed living in the last days and need to be thoroughly equipped in faith. In Scripture, particularly in Matthew, Jesus (Yeshua) talked quite a bit about the “end of the age.” Even in the Great Commission He assures us that He will be with us always – even to “the end of the age”(Matthew 28:19-20). With all that is going on, we certainly need to rely on Him being with us through it all!
Any serious Christian will acknowledge that no one knows the day or hour of our Savior’s return(Matthew 24:36), but we live in the end times tension knowing that we must be ready for the blessed hope – the rapture of the church. He will come for us at the end of the age and His return is truly imminent!
The current events we are living and witnessing are indeed end times signs of the soon coming of the end of the age. Be righteously vigilant!
If you are interested in eschatology (the study of the end times), you should definitely study the book of Daniel. As you do, you will see that there is no doubt we are living in the last days.
Daniel’s description of many running to and fro may well refer to the increase in easy and global air travel. Certainly we are aware that knowledge has greatly increased, even just within the past 100 years. Think of all the scientific and technological breakthroughs that have occurred. From medicine to iPads, the world has changed drastically and time seems accelerated.
Though there will be times of great change and trouble, the Bible tells us everyone who is found in the Book of Life will be delivered, those who are wise shall shine bright, and those who have reached people for the Gospel will shine like the stars forever! What awesome hope we have!
Did you know that modern Israel was born in just one day?
The very establishment and existence of the nation of Israel fulfills an end times word spoken through the Prophet Ezekiel:
When Israel became a nation in 1948, it was truly a miracle. In our lifetimes, we have witnessed the growth and prosperity of the beautiful nation of Israel. So many families have made aliyah (immigration to Israel) and it is easy to see how God has blessed the nation of Israel.
The modern country of Israel came to be in one single day.
“At midnight on May 14, 1948, the Provisional Government of Israel proclaimed a new State of Israel. On that same date, the United States, in the person of President Truman, recognized the provisional Jewish government as de facto authority of the Jewish state (de jure recognition was extended on January 31, 1949).”
The relationship between Israel and the United States is so special because our nation was truly a part of that miraculous birthing of a nation.
Iran’s irrational hatred
The irrational hatred toward Israel exhibited by countries like Iran seems to grow with each passing day.
Israel has been an example of stability, resilience, and democracy in the Middle East region.
Israel’s patience in not yet beginning the ground campaign in Gaza has been merciful and demonstrates commendable restraint.
IDF soldiers continually demonstrate kindness to Palestinian children and civilians.
Israel’s culture and military leadership operate in sharp contrast to many of the surrounding nations who seeth with anger, oppress their citizens, and encourage terrorism of civilians.
Sadly, it appears things are going to get worse for Israel before they get better.
Iran’s unrelenting threats against Israel and ongoing support of Hezbollah and Hamas demonstrate that the Iranian government is indeed poised to fulfill its role as instigator of war against Israel. Those who study the Bible closely are not surprised by this because Ezekiel 38 mentions Persia (modern day Iran) as a key player in the ultimate war of Gog and Magog that will lead to the end of the age.
The attack against Israel took place on the last day of the Biblical Feast of Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) which is known as Simchat Torah (the Joy of the Torah). A day meant for celebration turned into the deadliest day for Israel since the Holocaust.
Notice the ways this prophecy of Ezekiel, prophesied 2,500 years ago just came to pass on October 7, 2023.
The Islamic militants from Gaza came up with an evil and brutal plan and attacked the peaceful Jewish villages in Southern Israel.
The Antichrist will promise peace to Israel
Israel has already suffered so much loss of life. Entire families have been ruthlessly murdered by Hamas and so many soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces have been killed protecting their families and country.
At some point in a now perhaps not-so-distant future, Israel will be looking to make a peace agreement. Daniel’s prophecy about the Antimessiah indicates that the Antichrist will confirm a covenant with Israel, but he will betray them:
Many are debating whether or not the antimessiah has already been born and is alive today. Time will tell, but in any event, we must use discernment and approach all things with fervent prayer so that we are never deceived by a counterfeit Christ.
End times prophetic fulfillment in progress: the Gospel will be proclaimed to the ends of the earth
With so many Bible translation efforts and global access to internet and smartphones increasing daily, the Gospel has truly made it to the ends of the earth. Yes, there are still unreached people groups, but at some point those people will encounter the Gospel message and our commission to go forth into all the world will be completed.
The LORD will return, and soon.
Be ready! Share the saving message of the Good News of Jesus Christ (Yeshua haMashiach) with everyone you meet before it is too late and make sure you set your sight on your Coming King.
Maranatha!
We are living in unprecedented times. How are you being led to pray in these times? Please leave your comments below. I enjoy hearing from you!
The War in Israel and God’s Word
5784 B”H
The Nation of Israel is the only Jewish state
When I was in undergrad, “just war theory” was a hot topic among my overwhelmingly liberal, pacifist- agenda-pushing professors. In fact, one of my first theology professors spent many years living in Palestine unfairly decrying Israel’s policies. He always condemned Israel as an occupier and he refused to give a balanced perspective of the Middle East conflict. This professor claimed that his “‘Christian’ convictions” brought him to conclude he must side with the “oppressed” as he vehemently opposed Zionism and all things related to the nation of Israel.
True Christian conviction must be Biblically sound.
The Bible is very clear that the nation of Israel and those who love it will be be blessed.
Bethlehem is located in Judea, but it has been governed by the Palestinian authority for many years now.
Because of this, people like my first college professors like to insist that Jesus (Yeshua) was a poor, “Palestinian” Jew.
They reach a fallacious conclusion that because Jesus was born in modern-day Palestine, we as American Christians “must” therefore support the leftist pro-Palestine agenda.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea (Judah).
The modern Palestinian agenda has nothing to do with Him.
The West Bank is actually Judea and Samaria.
Accountability for universities
Institutions of higher learning should promote Biblical principles and the ideals of democracy, including support for Israel, the only Jewish state.
The Jewish nation as a whole has endured oppression time and time again and deserve a safe homeland free of radical Islamic terrorism.
Israel is engaged in justified war. The beautiful, prosperous nation of Israel was unfairly targeted by hate-filled organized terrorists who are unwilling to compromise and are set on destroying Israel.
We must pray, as David did, for God’s people in Israel:
Universities need to be held accountable when they promote a false tolerance at the expense of Israel. The Holocaust happened, it was real, and cannot legitimately be denied. Raping and pillaging innocent civilians in Israel cannot be justified, under any circumstance. Universities should be held accountable for any anti-Semitic posture they are taking because it influences our future American leaders.
The recent news that some Harvard students signed an anti-Israel statement as part of the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Group didn’t surprise me at all. These students have been taught to believe lies about Israel, propagated by far too many leaders in American higher education.
What did surprise me has been some of the backlash and I am grateful that people are holding these Harvard students accountable. Companies want to know who these students are so that they don’t end up hiring these kids. It is harsh, but it is justified, and necessary given the current climate.
Personally, I don’t think it was right to post the students’ photos and names on billboards, but I do appreciate our nation overwhelmingly supporting Israel despite the abundance of anti-semitic rhetoric that is pervasive in most American universities today.
Our nation has long stood with Israel, and that is a friendship worth keeping. Universities would do well to re-evaluate the way that the Israel/Hamas conflict is presented to encourage unwavering support for Israel.
What does the Bible say about the current conflict?
Gaza City is one of 5 formerly Philistine cities
Gaza City has a long history.
It was one of the five formerly Philistine cities which included Gaza, Ashqelon (Ashkelon), Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath.
Even our English term “Palestinian” comes from the root words for Philistia and the Greek, palaistinei.
The Philistine and Edomite partnership
One prophecy that really stands out to me is found in Amos. Philistine Gaza had partnered with the descendants of Esau (the Edomites) to turn in Jews to them:
These offenses will not go unpunished. The God of Israel will not allow the Philistine goliaths of the world to conquer His chosen people. Gaza has remained unrepentant and hostile toward Israel, and the Word of God is very clear that the wall of Gaza will be burned.
Likewise, a prophecy in the book of Obadiah speaks against the treasonous Edomites:
The war that Hamas started when they attacked Israel is a decisive moment in history.
It has been so heartbreaking to know that so many innocent lives have been taken and in such horrific manners.
Being pro-Israel does not mean anti-Arab. Let it be known that there is plenty of room in the household of God for people of every ethnic background – every tribe and tongue – to repent of his or her sin and be welcomed with open arms into the Kingdom of God.
There is a stark difference between the terrorizing, hate-filled message of radical Islam and the message of love, forgiveness, and acceptance offered by the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Yeshua haMashiach).
This is a moment in which God’s people – believers around the world – need to stand with Israel while at the same time demonstrating fierce love.
Pray for the Palestinian people who are being used and abused by terrorists.
Pray for the Palestinian people who have been deceived into accepting lies and hatred.
Pray for unbelieving Jews to recognize the Eternal Savior who has come to rule and reign.
Pray for all of the hurting families (on both sides) who have lost dear loved ones. Pray for Israel’s hostages to be rescued. Pray for all the little children who are witnessing such horror. Pray for nations to support Israel.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Please leave a comment about how you and your family are personally praying for Israel!
Elul: repent and rejoice! the King is in the field
Elul 3, B”H 5783
The Hebrew month of Elul
You may recall my post from July about Tisha b’Av. In that post, I introduced the Hebrew months of the year to help ubicate us in understanding the significance of certain dates on the Biblical calendar.
One of those months is called “Elul.”
Elul (Heb. אלול) comes from the root word “to search.”
This is the time of year when we are reminded that the LORD searches our hearts and knows us and we repent for those things which we continue to struggle with in our ongoing journey in holiness.
We are to search inside of ourselves and turn away from that which harms our relationship with the LORD Most High as we enter a new Biblical year.
When we reflect on this time of preparation, we see that Elul is a time of preparation for the Bride, for truly the Bridegroom is coming. This is a time of self-examination as we prepare to meet our Coming King. He accepts us with the deepest of love when we come before Him with a pure and contrite heart, made beautiful by our relationship with Him.
Elul, the High Holy Days, and the Coming of the Bridegroom
The month of Elul precedes what are known as the High Holy Days. These days include Yom Teruah (also known as Rosh Hashanah) and Yom Kippur. Yom Teruah occurs on the first day of the next month which is known as Tishrei. The High Holy Days are customarily a time of introspection as Yom Kippur serves as the yearly day of atonement. Israel pleads to be written in the Book of Life, and sealed for another year.
Now that our Messiah and Almighty Savior Yeshua (Jesus Christ) has come, those who have confessed Him as LORD and King have the assurance that the names of the saved are written in the Book of Life, never to be blotted out.
Elul is like the month before the wedding. Preparation is made because soon the Bridegroom will come. The Bride may prepare for the Coming Bridegroom with grace, dignity, and confidence because she has been set apart, consecrated, made ready for the moment when her King comes.
Repentance and Holiness
As saved and sanctified children of God, we continue to pursue holiness and the path of righteousness.
We are to live our lives with quiet and holy fear (reverence).
To do this fully, a true believer and follower of the LORD will very obviously seek to live in humility, all too aware of our faults and failings, but awesomely and intimately aware that He is perfecting us each and every day. We live with an attitude of repentance, thankful that His mercy blots out a multitude of sins. We do the work of ministry, always seeking to share the Word with those who do not yet know Him – not to gain a place in heaven, but to demonstrate our heavenly citizenship! The world glorifies sin. We glorify only Jesus (Yeshua), the One who died to take away our sins and the One who will return for us!
The Jewish understanding of the concept of “teshuvah” is slightly different than the traditional Christian interpretation of repentance.
Standard Christian repentance is about simply turning away from sin. There is nothing wrong with that. But teshuvah, true Biblical repentance, goes deeper than that.
Teshuvah is a “return.” More specifically, a return to our first love after being astray.
Inherent in teshuvah is the acknowledgement that we have sinned, but this is more about returning to the Way of the LORD than about guilt: it requires an action on our part to strive to right the wrong.
“Teshuvah” is seen as an action. It is often said one is “doing teshuvah.”
Teshuvah means the individual identifies the wrongs they have committed and actively works toward a behavioral change “to right the wrong.” The sinner confesses to God, but also goes back to the one he or she has wronged to ask for forgiveness and attempt to right the wrong.
Christians know that we cannot earn our salvation, so the concept of “teshuvah” gets a bit difficult for many Christians to understand. I have even found that some Christians simply do not want to understand because they would rather remain complacent. Some use texts about grace to shirk any semblance of responsibility, which is a truly irresponsible way to view YHVH’s immense and perfect grace. I believe in grace. I also believe in doing what is right.
Teshuvah is something the Christian can do in gratitude for salvation. Any decent person of faith ought strive to right their wrongs, right? The difference is, we know that we will never be able to erase the evil we have done to another so we cannot completely right our wrongs and we know that. We trust in our Merciful LORD, the Righter of Wrongs to bring healing, restoration, and ultimately wholeness.
Elul is the time of year when teshuvah is emphasized. Hosea uses the term “teshuvah” in admonishing the people of Israel to return to the LORD.
Biblical repentance is about returning to the LORD with nothing hindering our relationship. We are cleansed and made new by the blood of the Lamb and we are victorious by the word of our testimony.
The time of repentance observed in the month of Elul is set by Biblical precedent.
It sounds very much like a Hebrew “Lent” for those familiar with Lenten practices.
I will be controversial here, but I’m not one to shy from that . . .
Lent is a manmade invention championed by the liturgical world. It is not Biblical.
Historically, significant efforts were made to distance the “church” from its Jewish (and Biblical, mind you) history. It is no secret that Catholic and Lutheran churches alike were plagued with antiSemitism for many many years.
Those who invented Lent took the concept of Elul (a 40 day time of prayer and fasting lasting from 1 Elul to 10 Tishrei) and “Christianized” it, citing a time to prepare to honor the death and resurrection of Christ. Sadly, the Western inventions of things like Advent and Lent have served to confuse the body of Christ and isolate us from the true Biblical feast days and their significance.
Elul is about returning. Let us return to the basic (Hebraic!) tenets of our faith – to seek to walk on the path of righteousness, guided by the LORD Himself as written in His Holy Word.
From Genesis to Revelation, the Word of God is available to us and if we are not spending time in the Word, that is another reason for repentance.
Collectively, we should repent that the church has strayed so far and has actually contributed to the unbelief of the Jewish people as they observe the glaring discrepancies of many unBiblical “Christian” practices.
May we return to the essence of Elul.
Cheshbon haNefesh: The accounting for the soul
Cheshbon haNefesh is a Hebrew term used frequently throughout the month of Elul. “Cheshbon” is used in modern Hebrew to describe an invoice or bill, such as at a café. Cheshbon: what is owed, what must be paid, the account. Nefesh refers to the soul or what makes you you – it is a word that is also translated as “life” or “being.” Nefesh is the life force within you.
During Elul, we are reminded of His gracious gift. We fall on our knees in the humblest of gratitude, thankful that Yeshua (Jesus) shed His precious blood in payment to redeem our souls.
We owe everything to our Savior yet we know our account has been paid in full.
Elul is a time to reflect on how we are using our nefesh – how are we using the life that is within us to advance the Kingdom of God? It is a time to take ourselves to account.
This is a time to realize where we truly fall short in our relationship with our Creator. In what ways do we fail to love? Do we truly love Him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind?
HaMelech ba’sadeh: The King is in the field
It is often said during Elul that “the King is in the field.”
The King of all kings, who may seem unapproachable, who is far in His heavenly palace seated on His throne is the same King who reaches out His scepter even when we are unworthy of His mercy. The King of all kings is the same King who comes to our level – He humbled Himself and walked in those fields ripe for harvest.
The Chassidic interpretation is that the King comes when the laborers are in the field – meeting His workers where they are. Surprising them with His presence. Demonstrating kindness.
The King is coming.
The King is in the field.
The King of all kings is approachable and He loves you.
You can go to Him and He will receive you with open arms.
And you will be raptured away in love together.
Personal Prayer and Devotional Time during the month of Elul
It is traditional to read Psalm 27 daily during the month of Elul.
Perhaps you would like to reflect on this passage during this time, as well. This Psalm truly speaks to the relationship aspect of our faith: that we call upon Him and He answers and we are to seek His face.
The King is in the field and the harvest is ready but the workers are few.
Will you meet Him in the field?
Will you share the Good News that the King is coming back again!?
Repent and Rejoice!
Our King is coming for us!
Please comment below! I’d love to hear your thoughts about the month of Elul and the coming of our Almighty King!
Tisha b’Av in the Bible
Tisha b’Av 5783 B”H
Today marks a traditional Jewish commemorative day of fasting known as “Tisha b’Av.”
Because it is “customary,” the question becomes:
Is Tisha b’Av “Biblical?”
Let’s get straight to the Scriptures to find out.
No matter what you are studying, always ask this question: is it Biblical?
Does this line up with God’s Word?
Does this line up with God’s Word?
This will prevent you from falling into errors.
Tisha b’Av is not one of the moedim, meaning it is not one of the “appointed times” or Biblical feasts, but the Scriptures definitely make reference to the fasting of Tisha b’Av that became and remains a part of the life and culture of Israel during the month of Av.
Hebrew Civil Calendar
“Av” is one of the months of the Hebrew calendar. The Hebrew months do not line up perfectly with our months, but this list can give you a sense of how the civil calendar works:
Shevat (January-February)
Adar (February-March)
Nisan (March-April)
Iyyar (April-May)
Sivan (May-June)
Tammuz (June-July)
Av (July-August)
Elul (August-September)
Tishrei (September-October)
Cheshvan (October-November)
Kislev (November-December)
Tevet (December-January)
Notice, Av is in the summertime. It was in July or August when both Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed.
Hebrew Religious Calendar
On the civil calendar, Av would be considered the 7th month, but the religious year is calculated differently.
The Hebrew “Biblical” or “Religious” Calendar begins with Nisan making Av the 5th month of the Biblical or “Religious” year.
This is very helpful to understand because when you read various Scriptures about the month of Av, it can be confusing if you don’t know the order of the months according to the Biblical calendar.
In this verse from Zechariah 7, for example, it would make sense for the fifth or seventh to refer to Av considering the reference to mourning; however, using the Biblical calendar here the Bible references both the fasting day of Tisha b’Av as well as the seventh month during which occurs the Day of Atonement (and day of fasting) known as Yom Kippur:
Some have likened Tisha b’Av to the events of September 11, 2001. Tisha b’Av is like a Jewish 9/11. Yet somehow worse than 9/11; it is as if 9/11 happened nearly every year. Tisha B’Av is a day that has, on multiple occasions, historically been a day of terror.
What has happened on Tisha b’Av?
As I mentioned briefly above, during the month of Av, both Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed, the Jews were exiled, and later in history, many other terrible events including the First Crusade also occurred on the 9th of Av.
According to 2 Kings 25:8, Nebuzaradan came to Jerusalem just two days before Tisha b’Av and set fire to Jerusalem. There would have been desperate mourning taking place on Tisha b’Av that year. Jeremiah 52:15 places these events as occurring on the 10th of the month, just one day after Tisha b’Av, confirming that on or around Tisha b’Av many calamities have befallen the Jewish people.
Tisha B’Av is a National Day of Mourning in Israel.
Thousands of faithful Jews pilgrimage to the Western Wall or “Kotel” in Jerusalem in order to pray for the nation on Tisha B’Av.
Being able to physically pray in that place is quite miraculous because this would have been impossible prior to 1967 when Israel was able to regain hold of East Jerusalem.
The Western Wall (or “Wailing Wall”) is all that remains of the 2nd Temple.
The Second Temple was constructed after the Jews returned from the Babylonian Exile, but it was destroyed by the Romans in 70AD; much like the First Temple (build by Solomon) was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586BC.
The Temple was an enormous part of Jewish religious and cultural life.
For this reason, Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ) came when He did: He predicted the coming fall of the Temple and also prepared those who would believe for the Resurrection:
Those who do not yet know Jesus as Messiah continue to mourn the loss of the Temple and we must pray for them to come to a fuller understanding of all that the Bible reveals about this subject. Faithful Jews pray three times every day for the Third Temple to be built, and that it would come speedily.
This reminds me of the Aramaic phrase used by Christians all around the word: Maranatha. מרנאתאCome, Messiah Yeshua, Come quickly please! (1 Corinthians 16:22; Revelation 22:20)
The rebuilding of the 3rd Temple is actually very important to Biblical prophecy, and we see the fulfillment happening in our time. This is an exciting time to be a follower of Jesus! Soon He will return for us!
Preparations are being made for the Third Temple, but there is a significant problem.
The land where the Third Temple is to be rebuilt has been claimed by the Islamists. The Al-Aqsa Mosque is built on the very site where the First and Second Temples so prominently stood. This is why there is so much lament and mourning as well as conflict surrounding the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Fasting and Mourning shall become Joy, Gladness, and Feasting
If you have a heart for Israel, Tisha b’Av is a perfect opportunity to pray in solidarity with God’s people for the salvation of national Israel.
Look at this amazing promise from Zechariah 8:19. The days of fasting will one day end and there will be joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts!
The Temple made with human hands was destroyed. More than once! But this actually is not reason to lament, even though it certainly is sad. Jesus the Messiah revealed that God does not dwell in manmade temples.
Let us turn to our Abba Father, beseeching the Holy Spirit who dwells within us to make us continually holy so that we may be prepared for the Day of our Messiah’s return!
Rehoboam and Jeroboam: a nation divided
5783 B”H
I have been recently studying in depth on Rehoboam and Jeroboam because these two fellows were barely covered in my formal theological education and I must say they don’t come up very often even in church Bible studies.
These kings are glossed over, not because they are uninteresting, but because keeping their stories straight can get confusing!
In order to understand them, we must go back to the days of King Solomon.
King Solomon’s downfall: lust for seductive women and idolatry
By this point in time, King Solomon’s heart had truly deviated from seeking the LORD. The Bible tells us in detail the number of wives and concubines he had:
Lust ran in the family. King Solomon’s father, King David had struggled with that. Just look at his relationship with Bathsheba ( 2 Samuel 11).
But King Solomon took this to another level.
Unlike King David, King Solomon did not remain faithful to God alone. King Solomon not only kept company with seductive women, he allowed those women to influence his spirituality. He confessed it in his writings:
The Consequence for his sin: King Solomon’s kingdom would be torn away and given to one of his servants
King Solomon had overseen the construction of the beautiful Temple (1 Kings 5-7) and God had appeared to him twice. It is hard to imagine how he could let his heart turn from the One, True LORD.
But when sin seeps into our lives and we no longer recognize it, it launches us straight into destruction.
Justifiably, the LORD God of Israel became angry with Solomon. Scripture records the consequence: King Solomon’s kingdom would be torn away . . . and given to one of his servants.
I’m certain that would have been considered very embarrassing!
King Solomon’s heart had not been loyal to the LORD and now one of his own servants would be unloyal to him.
Jeroboam, a servant who becomes a king
Jeroboam was a servant of King Solomon. The Scriptures inform us that King Solomon considered him “industrious” (1 Kings 11:28).
The Bible says this hard worker was still a young man. King Solomon appointed Jeroboam to be the officer over the labor force of the house of Joseph 1 Kings 11:28).
Little did King Solomon know, but God would use Jeroboam against him!
The LORD spoke through Ahijah to tell Jeroboam that He would tear the kingdom from King Solomon and give Jeroboam 10 of the tribes. Whoa! This was a major turning point in Israel’s history, one that would shape the future very dramatically.
The prophecy was so significant that King Solomon wanted to kill Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:40).
Jeroboam had to flee to Egypt until King Solomon died! (1 Kings 11:40).
Rehoboam, a wicked king
Names ending with “oboam” must’ve been very popular in those days.
King Solomon died and his son, Rehoboam, took over. (1 Kings 11:43).
Rehoboam was a terrible guy. Jeroboam and the others in Israel reasonably asked the newly crowned king of Israel to please lighten the work burden as it had been quite heavy under King Solomon’s reign. (1 Kings 12:3-4).
King Rehoboam consulted his elders, who wisely counseled that if he were to lighten their load, the people would happily serve him forever. But this wicked king rejected the sage advice of the elders.
Then King Rehoboam consulted his friends from his youth – and if they were friends with him, we can assume they were just as depraved as he was. Indeed, King Rehoboam’s friends advised him to flaunt his wealth by becoming fat and inform the people that he would harshly come after them with scourges (a literal translation is: “scorpions.”). (1 Kings 12:14)
The LORD hardened King Rehoboam’s heart in order for His plan as spoken through Prophet Ahijah to be fulfilled (1 Kings 12:15).
The Kingdom Splits in Two
The people of Israel were distressed when they realized King Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, was going to be an unreasonable leader.
God promised that for the sake of his servant David and the sake of Jerusalem, their affliction would not last forever. Israel (the Northern Kingdom) rebelled against Judah (the Southern Kingdom) and this continues even today. But we know there must be a future restoration because our Savior taught:
He will bring restoration and redemption. So much of native Israel continues to reject Yeshua (Jesus) as their promised Messiah, but this rebellion will one day cease. We see many previously unbelievers coming to faith in Him, so continue to pray!
God has kept His Word and all of His promises. As history continues to unfold, we see that each and every prophecy is being accomplished in His perfect timing.
I hope that this study has helped clarify for you some of the dynamics of what was going on as Israel and Judah divided. We pray for His return and the millennial reign of our LORD who will bring peace and unity!
