Shana tovah! For a sweet new year!
Tonight is the beginning of the Feast of Trumpets and the Biblical new year. It is the fifth of Seven Feasts recorded and defined in the Bible as “The Feasts of the Lord”. Our family is celebrating with extra sweet challah formed in a round loaf and dipping apple slices into honey as our pre-meal fun! I have found that the grandkids love the holidays. They don’t necessarily remember from year to year what it all means, but they definitely remember the food we eat. This morning Ashlyn (7 yrs old) started jumping up and down when I mentioned round challah along with apples and honey. “Oh, I remember! I remember! I LOVE apples and honey!”
We try to make every holiday something that the kids will enjoy and remember. If the kids remember, then it makes it more fun for the parental units as well. The Feasts of the Lord are meant to be enjoyed, and they are precious family times!
The blowing of the shofar comes from Leviticus 23:24.
“Tell the people of Israel, ‘In the seventh month, the first of the month is to be for you a day of complete rest for remembering, a holy convocation announced with blasts on the shofar.’”
(more…)
Blowing the shofar during Elul in the house of prayer last year.
The fall feasts of the Bible is my favorite season of the year. I especially loved celebrating these feasts in Israel last year. What a privilege! Today is the twentieth day in the Biblical month of Elul, the last month of the Jewish calendar. Elul will end at sundown on September 8th. The next day (Sept. 9) is Rosh Hashana, the first day of the Jewish new year. Rosh Hashana begins the fall feasts of God.
Every day during this month of Elul the shofar is blown and Psalm 27 is read in minyans and prayer groups. Elul is a month of preparation for the Days of Awe between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur culminating on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year. It’s a time of reflection. Elul means “returned with” signifying when the Jewish people returned to Israel after their 70 years in Babylon. Since that time Elul is a month where we “return to HaShem” in repentance. This is a holy month leading up to the most holy month, Tishri. (Next week I will write about Tishri and Rosh Hashana.)
Repentance. It is a word that is not too popular in some circles, especially those who think grace is a free ride to live on the edge of holiness thinking that God will excuse their little indulgences in the world. The Bible doesn’t teach that at all.
“Therefore, my dear friends, since we have these promises, beloved, let us purify ourselves from everything that can defile either body or spirit, and strive to be completely holy, out of reverence for God.” (II Cor. 7:1)
“So that you may be blameless and pure children of God without defect in the midst of a twisted and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the sky.” (Phil 2:15)
(more…)
Why twelve, you ask? I don’t know. I was looking at pictures of our year in Israel this morning and started thinking about how I love that place. For those of you who don’t know, we spent last year living in Israel and serving on the leadership team of Succat Hallel, a 24/7 house of prayer in Jerusalem. It was one of the best years of my life but also one of the hardest years of my life. I know that sounds strange, but it’s really true. The difficult times refined my walk with God in a way that nothing else could, so I treasure even the hardest days.
These twelve things are in no particular order. I couldn’t put them in order even if I had to. I love every one of them. Ok…here goes….
1. Looking out my living room window at the Jordanian mountains of Moab. The security fence that borders the West Bank is visible also.
2. Visiting my 2 favorite places on the Temple Mount. This was the location of Solomon’s temple & possible site of the third temple.
And this is the inside of the Eastern (Golden) Gate where Yeshua will enter the city when He returns. (Who is that handsome man standing there?!)
3. Worshiping with the community at Succat Hallel
4. Watching Bar Mitzvah ceremonies at the Western Wall on Thursday mornings
(more…)
Most people have no idea where the term “Palestine” came from. They think Palestine was a nation before Israel was granted statehood in 1948. There are many misconceptions concerning Palestinians. We blindly believe what the mainstream media tells us, which, by the way, is very anti-Semitic and anti-God.
Ron Cantor, a Messianic leader living in Israel, posted an article a couple of days ago entitled “15 Facts About Palestine that You Won’t Hear in the Mainstream Media“. Ron is a great man and takes the Jewish roots message everywhere he goes. I loved his post so much that I want to summarize it here. Please visit his site linked above to read more.
15 Facts About Palestine That You Won’t Hear in the Mainstream Media
- Palestine was NOT an Arab nation that the Jews came in and took over after the UN vote in 1947.
- The name “Palestine” came from the Romans, referring to the ancient Philistines who were wiped out in 1200 BCE.
- The UN vote did not merely give Israel authority to create a state, but granted to the Arabs living on the West side of the Jordan River to also create an independent country. The Arabs said “no” and became part of Jordan. (more…)
This is a must-watch video if you think the flotilla issue is a בלגן (balagan). Balagan is Hebrew for “chaotic” or “complete mess”. Complete mess and ridiculous is my assessment of the flotilla situation. It is yet another attempt by the Arab nations to turn the rest of the world against Israel. Israel has not done one thing more than any other country would do in her exact situation.
This video is funny but oh, so true.
RECENT DEVELOPMENT: Youtube has pulled this video stating a copyright claim that’s in process. Jerusalem Post journalist, Carolyn Glick, explained the craziness of Youtube on her blog.
Charles Krauthammer, a Washington Post columnist, wrote an article today that totally sums up the double standard that Israel is being subjected to by the rest of the world. I love his post and wish everyone in the world would read it and believe it.
The one behind all the accusations and hatred is the one who has wanted the worship of man from before the foundation of the world. It all boils down to who will be worshiped on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. If you have read the book of Revelation, you know the end of the story. Yeshua will reign from that mountain. He will set up His government on this earth. The Temple Mount will be His earthly headquarters. Satan is doing everything in his power to keep that from happening, thus the flotilla balagan and many more balagans to come….
Most Recent Comments