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Hello loyal readers!  Let me extend a heartfelt thank you for your patience over the lack of posts while navigating a difficult season. Though my hope for this blog is to facilitate a passionate connection with our Judeo-Christian roots of our faith, it is a tremendous blessing to use this post to update you on recent events in regards to my Ema as a testimony to her walk with El Roi (the God who sees).

Wow. Where to begin. If you recall a post titled “Ema” in July of 2023, Ema (mother in Hebrew) had been diagnosed in March with metastatic cancer spanning from the brain to the kidneys. The doctors, Hospice staff, and others projected a few months to live at best… but God. There it is again, ‘but God’….two of my favorite words in the Bible.  Yahweh had other plans and blessed us with almost a full year. Before diving in, a quick detour may add some context.

Five years ago, Ema came for a visit to Chattanooga, and she joined us for a church service. Although a born-again believer from a young age, the previous 55 years she had been in the Catholic church. During that time, the basic tenets of her faith eroded. She no longer had a personal relationship with the Lord, the Author and Finisher of her faith (Hebrews 12:2) and forgot about the critical importance of verses like John 3:16. In place of the Gospel message was a ‘more than one way to heaven’ theology.

Her faith became religion-centric, focused on traditions rather than the Word of God. This led to quite a tumultuous time in our relationship. For a number of years, debates led to arguments, creating a wedge between us. Finally, godly wisdom was drilled into my thick skull that winning hearts never occurs when trying to win arguments.  Understanding that was a catalyst that changed everything.

When she came to visit, we asked her to join us for a service at our place of worship, Calvary Chapel Chattanooga.  Because the music is loud, I suggested that Ema and I sit and watch/listen to the service from the monitors in the lobby area.  To my delight, after the first song she said, “Let’s go in.”  Yeah!

The Holy Spirit worked through the music, the praying and the pastor’s message. After the service, Ema was different, changed, as if the Lord rekindled something in her spirit that had for too long been asleep. I’m not sure exactly what resonated with her, but she asked if I could find a similar church in Owensboro…and thank God almighty, we found one. Owensboro Christian Church (OCC) became her new church home and faith family.  She jumped all in, as if making up for lost time. She was in Sunday School, volunteered, watched services from multiple churches, and was diving deep into Bible study.  When COVID hit, even after OCC resumed in-person services, Ema didn’t feel safe being in crowds because of her age. Still, she watched services every Sunday and throughout the week without fail.  Ema grew closer to the Lord and we became closer to each other.

While in her 80s, Ema developed an insatiable love for Jesus and his Word. After she went home to be with the Lord, we found notebook after notebook of Bible study notes, volunteer communications, iPad bookmarks for numerous Pastors’ sermons, and so much more. She had a prayer journal and a loaded book-marked Bible to the point that the binding was coming apart. Her Pastor, a key figure in this story, held up both books for everyone to see at the Celebration of Life service, saying, “this Woman loved Jesus” as tears rolled down his face. The faith of this woman, for which I prayed over her for years, led to a woman of God that I now pray for me to one day be…the substance of things hoped for (Hebrew 11:1).

Another quick detour.  Several years ago, Ema and I had a conversation about ministry.  She sadly stated that she was too old for God to use her. I remember telling her, “When God is finished using you, He will bring you home to Him.” And that is exactly what God did. Ema passed away on February 22, 2024, less than two months before she would have turned 86.  I’m still in awe of the powerful way he used her during her time at OCC and especially during her illness.

After the diagnosis in March 2023, I made numerous trips to Owensboro to spend as much time together as possible. These visits allowed us to reminisce, to pray, and to prepare for what was coming. The day following her diagnosis, I contacted OCC, who immediately sent someone to her house from their Care Team.  Enter in, Pastor Tom Harrigan.  I was present for their first visit. What a hoot. They instantaneously formed a bond, not only as shepherd and sheep, but over time, like son and mother. Little did I know then how God would develop their relationship and use the two of them to positively impact each other and many others.

Pastor Tom visited faithfully as did other members from the Care Team, the Senior Pastor (who affectionally referred to Ema as “Techy Grandma”), and ladies who volunteered with her.  Pastor Tom brought his wife to meet Ema, who visited multiple times as did their dearly loved daughter when home visiting from college.  Ema had a wonderful church family around her. When the time came to transition to a care facility in September, the visits grew to include more people from the church because the facility was right across the street from OCC.  God is good. Another blessing was my sister, who also lives in Owensboro and is a nurse, specializing in geriatric care.  Yes, God is good indeed. Still, I didn’t understand why He was allowing her this unexpected time. I was concerned about how long she was going to have to suffer. In other words, the plunge into the world wide web of worry blocked the panoramic view of what God was doing.

On one particular visit in January, I finally started to see it.  Every person that entered her room was warmly received, encouraged, prayed for, and poured in to.  I used to tell her that I pray to be the kind of person that uses every encounter to encourage or be encouraged, to bless or to be blessed. And that is exactly who my Ema had become, and God was using that in a powerful way. That Sunday morning, before I stopped by to see Ema before heading back to Chattanooga, I attended service at OCC. Visiting with Pastor Tom and Senior Pastor Scott afterwards, they told me how much they had fallen in love with my Ema and what a beautiful spirit of gratitude she showed. They also encouraged me to to watch the New Year’s Eve message that Pastor Tom provided.  I’ll get to that later.

As much as her cancer-ridden brain would allow, Ema would remember names, their family members, events going on in their lives and would ask how she could pray for whoever entered her room.  She showed a level of gratitude for every…single…thing, big and small. Any time someone would do something from her, from changing her sheets, combing her hair, transferring her between bed and chair, meals, snacks, water… It didn’t matter what it was, she showed extreme kindness and gratitude. No one left her room unaffected. It was beautiful to witness, yet at the same time, convicting.  There she was, completely helpless in the bed, unable to do anything for herself, yet she had a thankful heart. She knew Jesus was with her and stated numerous times that she has never felt so close to God. There I was, healthy, mobile, with a good quality of life, and what I thought was a healthy spiritual life, yet seemed altogether spiritually desolate from fussing about things that really do not matter.  Ouch.

I called Ema daily and would read to her from the Bible. After my visit in January, I asked if she would like to go through a devotional book together and she was excited to do that. We journeyed through my favorite devotional book, Thirty Days in the Land with Jesus, by Dr. Charlie Dyer. The cancer progressed and her quality of life continued to decline, but she did not want to miss a single devotional, each which were fairly long, but she loved every minute of it and never dozed off while I read.  Her condition, however, was rapidly deteriorating. It did not seem that we would make it through the full 30 days. She was slipping fast so I drove back to Kentucky in February to help my sister relocate Ema to a beautiful Hospice facility. After heading back home, we finished day 30 of the devotional, which was 8 days after she arrived at Hospice. That evening, she slipped into a coma. It was as if she needed to finish the walk with Jesus through His Holy land before she could let go. About a week proceeding that, it became very difficult to understand what she was saying because of slurred speech, but I always could tell when she was asking to walk with Jesus through the land.

Daily updates from my sister revealed that Ema’s status had not changed. She was still in a coma and went days without food and fluids, yet she still hung on. I’m not sure exactly what prompted me to leave on that Thursday (Feb 22) to get back to Kentucky. Once on the road, the Enemy seemed to be Hades-bent to not allow me to get there.  That was the day there was a nationwide outage of AT&T cell service.  I couldn’t communicate with anyone and couldn’t use the GPS.  As I was leaving Lebanon, TN, heading toward Bowling Green, I was pulled over for speeding.  Yes, I was speeding.  Rather than pulling over for the 5^th time to try to figure out what the heck was wrong with my phone (not knowing about the outage), I wasn’t paying attention to the speed limit.  I cooperated with the man in blue and explained what was going on, asking if he would help me with directions. Despite making that trip numerous times, I was still uncertain on some of the turns going the back way. What seemed like an eternity later, the officer helped me map out my turns….and also gave me a ticket.  Lovely. 

Finally arriving at the Hospice facility to give my sister a break, nothing had changed with Ema’s condition. Alone with Ema, I told her that I was here now, that I’m fine, the family is fine, and that it is OK let go so she can be with Jesus and be reunited with Dad, her parents and others she loved. Several hours later, my sister and I were going through the obituary and the photo slide show I pulled together for the service, when Pastor Tom and his wife popped in for a visit. Somehow, we all knew this would be the last time he would see her alive. He prayed over Ema, sobbed, kissed her on the top of her head, hugged us, and left with a heavy heart.

We resumed looking at photos, then my sister abruptly said, “Her breathing has changed!”  Puzzled, I look at her, asking how in the great wide world of sports could you tell that?  We had the TV on, there was noise in the hallway, and we were looking at the laptop screen, yet she sensed it, and she was right. Ema had started Cheyne-Stokes respirations which is deep or gasping-like breaths that become further and further spaced apart. My sister looked at me with tears in her eyes, and whispered “it won’t be long now.”  We pulled up our chairs to both sides of the bed and each held Ema’s hand.  I prayed Scripture verses over her as the gasps became further apart to the point I felt led to pray Psalm 23 over Ema. When the last verse “and I will dwell in the house of the Lord, forever”, was spoken, Ema took her last breath in, and exhaled in the presence of King Jesus.  What a privilege to walk our sweet Ema to the Throne of Grace.

Looking back, the events seem surreal, and time was needed to process it all. The way these events were strung together, how everything was orchestrated by God, was nothing short of miraculous.  Along with these precious memories is the timeless reminder we have from the New Year’s Eve service message I mentioned earlier given by Pastor Tom (https://www.owensboro.cc/past-sermons?sapurl=Lyt3N3NnL2xiL21pLyt2ejJ5eWI0P2JyYW5kaW5nPXRydWUmZW1iZWQ9dHJ1ZSZyZWNlbnRSb3V0ZT1hcHAud2ViLWFwcC5saWJyYXJ5Lmxpc3QmcmVjZW50Um91dGVTbHVnPSUyQjlmd20zZ2Q=).  The link with take you to the 30-minute sermon, but if you are short on time, feel free to jump to minute 23:00 where shortly thereafter you will hear about my Ema. This message, which reached over 9,000 people on December 31st, shares the story about a godly woman, my Ema, who once said she was too old to be used by God. God writes the story and fashions our days (Psalm 139:16). He makes the impossible, attainable, the unthinkable, fantastical, and the hopeless, fruitful. When we finish doing what He has assigned us to, He too will bring us home.

A little late, but no less sincere, Happy New Year to you all.  Christmas was a precious time with family celebrating the birth of the King as I hope it was for you too. Your patience during the writing hiatus has been greatly appreciated. However, it is time to roll up the sleeves and once again put the feathered quill to parchment (…or at least start poking & hoping on the keyboard). Prior to Christmas, and to the Hanukkah posts, was the first of a series titled, “The Land, the Seed and the Blessing” with an emphasis on the promised land for a chosen people.  Feel free to review Part I before reading on.

The research for this series came from a capstone project paper for an online course completed at the Israel College of the Bible. In this course, we unpacked God’s promises to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 12:3), which has been a frequent theme throughout this Romans 838 blog. In Part I, we ended with a focus on the land. That is a good segue as to why Israel was expelled from it!

Clear from Scripture is that God intended for Israel to possess the land of Canaan. He provides numerous verses from the book of Genesis (as well as in other books of the Bible) to demonstrate that the land was an everlasting gift to Israel (Genesis 12:1; 13:15, 13:17, 15:18-21). Yet, because Israel chose to live like the world in defiance of God, He drove them out of the land as He forewarned He would do if they were disobedient to His instructions. God has been chastising His Chosen People and will continue to do so until they are ready to recognize Yeshua as Messiah (Matthew 23:37-39) and fulfill their calling to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6).

When we look back through the history of the Jewish people, we must keep this altogether pivotal fact in mind: Their survival is nothing short of miraculous. The Jewish people, along with the State of Israel existing today, is a testimony to the existence of Yahweh who is sovereign and who acts in history. There is a story that has been passed down through generations of King Frederick the Great of Prussia (1740 -1786) who asked his physician for proof of the existence of God. His physician replied, “Your Majesty, the continued existence of the Jews.” By any historical measure, the Jewish people should have disappeared long ago….yet, as is stated throughout the Scriptures, and as you know is a favorite 2-word phrase of mine…..“but God.”

David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of the State of Israel. said: “A Jew who does not believe in miracles is not a realist.” He uncompromisingly made that statement because miracles are the only possible explanation for the existence of the Jewish people.  Renald Showers, in his book, “There Really is a Difference,” states that, “God linked His promise not to destroy the nation of Israel with His promises not to fail Israel or forget the Abrahamic Covenant which He swore to Israel’s ancestors.” This implies that the Abrahamic Covenant guarantees Israel’s permanent existence as a nation. Regardless of their sin and rebellion, God will chastise His people for their disobedience, but will not utterly destroy them (Jeremiah 30:11, Jeremiah 46:27-28; Amos 9:8, Romans 11:28) for they are the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8)

The current and next few installments of this series will highlight some of the major related events in Jewish history, following the first coming of Yeshua, that demonstrate God’s discipline of the Jewish people. Without a doubt, this Chosen People has been and continues to be chastised, but not utterly destroyed.

The Church began in the early 30s AD and was centered first in Jerusalem with a primarily Jewish membership. Unbelieving Jewish religious elite began to persecute the early Christians causing a dispersion of the Jewish believers. This dispersion resulted in the Gospel being taken to the Gentiles and by the end of the 1^st century AD, the membership was predominantly non-Jewish. The Church began to change significantly.

Judaism was a threat to Roman authority. The year 70 AD marked a crisis in Jewish history when Roman general Titus besieged and sacked Jerusalem. On the 9^th of Av on the Hebrew calendar (August-September for us), the second Temple was destroyed by the Romans as prophesied by Jesus (Luke 21:5-6). Approximately one million Jews were killed and most of the survivors were sold into slavery or scattered into the nations. However, a small remnant of Jewish people remained in the land throughout the dispersion. Although this was not the first dispersion of the Jewish people from the land (e.g., Egypt, Assyria, Babylon), it was the first to occur after the birth, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Since that time, many Gentile nations have sought to establish dominion over the land (and the Jews).

Under the leadership of a false messiah, Shimon Bar Kokhba, the Jews revolted against Roman rule in what became known as the Bar Kokhba Rebellion (132-135 AD). This revolt resulted in the deaths of 500,000 Jews with additional thousands sold into slavery or taken into captivity. Judaism was no longer recognized as a legal religion. Israel as a nation appeared to be squashed. This was seen as a sign by many Christians (now predominantly Gentile) that Israel had been rejected by her God, and that the Church was now “the New Israel.” In other words, this birthed Supersessionism, also known as Replacement Theology, that continues to plague much of the Church today.

The Bar Kokhba uprising was quelled in 135 AD. Jews were barred from Jerusalem for several centuries. As the Romans ploughed over Jerusalem, they renamed the City ‘Aelia Capitolina’ and the land ‘Syria Palestina’ to eradicate the memory of the Jewish presence there. It is believed Roman Emperor Hadrian chose Palestina, because it refers to the Philistines, the long-time enemy of Israel. This was done to crush the national and religious spirit of the Jews. Over the next 19 centuries, the religious Jews in exile included the amidah in their daily devotions – which includes a heart-cry prayer to God for their restoration to their beloved Jerusalem.

Since the conquest of Jerusalem by the crushing armies of Rome, the Hebrew people have been forced to endure an existence based on the “goodwill” of the nations to which they had fled. Roman persecution of the Jews intensified and Jews were forbidden from practicing circumcision, reading the Torah, and celebrating their holy days.

I imagine that the Church was admiringly pure and beautiful in her early days. The leaders knew Jesus’ teachings well. James, the half-brother of Jesus, was over the church in Jerusalem. But it didn’t take long for all of that to change. Within a few hundred years, world power began to strategically look favorably on Christianity and the church became allied to ungodly kings and emperors. Pride and worldly prosperity choked out grace and mercy. One ruler in particular left an irreversible mark on the church and on the Jewish people.

The man was Constantine, the first Roman emperor to declare himself a Christian. He quickly began a hostile policy towards the Jews. In 315 AD, he published the Edict of Milan, which extended religious tolerance to Christians. The Jewish people lost many rights with this edict. Marriages were forbidden between Jews and Christians and eventually, the penalty for being Jewish was death.

With the establishment of Christianity as the ‘required‘ religion of the Roman Empire, the stage was set for the church to rise to power.  The anti-Semitic sentiment and a desire to wash away undesired portions of Scripture using allegorical interpretation (e.g. spiritualized and symbolism vs. a literal interpretation), led to the church departing from the foundational teachings of the apostles as recorded in the Bible. These departures paved the way for the development of the church into what is now known as the Roman Catholic Church. Some of these practices were later adopted by many Protestant denominations as well.

At the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, presided by Constantine himself, an edict was declared called the “Venerable Day of the Sun” (aka, Sunday). Sabbath, or Saturday, worship and other Jewish observances became heretical to the Christian beliefs. Also, Christianity was now the official religion, and Jews could no longer have Roman citizenship.

The pagan world proved more hospitable to the Jew than did the Christian world. Persecution of the Jewish people on the part of the church coincided with its rise to power. Both have proven to be unrelenting.  The Roman Catholic Church provided pathways to moral anesthesia for acts against the Jewish people.  The clergy assumed roles of power and moved quickly to impose restrictions on the Jewish community which had fostered them.

Theodosius the Great, in 379 AD, permitted the destruction of synagogues if they served any type of religious purpose. Later in 391, the “Edict of Theodosius” declared that Christianity was to be the only legal religion in the Roman Empire. The Jewish people were seen as infidels who had been the instrument of the crucifixion of Christ. It was also during this reign that formal modes of social discrimination and rigid anti-Jewish measures were legally codified to facilitate enforcement and persecution. Anti-Semitism quickly spread to other parts of Europe.

In Spain, at the Third Council of Toledo in 589 AD, it was ordered that children born of marriage between Jews and Christians be baptized by force. A policy of forced conversion of all Jews was initiated. Jewish children over seven years of age were taken from their parents and given a Christian education. Thousands of Jews fled; thousands of others converted to save their own lives. By 613 AD, serious persecution began. Jews were given the options of either leaving Spain, converting to Christianity, or die.

As the power of the Roman Catholic Church continued to grow, the persecution against the Jewish people, their religion and customs intensified into the Middle Ages. That is where we will pick up in the next part of this series. As difficult as it is to read about the numerous events in history where the Jewish people have suffered, it is necessary to fully comprehend their supernatural existence which would be inexplicable apart from God. Our God, and His promise-keeping, are on full display throughout history. This, in turn, should fill us with the hope and confidence in the promises made to us through the New Covenant fulfilled by His Son, our Savior, Jesus the Messiah.

The dispossessions of the land are temporary judgments upon the generations of Israel who turned from God. Yet God keeps His promises and abundantly declares in His Word that their dispersion is temporary, and their regathering will occur. This regathering started (albeit as a trickle) after WWI. It ramped up upon declaration of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948 and has continued since then. Anti-Semitism has significantly ramped up again throughout the world following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. No longer feeling safe, many Jews are leaving the countries where they live to make Aliyah to Israel. What a privilege it is for us to witness this regathering as prophesied in God’s Word. But let’s not be passive witnesses. Rather, let us pray for the Jewish people to recognize and accept Jesus as the Messiah. Let us pray for the peace for Jerusalem. Let us pray not to be deceived or fall into temptation. Let us evangelize and be watchmen on the wall while we eagerly await the Lord’s return.

On December 8, 2023, as it grew dark, Jewish families gathered around the dinner table to light the first candle on a nine-branch menorah called the Hanukkiah. It was the first evening of Hanukkah, an 8-day celebration by Jewish people around the world to mark their deliverance over 2000 years ago, from a brutal Syrian tyrant, Antiochus IV.  Hanukkah’s history with its theme of deliverance was the focus of the first of this two-part series. This joyous holiday is celebrated with food, gifts, family gatherings and activities for the children. After lighting the menorah, families often sing songs, eat special food, exchange gifts, and play games.  These traditions, along with the applications of Hanukkah for followers of Jesus, will be our current focus, with a sprinkling of information mixed in from Part I.

As a quick recap, the menorahs lit in homes during Hanukkah are different from the traditional 7-branch menorah used only in the Temple.  The Hanukkah menorah has 9 branches with one in the middle elevated above the others. This center candle is called the “Shamash” (which means “Servant”) and is used as a kindle.  One the first night, the Shamash is used to light the first candle on the far right, preceded by three blessings:  

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.

Blessed are You, Lord or God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.

Blessed are You, Lord or God, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

On the 2^nd night, the Shamash is used to light the first candle again and then the second one next to it. This is repeated each night until all 8 candles are lit. The Hanukkiah is usually placed in a window so that all can see it to be reminded of the victorious and heroic deeds of the Maccabees.

One of the ways Jewish people remember the great miracle of Hanukkah is with the dreidel game. Children will play a special game called “Spin the Dreidel.” The sevivon, meaning “dreidel,” or “top,” has one of four Hebrew letters on each of the four sides:  nun, gimmel, heh, and peh.  These letters indicate the rules of the game, but also represent a phrase, saying that a great miracle happened in Jerusalem. The letters signify the words “Nes gadol hayah peh”, “A great miracle happened here.” A Hanukkah dreidel in Jerusalem is different than in other parts of the world.  Outside of Israel, the letter peh is exchanged for the letter shin, which stands for the word “sham,” meaning “there” — “A great miracle happened there.”

For at least the last thousand years, the Jewish people eat oily foods on Hanukkah. These fatty delectables are symbolic of the story about the small jug of oil that miraculously provided fuel for the Temple Menorah for eight days (See post on Hanukkah – Part I).  One such fatty food is donuts. Sweet fried dough is enjoyed by the Jewish people worldwide, from the pound-adding ‘ponchiks’ of Poland, to the delicious ‘bimuelos’ of Spain and Latin America, and the savory ‘sfenj’ of North African Jewry. 

Jewish people in America spun their own versions of these tasty traditions.  For example, William Rosenburg, son of Jewish German immigrants from Prussia, launched the ‘Open Kettle’ restaurant in 1948.  Their famous coffee (10 cents) and donuts (5 cents) were their claim to fame, which later led to the successful franchise of Dunkin’ Donuts. 

Israeli Jews’ donuts of preference are sufganiyot – donuts filled with fruit jam filling, sprinkled with powdered sugar. Sufganiyot (soof-GAH-NEE-yoht) were declared by the Israeli Labor Federation to be the official food of Hanukkah in 1920. They are consumed by the millions in Israel every year. Another ‘oil’ food of Hanukkah are potato pancakes, called latkes. These came about in the late 18^th or early 19^th century, about two hundred years after potatoes were introduced to Europe. Prior to that, potatoes were used to feed animals, prisoners, and then used to feed the masses, especially the poor. Potatoes went from being unknown to being responsible for a quarter of the population growth of Europe between 1700 and 1900. They eventually became a staple that was cheaper than flour, so the potato latkes popularity spread rapidly. 

The evolution of latkes is quite interesting and includes other fried shredded vegetables such as zucchini, spinach and beets. There is also a fascinating story about cheese latkes that preceded the Maccabean revolt by a couple hundred years, originating from the apocryphal Book of Judith. The Book of Judith is included in the Greek versions of the Hebrew Bible (Septuagint) and in the Roman canon, but not in the Hebrew and Protestant Biblical canons.

The story of Judith is another account of deliverance of the Jewish people. Rashbam, a devout French Jew who lived in 12^th century, authored a commentary on the Babylonian Talmud from the Middle Ages. He wrote that Judith was responsible for the miracle of Hanukkah.  Tradition has it that Judith was related to Judah Maccabee and the story is that she seduced the Assyrian general, Holofernes, and fed him salty cheese and wine. When he passed out from drinking, she beheaded him, which led to the defeat of the Assyrian army by the Israelites. Cheese was eaten around Hanukkah to remember Judith’s bravery.  Given the graphic nature of this story, it is not surprising that Maccabean revolt predominates the history and traditions of Hanukkah.

Chocolate coins or “gelt” which is Yiddish for “money”, are plentiful during Hanukkah and are gifted to children as an edible substitute for cash.  These gold-foil chocolate coins date back to the 17^th century, as a tribute to the Hasmoneans minting national coins to celebrate the Maccabees’ winning their freedom from Antiochus IV and the Syrian Greeks.  Traditions vary and have evolved over time. Jewish parents often give these chocolate coins to their children as ‘funny money’ to facilitate dreidel competitions. Regardless of the traditions, the manufacturing of gelt has been a profitable industry, copied by chocolatiers across the globe.  Personally, if I had a choice of chocolates, gelt would not be my ‘go to’ as it is not very flavorful and is often stale. Maybe I should have removed the foil wrapping first. 😊

The purpose and traditions of the festival of Hanukkah naturally lend themselves to understanding the significance as they relate to Jesus. Of the many Jewish celebrations we have studied together thus far, each has been filled with meaningful rituals and observances that illustrate spiritual truths, many of which point to our Lord. Unlike the seven Jewish Feasts which were appointed by God, Hanukkah was instituted by man.  Before we dismiss it for this reason, remember that western observances of Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas were also instituted by man. The critical feature, regardless of the holiday, should be a heart set on honoring God. Unfortunately, this is where the holidays of the Western world often fall short.

A beautiful application relates to the Hanukkah menorah with its 8 branches plus the center candle, the Shamash or Servant candle. We have studied previously that the number eight in the Hebrew number system, points to a “new beginning.” As born-again believers, we are cleansed by the blood of Messiah (1 John 1:7). We have a new beginning as a temple of the Holy Spirit and a new life in fellowship with our Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Chapter 53 of Isaiah has been referred to as the Suffering Servant. The Prophet Isaiah refers to the Messiah as the Servant, or shammas in Hebrew. Jesus is our sole source of light. In our study of the Feast of Tabernacles, also called the Show of Lights, we saw how this feast looks forward to the Messiah tabernacling with mankind during the Millennial Kingdom. Hanukkah is the “Festival of Lights.” This infers a celebration of Jesus as the “light of the world.” Jesus came as “a light to to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of [God’s] people Israel.” (Luke 2:32; Isaiah 49:6). Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.” (John 8:12).

This Shamash, or Servant, “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28). Each night when more candles are lit on the menorah, it gets brighter and brighter and the gift grows in value. As followers of Jesus, we are to shine the light of Christ more and more as we grow and walk in His light and grow in the appreciation of the miracle God gave us in Yeshua. Jesus takes away our sin, making the way, the only way, for us to come into fellowship with our Holy God and Father (John 14:6).  Yeshua conquered death when He rose from the grave, and His victory became ours as He grants eternal life to all who believe in Him (2 Timothy 1:10; 1 Corinthians 15:20; Revelation 1:18; . This is the ‘good news’ of Hanukkah.

Jesus chose Hanukkah as the occasion to make a remarkable claim of His deity (and the Holy Trinity): “I and My Father are one.” (John 10:22-31). This upset the religious leaders so much that they grabbed rocks to stone Him (John 10: 31). They knew the history of Hanukkah (aka, Feast of Dedication) and also knew the works of Jesus. And so Jesus asked the question (John 10:32): “For which of these works do you stone Me?” They replied, “for good work we do not stone You but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make yourself God” (John 10:33). They remembered, 200 years before, another man, Antiochus IV, claimed to be God, and now, here was this man, Jesus, making the same blasphemous claim. Their response, “stone Him” which later led to “crucify Him.”

Jesus’ statement affirmed the truth that there is only one God, but that God exists as one being in three Persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This truth was also spoken by God’s prophets (Isaiah 48:12-16). Antiochus IV claimed to be a god, but he is very much dead. Jesus is God and is very much alive! Hanukkah is a perfect time to celebrate, Jesus, the Light of the World. It is a most fitting time to rededicate our lives to Him who gives us abundant and eternal life. Jesus is our miracle, and He has done miracles in our sinful hearts. So with great gratitude and joy, in thanksgiving for the gift of salvation and the gift of your audience, I pray you all a blessed Christmas and Hanukkah!

The dates for Jewish holidays may seem confusing as they change year to year from the perspective of our Gregorian calendar. Hanukkah (or Chanukah) in 2022, for instance, started on December 18. This year it begins on December 8. It may be helpful to refer to an earlier post on the Jewish calendar as a reminder that Jewish holidays are based on the Hebrew lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian solar one. On the Hebrew calendar, Hanukkah occurs on the 25^th of the month of Kislev, which is the November-December equivalent on our calendar.

Most everyone has heard of Hanukkah since its timing is very close to Christmas. Because of its proximity, it is easy to think that this holiday is the Jewish equivalent of Christmas. There are decorations, lights and the giving of gifts; however, Hanukkah is not about to the birth of our Savior. This is a savored holiday by the Jewish people, and as we will see, is filled with symbolism that does connect to Jesus.

In this post, we will explore the historical events that led to this festival. Part II will focus on the traditions of Hanukkah today and the applications of Hanukkah for followers of Yeshua. Interestingly, Hanukkah is not found in the Tanakh or Old Testament because it occurred during the intertestamental period (~400 year period between the Old Testament [Book of Malachi] and the New Testament [appearance of John the Baptizer]).  Hanukkah is mentioned once in the New Testament. We will look at that in just a bit.

Also known as the Festival of Lights and the Feast of Dedication, Hanukkah lasts for 8 days. This holiday celebrates two important historic events. The first event was the victory of the Hasmonean Jews over the Syrian Greeks in the Maccabean revolt in 168 BC.  The second event was the cleansing and rededication (Hanukkah means ‘dedication’) of the Temple after the Maccabees had reclaimed it.

In every period of history, someone has wanted to annihilate the Jewish people.  The prophet Daniel (9:12, 11:21-35) prophesied that a leader would rise and cause persecutions to those living in Israel.  History proved this to be Antiochus IV, a foreshadow of the future Antichrist.

Antiochus IV, a Syrian (Seluecid) general was a wretched man who did wretched things. The Seleucid Empire was a Greek power in West Asia during the Hellenistic period (312-63 BC). This tyrant demanded to be called Antiochus Epiphanes. “Ephiphanes” means “god manifest.” The Jewish people called him “Epimanes,” which means “mad man.” Antiochus forbade the Jewish people in Israel to follow their Hebrew Scriptures and laws, thereby inciting a battle that waged between spiritual compromise and godly character. 

The Jewish people were cruelly and violently forced to take on Hellenistic (Greek) lifestyle of culture, thought, and religion. Antiochus had Torah scrolls burned, forbade Temple worship and sacrifices (other than to Greek gods), and prohibited Torah study, the Sabbath, and other observances. He also forced them to worship idols, such as Zeus, whose statue was erected on the Temple’s bronze altar. If this wasn’t bad enough, Antiochus desecrated the Temple by sacrificing pigs on the altar. Some resources report that Jewish people were killed for refusing to eat pork. Pigs were declared by God to be unclean (Leviticus 11:7-8) so what this ‘mad man’ did was considered to be an abomination by the Jews.

Many Jewish people; however, compromised to save their lives and assimilated into Greek way of life. A small group of people who lived in the hills around Modi’in near Jerusalem preferred to die rather than give in. The most famous was the family of Matityahu (Mattathias), the father of the Hasmonean line of priests that later ruled in the land.  Mattathias and his 5 sons led the revolt against Antiochus. Despite overwhelming odds (which is where we often see God work), this small band of Jewish mavericks were victorious.  The family became known as the Maccabees, from the Hebrew word for “hammer,” and the three-year conflict is referred to as the Maccabean revolt. 

On the 25^th day of Kislev, 165 BC, exactly three years to the day that Antiochus desecrated the Temple, one of the sons, Judah, led the defeat of Antiochus’ armies and liberated Jerusalem. When they entered the Temple they wept over its devastation as it was in ruins and overgrown, filled with remnants of sacrificed pigs. “Judah the Maccabee,” headed the initiative to cleanse and refurbish the Temple. Desecrated Temple articles were replaced with new ones (e.g., lampstand, table of showbread, altar of incense, altar of burnt offering, and doors). The Temple was rededicated to God and Jewish worship was reestablished.

Judah decreed that a festival should be observed every year for 8 days to commemorate the restoration of the Temple. Why 8 days?  That’s a great question. Some say it comes from the Jewish rebels being unable to celebrate the 8-day Feast of Tabernacles while living in the hill caves around Jerusalem, fighting Antiochus.  Other sources related that King Solomon took seven days to dedicate the Temple and had a special ceremony on the 8^th day (1 Kings 8:65-68).

The traditional and most popular story comes from the Talmud. The Talmud, the central text of Rabbinic Judaism covering Jewish law and tradition, reports that during the cleansing of the Temple, only one container of oil was found for the lamps. That was enough oil to last for only one day, yet, it lasted for 8 days. This account is not recorded in the extrabiblical books of the Maccabees, nor is referred to in any of the traditional prayers for this celebration. Despite the miracle of the oil story likely being fictitious, it predominates today and is where the “Festival of Lights” name originated. To this day, Jewish people remember the miracle of the oil by the lighting of the menorah during Hanukkah.  The true miracle of Hanukkah, it would seem, was Yahweh’s deliverance of His people against all odds…again!

The story of Hanukkah is one of many historical examples where God preserved a Jewish remnant of believers, and therefore the Messianic genealogy that led to the birth of Messiah Jesus. What if all Jewish people assimilated into Greek culture or were destroyed?  Although Hanukkah is not directly related to Christmas, without the events that led to Hanukkah there may not have been a Jewish Messiah, therefore no Christmas. God’s blessed assurance was that there was indeed a manger, a cross, and an empty tomb!

As mentioned, the only Biblical reference to Hanukkah is found in the New Testament. The Gospels provide accounts of Yeshua’s pilgrimages to the Temple in Jerusalem during the nation’s festivals.  Jesus attended Passover (Luke 2:41, John 2:13; Matthew 26:17-19), the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7), an unknown feast (John 5:1), and the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22-23). Jesus made some of the greatest declarations regarding His identity and mission during these times. When celebrating the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), Jesus was recorded as saying:

“²⁷My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.³⁰ I and My Father are one.” (John 10:27-30).

For the Jewish people, these words should have been reassurance of the promise that the forces bent on the destruction of the God’s Chosen people will never succeed. Repeatedly, God has raised up deliverers and preserved the Jewish nation when all hope seemed lost. For the Hebrew nation, the lights of Hanukkah testify to the faithfulness of God.  

Regarding lights, the menorah (from the Hebrew word for lamp) used during Hanukkah is different from the traditional 7-branched menorah, referred to as the Temple Menorah. The 7-candle menorah was used only for the Tabernacle, then later the Temple, and then in synagogues. The Talmud records that it is forbidden to light a seven-lamp menorah outside of the Temple. This candelabra is one of the most significant and the oldest symbols of Jewish faith.  It represents light, divine revelation, holiness, Israel, continuity, and the eternal flame. The symbolism of the number seven has different interpretations, such as the days of creation, wholeness or completeness, and Torah and Israel’s mission. Israel’s mission was to be a “light unto the nations.” (Isaiah 42:6). 

During their wilderness wanderings, the Israelites carried a seven-branch candelabra made by Bezalel Ben-Uri (Exodus 31:1-5). This menorah stood in the first and second Temples. In order not to copy this “holy menorah,” the Hasmoneans built the “hanukiyah” menorah. This menorah has nine arms; eight branches to hold the celebration candles, which are lit progressively each evening during the holiday by the center (9th) candle, called the “Shamash.”  By the way, Shamash means “Servant.”  How can you not smile at the goodness of our God, who long before the world-changing “Silent night, Holy night”, showed the second Godhead of the Trinity, Jesus, to the world in so many ways. 

As followers of Yeshua, the light of the world (John 8:12), both Jewish and Gentile believers are forever secured in our Messiah’s hand. No force will ever be able to remove believers from Him; a beautiful reminder of why this blog was named Romans 838. This is a truth we can stand on, giving thanks to God Almighty that neither deception, false claims, or the assault on truth can ever destroy the promises and liberty He assures.   

When considering the historical interpretation of Scripture, Dwight J. Pentecost, author of Things to Come, includes an excerpt by Louis Berkhof’s Principles of Biblical Interpretation. In that passage, Berkhof warns us to guard carefully against the rather common mistake of transferring the author of Biblical times to the present day and making him speak the language of this century. 

Interpretation of Scripture, with all of its prophecy and eschatological inferences is sensitive and challenging business for certain.  A correct interpretation of the Bible is possible, but there is no guarantee that we will discover it. Extreme care must be taken, as if we are standing on holy ground, for this is the living, breathing, eternal Word of God.

With several posts, I hope to demonstrate the supernatural resiliency of God’s Chosen People through a broad overview of 19 centuries of persecution.  The land of Israel – the Promised Land – is central to the history, the present status, and the future of the Children of Israel. I offer these posts in the hopes that they will be satisfactory in accuracy and thoroughness for a better understanding of the Promised Land for a Chosen People.  Most importantly, I pray it will be pleasing to the Everlasting and Merciful God, and to the Lamb.

What is it about the land and why did God choose the Promised Land for His Chosen People? Unique to the Middle East is that it is the only place in the world where three continents come together.  It has been called the crossroads of the world, that links Asia, Africa and Europe, making it a very strategic location for commerce and highly desirable for conquest and possession.  This also makes it very strategic for information dissemination. There was no better place on earth to start spreading the Good News of Yeshua as right there in the Promised Land (Acts 1:8).

When Joshua entered the Land, it was beautiful and fruitful (Numbers 13:21-24). However, by the time of Jesus, the land was barren and eroded to the level of bedrock. The change in the land, according to many Biblical scholars, was due to the rebellion and sin of Israel which brought about destruction of the land through poor conservation, war, overpopulation and natural disasters.

The result of Israel’s sin had consequences not only on the Promised Land, but also on the Chosen People, the Children of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or today simply referred to as the Jewish people. The treatment which the Jewish people meted out to God, God meted out to them. God was provoked to jealousy. The people turned away from Him to run after fake gods and their ridiculous idols. Throughout this series, it will be evidently clear what happens when we chase after false idols.

Much like today, the Middle East in Ancient times was often in turmoil. The armies of one group after another conquered all or part of the region and then imposed their own way of life on the people they conquered. For example, the Hellenistic influence of the Greek empire had a major influence on the region, which can still be seen today.

These empires, once dominant in the world, no longer exist but their influence in areas such as religion, had a major influence (and repercussions) on the Children of Israel. Unlike these vanished nations, the Jewish people and culture survived and even flourished. They have regained possession of their land, at least in part, and the once thought dead Hebrew language has been revived. How is this possible? The answer is found in the New Covenant. When the disciples asked:  Who then can be saved? Jesus, in Matthew 19:26 said: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  The land belongs to the Jewish nation, regardless of what the Gentile world-powers do, which is why God has never allowed any nation but Israel to get permanent hold of it.

To understand the Land and the Chosen People, it is necessary to understand God’s promises. To quote from the Moody Atlas of Bible Lands: “It is critical to observe the centrality of “land” contained in covenantal promises and eschatological expectations. There is in Scripture, an umbilical cord that ties land to several aspects of theology.” 

In essence, the Jewish people are heirs to the promises by God to Abraham given in Genesis 12:1-3: The promises of the seed, the land, and the blessing. God repeated these promises to Abraham’s son, Isaac, and to his grandson, Jacob/Israel. He also repeated them many times and elaborated upon them by giving more information through the prophets. This is an everlasting Covenant because God, who is pledged to its fulfilment, can never fail.

The seed is Messiah. He is a seed that comes out of the ground buried and He is a seed that comes out of a dead man’s lineage. That’s life from the dead. There is resurrection in Jewish history. From the barren wombs of Sarah and Rebekah came life and lineage of Yeshua. Everything in Jewish history points to the Messiah, always a picture of Messiah…. and always pointed ahead.

I will make of thee a great nation… (Genesis 12:2)

A great nation in those times could have been many different things such as military strength or tremendous wealth. What God intended as a great nation, He defined in the Torah: Great in their knowledge of God, great that they had the Scriptures, great in their spiritual leadership.

God takes one nation out of all the others, starting with one man.  He makes them a great nation, and deposits His Torah and His plan. Why does God do that? Because the world was not keeping that plan; individuals are not safe with that plan. So the special task was given to Israel.

And what is Israel? It is to be a light to the nations, so again, we get another picture of Messiah. What is Messiah? He’s a light of the world. What is Israel? A light to the world.  What is Messiah? A Suffering Servant of God. What is Israel? Servants of God. What is Israel called? Princes/rulers with God. What is Messiah called? The Prince of Peace, Lord of lords, King of kings. Everything that Israel was given as roles, Messiah Jesus fulfills. Israel is a picture of Yeshua. The Jewish People and Yeshua are inseparable.

Thou shall be a blessing…

This is a channel of blessing and with it is this fundamental principle “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curses you;” (Genesis 12:3). Study of the history of the nations that went against Israel and what happened to them is quite interesting. Consider Germany, Russia, Spain, Poland, and look what occurred after they cursed Israel. And when we took the Jewish people in on our shores in the United States, we were and continue to be blessed. Isn’t that amazing? This principle still holds true whether the Jewish people believe it or not. It only stands to reason then, what will happen to the US if, actually, when, we turn our backs on Israel.

It’s through the Jews that we get Messiah (Matthew 1:1; Luke 3:23), the Bible, and through them, ultimately, that the world will be blessed in the millennium (Zechariah 8:23). They are blessed and God uses them as a blessing. And beyond that, we continue to be blessed daily by the innovations in medicine, technology, agriculture and other advances that come out of amazing Israel.

Although the land is mentioned first in these promises, it is addressed here last to emphasize an important point. There is one thing that guides the Jewish history and that is to get out of your country and separate. That’s sanctification, the basic premise that God had for Israel, to separate from all the other nations. And it all began with a pagan gentile, Abram (later Abraham), who became the first Hebrew. And what does the word Hebrew mean? One who has crossed over.  Amazing.

What is striking in Genesis 12:1-3 is all of the “ “I wills.”  Notice all the “I’s” there. It’s all done by God! Abraham has nothing to do with this Covenant that’s being made because it is unconditional. He believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23). Salvation has always been about faith. Abraham’s time preceded the giving of the law by God to Moses. All of this comes about by the will and the power of God and that’s sets the basis of Jewish history. How heart-saddening that most Jewish people today do not know this; they do not know their own Scriptures.

In 1948, the Jewish people went into Israel as Zionists to settle it by their own sweat through their own effort. What they didn’t realize, is that they were there in that land because of God’s plan and promises. On the outset, the current Jewish inhabitance of part of the land promised by God may not seem impressive. Yet God works in pictures. To quote again from The Moody Atlas, it states:  “There was…an inextricable and vital interconnection between landlessness and hopelessness…the whole notion of “land, and more important, being in possession of it, that become at once a powerful medium to display God’s mighty acts and through which His promises might be realized by Israel.” It goes on to state: “Monarchic, Messianic, and eschatological expectation cannot be dissociated from, and often find their context precisely within, the concept of “land.”“

In this unconditional covenant of free grace which God made with the Jewish Patriarchs, includes many exceedingly great promises. The greatest of all these promises is the Messiah and the Gospel. The Apostle Paul reminds us, “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.””  But to Israel, nationally, there was one outstanding promise confirmed by oath declared in Psalm 105, verse 11, Saying, “To you will I give the land of Canaan, as the allotment of your inheritance.”

The Bible is impeccably clear that God intended for Israel to possess the land of Canaan. He provides numerous verses from the book of Genesis to demonstrate that the Land was an everlasting gift to Israel. Yet, because Israel chose to live like the world in defiance of God, He drove them out of the land. God has been chastising His Chosen people and will continue to do so until they are ready to recognize Yeshua as Messiah, and fulfill their calling to be a light to the nations. This is not to the glory of the Jewish people, but to the glory of God…for His name’s sake. When we look back at the history of the Jewish people we have to keep one key thing in mind, the very survival of the Jewish people is nothing short of miraculous.

The existence of the Jewish people in the State of Israel stands in testimony to the existence of God who acts in history. By any historical measure, the Jewish people should have disappeared long ago. A spot on quote by David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of the State of Israel, sums this up beautifully: “A Jew who does not believe in miracles is not a realist.” Why would he say that? Because miracles are the only possible explanation for the existence of the Jewish people.  God linked His promise not to destroy the nation of Israel with His promises not to fail Israel or forget the Abrahamic Covenant which He swore to Israel’s ancestors. This implies that the Abrahamic Covenant guarantees Israel’s permanent existence as a nation. Regardless of their sin and rebellion, Scripture (Jeremiah 30:11, 46:27-28, Amos 9:8, Romans 11: 28) exhorts that God will chastise for their disobedience, but will not utterly destroy them.

Lord willing, future posts will highlight some of the major events in Jewish history, starting with the destruction of the second Temple in 70 AD up through the historic date of May 14, 1948 and beyond. There may be a slight interruption in this series since Hanukkah is right around the corner. Although this is not a festival instituted by God, it celebrates God’s deliverance of the Jewish people from a Syrian tyrant. Hanukkah is one of the many examples of the promises of Genesis 12:1-3 in action so we will likely dedicate two posts to this incredible historic series of events that led to its celebration.

Blessings to you! Please keep praying for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9).

Let the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.  Psalm 19:14

Following the holocaust in WWII, the words “never again” became a theme for remembrance and preparedness to never again let the evil, like the acts committed by Hitler’s minions, come against the Jewish people. On October 7, 2023, barbaric and horrific atrocities were committed against our Jewish brethren. I never, ever thought we would witness an event comparable to the holocaust in our lifetime. Yet here we are.

The behavior of the Hamas terrorists has been likened to that of animals.  This analogy falls short because animals are instinctive. They do what God designed them to do. Animals are not premeditative, nor do they act with evil intent. The terrorists’ actions represent a much more sinister and dark influence by the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), that has relentlessly pursued the Jewish people since ancient Biblical times. What we are seeing is evil unleashed.

Those who live in the Middle East are no strangers to such barbarism. Israeli Jews have been defending themselves since the rebirth of their nation; an event that was prophetically declared to happen in one day (Isaiah 66:8). That day was May 14, 1948. For decades, stabbings, ramming with vehicles, rockets and the like are almost daily occurrences experienced among Jewish Israelis. Scrambling to bomb shelters is a way of life. Can you imagine?!  How can it be explained that droves of Jewish people from the dispersion continue to make Aliyah (immigration of Jews to Israel)? This goes against all common sense and reason as it is literally running into the fire.

That answer is God. The Bible tells us that God will return the Jewish people to the land HE gave them (Ezekiel 11:17; 36:24; Isaiah 11:12) and He is. Isaiah 11:11 indicates there would be a day when God would raise his hand ‘a second time’ to gather the children of Israel to their land. The first return was predicted by Jeremiah to take place after Israel had been in Babylonian captivity for 70 years (Jeremiah 29:10) and according to Ezra 1:1 happened with 100% accuracy. Dispersed again, this time by Rome in 70 AD as prophesied by Jesus (Matthew 24:1-2; Mark 13: 1-2; Luke 21:5-6; ), they had been out of their homeland for 2000 years.

No other people group has managed to survive two exiles and return to reestablish as a nation (along with a resurrected language). Our God is a God of resurrection. The dry bones prophesied by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:1-14) have come together…the nation of Israel has been reborn. This second return which we have been privileged to witness is occurring from every nation where Jewish people had been scattered (Jeremiah 23:3, 7-8; 29:14; 31:7-8).  As also prophesied (Isaiah 43:5-6), the return of the Jewish people to Israel has been in spiritual unbelief.  The gathered bones have no breath, they are spiritually dead (Ezekiel 37:8). But the breath of life will come into the remnant at their time of reconciliation to God, at the second coming of Jesus the Messiah. 

Since that prophetic and historic day in May of 1948, Israel has repeatedly warned the world about the genocidal intent of its neighbors. The world has consistently turned a deaf ear, foolishly thinking that a two-state solution is the fix. They are fighting against God in all such attempts (Joel 3:2).  Israel is a primary defense against a malevolent initiative that will not stop with the Jewish people. Left unchecked, radical Islam, will spread globally. Their ultimate objective is not just to annihilate the Jewish people (aka, push them to the Mediterranean), but global domination through Islam and Sharia law. My understanding of the outcome of the Ezekiel war is that radical Islam will no longer be a formidable force. The amount of carnage that may be unbridled before it is stopped; however, is unknown.

Earlier, the words ‘ancient Biblical’ were used with intention to distinguish history from current times. Biblical events are not limited to what occurred in the Bible.  Events prophesied in the Word of God that have not yet taken place are also Biblical events, therefore, it seems evident that we are living in Biblical times. Since the outbreak of the war following the October massacre of over 1400 Jewish people, there has been great speculation of what end time event is taking place.  Is this the war of Psalm 83? The Gog and Magog of Ezekiel’s war? On almost a daily basis, news reports on developing global alignments seem to jump right out off of pages of Scripture. We must remain in the Word and be vigilant, like watchmen on the wall, but should also execute extreme caution from jumping on board any prophecy train that gets ahead of Yahweh, our God. 

Yes, our God, the one true God of the Universe, Creator of all that is seen and unseen, has a name and His name Yah or Yahweh (Jehovah).  Religious Jews will not use God’s name, they often use YHWH, a tetragrammaton consisting of the sequence of consonants of God’s name, Yahweh:  Yod, Hey, Waw, Hey. As followers of Jesus, we are reconciled to the Father and can call the great ‘I Am’, by name. “What is His name and what is His son’s name, if you know?” (Proverbs 30:4) His name is Yahweh, and his Son’s name is Jesus, Yeshua, our salvation.  Isn’t that spectacular? Yahweh, the uncontainable, indescribable, unmatchable God is a loving and personal God who expresses His attributes through His creation, His Word, and the Word made flesh (John 1:14).

What is the name of the god of Islam? Perhaps you are hearing ‘Allahu Akbar’ (meaning ‘god is greater’) being shouted by some radical about to commit an ungodly act. Allah means god. It is a title, not a name and is in no way the same god as our triune Abba Father.  No matter how convincing people of high religious positions and influence try to blend the two, we do not worship the same god of any other religious movement or people group. Submission to anyone other than the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to anyone other than God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is sacrilege. Such blasphemy should sound the alarm to take a firm stand (James 4:7).

Jesus is the only way to the Father (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).  The gate is unapologetically narrow (Matthew 7:13-14), therefore, we cannot allow the world to guilt us into compromising the Gospel (Galatians 1:9). Such resilience comes from staying in God’s Word, attending Bible-teaching churches, testing everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and praying to be kept from being tempted or deceived (Matthew 6:13). Deception is ramping up at an unprecedented rate. Jesus warned us that this would happen (Luke 21:8). We must not be deceived (1 John 3:7; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Galatians 6:7; James 1:16-18).

October 7^th, 2023, is a day that will be commemorated.  In Israel on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, an air-raid siren wails for 2-minutes and during that time, everything comes to a halt. Traffic stops, work stops, and people stand together in silence. I wonder if October 7^th will be remembered in a similar way?  The atrocities against the Jewish people are heartbreaking examples of how easily manipulated people can be. We are all just one decision away from doing something unimaginably dreadful; from being used as chess pawns of Satan.

We also can choose to be instruments of another power, a higher power that is holy and righteous. Miraculously good deeds, heroic even, are birthed from such submission. Numerous reports shine light into this otherwise very dark war. Let’s embrace the hope that is ours through Christ Jesus and be blessed by the inspiring stories that remind us that the light will never be overcome by darkness.   

Yahweh, is all-knowing, all-present and all-powerful. It may be tempting to cast blame or ask questions.  How can a good God allow this to happen?  Where was God? These and similar questions have been asked by many Jewish people affected by the Holocaust. My husband, son and I heard these questions directly from a sweet elderly Jewish woman who worked at the American History museum in D.C. Her pain was palpable, but her blame misplaced. There can be no doubt that the Father was there, watching over the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8). Nor has God been absent in recent events.  

Reports in the aftermath of the invasion have determined that there were enough Hamas terrorists, accompanied by Gazan civilians, with the magnitude of weaponry and ammunition to murder at least 10,000 people.  The loss of life of over 1400 people is unthinkable, yet there was an intervention that prevented the tragedy from being far worse.  Do miracles still happen?  Absolutely.

Reports also relate that this attack had been planned out for at least a year. What many may not realize is that this terrorist assault was intended to be a well-coordinated, multi-fronted attack on Israel, orchestrated by Iran through numerous proxies.  All fronts were supposed to be launched simultaneously.  Yet, something led Hamas to act early, thereby betraying Iran. This changed the course of what was to be an annihilation of a severely divided and distracted Jewish nation, into a once more strong and unified people group that will likely turn October 7^th on their enemies’ heads.  These events remind me of the many accounts in the Old Testament where God confused Israel’s enemies (Exodus 14:24-25; 2 Chronicles 20:22-23; Joshua 10:10; Judges 7:22).  In more recent times, miraculous reports poured out of the Six-Day (1967) and Yom Kippur (1973) wars, as well as other conflicts. Let’s save these for another post. God works in big events, but also in very personal ways. Yair, Camille, Ben and Rachel, I believe, are great examples.

Mentioned above was how the Hamas mishap of launching the massacre prematurely resulted in unifying the severely divided people they sought to destroy.  Yair Golan is a retired Israeli Defense Force (IDF) general and former member of the Knesset.  Considered to be on the far-left end of the political spectrum, he frequently criticized and protested against the conservative leadership. Yet General Golan jumped into action when news of the Hamas invasion reached his home. He put on his old uniform, armed himself, recruited other fighters and drove to the epicenter of the attack in the Kibbutz where the all night dance party was held, rescuing dozens of people (https://www.timesofisrael.com/ex-idf-deputy-chief-of-staff-yair-golan-wins-plaudits-for-saving-partygoers).  Yair stripped away his political opposition in exchange for a unified Israel. Does Yair believe in God? Nothing I read provided that answer. Presumably, he is not a follower of Jesus as only a minute fraction of Israeli Jews embrace Yeshua as Messiah. Nonetheless, I believe God used him as an instrument to do His will.

And then there is Camille, a live-in care giver from the Philippines who tends to Nitza, a 95-year old Jewish woman.  Hamas terrorists, broke into Nitza’s home on October 7^th. Camille had been saving money to send to her family in the Philippines. Without hesitation, she gave the money to the terrorists, begging them to take it and leave (https://www.jns.org/filipino-caretaker-31-saves-95-year-old-from-hamas-terrorist-with-bribe/). Miraculously, they took the money and left.  For the next two hours, Camille held Nitza in her bed until they were rescued by the IDF. Camille was quoted as saying: “I feel that I cannot leave her, I feel that she is my best friend.” She related that Nitza didn’t really understand what was happening that terrible day.  You know, at age 95, Nitza would have been a teenager during the time of the Holocaust. I can’t help but wonder what she may have witnessed and/or endured back then.  Do these sweet women have the transcending peace that can only come through our Lord?  From statements made, it appears that Camille may; I pray Nitza does as well.

Then there is Ben Binyamin Shimoni. Ben was at the infamous dance party near the Gaza border in Kibbutz Re’im when the massacre started.  Somehow, he got to his vehicle, fit in four people trying to escape, and drove them to safety.  He was safe himself, yet he decided to go back to the Kibbutz and crammed eight more people in is car and drove them to safety.  As heroes do, he drove back into the slaughter-zone, found three more people trying to escape but did not get out in time. Ben and his passengers were cut down in cold blood (https://www.newsrael.com/posts/d7q8cgwiv1i).  What compelled Ben to repeatedly put himself in harm’s way to help others?  Perhaps the same higher power that brings Jewish people back to the land itself.

Finally, among the many stories poured through over the last 20+ days, one of my favorites is about Rachel Edri, a Jewish grandmother.  When five Hamas terrorists invaded her home with intent to kill her and her husband, she used her gift of hospitality.  Savta Rachel (Savta is Hebrew for grandmother) provided cookies, coffee, conversation and music for 20 hours. This calmed down the terrorists (many of whom were amped up on a synthetic amphetamine-like drug) and bought her and her husband critical time.  Their son, a police officer, informed the police who stormed the home, killed the terrorists, and rescued Rachel and her husband (https://www.israel21c.org/brave-grandma-stalls-terrorists-with-chat-and-cookies/). This account has become embraced to the point that some Israelis are getting tattoos of Savta Rachel’s face….a face of resilience.  Her actions give a whole new meaning to ‘kill ‘em with kindness!’ I don’t think I will be able to make another batch of cookies without thinking about Savta Rachel.

There is no doubt that there will be more and more accounts of inexplainable feats of noble heroism, hope and unconditional love as this war ensues.  The immediate support around the world for Israel is heartwarming. I’ve gathered numerous pictures to make a collage of the support for Israel as a remembrance. History informs us; however, of the fickle nature of individuals who are easily deceived. It is no surprise how quickly Israel has become villainized in this conflict. In less than 3 weeks, we have seen protests, acts of violence, threats, “No Jews allowed” signs, and attempts to control the Israeli response to the Hamas terrorists as well as to other threats from the north.

The Bible tells us that a time is coming when all will turn against Israel. At that time, God, through Jesus will act in such a mighty and powerful way that no one will be able to deny who He is and what He has done (Joel 3:9-17). He will judge the nations for how they have mistreated His people.

May our resolve as followers of Messiah Jesus not let us fall into temptation or deception.  May we continue to pray for, support, and love the Jewish people.  God loves them, so should we. Through Jewish lineage (Matthew 1:1-17) a child was born and is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Through primarily Jewish hands, the Holy-Spirit inspired Word of God was written.  The current spiritual blindness of the Jewish people (dry bones with no breath) should be a burden on our hearts; so should the hardened hearts of God’s enemies. God’s heart is for all to be saved (2 Peter 3:9). This should be our heart’s desire as well.

Sukkot – Part one, explored the Feast of Tabernacles, a feast referred to throughout the Old Testament (Exodus 23:16, Exodus 34:22; Leviticus 23:34-43; Numbers 29:12-40; Deuteronomy 16:13-15; Ezra 3:4; Nehemiah 8:13-18). Because Tabernacles was the last of the seven Feasts of God, it completed the religious season. As the number seven in the Bible represents completion, this feast emphasizes the completed/finished work of God. However, this 7-day feast had an additional day, an 8th day, called Shemini Atzeret, on which rest from work was paramount. The number eight represents a ‘new beginning’ and we will see how this fits into our beautiful promised future.

Tabernacles commemorates when the Israelites lived in tents (sukkot) and were provided for by God, who dwelt among them in the 40-year wilderness trek. It also celebrates a future time when God will again tabernacle with us on earth, when Jesus returns to renew all things as we enter the Millennial Kingdom. This forward look was represented in the booths construction, with partially opened roofs so that they could see into the heavens. Such a view was to remind the Jewish people that they were pilgrims passing through this life. In doing so, a beautiful message from God is conveyed that He has an even greater rest for them in the future, when He would come and live among them permanently. This promise was clung to by Abraham (Hebrews11:8-10) and will be fulfilled by our Messiah Jesus. When we gaze at the stars, may such thoughts of promises permeate our hearts and minds, strengthening our hope and resolve.

In part two of our study on Sukkot, the lens zooms in on a specific custom that was very popular during the second Temple period, the water ceremony. Also called the rite of water libation, this ceremony was a man-made custom that is no longer observed today as there is no Temple. Every day for seven days, a priest would ascend the ramp leading to the bronze altar located in the Temple Court, and pour a pitcher full of water into a bowl that drained into the altar. The significant aspects of this ceremony was the place from where the water was drawn, and the spiritual meaning applied to the ceremony.

The water was taken from a fresh spring just to the east of the city of Jerusalem called the Spring of Gihon that flows through the Kidron valley. It was here that David’s son, Solomon, was anointed king of Israel (1 Kings 1:45). Sometime during his reign (~715 – 686 BC), King Hezekiah redirected the water of the Gihon into the city, through a long underground conduit called Hezekiah’s Tunnel (2 Chronicles 32:30). This tunnel can be seen in Jerusalem today.

As a result of Hezekiah’s redirecting project, within the walls of Jerusalem, the waters of Gihon flowed into a collection area called the Pool of Siloam. The water was fresh, not stagnant, and able to give and sustain life.  The Pool of Siloam is where Jesus sent a man, blind from birth, to wash off the mud He had applied to the man’s eyes. After washing in the pool, the man received his sight (John 9:6–7).

The name Siloam is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name Shiloah, which comes from the Hebrew verb shalah, meaning ‘to send’ or ‘sent.’ The Pool of Siloam not only held historical significance, but in Jewish tradition had a strong prophetic implication. First, the Scriptures speak of a time when water will be poured “on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground,” God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh (Isaiah 44:3). Because the waters of Siloam were used to anoint the kings of the house of David, and that anointing was symbolic of the Holy Spirit coming upon an individual (1 Samuel 16:13), the living waters of Siloam became associated with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Second, this outpouring of the Holy Spirit is to take place during the days of the Messiah, the Anointed One, a descendant of King David, through whom salvation will come to Israel. Based on Isaiah 12:2-3, the Pool of Siloam became known as the “well of salvation” and was associated with the messianic age. Putting that all together, to the Jewish people of the second Temple era, pouring water, dipped from the Pool of Siloam, on the altar at the Feast of Tabernacles was symbolic of the Holy Spirit being poured out on the people during the days of the Messiah.

The water ceremony was therefore a jubilant occasion. The Mishnah (written collection of Jewish oral traditions) states, “He that never has seen the joy of the [ceremony of the water drawing] has never in his life seen joy” (Sukkah 5.1). As the ceremony took place and went into the evening, there was music and singing by the Levites and dancing with singing by the people in front of the lighted 75-foot tall candlesticks (another messianic reference as Jesus is Light of the World; John 8:12). As the ceremony progressed through the night, the priests blew the shofar three times. In the manner of joy described in Isaiah 12:3 the evening was characterized by exuberant exhilaration. It was a wonderful occasion that no one wanted to miss (click to see an artist’s rendition).

Understanding this context helps me to envision what a remarkable and joyous celebration this ceremony was, leading up to a crescendo on the last night of the feast. Now cue in Jesus, the fulfillment of this feast, who took the implication of the water ceremony to a whole new level! The Gospel of John informs us that Jesus observed this feast. At the time of Jesus’ ministry, Israel was spiritually baron and the Jewish people were suffocating under ruthless oppression of Rome.  They were looking for a military messiah; Jesus clearly did not fit that bill. Also at that time, God’s Shekinah glory was no longer in the Holy of Holies. The Temple, like the spiritual condition of Israel, was empty and dry. The water ceremony on that last day of the feast was not just a plea for physical rain for the next harvest cycle, but a desperate and heartfelt cry that God would pour out His Spirit – the living water they longed for, or what I refer to as the ultimate harvest!

On the last day of the feast, the climax of the entire week, at the very height of this ceremony when the celebration was at a feverish pitch of singing, dancing, shouting out to God, Jesus made one of His greatest proclamations:

“… Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone
thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said,
out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

John 7:37-38

What an abounding and patient love He has for us. Numerous times I have closed my eyes, trying to imagine the sites and sounds of this incredible scene. Jesus did not merely speak this softly to those who were near Him. He wanted everyone to hear…He desires salvation for us all! The Apostle John points out that Jesus stood (perhaps from an elevated location where He could be seen) and He ‘cried’ or shouted this proclamation so that all could hear the good news. The stunned crowd did hear, and they knew exactly what He meant (John 7:40-44). To the first-century Jewish mind, pouring the water on the altar at the Feast of Tabernacles symbolized the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in the days of the Messiah. Jesus was therefore declaring that He was the Messiah, and everyone who would believe in Him would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, the “living water.”

Yeshua, Jesus, the name which means ‘salvation’, was telling them the solution to their spiritual drought is found in Him – the true water of life. I pray these words do justice to what that scene would have been like. Praise God for His Spirit-breathed words of Scripture that preserves these truths for us. What a comfort knowing that the Feast of Tabernacles looks to a future time when God will again tabernacle with His people on earth, not just Jewish believers, but all of us…the bride of Christ (Revelation 21:3-4). Jesus will celebrate with a great feast – the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9) in fulfillment of ‘His Father’s kingdom’ that He longed for.

While many who heard Jesus’ proclamation at the Feast of Tabernacles believed in Him, He was rejected by the religious establishment. The result has been 2000 years of restless wandering by, and horrific atrocities committed against, the Jewish people. Satan knows God’s plan but not the timing, therefore the enemy of our souls has relentlessly tried to annihilate God’s chosen people, arrogantly and foolishly thinking he can thwart God’s plans. God promised that this will change and it has already begun. We are living in exciting times my friends.

God is faithful. We have a blessed future promise on earth for the 1000-year reign of Jesus, the Millennial Kingdom. Yet, that is not the final rest that God has in store for us. Remember that 8^th day of Tabernacles, Shemini Atzeret? This is the day that connects to the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1-6). Eternity will be with God in our midst, the final rest we are longing for as we endure the trials of this fallen and dark world (Revelation 22:1-5).

While we wait, may we embrace the rest He offers us now. Let us not seek things from Jesus rather than Jesus Himself. He is our portion; He is our blessing. He is our current rest if we allow Him to fully dwell in us as Lord and Savior. Hold tightly to God’s promise to tabernacle with us, for His Shekinah glory, to be in the divine presence of our precious, victorious, Living Water, Light of the World, Adonai Yeshua. He will again dwell among us. What could possibly compare to the glorious riches that are found in Jesus, the Son of God (Philippians 4:19)?  The answer to this rhetorical question is absolutely nothing!

In the last post, we focused on the Feast of Trumpets, also known as the Jewish New Year or Rosh Hashanah. Prophetically, it is not entirely clear how or when this feast will be fulfilled. It is suggested that it centers around the second coming of Jesus and possibly Israel’s repentance and judgment of Israel to purge out the unbelievers. Could it coincide with the rapture of the Church?  Certainly. God will do as He intends, yet no one except the Father knows the exact day or hour. This side of glory, we may not know for certain, but when it happens, I suspect that the awe of being in the presence of Jesus will overshadow all theological debates. Let’s follow what happens after the Feast of Trumpets.

During the ten Days of Awe between Trumpets and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), many Jewish people pray and try to make amends with those with whom they may have had a misunderstanding during the previous year.  Yom Kippur involves a fast from both food and drink. Many spend the entire day praying in the synagogue. It is on this day that Jewish people believe their names will be sealed either in the Book of Life or the Book of Judgment. The fates of those within the books are sealed for the coming year.

Whereas repentance and remembrance are part of Rosh Hashanah, sacrifice, substitution, and sealing characterize Yom Kippur. God instructed them to observe the Day of Atonement on the 10^th day of the 7^th month of Tishri (Leviticus 23:27). Yom Kippur today focuses more on the atonement of the individual. However, when it was instituted, its purpose was for the cleansing of the entire nation of Israel. Somewhat perplexing is that Judaism teaches that a mediator is not needed for the atonement of sins. This view is quite contrary to the evidence in both the Old and New Testament (Exodus 32:30-32; Numbers 8:19; Leviticus 9:7; Leviticus 16:32-33; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:11).

Yom Kippur was to provide an atonement (literal, a covering) for sins. According to Leviticus 16 and 23:26–32, the high priest entered once a year into the Temple’s Holy of Holies and sprinkled blood on the mercy seat to cover up, or atone for, Israel’s sins. Prior to ministering before the Lord on this holy day, the high priest bathed in water (immersed himself in the mikvah) and then put on a special linen tunic. In the Holy of Holies, the high priest was not to wear his usual golden garments, designed for splendor and beauty. Instead, he was to wear simple, white linen clothing that represented purity and humility, which befits this most sacred of all days. Even many secular Jews who do not observe other Jewish holidays consider observe this solemn day.

In ancient times, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest cast lots for two goats. One was offered as the sacrifice, but the other goat was chosen as the Azazel (aka, the scapegoat).  Azazel means dismissal or entire removal. The entire removal of the sin and guilt of Israel was symbolized by the High Priest laying both his hands on the head of the live goat, confessing over it all the transgressions of the Israelites.  The goat would then be released into the wilderness, carrying Israel’s sin into the wasteland (Leviticus 16:21-22).

During the Second Temple era, it was tradition that a scarlet thread, made from wool, was fastened to the door of the Temple, and later tied to the head of the scapegoat on this day.  Rabbinic teaching states that the Priest would tie a scarlet cloth to the horn of the Azazel and when the sacrifice was fully accepted, the scarlet cloth miraculously became white. This symbolizes God’s gracious promise in Isaiah 1:18, and was taken as a sign that God was pleased with the sacrifices giving reassurance to the people of Israel that their sin had been successfully atoned for as a nation. Something changed around 30 AD, which was before the destruction of the Temple. The scarlet thread stopped turning white on the Day of Atonement.  This is recorded in the Talmud:

During the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple the lot [‘For the Lord’] did not come up in the right hand; nor did the crimson-colored strap become white; nor did the westernmost light shine; and the doors of the Hekal [the Temple] would open by themselves… (Tractate Yoma 39b, Soncino Talmud).

The scarlet thread ceasing to turn white was not a sign that the Jews were rejected. That would be inconsistent with all of the Lord’s disciples being Jewish along with the entire first church and many believers in the first few centuries. The Bible is clear that the Jews have not been rejected (Romans 1:16). God’s plan for Israel continues and is being unfolded even right before our eyes. He is restoring and regathering His people physically and will also bring spiritual restoration to the whole house of Israel, just as He promised (Dry Bones of Ezekiel 37; Romans 11:25; Ezekiel 20:33-38).

What could the scarlet thread sign possibly mean then? Many believe it means that animal sacrifices were no longer going to atone for the people’s sins. The Messiah has died for sin once and for all. Isaiah 53 is strikingly similar to Leviticus 16:  “And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all….For He shall bear their iniquities…” (Isaiah 53:6,11).

When Jesus died, the veil separating the holy place from the Holy of Holies, was ripped in two, symbolically breaking the barrier between people and the presence of God (Matthew 27:51) through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Perhaps this was also symbolized by the Temple doors opening by themselves as recorded in the Talmud.  When Jesus laid down His life as a sacrifice and rose again, the work of atonement was done, period.  “It is finished: (John 19:30). The scarlet thread monitoring the effectiveness of animal sacrifices each Yom Kippur testified to it. Salvation has gone out to the ends of the earth!

Today, of course, there is no Temple. The Romans destroyed the second Temple in AD 70. Consequently, there is no functioning priesthood and no sacrifi­ce. Those who know Jesus trust in the sacrifice that He made for our atonement.  But most of the Jewish people today do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah. So for the past 2000 years, they have replaced the animal blood sacrifice with prayer (tefilah), repentance (teshuva) and charity (tzedakah). The Jewish rabbis believe that good deeds will cover sin; yet the Day of Atonement was God’s initiative. God is the Savior, not the people. He is the only one with the power to forgive sins (Luke 7:41-49).

Yom Kippur foreshadows the ultimate salvation of Jewish people. The prophet Zechariah spoke of a day when the nation of Israel will recognize her Messiah, and “they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son” (Zechariah 12:10). When the Jewish people recognize Messiah, as Paul wrote, “All Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26). As followers of Jesus, we look confidently forward to eternal life, because our names are written in the Book of Life.  The Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, should remind us to be grateful for our salvation by grace. as we look forward to the salvation of Israel! It was through their rejection of God’s salvation through Jesus that sent the Gospel to the rest of the nations.  “For if their being cast away is reconciling of the world, what will be their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Roman 11:15). I believe that is the heart of God for the Jewish people. That is the beautiful message of Yom Kippur.

Scripture provides for us a historical understanding of the fulfilled Feasts of God (the spring feasts) and a prophetical understanding for those feasts which have yet to be fulfilled (the fall feasts).  The first of the fall feasts is Yom Teruah or Feast of Trumpets, which just took place on September 15^th this year.

²⁴“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.” (Leviticus 23:24)

This verse tells us that the Feast of Trumpets was on the 1^st day of the 7^th month on the religious calendar. This is the Hebrew month Tishri, which corresponds with the Gregorian months of September-October. Tishri is also the 1^st month on the Jewish civil calendar and is the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah – Hebrew for Head of the Year). In fact, the Jewish New Year is currently the most important aspect of the Feast of Trumpets to the Jewish people.

Before unpacking how the Feast of Trumpets was commemorated in ancient Israel, let’s take a quick look at some of the modern practices. The religious celebration is largely focused on repentance and preparation for Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). Sometimes a tashlich ceremony is performed which started in the 13^th century. Going to the nearest body of water, they empty their pockets into the water.  Some throw in breadcrumbs and/or stones.  This practice is based on Micah 7:18-19 and is said to symbolize the intent of the worshippers’ hearts to cast away their sins and achieve total purification from its effect.  

Many Jews wear new white clothing to represent God’s promise to make scarlet sins “as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). Sweet foods such as dates, apples dipped in honey, or honey cakes are eaten to symbolize hope for sweetness in the coming year.  Pomegranates, seasonal in Israel this time of year, are commonly eaten as their many seeds symbolize wishes for a fruitful year. Jewish tradition teaches that the pomegranate has 613 seeds, which is the same number of mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah.  Challah bread is baked into round instead of oblong loaves, symbolizing the cycle/circle of life.  The blasting of the shofar (ram’s horn) is a central observance, which heralds God as King of the Universe. The purpose of the sound of the shofar is to wake God’s people out of their spiritual slumber, to cause them to see the signs of the times, and to remind them to examine the spiritual condition of their lives. That stated, we could all use a loud blast of a shofar!

The sound clip is an example of a tekiah, a long held note which is one of four types of shofar blasts. In ancient times, apart from stating the day and that the event should be commemorated by the blowing of trumpets, not much else is provided in the book of Leviticus about this feast.  We are told that no work was to be done and that an offering to the Lord by fire should be made.  Looking elsewhere in Scripture helps us to understand why the trumpets were blown (Numbers 10:1-10).

The primary purpose of the Feast of Trumpets was to announce the arrival of the 7^th month to prepare the people for the Day of Atonement which was 10 days later. The 7^th month was special because it was the last month in the religious season. It was a time when God would complete His dealings with the people for that year. It was also the last time they were required to journey to Jerusalem until the following year at Passover.

The day was not marked by any special events other than blowing of trumpets and the offering of sacrifices (Numbers 29: 1-6). The Hebrews always blew trumpets on the first day of each month so everyone would know the new month had arrived (Numbers 10: 10). But on the Feast of Trumpets, they blew them extra-long and extra-loud throughout the day. The shofar was blown in remembrance of the ram that was sacrificed in place of Isaac (Genesis 22: 13).  Jewish tradition teaches that God blew one of the ram’s horns at Mount Sinai at Pentecost and will blow another ram’s horn at the coming of Messiah.

God used trumpets in the Hebrew Bible as a means of communicating with His covenant people.  God could not speak directly to the people without terrifying them (Exodus 20:18). The sound of the trumpet represented both the voice of God and the might of God in warfare. As God spoke to the people and used trumpets to fight their battles for them, the people began to call God the ‘horn of their salvation.’ By this they meant that God was their deliverer who would fight their battles for them and save them from their enemies.

Jesus is the true commander of the army of God (Revelation 19: 11-16). When’s Zacharias learned that the Messiah was to be born, he declared these words concerning Him: “blessed is the Lord God of Israel for He has visited and redeemed His people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the House of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets who have been since the world began that we should be safe from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us” (Luke 1: 68-71).

Zacharias referred to the Messiah as the ‘horn of salvation’ who would save them from their enemies. In the 1^st century, the enemy the Jews wanted to be protected from was Rome so they were looking for a great deliverer who would overthrow the Empire and establish the kingdom of David.  Yet, in His first coming, the will of the Father was not for His Son to destroy the Roman Empire, but to destroy the works of our greatest enemy, Satan; to save us from the sin of our hearts that made evil and oppression possible.

Jesus defeated the enemy of our soul and spoke of a physical kingdom as well as a spiritual one. The physical kingdom could only be established by accepting the spiritual kingdom.  Although many Jews acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah, the religious leaders rejected Him. Jesus offered the spiritual blessings of the kingdom of God to gentiles as well as believing Jews. We will experience the physical kingdom at the second coming of our Messiah.  In the interim, we live presently in the spiritual realm of God’s kingdom.

From a prophetic interpretation, the Feast of Trumpets is highly debated. Is it the rapture of the church? Is it the regathering of Israel?  Is it the 7^th trumpet that is blown in the book of Revelation when the kingdom of this world becomes our Lord’s kingdom at His second coming?  There is no definitive answer among religious scholars although each is resolute in his or her respective position. What is agreed upon is that this feast has yet to be fulfilled prophetically. 

I tend not to believe that this feast will be fulfilled at the rapture of the Church, although I originally thought that to be the case when I started learning about the feasts years ago. The Feast of Trumpets was God’s feast for Israel to commemorate. Scripture does not indicate a promised rapture to Israel. It is an event unique to the Church, so it seems unlikely for it to be fulfilled on the date of a feast intended for Israel. 

Romans 11:25 and Acts 15:13-15 indicate that the rapture will come on the day when the Church has reached its full number.  From that perspective, the rapture could happen on any day, right?  Jesus Himself states that no one knows the day or the hour, so to allocate this feast to the rapture suggests we know the day, although not the specific date.  That is contradictory to Scripture. Although speculative and likely to be debated, I believe that the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets is more likely the second coming of Jesus at the end of the 7-year tribulation.   

When God completes His time of calling the gentiles to Himself, He will once again turn His attention to the Jewish people on a national basis. The Jewish people as the nation will acknowledge Jesus as Messiah and King (Zachariah 12:10; Romans 11: 25-26). Jesus will then return to earth to defeat the enemy nations who will be seeking to destroy the Jews (Zachariah 14:1-9). At that time God Himself will rule as King over all the earth through Jesus. Both the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of David will be united in His rule (Isaiah 9: 6-7). With Israel being reborn as a nation in 1948, and with the witnessing of current events which seem to be the signs of the times, we know that the coming of Messiah is drawing increasingly near.

The Book of Revelation provides some insight on what could be the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets. John writes “after these things I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me saying come up here and I will show you things which must take place after this” (Revelation 4:1). John is then given a frightening vision of the use of trumpets to sound an alarm for war, the 7-year tribulation, and the restoration of the nation of Israel (Revelation 6 through 18).

The prophets in the Hebrew Bible also foretell this. In terms of the blowing of trumpets for warfare, Joel wrote “Blow the trumpet in Zion and sound the alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the lord is coming, for it is at hand” (Joel 2:1; see also Zephaniah 1: 14-18).

The ultimate fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets appears to be the return of Jesus as described in Revelation 19. This too will be announced by the use of trumpets. John writes: “then the seventh Angel sounded: and there were clouds voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ and He shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11: 15). John goes on to say that when Jesus returns, He will be coming to make war (Revelation 19: 11). He will crush all His enemies and rule with a rod of iron over a Kingdom that will never end (Revelation 19: 15). Jesus is the Trumpet of God and the Horn of our salvation. He is our Great Warrior King, defeating the enemies of God and of God’s people.

To wrap up our time together on the Feast of Trumpets, it should be mentioned that Rosh Hashanah is also known as the Day of Judgment, the Day of the Sounding of the Shofar, and the Day of Remembrance.  Together with Yom Kippur,  it is part of the high holidays of Judaism. During this time an individual’s fate is inscribed and sealed on Yom Kippur and for the coming year. The 10 days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, which we are currently in, are considered the 10 days of penitence (Days of Awe) during which people are admonished to repent of their sins and perform good deeds to merit an inscription in the book of life for the coming year.

Judgment on Rosh Hashanah does not decide a person’s eternal destiny, but only for the coming year. The verdict is settled by opening three books: one for the righteous, one for the wicked, and one listing those somewhere in between. Those listed in the first book are inscribed for life in the next year. Those in the second book for death, and those in the third book are given 10 days to repent and perform enough good deeds to outweigh their bad deeds. How tragic that the Jewish people go through this every year and never really know the outcome.

The Bible teaches that the Lord desires to inscribe each of our names in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 21:27), not for a year but for eternity. God offers new life to all who will come to Him. Just as we personally receive new life by faith in Jesus, so also one day Israel as a nation will be restored to God through the Messiah.  In the next post, Lord willing, we will dive a bit deeper into repentance and eternal destiny as we explore the next fall feast, Yom Kippur, the most solemn day of the year for the Jewish people. Until then…shalom, shalom!