9/1/2011
Feast of Trumpets: Teruah and Remembrance by Valerie Moody

The Feast of Trumpets is nearly here. It is Rosh HaShanah, a holy Yom Teruah for hearing the blast of the shofar. It remembers the Exodus from Mitzrayim. But, it may be the bellwether of another exodus: the future resurrection of the dead, the coronation of the Messiah, and the unfolding of every related prophetic event in scripture.

It falls on the first day of the Hebrew month of Ethanim (1 Kings 8:2) or Tishri. A footnote in the Targum says, "the month that the ancient ones called the first month, but now it is called the seventh month." While the religious year begins in the spring with Nisan, the civil year begins on Tishri 1. It is the New Year of Judgment or Yom HaDin, a day when God judges the souls of men to see who will live and who will die in the coming year. This day begins the Time of Jacob's Trouble, ushers in the Coronation of Messiah as King, and announces a Kiddushin or the wedding of the Messiah and the Bride. So, the Feast of Trumpets is both inspiring and unsettling.

God's only festival to occur on a Rosh Chodesh or New Moon. Amidst the flickering lights of ancient Yerushalayim, two witnesses searched the skies to see the first crescent of moonlight each month. They reported their sighting to the Beit Din or Sanhedrin. The Beit Din authorized the new month to begin and announced it with silver trumpet blasts from the southeast corner of the Temple courtyard. Men on nearby hilltops listened for the blasts and lit great signal fires. From hilltop to hilltop going out from Yerushalayim the fires signaled the new month. Finally, relay runners sprinted, carrying the news to all the distant enclaves where the Hebrews lived. With Rosh Chodesh, the Feast of Trumpets could begin. This ancient process of setting the calendar made the holiday two days long. It is a one-day celebration spread across two days long and a two-day celebration known as One Long Day.

The Feast of Trumpets hints at the difficult times ahead. As the Olam Hazeh transitions to Messiah's return, our hope is established in the millennia-old words of Torah and the person of Torah - Yeshua HaMashiach. Deuteronomy 7:12 says, "Because you are listening to these rulings, keeping and obeying them, Adonai your God will keep with you the covenant and mercy that he swore to your ancestors." The Hebrew word for "because" in this verse shows us that we are counted in the flock of the King and will be protected in that flock because God keeps his covenant with us. "Because" is the Hebrew word eqeb (Strongs # 6118). If we flip this word, it becomes beqe or beka, the word for half-shekel (Strongs # 1235).

The priests counted the Israelites who had been redeemed from bondage in Mitzrayim by collecting a half shekel from each one. So, a half shekel marks redeemed people and makes atonement for souls. Exodus 30:15 says, "The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less when giving Adonai's offering to atone for your lives."

When Abraham's servant found a bride for Yitzchak, he gave her a gold nose ring weighing a half shekel and two gold bracelets weighing a half shekel. The Bride was chosen with a half shekel, and that is a pattern. The mark of her redemption was a half shekel.

In this season of coming judgments, if we follow the words of Torah and Yeshua HaMashiach, the person of Torah, we have redemption. We are redeemed as a bride for a future Kiddushin - the wedding of the Messiah with the people of God. Let's celebrate this inspiring and unsettling holiday as a Yom HaZikaron, a Day of Remembrance when we remember the spiritual half shekel he paid for us. We remember the great deeds of a mighty God on Yom Teruah and he remembers us.

9/1/2011
Rosh Hashanah by Dr. Diana Dye

Rosh HaShanah (Head of the Year) is celebrated on the first day of the seventh month, which is Tishri. The rabbis believed the seventh month was unique because "all sevenths are beloved above" and that "time itself is sanctified by sevenths". For example, God blessed the seventh day as the Shabbat (Sabbath), the seventh year as the Sh'mittah (year of release), and the seven cycles of seven years as the Yovel (the Jubilee). This day is also the beginning of the New Year for years in which some sages believe it commemorates the Day of Creation.

Additionally, there are numerous names for the festival of Rosh Hashanah. This includes the Day of the Shofar, the Day of the Awakening Blast, the Day of the Coronation, the Day No Man Knows, the Day of Judgment, the Day of the Wedding, the Day of the Opening of the Gates, and the Day of Remembrance. Along with these names are a variety of themes such as repentance, remembrance, judgment, coronation, the wedding and the sounding the Shofar.

One very significant name for Rosh HaShanah is Yom HaKiseh or Day of the throne, but which can also mean the Day of Concealment. This name became associated with Rosh HaShanah because on this day the new moon was considered to be hidden or concealed and on this day the Kingdom would be revealed. The moon was well understood to represent Israel as she waxes and wanes in her relationship to the Father, and for believers to Yeshua the Messiah. The new moon is also a picture of the righteous being hidden in the world who would ultimately be revealed at the time of the Messianic Kingdom.

Psalm 81:3 points to this imagery and it literally translates, "Blow at the New Moon, the Shofar, at Kiseh for the Day of our festival, because a decree for Israel, it is a judgment for the God of Jacob". The moon becomes brighter by the light of the sun during the lunar cycle in the same way Israel is being progressively revealed by Messiah's light. Verse six tells us it is a testimony for Joseph. The name Joseph has an extra letter "hey" and the meaning of this letter is "to reveal". Joseph is an example of one who had been hidden but then was revealed. Joseph had been in prison and was revealed only when the cupbearer finally remembered him on what the sages say was a Rosh HaShanah, the Day of Remembrance.

It was then that Joseph changed his clothes, was brought quickly to Pharoah and raised up to be second in command. He was concealed but then revealed as he became viceroy. Rosh Hashanah 10b of the Babylonian Talmud teaches that Joseph was released from prison and appointed viceroy of Egypt on "That Day" and that the Shofar was blown as a reminder of his freedom.

Joseph also represents the righteous who are hidden in the world and then revealed at the time of Rosh HaShanah.

Yom HaKiseh is a Day of Concealment and revelation. God will raise us up like he did Joseph on the last day, a Rosh HaShanah, and we will be revealed as the sons of God. Romans chapter 8 refers to the birthpains, which are associated with the time of Rosh HaShanah. Rav Shaul tells us that the "whole creation has been groaning as with the pains of childbirth". Even more significant is that " creation waits eagerly for the sons of God to be revealed".   The Sons of God, the people of Israel, the true believers will ultimately be revealed on a Rosh HaShanah at the time of the Messianic Kingdom. We look forward to That Day.

9/1/2011
Rosh HaShanah: The Jewish New Year by Dr. Noreen Jacks

A mighty blast of the trumpet ushered in the Festival of Rosh HaShanah on the first day of the seventh month, summoning the twelve tribes of Israel to a ten-day season of introspection and repentance known as the Ten Days of Awe (Num 29:1). The sacred festival week culminated in the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year. It was on this day that the coronation and wedding of the Messiah was expected in God's appointed time. The feast began with a Sabbath rest, a time when work was prohibited by law. The following prayer was recited during the festival after the blowing of the trumpet:

"Blessed art thou Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to hear the sound of the shofar."

The Day of Atonement was the most solemn day of the year for the Israelites; for it was on this day of days that the high priest, the holiest priest in all Israel, dared to enter the Holy of Holies to make propitiation for the sins of the nation. If the high priest failed to perform the ancient ritual in the prescribed manner, sudden death would be the fate for him and the multitude of worshipers anxiously waiting outside the house of God. Imagine their great relief when the Almighty graciously accepted the sacrificial blood that had been poured upon the mercy seat by the intercessor of Israel (Lev 23:26-32)!

Rosh Hashanah, also known as the Feast of Trumpets, marks the Jewish New Year. The term is literally translated "head (top, first) of the year." For some, throwing rocks is a part of the holy festival, representing sins being cast into the sea of forgetfulness (Mic 7:19). Jewish tradition declares that Adam was created on this momentous day. The prophet Joel speaks of the solemn feast of repentance in the following passage:

Blow a trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room and the bride out of her bridal chamber. Let the priests, the LORD'S ministers, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, "Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not make Your inheritance a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, 'Where is their God?'" (Joel 2:15-17)

According to the sages, the resurrection of the dead will occur on Yom HaDin (the Day of Judgment), another name for the Feast of Rosh HaShanah. Shofarot (shofar - pl.) are frequently engraved on Jewish tombs in anticipation of the blowing of the great trumpet when the righteous will be raised to eternal life. The shout of the trumpet speaks to believers today of the necessity of continual humility and repentance before Adonai. The bride of Yeshua must surrender herself completely as she prepares for her wedding day with the Savior/Bridegroom/King. Chag Sameach!

9/1/2011
Jews are Praying for Gentiles by Dr. Anne Davis

I was attending the Rosh Hashanah service at our synagogue several years ago with my husband's cousin. The rabbi said something that startled me and I have never forgotten it. "This is the day that we pray for all the people of the world," he said, "because they too will face God's judgment." What really touched my heart was an image of all the Jewish people praying for me. I am one of those Gentile people of the world.

Rosh Hashanah begins the ten days of awe in Judaism when Jews search their inner souls for any acts they have committed that are contrary to God. They seek forgiveness from the ones they have harmed first before turning to God to repent. And the pending Day of Judgment, Yom Kippur, looms in their minds during these ten days of awe.

 Our Christian tradition is quite different. We believe we are "saved by grace" so such a recurring annual event seems foreign to us. When we sin, we ask God's forgiveness and go about our lives. Yet I cannot forget that the Jews are praying for our forgiveness also.

I don't suggest we change our understanding of God's grace through Christ. But perhaps we need to reflect on the concept of God's forgiveness which, from what I see in Scripture, is not automatic. Forgiveness requires repentance. How many of us truly understand the full meaning and implication of repentance?

God teaches us with stories, and I think the story of David and Bathsheba conveys a wonderful meaning of repentance. (You will find this account in 2 Sam 12:1-15). We all know about David's adultery and Bathsheba's pregnancy. But adultery was not the only sin. Did you know that David also committed the murder of Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, not by his own hand but by the intentional placement of Uriah in the front line of battle? Murder was David's intention, and he succeeded.

It took Nathan the prophet to bring David to repentance, which he did with the parable of the rich man who took the only lamb of a poor man. The parable is midrash on Ex 22:1 "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep." But David the king invoked an even greater penalty than fourfold restitution for the one lost lamb. David declared, "surely the man who has done this deserves to die." And then Nathan responded, "You are the man!"

Yes, David not only faced consequences for his adultery, but death was the penalty for his act of murder. David had brought upon himself the penalty of death. And so have we, Scripture teaches us, because the penalty of all sin is death, which is why Yeshua took that penalty upon himself on the cross. Yeshua was without sin, so he did not deserve the penalty of death. But he took death upon himself so those with faith in him now have the promise of life.

But let's return to David. He had to bear consequences for his adultery, which is God's way of teaching us through "testing," that is, allowing consequences to fall on us so we will turn to Him. "The sword shall never depart from your house," Nathan prophesied, "and I will take away your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion." However, God's mercy removed the penalty of death, but only after David repented. And how did David repent? "I have sinned against the Lord," he cried from the innermost part of his heart. Repentance is not to ask for forgiveness, but to truly desire to change from a way of sin to the ways of God. Perhaps during these ten days of awe we can also reflect on our past sins, and truly desire to leave the ways of the world behind so we can become the new creation that is Christ in us.

8/1/2011
Benjamin's Birth by Dr. Diana Dye

8/1/2011
Discovering God's Rest by Valerie Moody

As the heat of August settles on the northern hemisphere, people are scrambling for shade and an opportunity to simply "chill." They want respite from the heat and, if possible, respite from responsibilities. Heat-fatigued people want rest. The dictionary defines rest as a physical condition, a spiritual condition, and a place. Physically, rest is a bodily state characterized by minimal activity. Spiritually, rest is freedom from raging passions and agitating concerns. Geographically, rest is the location where rest occurs.

Rest is the primary idea in Psalm 23:2-3, "He has me lie down in grassy pastures, he leads me by quiet water, he restores my inner person." In this passage, the Hebrew word for pastures comes from the root word nava, which means a beautiful dwelling place for repose. It is a vision of rest and calm, a scene where flocks lie down on tender, luxuriant deshe or new grass. It is an image of flocks that are completely supplied. They are surrounded by abundance. They are fully fed, restful, and content.

In the Torah, entering the Land of Promise was an expression for rest. When the Israelites thought about the Promised Land, they anticipated a future rest. Unfortunately, the Israelites who complained against God in the wilderness were punished with a lack of rest. Psalm 95:10-11 says, "Forty long years I was grieved with that generation and said, 'It is a people that errs in their heart. They have not known my ways. Therefore I swore in my wrath, 'They won't enter into my rest.' " Hebrews 4:11 adds "Therefore, let us do our best to enter that rest so that no one will fall short because of the same kind of disobedience." The consequences of disobedience are a lack of rest.

Psalm 95 gives an effective strategy for discovering rest. The psalm uses our illustration of sheep in a pasture from Psalm 23. "For he is our God and we are the people in his pasture, the sheep in his care. If only today you would listen to his voice: Don't harden your hearts..." (Psalm 95:7-8)

Sheep listen and find rest. Rest is a reward for listening and obeying. "Listen and obey" are two words in English, but only one in Hebrew. They are the Hebrew word shema. Shema is to listen and shema is to obey. When we shema, we become the sheep in God's pasture. When we shema, we are the flock which finds rest. If we desire rest during the hottest, most sultry days of summer, let us shema. God promises rest to believers in every age who shema. Shema is a call to listen, obey, and enter God's rest

8/1/2011
Biblical Rest: Shabbat and Shalom by Dr. Noreen Jacks

When I think of rest, the first thought that comes to mind is God's Sabbath's rest following the six days of Creation (Gen 2:2-3). In similar manner, Yeshua also demonstrated the need for physical and spiritual rest when He declared Himself the Lord of the Sabbath (Matt 12:8). Contrary to the western mindset, Hebraic tradition views rest differently than mere relaxation. Indeed, it carries with it the concept of shalom, which speaks of the peace of God that passes all understanding (Php 4:7).

Webster defines peace as freedom from war or a cessation of war, a treaty to avoid or end war, public security, freedom from public disturbance, law and order, harmony, absence of mental conflict, serenity, calm, quite, tranquility. The Hebraic concept of peace, however, takes the term to the next level, revealing even greater blessings.

"Shalom be with you" was a common greeting among the Israelites, also meaning "hello" or "good bye." The Hebrew definition of shalom signifies not only peace and rest, but well being, good health, welfare, security, and contentment, invoking the wholeness of body, mind, soul, and spirit, and the complete absence of agitation and stress. When a Jew blessed a fellow Jew with peace, he was blessed indeed! Such was the blessing Yeshua imparted to His disciples when He appeared to them after the Resurrection.

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." - John 20:19

The term shalom derives from the verbal root shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. Shulam, a passive form of the verb shalom, means to be fully paid, the reconciled one, the one restored to peace and happiness.  For example, the Shulamite girl was reconciled, restored to peace, favor, and contentment:

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." - John 20:19

The term shalom derives from the verbal root shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. Shulam, a passive form of the verb shalom, means to be fully paid, the reconciled one, the one restored to peace and happiness.  For example, the Shulamite girl was reconciled, restored to peace, favor, and contentment:

"Then was I in his eyes, as one who has found [discovered] favor [shalom] - SS 8:10.

The name "Solomon," the object of the Shulamite girl's affections, is closely related to the name "Shulamite." Both terms are rooted in shalom, God's perfect peace. "Solomon" means the peaceful oneorthe peace provider.  The Shulamite girl, a prophetic image of the Bride of Christ, is the bearer of peace, while Solomon, a type of the heavenly Bridegroom, is the source of peace in the bride's life. In other words, Yeshua is Sar Shalom, the Prince of Peace, and His bride is the daughter of peace. May the priestly blessing of Shabbat and shalom be upon you and yours now and forever.

The LORD bless you, and keep you; the LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give youpeace. - Nu 6:24-26

8/1/2011
"On the Seventh Day God Rested"...And How Much More by Dr. Anne Davis

"How much more" was a common phrase in the ancient world that introduced a deeper meaning. We find these words in both the Tanach and the New Testament. In fact, much of what Yeshua taught was based on principles from the Torah with "how much more" added. Yeshua was guiding his followers to deeper meaning and practical application.

We can apply the concept of "how much more" when we search for deeper meaning in Scripture. Let's practice with God's completion of His creation.

On the seventh day God completed His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Gen 2:2

You might already know that the Hebrew word "rested" is our word for Shabbat. But what is significant to our study, which attempts to uncover "how much more," is the expression of all three Hebrew verbs: completed, done (2 times), rested. All four usages of these verbs are in the completed sense of time. That is, Scripture tells us that God's creation has been completed and is now completely complete.

But what a minute! What about the new heavens and the new earth, which are still future? And even more significant, what about God's creation of mankind? In the same passage in Genesis we read that God created mankind in His own image, that is, perfect, holy and without sin.

God created man [mankind] in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Gen 1:27

Again, the Hebrew "created," which is repeated three times in this verse, is in the completed sense of time.

Well, I don't know about you. But I am not yet completely in God's image, that is, holy, pure, perfect and without sin (how I wish....).

The only way to understand this mystery is through the Hebraic sense of time, which is not linear with points on a line. Linear time originated with the Greeks and came into our modern, western culture through the Romans. (We sometimes call it the Greco-Roman culture). By contrast, the Hebraic sense of time perceives God in time and time as one with God. Let's apply this Hebraic concept of time to the principle of completion and perfection as it applies to mankind in God's own image.

When we first belong to God He "sees" His children as perfect, that is, in His image. In our own experience we can see the same thing. A newborn baby is indeed perfect, without sin or blemish. Now let's jump forward to the end time when God will complete His work of creation Only then will God's children be able to enter His presence in a completely righteous condition. But now..... ah.....the "now" is the "how much morel"

Now we are in the "process" of becoming complete. By "complete" I mean a completely righteous condition as God is Righteous. But "process" refers to continuous, ongoing action. So how is this present sense of time related to God's past completion of His creation and God's future completion of that creation?

We remember that the Hebraic sense of time is not linear. Instead God is ever-present and infinite. So is the righteousness of God is ever-present and infinite in us. If you belong to God, He saw you as righteous in past time. He will complete righteousness in you at some time in the future. And He is working in you now through His son Yeshua to bring about righteousness in you now.

WHY IS RIGHTEOUSNESS IN YOU NOW SO IMPORTANT?
When we walk in righteousness now, which we do from time to time:

     1. We manifest the righteousness that is in us. We witness God's righteousness to the world
     2. We are walking in the Kingdom of God
     3. We enter the Sabbath res

So, on the next Sabbath, consider how much more "rest" is to God than merely the completion of all His work.

7/1/2011
Freedom Indeed! by Valerie Moody

On America's Independence Day, it is natural to think about freedom.  To an American, freedom means the absence of constraints, and the ability to make choices.  In contrast, freedom in scripture is the freedom to express love, in spite of outward circumstances.  In fact, sometimes that love is expressed by giving up freedom.

Exodus 21:5-6 is an interesting passage about freedom and slavery.  "But if the slave plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,' then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently."  The theoretical slave in this passage is thinking more about his master's good than his own freedom.  He has grown to love his master, and to adopt his ways.  Therefore, he chooses to remain with his master until he dies.  This slave, who could have been free, finds greater freedom in lifetime servitude to one he loves.  When he became a slave, he crossed the threshold into his master's household.  Now, he was unwilling to abandon the threshold covenant he had come to cherish.  So, it is at the threshold of the door that he confirms this covenant for life.

Shaul called himself a bondservant of Messiah Yeshua.  Shaul was a trained scholar.  He enjoyed independence of movement, and could live as he wanted.  Yet, he called himself a slave to Yeshua.  Why?  His first words to the Romans were, "From Shaul, a slave of Messiah Yeshua, an emissary because I was called and set apart for the Good News of God."  Shaul is a slave because he is called and set apart, and not because he lost his freedom.  In a sense, he now enjoys the greatest freedom of all.  He is a person who feels he has no property in himself, and that God is his all and in all.

These two types of individuals voluntarily give up their freedom for a higher calling.  In both of cases, we see the pattern of a person renouncing liberty in exchange for service to a worthy master.  Each one is actually an symbol of inheritance from their master's household because even a bondservant can inherit everything.  The paradox is that while they are giving up freedom, they are gaining an inheritance.  For example, Eliezer was both Abram's servant and his prospective heir.  Genesis 15:2 says, "But Abram said, 'Adonai YHWH, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?' "  Of course, YHWH did have other plans and provided an heir from Abram's loins.

Shaul gave up his freedom, just like the slave of Exodus 21:5, knowing that his ultimate happiness lay in service to Yeshua, his Master.  In effect, Shaul loved his Messiah so much that he crossed the threshold.  Figuratively, Yeshua pierced Shaul's earlobe with an awl, permanently identifying him with His threshold and the doorpost of His house.

7/1/2011
Covenant and Freedom by Dr. Diana Dye

The United States is often called "Artzot haBrit", which means the lands of the covenant, so named because of its similarity to the covenant established by God with Israel.  The Mosaic covenant or the Torah is the basis for the rule of law for the nation of Israe, and the United States Constitution is the basis for the laws that govern our country.  Our beloved Constitution once had a special place in the hearts and minds of Americans just as the Torah did for Israel.  And just as the children of Israel often forgot the uniqueness of the Torah and the God who brought it into existence, so too we have seen an eroding of the love for our Constitution and an ignorance surrounding our Founding Fathers. 

Unfortunately, Israel continued to violate God's Torah by worshiping and serving other gods.  In so doing, God allowed them to reap the fruit of their disobedience.  Consequences came in the form of plagues, famines, pestilence and ultimately exile as God meted out his wrath.  We see that our country has also strayed far from its foundation and we are now reaping the whirlwind of chaos and confusion in every area of American life.

The Shema, (Hear O Israel the Lord is God the Lord is One) from Deuteronomy 6, is the most important declaration in the Torah.  It is a call to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength.  It is a declaration of the sovereignty of God and His kingdom. It is the highest expression of his will, and it speaks of our joyful submission to His laws and commandments.  What is especially significant is that the Shema is to remind the individual and the community of their liberation from the bondage of Egypt and the oppression of Pharoah.

The Declaration of Independence is also a declaration of allegiance to the United States and serves to remind us of our liberty from the bondage of an oppressive tyrant (the King of England) and his empire (England). We are called to uphold the sovereignty of this nation and joyfully submit to the rule of law that our Founding Fathers established in the Constitution.

In the Shema Israel was commanded to teach the words of the Torah to their children and not to serve other gods.  If they did serve the gods of others they would suffer the consequences and experience the wrath of God. When their children were to ask the meaning of these laws, they were to respond,  "We were slaves to Pharoah in Egypt and Adonai brought us up out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm."

The pattern is the same today.  We are to follow the Constitution so that it will go well for civil society.  But we have repeatedly declared our founding documents irrelevant, antiquated and changing. So now we are experiencing the fruit of our disobedience.  The consequences are materializing and we are once again on our way, if not already there, to being ruled by tyrants.

Let us remember this July 4^th that we are citizens of the Kingdom of God and we are citizens of this great country.  Let us strive to serve the God of our Fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with our whole heart. And let us return to the principles our Founding Fathers established before it is too late.