September 24, 1999
It is interesting that in these very days, during which the Palestinians are making their largely unchallenged claims in the United Nations regarding Jerusalem, the first reading for Succot from Zechariah 14 says that "all the nations [will be gathered] against Jerusalem" (ver. 2). It appears that this tidal wave, which is about to sweep our shores, cannot be stopped. Even a circular, which we received a few days ago from the Judea, Samaria and Gaza ("Yesha") Settlers' Council, concedes that protests, something they are trying to organize, "do not always produce immediate fruit…." This, being especially so in a society which, according to the wording of the leaflet, "is no longer as widely opposed, as in the past, to handing over territories to Arafat, and to the establishment of a Palestinian state." It almost sounds as though even the Yesha Council (representing many of the settlers) is cognizant of the inevitable… But let them read on in Zecharia 14, all the way to verse 11, where security is promised for Jerusalem, and on to verses 20-21, where everything culminates in being "HOLY TO YHVH."
Biblical prophecy never seems far and distant in our everyday reality here in Israel. The words of the prophets are as relevant, and more, than those in the printed and electronic media. But as we all know, the God of Israel is not the God of this region only. In the past several weeks we have witnessed His greatness outside of Israel.
At this point may we say "shalom" to all of you, after a break of almost two months? During the latter part of August our family was in Ireland, both in the republic and Ulster. Abba led us step by step daily, as we didn't have a tightly structured plan. The beauty of the place and the "provision" of weather conditions to match (in a place where the climate tends to be temperamental), revealed once again His greatness and His beauty. We had several divine appointments, in one of which we found ourselves in the home (since we stayed in different "bed and breakfast" homes every night) of Believers who are intercessors for Israel, and are planning to come to the land next month! We had a wonderful time with them, and found out more about the spiritual conditions in overwhelmingly Catholic Eire. The overall sensing was that that country is ready for a spiritual awakening (while the EC is buying it off, and bringing about a radical change in its character). It appears that Yahoveh is doing some spiritual uncovering on various "archeological" levels (which is a whole topic unto itself).
When our time in Ireland was over, and after 3 days in the south of England, Rimona and the children went home, while Ephraim continued on to Florida, to attend the Ami conference.
The latter turned out to be a real family reunion after 2,900 years of separation. Together we celebrated the restoration of the fallen booth of David, as seen in the joining of the two sticks of Ezekiel 37. The Parasha and Haftarah readings for that weekend were also quite revealing for the occasion. It was a great blessing to see and hear from Messianic Jewish rabbis, as well as from teachers from the House of Ephraim (Joseph). They were all in unison as they sounded the trumpet in the spirit of Elijah, preparing the way of the Lord through the restoration of the house of Jacob. The following is a little commentary on the holy days' readings surrounding the conference.
Blowing and Remembering
The current feasts, which we have just celebrated, have been accompanied by various readings from the Torah and the Neviim (Prophets), according to the Jewish custom. There are special readings for the first and second day of the month of Tishrei - the first day of which is Yom Zichron Teruah - the Feast of the Blowing for Remembrance. This day and the day following it are customarily referred to as Rosh Hashanah - the head, or beginning, of the year. Following these days is the Shabbat, which precedes Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement. This Shabbat is called Shabbat Shuva - referring to repentance, or to "turning." Then, of course, comes Yom Kippur itself, with its own readings.
All of the reading portions are interesting and appear appropriate. Examining several of them may shed some light on their interconnection, on the respective feasts, and on our relatedness to them.
The reading on the first day, 1st Samuel 1 - 2: 10, deals with the calling of a son of an Ephramite family, Samuel, who was to become a judge, a seer and a priest unto the Most High. Even though the priesthood was mandated to the Levites, as God Himself said to Eli in chapter 2:28: "Did I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests?" Yet Samuel the Ephramite was chosen to serve in that capacity, during the reigns of both Saul and David. He, thus, was favored by YHVH, who says, according to verse 35: "I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul."
The next reading, on the second day of the Feast, is taken from Jeremiah 31:2-20. This portion, once again, deals very emphatically with the destiny of the Ephramites, describing in detail their transformation and repentance at a latter date, God's relationship with them, their destiny, their call and their blessings. Several times in this section they are mentioned by name, as is also their ancestral home - "Ephraim", while reference is even made to their mother Rachel.
On Shabbat Shuva, we find ourselves reading Hosea 14:2-10 (among other portions, which are: Micha 7:18-20; Joel 2:15-27; II Samuel 22). These verses of Hosea address, as does almost the entire book, the House of Israel, the Ephramites, relating specifically to Assyria (which was the super power responsible for their exile). Yet, here too, Ephraim is destined to repent and eventually to be blessed.
Thus, the readings for the first two days of the month of Tishrei announce the unforgotten existence and destiny of Ephraim. Although celebrated as the beginning of the year, biblically Tishrei is the seventh month, and the feast celebrated as Rosh Hashanah is not, in fact, to be found in God's Holy Script. As we know, Leviticus 23 lists among God's appointed times the feast of the first day of the seventh month, that is, the "Feast of Blowing for Remembrance" (Zichron Teruah ).
What is the "teruah" - the blowing - and its significance? According to Psalm 81:3, the new moon is to be announced by the blowing of the shofar. Interesting that the new, unseen moon, which in its state of disappearance is like Joseph, is to be announced. In Numbers 10:1-10 another type of blowing instrument is presented: the silver trumpet, or rather, two of them.; again for the purpose of announcements and declarations such as: the moving of the camp, the gathering of the elders, the gathering of the congregation, an impending war, celebrations and appointed times, and for a memorial.
Thus, the readings on Yom Zichron Teruah (in spite of being called Rosh Hashanah), and around it constitute a bold declaration intended to remind us that God's plan, to recover the "lost" house and to rejoin the two sticks, is to be trumpeted (even if it takes a man-made "new-year" feast to do it!).
And so, God's word to one Ephramite man may still hold true today for many of his kinsmen: "I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always."
Ephraim
How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity
It is interesting that in these very days, during which the Palestinians are making their largely unchallenged claims in the United Nations regarding Jerusalem, the first reading for Succot from Zechariah 14 says that "all the nations [will be gathered] against Jerusalem" (ver. 2). It appears that this tidal wave, which is about to sweep our shores, cannot be stopped. Even a circular, which we received a few days ago from the Judea, Samaria and Gaza ("Yesha") Settlers' Council, concedes that protests, something they are trying to organize, "do not always produce immediate fruit…." This, being especially so in a society which, according to the wording of the leaflet, "is no longer as widely opposed, as in the past, to handing over territories to Arafat, and to the establishment of a Palestinian state." It almost sounds as though even the Yesha Council (representing many of the settlers) is cognizant of the inevitable… But let them read on in Zecharia 14, all the way to verse 11, where security is promised for Jerusalem, and on to verses 20-21, where everything culminates in being "HOLY TO YHVH."
Biblical prophecy never seems far and distant in our everyday reality here in Israel. The words of the prophets are as relevant, and more, than those in the printed and electronic media. But as we all know, the God of Israel is not the God of this region only. In the past several weeks we have witnessed His greatness outside of Israel.
At this point may we say "shalom" to all of you, after a break of almost two months? During the latter part of August our family was in Ireland, both in the republic and Ulster. Abba led us step by step daily, as we didn't have a tightly structured plan. The beauty of the place and the "provision" of weather conditions to match (in a place where the climate tends to be temperamental), revealed once again His greatness and His beauty. We had several divine appointments, in one of which we found ourselves in the home (since we stayed in different "bed and breakfast" homes every night) of Believers who are intercessors for Israel, and are planning to come to the land next month! We had a wonderful time with them, and found out more about the spiritual conditions in overwhelmingly Catholic Eire. The overall sensing was that that country is ready for a spiritual awakening (while the EC is buying it off, and bringing about a radical change in its character). It appears that Yahoveh is doing some spiritual uncovering on various "archeological" levels (which is a whole topic unto itself).
When our time in Ireland was over, and after 3 days in the south of England, Rimona and the children went home, while Ephraim continued on to Florida, to attend the Ami conference.
The latter turned out to be a real family reunion after 2,900 years of separation. Together we celebrated the restoration of the fallen booth of David, as seen in the joining of the two sticks of Ezekiel 37. The Parasha and Haftarah readings for that weekend were also quite revealing for the occasion. It was a great blessing to see and hear from Messianic Jewish rabbis, as well as from teachers from the House of Ephraim (Joseph). They were all in unison as they sounded the trumpet in the spirit of Elijah, preparing the way of the Lord through the restoration of the house of Jacob. The following is a little commentary on the holy days' readings surrounding the conference.
Blowing and Remembering
The current feasts, which we have just celebrated, have been accompanied by various readings from the Torah and the Neviim (Prophets), according to the Jewish custom. There are special readings for the first and second day of the month of Tishrei - the first day of which is Yom Zichron Teruah - the Feast of the Blowing for Remembrance. This day and the day following it are customarily referred to as Rosh Hashanah - the head, or beginning, of the year. Following these days is the Shabbat, which precedes Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement. This Shabbat is called Shabbat Shuva - referring to repentance, or to "turning." Then, of course, comes Yom Kippur itself, with its own readings.
All of the reading portions are interesting and appear appropriate. Examining several of them may shed some light on their interconnection, on the respective feasts, and on our relatedness to them.
The reading on the first day, 1st Samuel 1 - 2: 10, deals with the calling of a son of an Ephramite family, Samuel, who was to become a judge, a seer and a priest unto the Most High. Even though the priesthood was mandated to the Levites, as God Himself said to Eli in chapter 2:28: "Did I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests?" Yet Samuel the Ephramite was chosen to serve in that capacity, during the reigns of both Saul and David. He, thus, was favored by YHVH, who says, according to verse 35: "I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul."
The next reading, on the second day of the Feast, is taken from Jeremiah 31:2-20. This portion, once again, deals very emphatically with the destiny of the Ephramites, describing in detail their transformation and repentance at a latter date, God's relationship with them, their destiny, their call and their blessings. Several times in this section they are mentioned by name, as is also their ancestral home - "Ephraim", while reference is even made to their mother Rachel.
On Shabbat Shuva, we find ourselves reading Hosea 14:2-10 (among other portions, which are: Micha 7:18-20; Joel 2:15-27; II Samuel 22). These verses of Hosea address, as does almost the entire book, the House of Israel, the Ephramites, relating specifically to Assyria (which was the super power responsible for their exile). Yet, here too, Ephraim is destined to repent and eventually to be blessed.
Thus, the readings for the first two days of the month of Tishrei announce the unforgotten existence and destiny of Ephraim. Although celebrated as the beginning of the year, biblically Tishrei is the seventh month, and the feast celebrated as Rosh Hashanah is not, in fact, to be found in God's Holy Script. As we know, Leviticus 23 lists among God's appointed times the feast of the first day of the seventh month, that is, the "Feast of Blowing for Remembrance" (Zichron Teruah ).
What is the "teruah" - the blowing - and its significance? According to Psalm 81:3, the new moon is to be announced by the blowing of the shofar. Interesting that the new, unseen moon, which in its state of disappearance is like Joseph, is to be announced. In Numbers 10:1-10 another type of blowing instrument is presented: the silver trumpet, or rather, two of them.; again for the purpose of announcements and declarations such as: the moving of the camp, the gathering of the elders, the gathering of the congregation, an impending war, celebrations and appointed times, and for a memorial.
Thus, the readings on Yom Zichron Teruah (in spite of being called Rosh Hashanah), and around it constitute a bold declaration intended to remind us that God's plan, to recover the "lost" house and to rejoin the two sticks, is to be trumpeted (even if it takes a man-made "new-year" feast to do it!).
And so, God's word to one Ephramite man may still hold true today for many of his kinsmen: "I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always."
Ephraim
How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity
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