A Purim Lesson

 As a head of a vast territory and as wealthy as he was (Esther 1:1,4), one would expect King Ahasuerus to have been wise as well as generous if only to judge by the 187-day banquet that he gave "for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of his provinces being in his presence…. And all the people who were present in Susa the capital, from the greatest to the least…" (1:3,5). However, very quickly, as the narrative continues to unfold, the King's shortcomings, weaknesses, and failures come to the fore.

When Queen Vashti refuses to be displayed at this banquet, the now enraged Ahasuerus is seen accepting uncontestably his advisers' far-reaching counsel, which was to affect every household in his kingdom (1:13-22). This is also true of the next phase of the story when it was time to find another queen to replace Vashti. Once again, the "king's attendants" proposed a suggestion which the King followed implicitly (2:2-3ff). The process of selection does not only expose Ahasuerus's indecisiveness but also his lack of any human standards regarding the value of these young girls that were brought to his palace to be "tried out" (2:12-14). This characteristic, demonstrated by a nonchalant response, reaches its peak when advised by his recent appointee, Haman, to exterminate an entire people group that was scattered throughout his kingdom, under allegations that they were not loyal to the King and his laws (3:8-15).

It is no wonder, therefore, that Ahasuerus's newly-elected deputy was a person of even lower moral standards. Haman very quickly demonstrates his nature of pride, power-hunger, greed, and brutality in a most extreme way. Both men, although in positions of responsibility over multitudes, do not appear to operate for the good of the kingdom and its subjects, rather, they are concerned with satisfying their lusts, selfish ambitions, and dubious needs (e.g. 5:9-14)

When the King is eventually faced with the truth regarding his choice of this high-ranking official, whose actions could have been detrimental to his kingdom, he acts in the same instantaneous and instinctive manner, never looking into the matter deeply or viewing his own share in the situation. What's more, once again the final decision is made by one of his eunuchs (7:8-10). (His only 'redeeming' act of a good conscience is made apparent when he inquired as to the reward accorded to the man who had saved his life. 6:1-11.)

As to Haman, whose self-importance and greed impelled him to plan genocide, and to gain financially from doing so (3:9), he had taken action even before he obtained an agreement from his superior (3:6-7). Thus, it is no wonder that he was looking to be elevated with the king's attire, when under the impression that the latter was about to elevate his status even more (6:6-9).  But when he realized that it could be the end-game for him, he had no compunctions to try to lure the queen, stooping to no less than a cowardly tactic (7:7,8).

Thus, the nature and characters of these two of the main protagonists very quickly become apparent, with each phase revealing more of their respective amoral and immoral postures.

Conversely, the other two protagonists, Mordechai and Esther, stay much longer under the covering of their characters and, in their case, also identity. When meeting them initially, their names stand out as proof of their attempt to conceal who they are, as these names are of local idols.

Esther was warned by her uncle not to reveal her identity, while when the latter saved the king's life, he did so stealthily (2:10, 20-23). However, pressure began to mount. Firstly, Mordechai found himself in a situation of having to act against his conscience, when it was demanded that he pay homage to Haman. Now his identity was revealed, as well as his strong stand for his belief (3:2-5). But more was to come…

Mordechai's choice brought onto the scattered Jews in the entire empire an impending catastrophe of genocide. Now it was time to take positive and risky action, which would also involve peeling masks of identity. Esther was not only to go to the King and reveal her Jewishness, and plead for her people, as a preliminary act she issued a decree for her uncle to gather all the Jews for a time of fasting and praying (ch. 4).

There was no more hiddenness. It was time to be fully exposed. And while the light shines, and the shadows are fleeing… Mordechai's past action of rescuing the King's life comes to light  – and that effortlessly (6:1ff.).  Mordechai, who in the past hid his identity, and who was then forced to reveal it in his strong stand, as well as in humility (4:1-5), was now 'shown off' in a glorious manner. It was not anything that he sought after, but that was the turn of events! (6:10-11).

As for Esther, who until now appeared to be passive and was 'acted upon' (e.g. 2:8, 11, 16, 21), under the pressure of the circumstances her bravery, devotion, and wisdom begin to shine forth. When she humbly revealed her identity and the demise of her people (7:3,4), not only did she find favor with the king (7:5ff.), but in this way she also freed the kingdom and its ruler from a possible overthrow by a traitor and a usurper to the throne.

In times of impending trouble, when evil runs rampant and danger is lurking, in-order to self-preserve one would instinctually choose to hide and conceal one's identity… The Book of Esther teaches us otherwise.  

"The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day" (Proverbs 4:18). 

 

One Foundation

 While reading the Epistle of James recently, I was arrested by the following:  “Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?  Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs, neither can salt water produce fresh” (James 3:11-13).   There is no question that the universe of YHVH’s creation is governed by unalterable laws. 

The creation would not be able to exist without constraints and limitations. Elohim put fences around every item that He created in order to protect its particular nature, species or kind, doing so for the sake of its very existence.  Any attempt to change or alter those laws launches a process of deterioration, decay, and/or confusion.  YHVH’s laws are meant to stabilize the environment in which its forces are governing. This also holds true for His Word and Kingdom, and the way we are to relate to their absolute standards.  For example, “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please” (Galatians 5:17).  To reiterate, everything in this world and in the unseen realm has its limitations or boundaries, its causes and its effects, its days and its nights, seasons and years.

We, as the redeemed of YHVH, are called to be the Body of Messiah (and His dwelling place), and are under or surrounded by the laws that govern His Kingdom. We are no longer under the “laws of sin and death”, but are now ruled by the laws of Life and Godliness that are in Messiah Yeshua.  He is the foundation of YHVH’s Holy Temple that we, as living stones, are being built upon by a learning process so that we may take our stand and rely on the solid rock of Yeshua the Messiah (the Word). Paul writes: “According to the grace of Elohim which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it.  For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Yeshua the Messiah” (1 Corinthians 3:10-11).  Yeshua is the Spirit of Life and the giver of that life, while we are the living stones that are being built together upon this foundation.

Thus, “having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Messiah Yeshua Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in YHVH; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of Elohim in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:20-22).  Any builder knows that the construction of an edifice calls for adhering to many rules and building codes.  How much more so when it comes to the very dwelling of Elohim!  After the Tabernacle in the wilderness was completed Moses, for example, examined every single part to make sure that the entire structure and its components looked exactly like the one he saw in the heavenly realm (Exodus 39:43).  Yeshua will do the same with His temple.  There will be no defect or flaw - every stone will reflect the glory of His holiness. (see Hebrews 3:5-8).     

In this day of mass communication, when thousands of voices are interpreting the scriptural blueprints for the dwelling place of the Most High, it is extremely important to take heed. It is incumbent upon each of us, individually, to take responsibility so that our feet may be planted firmly on the foundation that has been laid by the Biblical apostles and prophets, with Yeshua being the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.  “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Yeshua the Son of Elohim, let us hold fast our confession” (Hebrews 4:14). Yeshua, even more so than Moses, is the master builder over the heavenly temple, and has given His Spirit to lead, guide and conform us to His likeness.

In all honesty, I had to examine myself as to how much time I spend listening to men and their sermons, compared to paying attention to the voice of the Shepherd, as He speaks through His Word.  The Father has laid a foundation, and that is His Son.  Thus, in order to ensure, bolster and reinforce this truth, everything will be shaken and tested by fire, whether in our personal life or in this world.

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You. How blessed are the people who discern the truah sound! O YHVH, they walk in the light of Your countenance.  In Your name they rejoice all the day, and by Your righteousness they are exalted” (Psalm 89:14-16 emphasis added).  

Obsession

 Obsession is a very interesting term. Here is an internet definition of it:  “It has a positive side and a negative. A healthy obsession is when you want to do something and you will always make time for it, not matter what. Late nights, early morning if you have to you will make certain sacrifices to achieve it.  Unhealthy is when it doesn’t happen for whatever reason and you feel panic and or guilt about it”.

When pondering Yeshua’s words in Matthew 22:27, quoted from Deuteronomy 6:5, regarding the “first commandment”: "… you shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might”, I began to contemplate my relationship to it.  How do those words influence my everyday life?  How much of my day is involved in carrying out this command? How important or deep is my love, on those three levels for the One I call YHVH/Father or Yeshua?

It seems that we are born with an inherent need to give ourselves completely to this ‘thing’ called “love”.  But often love is more of a mystery that is hidden from us, yet so much a part of our being that without it our person and our very existence would wither. Is this the reason that Yeshua and the Torah command us to love our Heavenly Father with our entire being? Or is it to discover that in the present condition which is still influenced by the power of sin, we are totally incapable of keeping or carrying out this imperative?

Having had a one-time experience in my life, of being obsessed with what I then termed “love”, I remember how my thoughts, emotions, and actions – that is the entirety of my person - were totally preoccupied with the object of this passion. At the time, I obviously wasn’t aware of its danger and effect on future relationships. Mistaking this obsession for “love”, I held on to a distorted view or impression of the reality of “love”, although to some degree I did expect trust, faithfulness, honesty, and integrity to characterize this “love affair”. However, these expectations were not met and the obsession proved itself to be perhaps more of an infatuation, or a pipe dream. Thus, this became a negative experience. 

After I became a believer in the New Covenant, through divine intervention and an act of faith, the long journey to healing my bruised heart and changing negative thoughts and emotions began.  I was born again into and by the love of Yeshua who gave Himself up so that I would experience forgiveness and healing.  As true as that statement is, I still find myself asking the original question about the commandment:  Am I loving a Holy Elohim with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my strength?  I don’t know about you, but I’m not there. Even after 50 years of being a believer, I cannot claim to be obsessed with being in love with Yeshua and His Father. Yes, I do appreciate everything that they are to me, my family and friends, and life in general, and I am very thankful.  Yet even after being in “full-time service” for 25 years, I cannot claim to have succeeded in keeping that first commandment, and most likely not the second one, “love your neighbor as yourself”, either. I don’t even come close to the love that the Father has for my brother or a neighbor, let alone to my enemy.

I think a lot about the word “intimacy” with Yeshua or the Father and wonder if when the time comes He will say, “You did many wonderful things in My name but I never knew you”. Or, ‘You really never loved Me to the point of giving up your life for Me as a living sacrifice’.  Or, that He would look at me like He did at the rich young man who couldn’t give up his possessions to follow Yeshua (see Matthew 19:16-22).

One thing for sure, in my weakness and with all my inabilities, His love is sure and steadfast. Maybe the idea of that first commandment is that He is showing me that He loves me with all His heart, mind, and strength?

Indeed, the first epistle of John 4:19 declares that we were not the ones who loved Elohim first, but it is He who loved us first. His entire Word attests to this unchangeable fact. And although Elohim calls Himself "I am that I am", and literally "I will be what/who I will be" (Ex. 3:14), and "the first and the last" in Isaiah 44:6, John also says in his first epistle that Elohim is light (1:5), and David proclaims in Psalm 34:8 that He is good. However, the most sublime, all-inclusive, and quintessential "definition" of Elohim (defining Elohim, is that even possible"?) is Love - Elohim IS love (1 John 4:8, 16). 

It would appear then that all of His other attributes and characteristics are encapsulated by love. It was this love that put Yeshua on the cross, and allowed us to be forgiven and then resurrected with Elohim's Son. By extension, the resurrected life with which He raised us is 'made' of love, nothing less. Our Redeemer-Lover-Elohim possesses us by His love, which is our very life. Hence, love is our essence too. It is longing and bursting to be expressed to Him who IS LOVE. ‘Abba, please break all barriers that inhibit us, that stop us, that hinder us from expressing our true nature of love back to You’!

Waking Up to Wisdom

 “My son, if you will receive my sayings, and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of YHVH, and discover the knowledge of Elohim. For YHVH gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:1-6).  

YHVH gives us wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.  The scribes and prophets of old were anointed to hear “Thus says YHVH”, and we are still blessed today to read these messages in our scriptures. Therefore, “wisdom” means we should be attentive to what He says.  The fact that the Almighty addresses each of us as “My son” is not only extremely endearing but also makes for a significant identity marker.  Having come from an ancestry of rebels and sinners who “have now found grace in the wilderness” (Jeremiah 31:2) what should be our response to YHVH’s “speaking”?  His Word is the same yesterday, today, and forever, but do we have eyes to see and ears to hear?  Habakkuk was told to “see” what YHVH would speak to him (ref. Hab. 2:1). Many have had their eyes open to see the truth, but then have slumbered off into dreamland.

Elohim is sovereign over all of the history of humanity and has arranged everything by His Word, both the good and the evil. As those who profess to hold on to His Word, we have no excuse for walking in rebellion anymore, nor to interpret the history of His people, both Judah and Israel/Ephraim from any other perspective than His.

One of the reasons for the anti-Semitism and hatred that is rampant today in the nations is the prevailing ignorance of Elohim’s Word and biblical history.  Some Christians and other ‘believers’, for example, declare that the Jews living in Israel are not ‘real’ ethnic Jews, even though they and the generations before them were persecuted in many nations and had to flee from place to place precisely because they were labeled “Jews”. After the State of Israel was formed in 1948, thousands of Jews fled Islamic countries (again, because of persecution). They are the Sephardic Jews, many of whom (especially from Iraq) can trace their ancestry back to the Babylonian exile.  Obviously, at the same time (i.e. after the 2^nd World War) Jews from eastern and central Europe, who were survivors of attempted extermination for being known as Jews for centuries, also made their way to the newly formed Jewish State (a return which is prophesied in numerous scriptures).  Thus, today after 76 years, there is a third and a fourth generation of the two groups merging and producing young men and women who are giving their Jewish blood to defend the only country in the world that YHVH has given to His people.  The Marxist and Islamic agendas (although very far apart ideologically yet united in their mutual hatred for the Elohim of Israel) are currently closing in on the western Judeo/Christian civilization. Those of us who have awakened to the obvious must pay attention to “wisdom”. “The fear YHVH is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). “Trust in YHVH with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear YHVH and turn away from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7).

YHVH is pouring out His Spirit in these latter days and with it a spirit of “wisdom” so that His people will ‘fear’ Him and listen to and obey that which comes from His mouth for:  “From His mouth come knowledge and understanding”. If we have these we will not be deceived by the lying spirits flooding the airways. Remember who the prince and power of the air is!

Gospel of Elohim Two in One

 A couple of weeks ago, we looked at the Gospel of God/Elohim. What is the Gospel of God/Elohim, other than His way of making Himself known? In Romans chapter 1 Paul introduces us to Elohim’s Son – Yeshua  (v.3), whom He sent to reveal His Holiness, His righteousness, and His power to resurrect the dead (vs.4, 19).  The Father’s life was in His Son in order to reconcile the fallen creation/creature back to Himself (see 2nd Corinthians 5:19).  Everything about Yeshua the Son was to glorify and reveal the Father. 

In the second half of Romans 1, Paul points out a characteristic of the Father that many believers seem to be uncomfortable with, and that is “the wrath of Elohim” (v.18), proving that He is just and righteous in all His ways and that His statutes, laws and ordinances have never changed.  Paul continues, by describing the rebellion, apostasy, adultery and idolatry of the people that knew YHVH (v.21) – Israel. As he goes through the history of YHVH’s people, Paul enumerates the specifics of the behavior of Israel who strayed into rebellion, even “not seeing Him in the things that He created” (v.20), reflecting the depth of humanity’s spiritual deprivation. But in spite of this complete falling away, the Father presents His people with a message of “life from the dead” and thus launches the Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah of Israel. 

When Miriam, Yeshua’s mother, visited her pregnant relative Elizabeth, she was extolling the Almighty in worship and at the end made this statement: "He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy,  As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever" (Luke 1:54-55 emphasis added). Later in the same chapter, Zacharias the father of the other baby, being full of the Spirit prophesied: "Blessed be Adonai Elohim of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant--  as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old …  to show mercy toward our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days” (Luke 1:68-70, 72-75 emphases added).  It bears repeating, YHVH wants His chosen to serve Him in “holiness and righteousness and live before Him all our days”.  Already before He made the covenant with Abram, YHVH charged him “walk before Me and be tamim - blameless” (Gen. 17:1 emphasis added), without spot or wrinkle “that He might present to Himself the church [the heirs of the promise] in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:27).  

In the above scriptures YHVH coalesces the New Covenant and the Abrahamic Covenant into One Covenant. He is thus bearing witness to His faithfulness to Abraham, the forefathers and to their seed, whom He promised to “bless and multiply”. The proof of these two immutable promises is revealed in the New Covenant.  “In the same way Elohim, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, in order that by two unchangeable things (blessing and multiplying) in which it is impossible for Elohim to lie” (Hebrews 6:17-18a emphasis added).  This mystery is great but if we see the inherent connection between the two covenants and the heirs who have been “blessed and multiplied”, we will understand our true identity and bear witness to an Elohim who does not lie. He will not compromise His own nature but will reveal it in His people who will walk before Him and be ‘tamim’. 

Those who claim to be Christian-believers and are looking to be blessed by blessing the Jews, do not understand that they have already been blessed because they are the Abrahamic heirs of the multiplicity aspect of the blessing - “the fullness of the nations”. (This is not replacing one group for another, but the reality of the fulfillment.) “Thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, ‘the Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob’" (Romans 11:2; 25-26; see Genesis 48:16-19).

This “One Covenant” requires faith in order to walk before YHVH and be “tamim”.  "Come, let us return to YHVH. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before Him” (Hosea 6:1-2 emphasis added).  Hosea states that Israel would live before YHVH, as does King David before him: “How blessed are those whose way is blameless [tamim], who walk in the Torah of YHVH” (Ps. 119:1) by faith. 

The Gospel of God/Elohim - The Master Builder

 The Gospel of God/Elohim – the Master Builder

Lately, I’ve been dwelling on the “Gospel of God/Elohim” after seeing a translation from the “morphological GNT translation” that is used by the NASB95.  Normally it says, “The gospel of the kingdom of God/Elohim”.  But here are a few other verses in the NASB that leave out the Greek word for kingdom.   

Mark 1:14 “And after John had been taken into custody, Yeshua came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God/Elohim”.

2 Corinthians 11:7 “Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God/Elohim to you without charge?”

1 Thessalonians 2:8-9 “Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God/Elohim but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God/Elohim.”

1 Peter 4:17 “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God/Elohim?”

Romans 1:1-2 “Paul, a bond-servant of Messiah Yeshua, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God/Elohim, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures”

Galatians 3:8 “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God/Elohim would justify the Nations by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘All the nations shall be blessed in you’".

According to Hebrews, the first gospel – good news - to be proclaimed was to Abraham: "For when God/Elohim made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, 'Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.' And so, after he had patiently endured, Abraham obtained the promise. For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all disputes. Thus Elohim, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for Elohim to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…” (Heb. 6:13-20 emphases added).  There is abundant good news in the above passage.  When writing to Timothy, Paul reminds him of the gospel that was entrusted to him: “… according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God/Elohim, with which I have been entrusted” (1 Timothy 1:11).  

Elohim promised to multiply into the “fullness of the nations” Abraham’s life through his and Sarah’s son, Isaac, and then in the next generation, Jacob, ad infinitum. True to this promise, in our day the “fullness” has become very ‘full’ and is made up of the ones who respond to this gospel of God with the faith that was inherent and inherited from the forefathers.  Having this faith, we believe that the God of Israel did what He said He would do for Abraham and his progeny through Isaac and Jacob, and that is to multiply and then make them/us a blessing in the nations.

 Elohim’s multiplicity was accomplished when His people were under the curse of iniquity and sin as “sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2).  But after Yeshua came to redeem them, they became the promised “blessing”.  ^“Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are the sons of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7). Paul reiterates here what he said in Romans 4:16: “For this reason it is by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace, in order that the promise may be certain to all the seed/descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all… “  (emphasis added).

If it were possible for Elohim to lie, we would have no hope and our faith would have nothing to draw from. Elohim made one oath, and that was to Abraham. This oath is the testing ground of His very own nature. If He did not remain faithful to this promise, He would have had to relinquish His claim to holiness, righteousness, and faithfulness.

According to the above-quoted scriptures (from Hebrews 6), there are two immutable, unchanging, permanent things that Elohim has ordained, predestined, sealed, and finalized, and they are: "blessing I will bless and multiplying I will multiply you [Abraham]". Elohim's faithfulness to this covenant is our hope, which is an anchor for our Israelite soul. Your identity as sons of Abraham is a witness of the “Gospel of God”, who is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - “the God of the living” (Mathew 22:32). Yeshua proclaimed the gospel of God and taught us to pray “Our Father… “  

The fact that Elohim has a “Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world” (Hebrews 1:2), demonstrates powerfully, among other things, His way of culminating His salvation, redemption and “restoration of all things” plan which, by necessity, had to conform to this pattern. What is the pattern? It is a “building”. In this case, a building made up of “living stones” (1^st Peter 2:5). “Son”, “ben” in Hebrew, is rooted in “building” (b.n.h), layer upon layer, generation after generation (hence the genealogical listings in Scripture). The Master Builder not only had to have a “Son” – ben – who is the “foundation stone” (Is. 28:16; Ps. 118:22) as well as the “top stone” (Zech. 4:7), and a “a tested stone” of His Temple, He also had to ‘build’, gradually, layer by layer, a living structure made up of selected stones. It is no wonder that when Jacob blessed Joseph, he used the term “ro’eh even Yisrael”, “the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel” (Genesis 49:24). The very word “stone” – “even” (pronounced like the name Evan) – is made up of the letters “alef’, “bet” and “noon”. Alef and bet makeup “av” – father, while bet and noon make up “ben” – son.

When Sarah sought to have a son through a surrogate mother, she said: “…perhaps I shall obtain children through her" (Genesis 16:2). “I shall obtain children” in the Hebrew original is designated by one word, “Iba’neh” – I shall be built by having a son. Notice that the verb used stems from the root, b.n.h, pointing to “building” and to “son”. In Genesis 30:3, we read about Rachel using the exact verb in precisely the same circumstances.  

Thus, the sanctuary or temple of the Almighty is made up of a chronology of living stones of those who have had the faith of their forefathers, “son” after “son”, reaching a “fullness” that receives “the promise to Abraham or to his seed/progeny that he would be heir of the world” (Romans 4:13 emphasis added). Notice the Hebrews’ quote above, regarding Elohim’s Son being the “heir of all things”.

When Elohim issues a word, it is more than an utterance, it is life. The words spoken to Abraham – the good news of the plan of redemption and restoration – started to materialize through him and have not stopped since.

The good news of Elohim’s Son, is that He came to restore the house of Jacob and set up the Father’s kingdom in that house by building it with living stones.  Therefore, “Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.  Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain; when he was one I called him, then I blessed him and multiplied him" (Isaiah 51:1-2 emphases added).  Today, you are the witnesses of the Gospel of God/Elohim and His Son.

An Ancient Fear Reappears

 An Ancient Fear Reappears

The topic of this letter is somewhat unusual as I seldom write about statistics, but an insight while reading past Shabbat's Parasha has prompted some ideas.

The first chapter of the book of Sh’mot/Exodus continues to tell the story of the Hebrew people, who were very fruitful in the land of their sojourn. But then a Pharaoh who did not know his Egyptian history came to power, or in the words of Scripture, “a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph".   By this time, as mentioned, the Hebrews were very prolific, compared to the local population.  Fearing that these foreigners, living among them, might join an invading army, the king decided to do something about it.  So, Abram’s vision that his seed would be in a very dark place for four hundred years was about to be fully manifest.  “Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him. And Elohim said to Abram, 'Know for certain that your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years'” (Genesis 15:12-13).

We know the story. YHVH heard Israel's cry and sent a deliverer. But what if we were to superimpose the above scenario on our situation here in Israel, comparing ourselves to the Egyptians whose land was being filled with who may be termed as an alien people group? Let’s examine the numbers: The Jewish population of Israel is around 8 million.  The Arab population is Israel is close to 2 million, in the “West Bank” there are about 2.2 million Palestinians, and in Gaza 1.7 million, making a total of around 5 million Arabs.  The greatest concern that we are living with every day, just as did the Egyptians, is that if a foreign entity such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, or in Syria, or the nation of Iran were to invaded our state, the West Bank Arabs and those who are Israeli citizens may join the invading forces.  We have always been conscious of a possible fifth column in our neighborhood. 

This fearful concern almost came to pass on October 7^th. But Hamas made a tactical error as Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis in Yemen, with the help of the West Bank Arabs and possibly also Arab Israeli citizens, had a specific date planned and coordinated, to attack the Jewish state together. Thus the enemy from within would join the ones from over the border.  Had that happened we would have been overwhelmed by thousands of rockets, drones, along with invading forces. The damage to our roads, communication systems, electronic power, and everything else would have made it very difficult to gather and mobilize our forces.    Thankfully, the Almighty Protector of Israel put it in the minds of Hamas leaders to attack when they did, thus throwing off the enemies' coordinated plans. Hamas jumped the gun but did succeed in breaking through. Once they did, the call went out on all the Arab networks and communication systems for all the Arabs to join in and that included the local population.  The failure of the all-encompassing plan gave us time to mobilize and within just a couple of days we had an army of over 300 thousand troops and armaments along the borders of Gaza, Lebanon, and in the West Bank. 

The government ordered every citizen to have their home shelters ready for use and initially for all communities, big and small, to post local guards 24/7 in and around their towns.  The population in the villages and towns along the borders of Gaza and Lebanon was evacuated. 

This was kind of a long-winded way to compare the present to what went through the minds of the Egyptians in their concern about the Hebrews.  Some of the local Arabs, and many of them in Judea and Samaria (West Bank) celebrated the attack on the southern kibbutzim and towns and on those who participated in the party that took place near the Gaza border on that fatal day. So, what do we do now?  We obviously cannot take the same measures that were taken by the ancient Egyptians. But maybe we can pray that the Almighty will send our Muslim enemies a deliverer who will lead them out of Israel to their 'promised land' in one or all of the 57 Muslim countries. Hopeful thinking? A figment of my imagination? Or perhaps the solution is found in the following statement? "When a man's ways are pleasing to YHVH, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him" (Proverbs 16:7).