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Parashat D’varim (from August 8)

The dangers of projecting our own feelings/emotions on someone else, especially on God.

The very first line of the book of Deuteronomy, or D’varim, gives us a clue as to the content of the entire book. “These are the words of Moses.”  Deuteronomy is from the Greek words “repetition of the Law”. And that’s exactly what Moses does, he repeats all that the Israelites have been taught as they wandered in the desert. It may be tempting to skip this book, since we’ve already read all of this before, but I think it’s important to note what Moses decides to highlight before they enter into the promise. We have to remember that they were all either children or not present at all for what occurred in the books of Exodus and Numbers. God is taking this chance to warn them of their forefathers’ mistakes, so they will not be repeated. And the biggest mistake was the one that kept them out of the Promised Land.

Even though the Israelites had seen the mighty hand of God direct and save them over and over in both Egypt and in the desert, they had allowed the fear they felt after the bad report to permeate their hearts. Instead of focusing on the promise God had given, instead of focusing on His continued faithfulness, instead of focusing on His proven love, they allowed their feelings to affect their actions, which ultimately led to some harsh consequences. And as we are in the season of Tisha B’av, we can now see where it started, with the exodus generation being condemned to die in the desert. This event was the start of all the tragic events that would follow on the 9th of Av.

While God has given us emotions as a gift to relate to Him and others,  these emotions are never to direct our actions since sometimes they do not align with reality. For the Israelites, they appeared to project their own fears and feelings onto God when they told Moses, “Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us.” (Deuteronomy 1:27) We have to be very careful with our emotions and to keep them in check, or we might end up missing out of the great promise. When we are angry with God, we tend to think He must be angry with us, or when we feel resentful, we tend to think He has it out for us. This is a big trap that the enemy likes to use against us. The Israelites could have avoided all this by trusting what God spoke to them through Moses and by what they had already seen with their own eyes. When we are tempted to fall into this trap, we need only to go to the Word of God to see what we’ve already been told and to remember what He’s done for us in the past. Most importantly, what He did at the cross. God doesn’t need to prove Himself to us, He already did it all 2 thousand years ago!

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Parashat Pinchas (from July 21)

When you hear the word zeal, perhaps you think of an enthusiastic child getting ready to head to Disney Land for the first time. Or maybe you picture an activist group protesting the destruction of the local park. Whatever you picture, I’m sure it doesn’t include a sword wielding priest in the middle of the desert, the imminent death of a great leader, the passing of a mantle, the following of a disciple, or the turning over of tables. Yet, this week, we see it all. From excitement and intrigue, sadness and blessing, fervor and compassion.


     Zeal is described as: “great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective”, and what better cause is there than the cause of Adonai, our God. This is the type of zealousness that God smiles upon and rewards.


     Last week we ended our portion learning about the zeal of a particular cohen, named Pinchas. This week, we begin with God rewarding this same cohen for that very act, for “being zealous for God and making atonement for B’nei Israel.” He was rewarded with a covenant of peace with Adonai, and he and his descendants were given a “perpetual priesthood.”


      We also witness the zealousness of Moshe for the people of Israel that they would be left with someone who could bring them into the Promised Land after he has “gone the way of his fathers”. God appointed Joshua, son of Nun, for this position and gave him a portion of Moshe’s spirit, knowing his zealousness had been demonstrated after spying out the land. 


      Just like Moshe, Elijah was concerned about leaving someone in his place when he left this earth. God sent him to Elisha to anoint him and mentor him in the ways of a prophet of God. Elisha’s zealous heart is displayed when he leaves his livelihood and his family behind to follow the man of God.


      I believe this zeal was created in each one of our examples because they had a deep appreciation for what God had done in their lives, understanding how He had saved them from both physical and spiritual slavery. You must respect the thing you are zealous for and they respected and feared the One True, Living God.


     And, finally, we have the zeal of the Lord, Himself. Yeshua’s zeal for His Father is revealed when He observes the disrespect for His Father’s house. Most likely, the disciples had never seen this side of their loving and compassionate Rabbi before, but zealousness for Adonai can cause fervor in even the calmest of souls.


     We too, as believers in Yeshua, are called to be zealous for God . This means that we will be unafraid to stand for Him and on the truth found in His word, speaking that truth in love. At the same time, we must also beware that while we are eager to fight for the things of God, we must ensure that our hearts and actions are a reflection of God’s and in alignment with His Word. Misplaced zeal can lead to horrible things done in the name of Yeshua. 
     

Healthy zeal is evident in the natural fruit of one’s fervor, which comes in the form of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This type of zeal may look contrary to the world, as their zeal stems from what can be gained in the world, but we must remember that God’s opinion is the only opinion that matters. Then, and only then, can we proceed to go out and be zealous for our Lord.

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Parashat Balak (from July 18)

So this week, our portion focuses on Balaam, from Mesopotamia. Deuteronomy 23:5 recasts Balaam as a Mesopotamian diviner from faraway Aram-Naharaim, making the point that Adonai’s power extends even into the heartland of Assyria. Even though he heard rightly from Adonai, that didn’t make him a good man.  He was also a wicked prophet, but we all know that God can use anyone for His purposes, as He did with Balaam.
Upon first read about his story in Numbers 22:2-25:9, it appears that Balaam is merely doing what God told him to do. After he responded twice to Balak that,  “even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Adonai my God to do anything great or small”. God came to him after that,  during the night, and told him to go with the men, but, “only do what I tell you.” So, when we see Bilam do just that in the next verse and then God’s anger flares up because he went, it may seem confusing. But we have to remember that he God sees the heart. He obviously also knew Balaam’s heart when he went and when he answered Balak’s men and knew that what he was basically telling Balak was that he was willing to do as he asked, to curse Israel, but only if God would let him, because the power to do so would have to come from God. We can also see Balaam’s heart in his boastful proclamations to Balak. I’m picturing him giving a big sigh and then responding grudgingly that he couldn’t help. Possibly he was hoping deep down that something would change, perhaps God would change His mind and let him go. After all, think of all the riches the king of Moab could bestow upon him, and consider what it would mean to be in the king’s good standing.

Once he went, God even went so far as to bar his path, to keep him from going and doing this wicked thing. But Balaam was headstrong and determined to have his way. So much so, that he didn’t even see what his donkey saw: the Angel of Adonai standing in the path with his sword drawn. I think it says something when a stubborn donkey is wiser than her owner. Has God ever done this in your life? Literally put up barriers to block your way, but you just keep pushing past them? Maybe not to the extreme of an angel of the Lord blocking your path, but God does cause circumstances to prevent us from doing something really stupid sometimes. Yet, we plow right through those roadblocks, not heeding the danger signs up ahead. When we do this, we’re pulling a Balaam, or as the Bible puts it, holding to the doctrine of Balaam, which we’ll touch on in just a moment.

First, let’s look at what the Scriptures say about Balaam. In Micah 6:5 God tells Israel to remember how God saved them from Balaam and his curse.  Peter,  in 1 Peter  talks about Balaam being a false prophet and “loving the wages of wickedness.”  Judah in verse 11 is warning about ungodly people who have infiltrated the body of believers. And he compares them to Balaam in his lust for money. Finally, in the Book of Revelation, Yeshua warns some in the community of Pergamum that they need to give up their hold on “the teaching of Balaam, who was teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before B’nei Israel, to eat food sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality”. So, here we can see:  the way of Balaam , the error of Balaam and the doctrine of Balaam. The latter being a false doctrine still followed today. When someone in the name of God teaches that you can sin against the commandments of God and still have the blessings of God.

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Parashat Chukat (from July 11)

In Numbers 21, we see that the punishment for the Israelites’ discontentment with the Lord brought a plague of deadly serpents. I always found it interesting that He used serpents, given the link to satan. After all, their critical spirit mirrored that of the devil, didn’t it? He was the first one to ever voice, and act on, his own discontentment and he did so by turning against God. When we act this way, we too are turning against God, telling Him that what He gives us is not good enough, that we somehow deserve better. This type of ingratitude is exactly why the serpent was punished in the Garden, for his slanderous talk against God. It seems fitting that when the Israelites did the same thing, they received a punishment that fit the crime. The serpent had been cursed to eat a diet of dust all the days of its life, so it seems apropos that the serpents were sent as punishment to those who were complaining about their diet.

The difference between the Israelites and the serpent (the devil), is that the Israelites repented and asked Moses to go God on their behalf. And we know the devil will never do that, not even to the bitter end. But why did they need to repent? Because they had already forgotten that it was their own sin that caused them to be there. When God sent the serpents, it reminded them of their sinful hearts and as soon as they came to Moses and repented, and he interceded on their behalf, God gave them a way to be saved. This is where we can see Moses as a type and shadow of Yeshua and the bronze serpent on a pole as Yeshua’s yet to come sacrifice for their sins. This is confirmed in John 3:14-15, where Yeshua says,  “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that whoever believes in Him [likened to looking to Him in faith]  may have eternal life!
The serpent, a symbol of sin and judgment, was lifted up from the earth and put on a tree, which was a symbol of a curse.

Now, God’s instructions to the problem may seem a bit odd at first. I mean, He used serpents to punish them and now He’s using a bronze serpent to heal them. But, we have to remember that this wasn’t some kind of magic serpent, or an idol of some kind (even though in later years, they would make make it one as they began to turn to idol worship). But, no, this had to do with faith and obedience. It would seem illogical to look at a bronze image and be healed, just as it would seem illogical that the Son of God would die, which is exactly why it was an act of faith. The Israelites realized the guilt of their sin, the justice of God to punish them for it, the need for an intercessor between them and God, and that God alone can provide the remedy.

According to Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 3:8, when the people of Israel lifted up their eyes [toward heaven] and submitted to their Father in heaven, they were healed. If not, however, they would pine away. This is the same choice we are now given now in the New Covenant. If we are to lift up our eyes towards heaven and submit to our Father in heaven (by believing on His Son), we will be healed.

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Parashat Korach (from July 5)

Numbers 16: 3, “You take too much on yourselves! After all, the entire community is holy, every one of them , and Adonai is among them.  So why do you lift yourselves up above
Adonai’s assembly?”

Those in Korach’s group complained that all of the community was holy, so why was Moses elevating himself above them. While it is true that God had set apart the entire nation of Israel to Himself, He also specifically chose leaders to lead the people by His special instruction. We are to honor those chosen by the Lord.

In a previous parasha,  B’ha’alotkha, we saw Aaron and Miriam do something similar as they criticized Moses, saying, “is it true that Adonai has spoken only with Moses? Hasn’t He spoken with us too?” Numbers 12:2. Jealousy didn’t get them very far, as Miriam was struck with leprosy and was only saved because the very one she accused prayed for her and God listened.

I find it interesting that in both cases, God’s chosen leaders were being questioned, which was, in reality, God’s own choices being questioned. While we know that we were all created in God’s image, we must also understand that God gives us distinct positions while here on earth. Each according to His will, not our own. And we must respect our leaders.

This isn’t an unusual situation, which is why Yeshua warns against exalting ourselves in Matthew 23:12, “whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted”. We see these minds of situations arise in the church/ congregation, when people either aren’t taught the proper order of authority or they just plain don’t like it. Korach didn’t come up against Moses and Aaron alone. No, he made sure he got others on his side. Contention is contagious and this is why we must be careful not to fall into the trap of listening to our neighbors’/friends’ gripes (which, in reality is also gossip), especially when it’s against congregational leadership, who are God’s elected. This is dangerous ground and should only be heeded “on the basis of two or three witnesses” (1 Timothy 5:19), not just the grumblings of a friend.

If you notice, this beef against Moses and Aaron came from a section of the Levites, the Korathites, who resented serving the Cohen. They thought they were just as worthy to be priests as Aaron’s family. But notice that somehow a group of Reubenites wind up on Korach’s side. What do they have to do with any of this? Probably nothing, except that they were neighbors to the Korathites as they were both stationed on the south side of the Tabernacle. So, they most likely heard Korach’s complaints, listened, and next thing you know, they’re drawn into an insurrection. Nittai Ha’arbeli, in Pirkei Avot says: Distance yourself from an evil neighbor, [so that you do not learn from his deeds, and, also, so that you not share in his downfall, for “Woe to the wicked and woe to his neighbor!”], and do not befriend the wicked one.

Through Korach and his neighbors’ actions, we see exactly why God did not choose them for the important role of serving Him at the altar, for it is only when a man utterly subjects his own will to God and says, “Not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39), is God able to inhabit him, work through him and ultimately exalt him. Moses was such a person, the most humble man of his generation.

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Parashat Shelach (from June 27)

The spies bad report: Numbers 13:27-29, 32-33

The commandment for tzitzit: Numbers 15:37-41

Tie together how the spies trusted  their own eyes, what they saw, and not the promise from God that He would personally give them the land.
The dangers of trusting what we see and hear over the promises of God.
The tzitzit are a reminder “not to follow after our own hearts and our own eyes”.

This week’s portion covers the 12 spies, a leader from each tribe, who were chosen by Moses to spy out the land promisedto the Israelites by God. They were here, only a year after they’d left Egypt. Moses asked for a report,  as to what kind of land it was. He told them to “notice the people living there, whether they were strong or weak, few or many; and what kind of countryit was, good or bad; and what kind of cities, open or fortified; whether the land was fertile or unproductive and whether or not there was wood. Then he asked them to bring back some of the fruit of the land. Now, in the book of Numbers, we see that Adonai told Moses to send the men, but in Deuteronomy, when Moses is recapping all that happened in the wilderness, we see that it was actually the people who approached him and said,  “let’s send men ahead of us to explore the country.”So, we see the story behind the story.

It seems that Moses (and God) agreed to this so that a good report would encourage the people. This is why he specifically had them bring back the fruit of the land so they could see with their eyes what they were about to inherit. They also wanted to people to be equipped for whatever they were up against in battle. It’s always good to be strategic in war.

Perhaps it seems as if the plan backfired, but in reality, they had the info they needed and the true hearts of the people were revealed. Unfortunately, the 10 unfaithful spies, who gave the bad report trusted in their own eyes, in what they saw, instead of the promise they’d been given back in Exodus that said, ““My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out” (Exodus 23:23). Perhaps Paul was thinking of this very story when he exhorted the Corinthians to “walk by faith, not by sight.” Surely, all the Israelites over 20 who had been counted in the previous census learned that lesson the hard way.

I find it apt that the portion ends with a command that will prevent this kind of thing in the future. In Numbers 15:37-41, we see God instructing then to make tzitziyot on the corners of their garments “to look at and thereby remember all of Adonai’s mitzvot and obey them so you won’t go around wherever your own heart and eyes lead you”, which is exactly what happened when the spies gave the bad report and the people became too scared to remember God’s promises and His commands to follow Him always.

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Parashat Naso (from June 14)

This week, we begin with another census, but we’re really starting where we left off last week. Moses was on the middle of Levite census. He had already taken a count of the descendants of K’hat and listed their duties in the Tent of Meeting and regarding the Holy things,  and now he moves on to Gershon and M’rari and distributes their duties. When that is complete, God gives some more instructions to ensure that the camp is not defiled since He will dwell among them.

Then, all of a sudden, we get into this long explanation of what seems like a magical ritual of some sort, regarding a possibly unfaithful woman, and a jealous husband.  This is called the Sotah Ritual. This law is quite perplexing, especially to our modern ears.

A husband’s jealousy can be a profoundly destructive and vengeful force. As Proverbs 6:34 declares: ‘For jealousy is a husband’s fury; therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.’

This ritual is meant to curb this jealousy, whether rightful or not, before it became abusive or worse. It made the man surrender judgment to the Almighty instead of taking into his own hands. It was also meant to vindicate the innocent. Unlike other such rituals seen throughout history, this one wasn’t dangerous, although it would have been unpleasant.

There seem to be 3 main reasons for this case to be treated differently than all the others: 1) the destructive forces of unchecked jealousy in this area,  2) the vulnerability of the suspected party, and 3) the unfaithfulness of a wife, as opposed to a husband, threw the legitimacy of the children into question. This doesn’t mean that God treats ultimate judgment of adultery of a wife any differently or worse than the adultery of a husband, but it was addressed in this specific way because of the disruption of the family, of the sacred,  covenantal union. God took this very seriously. The same language used in this text is used in mankind’s relationship to God (e.g. Israel defiling herself and being unfaithful to God). To understand the seriousness, we have to remember that the marital bond is symbolic of mankind’s relationship to God, and any distortion or violation of it is akin to idolatry.

When we look at Numbers 5 in this light, we see it is not only about the sexual act, it is pointing to the testing of the faithfulness of God’s people symbolically in this ritual, since we are His bride and He is our jealous Divine Husband who tells us in Exodus 20:5 Exodus 20:5
“You shall not bow down to the idols or worship them for I the Lord am a jealous God”

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The Feast of Rejoicing (The Last Feast)

The Basics


Sukkot (Feast of Booths or Tabernacles), Chag HaAsif (חג האסיף), is one of the three biblically based pilgrimage holidays, out of the seven Mo’edim, or holy appointed days. All three together (Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot) are known collectively as the shalosh regalim. Sukkot itself is an agricultural festival which was originally considered a thanksgiving for the fruit harvest. Sukkot are hut-like structures that the Jews lived in during the 40 years of travel through the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt. As a temporary dwelling, the sukkah (singular for sukkot) also represents the fact that all existence is fragile, and therefore, Sukkot is a time to appreciate the shelter of our homes and our bodies. Just as the sukkah is a temporary dwelling, so are our bodies a temporary dwelling for us on this earth.(https://toriavey.com/what-is-sukkot/#brAPJ5LZXm6XMmlO.99)

Th Sukkot festival begins this year on Sunday, October 13th and continues through to the 20th. As you see here, this is actually 8 days, although it is called a 7-day feast. The last day is actually considered a “bonus” day, which is spent in solemn rest.

Sukkot is a divinely ordained festival and the instructions given by Adonai to the Israelites can be found in Leviticus. On the first day you are to take choice fruit of trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and rejoice before Adonai your God for seven days. You are to celebrate it as a festival to Adonai for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations—you are to celebrate it in the seventh month. You are to live in sukkot for seven days. All the native-born in Israel are to live in sukkot, so that your generations may know that I had Bnei-Yisrael to dwell in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am Adonai your God.”
Leviticus 23:40‭-‬43 TLV

Day one and day 8 are holy convocations and a time for solemn rest before Adonai. The other days are to be spent rejoicing, So you will rejoice in your feast—you, your son and daughter, slave and maid, Levite and outsider, orphan and widow within your gates. Seven days you will feast to Adonai your God in the place He chooses, because Adonai your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hand, and you will be completely filled with joy.
Deuteronomy 16:14‭-‬15 TLV.

The 8th day, as mentioned earlier, is considered a “bonus day”, or the last great day. It holds prophetic significance and I will speak on it further in the prophetic section.
The Celebration
Now that we understand what this holiday represents and why Adonai commanded it, let’s get into the celebration!!

After going through fasting, atonement and finally breaking the fast following Yom Kippur, Jews all over the world are preparing for a week long fall festival. Here we go!

In strict orthodoxy, all meals would be taken within the family sukkah each day, but for my Messianic Jewish family, we are choosing one night to do so, as a special gathering with family and friends in celebration and to feast together. This is an individual preference and what is put upon your own heart.

This tent is usually beautifully decorated with fruits and ambient lighting (if one so chooses) as well.

The Arba Minim (Four Species)

“And you shall take for yourselves beautiful fruits, date palms, branches of myrtle and willows of the brook” (Leviticus 23:40)

Lulav – A closed frond of a date palm tree. Ideally, the tiyomet – the twin middle leaf – should not be split at all

Etrog – The Citron Fruit

Hadassim – Myrtle Branches

Aravot – Willow branches
The collection of leaves are held together, along with the etrog (citron fruit) and, after reciting a blessing, they are waved in six directions: forward, backward, left, right, up and down. This symbolizes God’s dominion and sovereignty over all creation (all nations).

Guests in the Sukkah of David


““In that day I will raise up the tabernacle [sukkah] of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old, that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,” declares the Lord who does this.” Amos 9:11-12

The seven days of Sukkot are believed to correspond to the seven key figures in Biblical history – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David. Each day one of these “guests” are invited into the sukkah. As believers in Messiah, the 8th added day points to his return and we are to invite him into our lives for all days. His significance in all of this will become evident in the prophesy section.
The Lord Tabernacles with His People in the Millennial
(The Millenial Kingdom)

Prophesy


The first time Sukkot is mentioned is actually in Genesis, But Jacob journeyed to Succoth and built a house for himself, and for his livestock he made booths. That is the reason that place is called Sukkot.
Genesis 33:17 TLV. The significance of the number seven is pointed out shortly before this in Genesis 33:3 But he himself passed on ahead of them, and bowed to the ground seven times until he came near to his brother.

The first place the Israelites stopped after fleeing Egypt, was Succoth “Then Bnei-Yisrael journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about 600,000 men on foot, as well as children.”
Exodus 12:37 TLV


Yeshua used this very significant holy day to reveal things about himself, as demonstrated midway through the festival with his teachings in the temple courts as seen in John 7:14 and on the last day of Sukkot, he stands up and proclaims to be the living water in John 7:37-38. He also heals the blind man immediately following the festival in John 9:1-7.

The proclamation in John 7:37-38 points to prophesy from Isaiah 55:1 “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the water, and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!”

The “living waters” being brought to attention on the last day, the great day, of the festival, commands our attention be brought to the New Jeruselum we read about in Zechariah 14:7‭-‬9 “It will be a day known only to Adonai , neither day nor night—even in the evening time there will be light. Moreover, in that day living waters will flow from Jerusalem, half toward the eastern sea and half toward the western sea, both in the summer and in the winter. Adonai will then be King over all the earth. In that day Adonai will be Echad and His Name Echad.”

This “living water” and the New Jerusalem are also mentioned in Revelation 22:1-2 Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life—bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the city’s street. On either side of the river was a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

The New Jerusalem is said to arise only after the seven “days” of the earth (or seven thousand years) are finished, which points to the “8th day”, or as we go into the eight thousandth year (the Millennial Reign) shall we see the New Jerusalem. This 8th day of Sukkot is set aside to signify this time period, which is a time of rest, peace, and residing with the Lord.

According to Zechariah, during the Millennial Reign, all nations will be celebrating Sukkot. Then all the survivors from all the nations that attacked Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, Adonai -Tzva’ot , and to celebrate Sukkot .
Zechariah 14:16 TLV



Now, as for the blind man, Yeshua’s healing here shocked the people of that day, not only because the act itself was so amazing, but also because its timing. It is no coincidence that Jesus performed this miracle immediately after Sukkot, for we see him using this holy day to make some earth shattering statements about himself.

Read John 9:1‭-7 for yourself, then read on to see how this ties in to Yeshua’s declaration of living water one day earlier.


The water at the Pool of Siloam was considered “living water” because it came from a spring. “Living water” was used for ritual purposes. The priests would take the pitcher of “living water” from the Pool of Siloam and climb the hundreds of steps that went up to the beautiful Temple Mount. As they arrived at the court of the priests, they circled the altar once and then the priest poured the water out onto the altar of sacrifice. They did this each morning for the first six days. On the seventh day, called the “great day of the feast” the same ritual took place, except the priests circled the altar seven times instead of only once. (https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fall_Holidays/Sukkot/sukkot.html)

Yeshua proved himself to be the Messiah in this instance, having used Old Testament prophesy in his earlier declaration and by tying it into this miracle, using the “living water” of Siloam just to further emphasize the point. He is our living water. The Pool at Siloam was not necessary, but was used as demonstration.

Revelation 21:3-5 ties this all together, letting us know that the Lord intends to permanently tabernacle, or reside, with us. What a beautiful picture that has been painted for us in His promises, if we will merely seek them out.

Modern Application


We, as believers, are commanded to keep this feast by living in Sukkot because this is what God’s children do when we recognize that He has kept His promises. He has set us free from bondage. We have been returned to the land of our fathers. Living in Sukkot on the Feast of Tabernacles is our way of spending seven days envisioning our tabernacle with the Lord, in the future. We may still be living in the temporal, our temporal bodies, while here on Earth, but for these seven days, we live as if Ephesians 1 has been fulfilled and The Earthly and the Heavenly are brought together. We can live by the faith spoken of through Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen. (Rabbi Eric Tokajer)

This, my friends, is the epitome of Sukkot. All God’s children are invited in for this celebration. If you yet to experience it, I invite you to pray over it, and if you feel led, seek out a place to attend. Or, perhaps build your own Sukkah and celebrate with your family. This is a time of great joy!!
“Chag Sameach”


Sidenote: I have merely touched on the prophetic meanings displayed through Sukkot. For further teachings, you can follow 119ministries at: https://www.119ministries.com/ or on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/user/119Ministries

For a full read-up on all the customs and traditions that are seen in the celebration of Sukkot, please refer to:

https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fall_Holidays/Sukkot/sukkot.html

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The Beginning of All Things New

Sitting here contemplating the times we are in. And I’m just in awe that God, the Creator of all things, ordained me to be here, at this specific time, on the earth, at the end of the Age. What an honor to have been placed here for such a time as this.

Everyone keeps calling it “The end of time or “the end of the world”, when in reality, I see it as the beginning of everything! The end of the old is coming, in order to bring in the new!! And I cannot wait for the new, how about you?

What a blessing it is to serve the God of heaven and earth, YHWH Elohim!! To Him be the glory, and the honor, and the power forever and ever AMEN!