Reflections on Sukkot - The Time of Our Joy

Ahhhh....pomegranates!

(Didn't you know that I would begin this post with these words?!)

And I also say....AHHHHH, Sukkot!

Sitting in my sukkah on the
first day of Sukkot (before the winds).

Tonight (Thursday) as I begin to type this blog post, I am a little bit sad in the midst of my rejoicing.
Sukkot is now officially over for this year.
Tomorrow (Friday) I will take apart my sukkah.

Hmmm....
My sukkah!

My sukkah, pieced together from thrift store sheets, dime store curtains, old garden bamboo poles, and branches cut from overgrown road side trees (and new pine boards from the local lumber company)...

My sukkah, which survived one night of rain storms and 3 days of high Oklahoma winds with only a twisted front and some rearranged roof branches...

I became surprisingly attached to and fond of my sukkah during the week of Sukkot.  Even though the middle of my week of Sukkot was crazy-busy with a temporary job helping out at a large corporate event, and even though I was not home for most of the time during the middle of that week, the first day and the last day of the week of Sukkot, and the Shabbat day in between, were spent doing absolutely nothing but sitting in my sukkah and relaxing, dozing, reading, contemplating, praying, eating, dozing, napping (have I mentioned that yet?), etc.
(In hindsight, next year I will not take on such a time-consuming job right in the middle of Sukkot!)

I SO enjoyed the time in my sukkah!  And I enjoyed when my family came over on Shabbat to visit with me in my sukkah.

Since this is the first year that I have actively built my own sukkah (or helped build ANY sukkah), I had NO IDEA that it would be so satisfying to spend time in it, enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of the rooftop branches rustling in the breeze (and the fabric walls "breathing" in and out in the breeze).  I had no idea how it would  feel to sit back and look at the star-lit night sky from within my sukkah.  I had no idea how much more meaningful it would be to read God's Word from within a sukkah!  I had no idea how comforting and restful it would be to enjoy my meals sitting in my sukkah.  (I think even pomegranates taste better eaten in a sukkah, if that's possible!)

I heard that at least one of the Jewish synagogues in my city had built a sukkah, and I would guess that some other sukkot appeared in yards and on driveways and patios around the city.  However, as I drove around town during the week, I never saw another sukkah.  (SO different from my experience in Jerusalem during Sukkot last year...sukkot appeared in every available extra inch of space!)

I wondered what the neighbors thought as they walked up and down my street.  My sukkah was quite visible from the street through the chain-link fence.  I could see people do double-takes sometimes as they passed by.  I heard a child or two say "What's that?" and I overheard one boy say to his mom, "Wow, cool!"  (But I never heard what the adults said.)

At the same time, during the week of Sukkot, people around the USA were "occupying" Wall Street, "occupying" Chicago, "occupying" Atlanta...there was even a small group "occupying" Oklahoma City in a downtown park only a couple of miles from where I live.

I don't understand all that is being represented and promoted by this movement of "Occupy Wall Street"...it all seems vague and undefined.  This blog post is not about what I think about all of that or whether I agree or disagree with any of it.  But I found it interesting that during the time so many people were living in tents or under blankets out in the open in parks around the country, protesting and trying to make some kind of point, I was occupying my sukkah!!
I was obeying a command given by my Elohim, my God, to build a booth and live in it for a week and to REJOICE in Him!!

At the same time that I was building my sukkah, I also noticed some other temporary items being erected and decorated in the neighborhoods around mine.  I might have been the only person building a sukkah (that I could see), but I was not the only person decorating for a "holiday".

Just a few houses down the street is a giant 6 foot tall inflatable skull with a huge spider on top.  And two streets down is a  house with a temporary cemetery in the front yard, complete with temporary black fencing, coffins sticking halfway out of the ground, and skeletons strewn about.  And then on another street is an inflatable witch riding on a broomstick.  Orange and black lights and goblins and ghosts seem to be floating around every corner of many houses in my neighborhood, and "Haunted House Tours" have sprung up overnight, one just a few blocks away.  (I can honestly say that during the time I lived outside of the USA, I was so glad to be away from this particular American "holiday.")

As I have driven past such stomach-turning, darkly evil, ghoulish sights and finally arrived at my home and settled into my sukkah with my Bible and a cup of coffee and some soup and bread and cheese (and pomegranates)...my sukkah with cheery decorations of flowers and fruit and candlelight dancing and the smell of willow and palm and myrtle...I have felt such a huge relief that I have chosen to obey God's command to celebrate HIS way and HIS appointed times instead of the way I used to celebrate (in keeping with the cultural traditions and holidays of the USA).  This past week, I have felt so safe and secure in my flimsy, wind-blown, cheery little sukkah....like I was wrapped in the comfort and safety of the embrace of my God!

I cannot begin to describe this new-found sense of security I have after this week of Sukkot.  I had heard that living in a flimsy sukkah for a week gives a person a new sense of God's faithfulness and His sovereignty, and our complete dependence on Him for everything, just as the Israelites in the desert after the exodus from Egypt were completely dependent on YHVH for everything.   Now I can say that I have experienced that deeper sense of realization that I can do nothing...He alone is in control of my life...He alone gives me what I need to live...He alone IS my life!

And in the midst of this sense of comfort and safety and dependence on God, I found that it is not difficult AT ALL to fulfill His command to REJOICE during Sukkot!!  What a wonderful week of rejoicing it was!

One of the reflections that I want to mention was a wistful and almost sad thought, or really more of a surprisingly strong feeling, that began to surface on the first day of Sukkot when I was finally just sitting and enjoying my sukkah after a month of preparation and building.

I was looking around at the cheery decorations, the bright yellow flowers adorning the entrance, the small and delicate dark green palm fronds draped over the sides of the roof, the blue fabric walls and decorations moving slightly in the breeze...

And suddenly I had the thought that I did not want the yellow flowers to wither and dry out.  I did not want the wind or rain to ruin any part of my "creation."  I did not want to have to take down my sukkah at the end of the week.  I was becoming rather attached to this flimsy temporary dwelling that I put so much effort and creativity into (I use the word "creativity" loosely).  I wanted to keep this experience and this sukkah for much longer than one week!  I felt like Peter who, at the transformation of Yahshua on the mountain when Moses and Elijah appeared, was so overcome with emotion that he offered to construct a sukkah for each of the three men so they could stay there and live the experience even longer! (Matthew 17, Mark 9, Luke 9)

At that moment, I realized how very similar a sukkah is to the earthly bodies we "occupy."
We can become so attached to our physical bodies, these temporary dwelling structures we inhabit for a short time.   We know they are temporary.  We know they will decay and wither away and become more and more tattered and useless as time goes by.  We know that we cannot live in these bodies forever.  Yet we become so attached to how they look and how they function.  We want to hold onto "youth" and "mobility" and "appearance" with a fondness that can be difficult to turn loose of.

And I was reminded of the scripture that talks about the temporal dwellings we live in and the eternal home we will have with our God in His forever Sukkah.  The temporary booth that YHVH commands us to build and live in for a week every year is NOT about the sukkah...it's about HIM!  We are not supposed to rejoice because of the sukkah...we are supposed to rejoice because of HIM!
YHVH is our ultimate Eternal Cover, Dwelling Place, Provision, Shelter, LIFE!



2 Corinthians 4:5-5:10  (in this version, The Scriptures, Yahshua's name is written in Hebrew)

For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Messiah יהושע (Yahshua) the Master, and ourselves your servants for the sake of יהושע.   For Elohim, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts for the enlightening of the knowledge of the esteem of Elohim in the face of יהושע Messiah.   And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power might be of Elohim, and not of us –  being hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; being perplexed, but not in despair;  being persecuted, but not forsaken; being thrown down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Master יהושע, that the life of יהושע might also be manifested in our body.   
For we, the living, are always delivered to death for the sake of יהושע, that the life of יהושע might also be manifested in our mortal flesh, so that death indeed is working in us, but the life in you.   But having the same spirit of belief, according to what has been written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised up the Master יהושע shall also raise us up through יהושע, and shall present us with you.  For all this is for your sake, so that favour, having spread through the many, would cause thanksgiving to overflow, unto the esteem of Elohim. 


Therefore we do not lose heart, but even if our outward man is perishing, the inward man is being renewed day by day.  For this slight momentary pressure is working for us a far more exceeding and everlasting weight of esteem.  We are not looking on what is seen, but on what is not seen. For what is seen passes away, but what is not seen is everlasting.  For we know that if the tent of our earthly house, is destroyed, we have a building from Elohim, a house not made with hands, everlasting in the heavens.  For indeed in this we groan, longing to put on our dwelling which is from heaven, so that, having put it on, we shall not be found naked.  For indeed, we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we wish to put it off, but to put on the other, so that what is to die might be swallowed up by life.  
Now He who has prepared us for this same purpose is Elohim, who has given us the Spirit as a pledge of what is to come.  Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Master – for we walk by belief, not by sight -  we are of good courage, and are well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Master.  So we also make it our aim to be well-pleasing to Him, whether being at home, or being away from home.  For we all have to appear before the judgment seat of Messiah, in order for each one to receive according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

As I was sitting in my sukkah dwelling on these verses and on my strong (and surprising) desire to "keep" my sukkah around much longer than one week, I made a conscious decision to stop focusing on my fondness for my sukkah and rather focus on my love for YHVH, my Eternal Sukkah.  Once this realization took hold, I began to understand the deeper meaning of these verses and what it means to "let go" of our temporary dwelling place, and the safety and security and even pride that is represented in it, and to instead look to Elohim and TRUST in His provision for eternal life rather than settling for temporal life.  Every time I looked at my sukkah, I was immediately reminded of YHVH's eternal faithfulness to His people - past, present, and future.  And then I couldn't help but REJOICE!

I also realized that if I had not taken the time to obey God and build a sukkah to live in for a week, I would not have come to the deeper understanding of what it means to LIVE His Word, including these verses from 2 Corinthians.  I am finding that to be true with all of His commanded appointed times....for me, obeying them always brings a deeper understanding of some part of YHVH or His Word or His Son, Yahshua the Messiah.

And now, the most important part of Sukkot:  Yahshua the Messiah!

In my last blog post (which was at the beginning of Sukkot), I mentioned John chapter 7.  Did you read it?  Did you see the backdrop for the whole chapter?  Did you notice that all of the events and interactions that happened in this chapter happened during Sukkot?  Not just during Sukkot, but in the very midst of the Sukkot celebration, as an integral part of Sukkot.

In the first part of the chapter, Yahshua is accosted by his unbelieving brothers and pressured to go to Jerusalem for the Sukkot festival (verses 1-5).  But Yahshua answered that his time had not yet come and that they should go on up to the festival for his time had not yet been fulfilled.  (verses 6-8)

After his brothers left him, Yahshua went secretly to the festival of Sukkot (verse 10).
In the middle of the festival, Yahshua went into the Temple and was teaching His FATHER's words, and people were amazed at it.  (verses 14-16)

I won't go into detail about all that Yahshua spoke here.  You can read it for yourself.
But it started the people debating among themselves whether or not he was the Messiah, and many believed that he was.

The part I want to look at comes after this.
Let's begin at verse 37, which opens at the end of Sukkot, on the 7th day of the festival, otherwise known as Hoshanah Rabbah, or The Great Supplication/Great Salvation.
This word "hoshanah" is related to the word "hoshianah" (the word we know as hosanna), and it is a cry for salvation.  It is a desperate plea: "please save us!"  


Now before we go further with what Yahshua says in this verse, let me tell you that one tradition of Sukkot that happened each of the seven days was the Water Libation.  Basically, the priest would go down to the spring of Shiloach and draw some of the "living" water from the spring.  He would take it back up to the Temple and pour it on the altar.  This was not a biblical command, but it was a tradition with the verse from Isaiah 12:3 as a reference:  "With joy you shall draw water out of the well of salvation."


So now we come to the 7th day of Sukkot, the Great Supplication, the cry of "YHVH, please save us!"
And we have the priest performing the Water Libation with the "living" water from the spring.

Now look at what Yahshua did and said during this 7th day of the festival of Sukkot:


John 7:37-39
  And on the last day, the great day of the festival, יהושע stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me, and let him who believes in Me drink.  As the Scripture said, out of His innermost shall flow rivers of living water.” 
And this He said concerning the Spirit, which those believing in Him were about to receive, for the Set-apart Spirit was not yet given, because יהושע was not yet esteemed. 


Can you imagine the reaction of the people?  (Look in chapter 7 to see what it was.)
They would immediately have made the connection between the water libation, the cry for salvation, the search for living water, and the claim that this man Yahshua was making and had been making during the years of His ministry...

Yahshua is the Living Water.  
Yahshua is Salvation (that is, after all, exactly what his name means), the promised Messiah.
Yahshua is the perfect and complete fulfillment of YHVH's commanded festival of Sukkot (and ALL other commanded appointed times).
Yahshua IS our Sukkah, in every possible way, in the completeness of every detail, for eternity!

To see more of how Yahshua fits into this perfect picture of the past, present and future coming together in the  fulfillment of all biblical prophecy regarding Him, regarding Jerusalem (the place where YHVH has chosen as the dwelling place for His Name), regarding His people Israel (including those who are grafted in through belief in YHVH's salvation - Yahshua), and how YHVH's appointed time of Sukkot dovetails perfectly into place, read Zechariah 14.  (Of course, this passage is supported by countless other places in YHVH's Word.)

The last part of the last book of YHVH's Word gives us the beautiful and joyful picture of our Eternal Sukkah  with YHVH through Yahshua the Messiah:

Revelation 21:1-4
And I saw a renewed heaven and a renewed earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more.  And I, John, saw the set-apart city, renewed Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from Elohim, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the heaven saying, “See, the Sukkah of Elohim is with men, and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and Elohim Himself shall be with them and be their Elohim.   And Elohim shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying. And there shall be no more pain, for the former matters have passed away.” 

Then, we will no longer be crying "Hosanna, hosanna!"
 ("Save us, save us!")

Instead we will be shouting out with great joy, 
"HALLELUYAH!!"  (Praise YAH!)




There is so much more about this wonderful and joyful appointed time of YHVH called Sukkot that I could write about...so many more reflections that I have pondered during this wonderful week.
But perhaps they will have to wait for next year.

Let me just finish this particular blog post with Psalm 84, which also has a deeper meaning for me now after experiencing this week of Sukkot.

Until next time, rejoice in the shelter of the wings of our Messiah, the Living Water, the Living Sukkah!

Gina

Psalm 84
How lovely are Your dwelling places, O יהוה of hosts! 

My being has longed, and even fainted, for the courts of יהוה; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. 
Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she has put her young ones – your altars, O יהוה of hosts, my Sovereign and my Elohim. 
Blessed are those who dwell in Your house, they are ever praising You. Selah. 
Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Your highways are in their heart. 
Passing through the valley of weeping, they make it a fountain; the Teacher also covers it with blessings. 
They go from strength to strength, appearing before Elohim in Zion. 
O יהוה Elohim of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O Elohim of Jacob! Selah. 
O Elohim, see our shield, and look upon the face of Your anointed. 
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand days. I have chosen rather to be a doorkeeper in the House of my Elohim, than to dwell in the tents of the wrong. 
For יהוה Elohim is a sun and a shield; יהוה gives favour and esteem; He withholds no good matter from those who walk blamelessly. 
O יהוה of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You! 

Sukkot - A Time for Rejoicing!

Ahhh…pomegranates! 

Haven’t I already started a recent blog post with that same statement?

Well, it’s still the same season, and still the same month, and still the same series of moedim, and I still get just as excited about pomegranates now as I did at the beginning of the month!

I just finished cutting open a pomegranate and removing the juicy rubies inside, and now I am sitting in my sukkah enjoying handfuls of this wonderful fruit.

Did I say sukkah?  YES!  Today begins the week of Sukkot!

This is the sukkah I built for this year's Sukkot.

I have spent the last month planning, preparing and building my sukkah. 

I built the frame in pieces and stages over the last month.
I glued and pinned and sewed several sheets together to make the ‘wrap-around’ walls.
I gathered all the decorative items I could find in the last few weeks to fit the Sukkot theme , and I found some places that had ‘extra’ branches of fruit trees, myrtle trees, willow trees, and other leafy trees that I could use for the roof.

I gathered everything (and asked my landlords for permission to take up some extra yard space for a week and a bit), and after the much-needed rain stopped any plans of building my sukkah on Sunday, I rushed on Monday to put everything together during the first part of the day.  With a little extra time on Tuesday, and the finishing touches on Wednesday, I was ready to eat my first meal in the sukkah Wednesday evening after work.

After a hectic week of work, work, work, and after preparing during the early hours and late hours for weeks, the sigh of relief and rest when I finally sat in my sukkah and looked at the stars through the branches on the rooftop last night was one that went through every part of my being.  I cannot describe what it is like to STOP everything and obey God’s command to be in a sukkah.  It is the most satisfying and refreshing thing I have experienced in a long time.  (I almost had the same experience 2 years ago when I used my camping tent as a sukkah…but it’s different when you put so much time and effort into building one.)

And then today….ahhhh…pomegranates in my sukkah!

(And coffee, and bread, and strawberries with yogurt, and cheese, and mango, and tangerines, and soon a dinner of lamb and potatoes with carrots and leeks and a sprinkling of pomegranate, and home-made ice cream for dessert…ummmm!)

I have been looking forward to this week for SO long! 

And it’s not just because of the food.

And it’s not just because I have 2 extra days off work (the first day and the 8^th day of Sukkot are ‘no work’ days).

And not just because I have my very own sukkah to sit in this year.

And not just because it is such a feast of celebration and joy, this Feast of Booths/Tabernacles.

All of these are very real reasons that I have been looking forward to this week, but even more so because this is the final moedim (appointed time) of the year.

Yes, there is still Hanukkah to come, but that is not one of the appointed times that was commanded by YHVH for His people to keep (though I think it is still important and enlightening to celebrate it).

Sukkot is final of the 3 'Fall Moedim' -  Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot all happen in the 7^th month of the biblical calendar.  And Sukkot is the Grand Finale!  (more about that in another post)

I wrote a blog post for Yom Teruah (both this year and last year). 

You may have noticed that I did not write one for Yom Kippur.  It is such a time of awe and repentance and focusing on God’s holiness and righteousness, and there is SO MUCH meaning and deeper layers involved in this most important day…I decided that I would spend it in prayer and fasting rather than trying to write what little I know about it.  Besides, so many other bloggers and other sources of information have much to say about Yom Kippur.  So I decided not to write about it this year.

And now Sukkot!

I will definitely be writing about Sukkot!

In fact, I plan to write blog posts several times throughout this next week - hopefully some shorter posts than my normal post length – sharing some of what YHVH’s Word says about this final moedim, and also sharing some of my own observations and experiences.

What is the purpose of Sukkot?

We had Yom Teruah (the sounding of the shofar) which had no purpose given to this ‘hearing of the teruah.’

Then 10 days later, we had Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement/Judgment.

And now, 5 days later, we have a week of Sukkot!

Let’s take a look at what YHVH says about Sukkot in His Word.

Deuteronomy 16:13-15

     Perform the Festival of Sukkot for seven days after the ingathering from your threshing-floor and from your winepress, and you shall rejoice in your festival, you and your son and your daughter, and your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates.  For seven days you shall observe a festival to יהוה your Elohim in the place which יהוה chooses, because יהוה your Elohim does bless you in all your increase and in all the work of your hands, and you shall be only rejoicing!

• Okay, so we know that this is a harvest celebration and that we should be rejoicing over the blessings from our Elohim.
• We also know that everyone should rejoice and celebrate (even the foreigner who is with us).
• We also know that it should be celebrated in Jerusalem (the place which YHVH chooses and has chosen).  (I really hoped to be able to celebrate this Sukkot in Jerusalem, but this year was not possible.)

What else can we learn about it from YHVH’s Word?

Levitcus 23:33-43

    And יהוה spoke to Moses, saying,  “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh new moon is the Festival of Sukkot for seven days to יהוה.   On the first day is a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work.  For seven days you bring an offering made by fire to יהוה.  On the eighth day there shall be a set-apart gathering for you, and you shall bring an offering made by fire to יהוה.   It is a closing festival, you do no servile work.   These are the appointed times of יהוה which you proclaim as set-apart gatherings, to bring an offering made by fire to יהוה, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a slaughtering and drink offerings, as commanded for every day –besides the Sabbaths of יהוה, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your voluntary offerings which you give to יהוה.   
  
   On the fifteenth day of the seventh new moon, when you gather in the fruit of the land, observe the festival of יהוה for seven days.  On the first day is a rest, and on the eighth day a rest.   And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of good trees, branches of palm trees, twigs of leafy trees, and willows of the stream, and shall rejoice before יהוה your Elohim for seven days.   And you shall observe it as a festival to יהוה for seven days in the year – a law forever in your generations. Observe it in the seventh month.  Dwell in booths for seven days; all who are native Israelites dwell in booths, so that your generations know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am יהוה your Elohim.’ ”

• Now we know when to celebrate:  the 15^th day of the 7^th new moon (that’s today!).
• We also know that we are to celebrate for one week, and the 1st and 8^th days are to be days of no work.
• It is repeated here that this is a harvest celebration.
• We also know now that all who are part of the Israelites should celebrate Sukkot to remember the booths God made the children of Israel live in after bringing them out of Egypt.  (Remember, those who call themselves believers in the Messiah Yahshua are grafted into the olive tree of Israel, God’s chosen people.)
• It is a law forever.
• And we know that during Sukkot, we are to dwell in booths (sukkot) of fruit trees, palm trees, leafy trees and willow trees.
• And we are to REJOICE!

Okay, so this is a harvest celebration and a celebration of remembrance of the time God led Israel away from Egypt and through the desert to His chosen land for them.

Is there any other purpose?

Oh yes!

Yahshua!

You know, Yahshua (Jesus) kept the Torah.  He kept every part of YHVH’s instructions and commands perfectly.  He kept the Sabbath.  He kept the biblical eating regulations.  And He kept the commanded appointed times, the moedim.

So…it’s no surprise to find Yahshua observing and attending Sukkot!

Take a look at chapter 7 in the book of John to see how involved Yahshua was with Sukkot.

But that will have to wait for another day and another blog post, at which time we will look more at what YHVH's Word says about Sukkot.

Now it's time for me to put dinner on the stove and relax in my sukkah!

Chag Sameach!  (Joyous Festival!)

Remembering YHVH’s faithfulness in times past, and rehearsing for His eternity,

Gina

With a Shout and a Shofar...Yom Teruah!

Yahshua...the fulfillment of EVERY part of YHVH's Word!

Ahh...pomegranates!  I saw the first ones of the season in the produce section at the grocery store last week...and I ate my first pomegranate for this season just last night (it was a small one...but it was juicy)!  Pomegranates are ready...that must mean it's time for the three final Appointed Times (mo'edim) of the year!  I look forward to eating more pomegranates in my sukkah during the upcoming week of Sukkot.

But that is still to come.  Let's first focus on today.

Today is the first day of the seventh month on YHVH's biblical calendar!  
Today is Yom Teruah!

Yom means day;
teruah means shout or blast (trumpet or shofar) of alarm or war or joy.

It is also called Zichron Teruah...a Shout of Remembrance!

I realize that I wrote a blog post about Yom Teruah at this time last year (at which time I was in Israel for a whole month - celebrating the 3 commanded mo'edim, or appointed times, that happen within this next month).

Today's blog post will be a bit of a different perspective on and a continuation of last year's blog post about Yom Teruah.

That's the great thing about relationship with YHVH and obedience to His Word - we continue to learn more about Him as we grow and as we obey!   Oh the depths of joy in knowing our Creator through Yahshua the Messiah!


Yom Teruah is commanded in Leviticus 23:23-25:
YHVH said to Moses, "Speak to the people of Israel, saying, 'In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you have a rest, a remembrance (zichron) of blowing (teruah) of trumpets, a set-apart gathering.  You do no servile work, and you shall bring an offering made by fire to YHVH.'"

...And in Numbers 29:1-6
'And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you have a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work, it is a day (yom) of blowing (teruah) the trumpets for you.  And you shall prepare a burnt offering as a sweet fragrance to YHVH...'

(If you do not have access to a shofar and are not in a place where you can hear the blast of the shofar being blown, you can do what I have done and go to a website that has a shofar sound byte!)


Do you know what is unique to Yom Teruah that all the other mo'edim do not share?

Yom Teruah is commanded on the FIRST day of a month.
Do you know why this is special?

A new month was only "official" when the new sliver of crescent moon was first visible in the night sky.  When two witnesses saw the new moon, then the new month was established and the shofar was sounded to proclaim the new month.

If the new month was due and the moon was not sighted, then the new month was not proclaimed at that time.

Every new month was a time of watchful anticipation...and the first day of the seventh month was even more of a watchful anticipation.

In other words...no one knew EXACTLY in advance when the new moon for the seventh month would be sighted and when Yom Teruah would begin.   And everyone watched and waited with eager anticipation for the new moon to be sighted...for Yom Teruah to begin.

Do you know what else is unique to this particular appointed time?
It's purpose is not given in Scripture.  We are only told that it is a day of Teruah, a day of a blast of remembrance.  We are not told what to remember.  We are not told to remember the exodus from Egypt (as in Pesach) or to be thankful for the harvest (as in Shavuot and Sukkot), etc.

It is a day of noise...a day of the shout...a day of the blast... a day of the alarm warning, the joyful sound...the TERUAH!

Teruah...

Let's look at some other places where teruah is used in YHVH's Word.

Remember Balaam?  (The last blog post I wrote was about Balaam and his talking donkey.)
One of Balaam's YHVH-inspired prophecies for Israel included the use of this word teruah.

Numbers 23:19-23

“El [God] is not a man, to lie; nor a son of man, to repent! Has He said, and would He not do it; or spoken, and would not confirm it?  See, I have received, to bless. And He has blessed, and I do not reverse it.  He has not looked upon wickedness in Jacob, nor has He seen trouble in Israel.  יהוה his Elohim is with him, and the shout [teruah] of a King is in him.  El who brought them out of Egypt, is for them like the horns of a wild ox.  For there is no sorcery against Jacob, nor is there any divination against Israell. Now it is said to Jacob and to Israel, ‘What has El done!’"

Remember Joshua and the shout that brought the walls of Jericho a-tumblin' down?

Joshua 6:5, 20

“And it shall be, when they make a long blast [mashak] with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound [kol] of the horn, that all the people shout with a great shout [teruah]. And the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him.” ....

And the people shouted when the priests blew the horns. And it came to be when the people heard the sound of the horn, and the people shouted with a great shout [teruah], that the wall fell down flat. And the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. 

The ark of the covenant...

1 Samuel 4:5-7

And when the ark of the covenant of יהוה came into the camp, all Israel shouted [teruah] so loudly that the earth shook.  And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout [teruah], they said, “What is the noise of this great shout [teruah] in the camp of the Hebrews?” And when they knew that the ark of יהוה had come into the camp, the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “Elohim has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For it has never been like this before. 

The return of the exiles to Israel to rebuild the wall and the Temple...

Ezra 3:10-13

...The builders laid the foundation of the temple of יהוה...

And they responded by praising and giving thanks to יהוה, “For He is good, for His kindness towards Israel is forever.” And all the people shouted with a great shout [teruah], when they praised יהוה, because the foundation of the House of יהוה was laid.  And many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, the old men who had seen the first House, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this House was laid before their eyes, and many shouted aloud for joy [teruah], and the people could not distinguish the noise of the shout of joy [teruah] from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout [teruah], and the sound was heard far away. 

And in the Psalms...

Psalm 27:4-6

One matter I asked of יהוה – this I seek: to dwell in the House of יהוה all the days of my life, to see the pleasantness of יהוה, and to inquire in His Temple. 

For in the day of evil He hides me in His booth [suk/sukkah]; in the covering of His Tent He hides me; on a rock He raises me up. 

And now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me; and I offer in His Tent with shouts of joy [teruah]; I sing, yea, I sing praises to יהוה. 

Psalm 47

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to Elohim with a voice of singing! 

For יהוה Most High is awesome; A great Sovereign (king) over all the earth. 

He subdues peoples under us, And nations under our feet. 

He chooses our inheritance for us, The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah. 

Elohim shall go up with a shout [teruah], יהוה with the sound of a ram’s horn. 

Sing praises to Elohim, sing praises! Sing praises to our Sovereign, sing praises! 

For Elohim is Sovereign of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding. 

Elohim shall reign over the nations; Elohim shall sit on His set-apart throne. 

Nobles of peoples shall be gathered together, The people of the Elohim of Aḇraham. For the shields of the earth belong to Elohim; He shall be greatly exalted. 

Psalm 89:14-18

Righteousness and right-ruling are the foundation of Your throne; kindness and truth go before Your face. 

Blessed are the people who know the festal trumpet-call [teruah]! They walk, O יהוה, in the light of Your face. 

In Your Name they rejoice all day long, and they are exalted in Your righteousness. 

For You are the comeliness of their strength, and by Your good pleasure our horn is exalted. 

For יהוה is our shield, And the Set-apart One of Israel is our Sovereign. 

And the sound of alarm - the battle cry...

Jeremiah 4:19; 49:2

Amos 1:14; 2:2

Zephaniah 1:14-17

Near is the great day of יהוה, near and hurrying greatly, the noise of the day of יהוה. Let the mighty man then bitterly cry out!  That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and trouble, a day of waste and ruin, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of ram’s horn and alarm [teruah] – against the walled cities and against the corner towers.  And I shall bring distress on men, and they shall walk like blind men – because they have sinned against יהוה...

It is also interesting to see some of the different places and situations the word zichron or remembrance is used throughout Scripture.  

What and how does YHVH want His people to remember throughout Scripture?

Exodus 12:14 - Passover... and this day shall become to you a remembrance [zichron]...

Exodus 13:9 - The Feast of Unleavened Bread

Exodus 28:12  And you shall put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the shoulder garment as stones of remembrance [zichron] for the sons of Yisra’ĕl. And Aharon shall bear their names before יהוה on his two shoulders, for a remembrance [zichron].   (see also Exodus 28:29)

Numbers 10:10 - the blowing of trumpets and the offerings at the beginning of every month, a remembrance

Joshua 4 - the stones from the Jordan River, a remembrance

Zechariah 6:11-15 - the crown in the Temple of YHVH, a remembrance:
“And you shall take the silver and gold, make a crown, and set it on the head of Yehoshua the son of Yehotsaḏaq, the high priest, and shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה of hosts, saying, “See, the Man whose name is the Branch!  And from His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the Temple of יהוה.    It is He who is going to build the Temple of יהוה. It is He who is going to bear the splendor.  And He shall sit and rule on His throne, and shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between Them both,”' while the crown is for a remembrance in the Temple....And those who are far away shall come and build the Temple of יהוה.  And you shall know that יהוה of hosts has sent Me to you. And this shall be, if you diligently obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim.” 

      

       Notice, in Zechariah,  
       WHO is sitting on the throne at this time!  

               The One whose name is The BRANCH!

Isn't it interesting the things that YHVH wants us to remember and, in the case of today, Zichron Teruah, to remember with a shout and a blast of the shofar!

Now, let's focus on this One called the BRANCH...
what does He have to do with today, Yom Teruah?

Everything!!

As you already know, the One called the Branch is the Messiah - Yahshua is His name.

And He also had some things to say about the trumpet/shofar call.  Some very important things to say.

At the beginning of Matthew 24, Yahshua's talmidim (disciples) asked Him, “Say to us...what is the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” 

Yahshua spoke for the whole chapter about the signs that would happen over the years in the world before His return, including warnings about persecution, wars, false prophets, and finally the abomination that lays waste and the great tribulation.

He followed this description with a warning about people who might say that Yahshua has returned and is in a certain location.  This will not be possible, because according to Him, EVERY person will see Him when He returns...

Matthew 24:27-31
"For as the lightning comes from the east and shines to the west, so also shall the coming of the Son of Aḏam be.  For wherever the dead body is, there the eagles shall be gathered together.  And immediately after the distress of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give its light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. 
And then the sign of the Son of Aḏam shall appear in the heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Aḏam coming on the clouds of the heaven with power and much esteem. 
And He shall send His messengers with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 

And then verse 36:  “But concerning that day and the hour no one knows, not even the messengers of the heavens, but My Father only."
And verse 42:  “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Master is coming.


Paul reminds us of the truth of the literal sound of Teruah when Yahshua returns:

1Corinthians 15:51-52  
See, I speak a secret to you: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

For this we say to you by the word of the Master, that we, the living who are left over at the coming of the Master shall in no way go before those who are asleep.  Because the Master Himself shall come down from heaven with a shout, with the voice of a chief messenger, and with the trumpet of Elohim, and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. Then we, the living who are left over, shall be caught away together with them in the clouds to meet the Master in the air – and so we shall always be with the Master. 

When Yahshua spoke to John in Revelation about the seven congregations, His voice was like the Teruah shout and trumpet blast...

Revelation 1:10-11
I came to be in the Spirit on the Day of יהוה, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, “I am the ‘Aleph’ and the ‘Tav’, the First and the Last,” and, “Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven assemblies of Asia..."

And then, after all of the events of Revelation, our KING, Yahshua the Messiah, the BRANCH, is accompanied by the sound of a great voice like that of thundering waters, mixed with other voices and harps...a tremendous Teruah!

Revelation 14:1-3

And I looked and saw a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s Name written upon their foreheads.  And I heard a voice out of the heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder, and I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.  And they sang a renewed song before the throne...

Revelation 19:5-9
And a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our Elohim, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”  And I heard as the voice of a great crowd, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunders, saying, “Halleluyah, for יהוה Ěl Shaddai reigns! 
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him praise, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife prepared herself.  And to her it was given to be dressed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the set-apart ones."  And he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true words of Elohim.”

verses 11-16

And I saw the heaven opened, and there was a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Trustworthy and True, and in righteousness He judges and fights.  And His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns, having a Name that had been written, which no one had perceived except Himself –  and having been dressed in a robe dipped in blood – and His Name is called: The Word of יהוה.... And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations.  And He shall shepherd them with a rod of iron. And He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of El Shaddai.  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: SOVEREIGN OF SOVEREIGNS AND MASTER OF MASTERS. 

Teruah is such an important part of the return of the Messiah, the KING!
Remember that part of the nature of Yom Teruah is that no one ever really knows EXACTLY when it will occur...it depends on the sighting of the new moon.

And the same is true for the return of the Messiah.  No one knows the EXACT timing.
YHVH's Word says repeatedly that Yahshua's return will come like a thief (Matthew 24:42; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10) and that we must be watchful, repentant, and awake.


Revelation 3:3  
“Remember, then, how you have received, and heard. And watch and repent. If, then, you do not wake up, I shall come upon you as a thief, and you shall not know at all what hour I come upon you."
Revelation 16:15  
“See, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who is staying awake and guarding his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” 

1Thessalonians 5:4-6
  But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.  For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.  So, then, we should not sleep, as others do, but we should watch and be sober. 

Yom Teruah...

Do we have a reason to Shout, to sound the Teruah?  YES!
Do we have a reason to celebrate today as a remembrance of YHVH?  YES!

Yahshua has fulfilled the first mo'edim with His first coming and will completely finish fulfilling the last mo'edim with His final coming!


He is The Word.  He will fulfill and complete His Word in every detail!

As we go through these Days of Awe (Yom Teruah on the 1st day of the 7th month through Yom Kippur on the 10th day of the 7th month) - days of serious introspection and allowing YHVH to inspect the deepest parts of our lives, days of repentance (teshuvah) and turning back to Him, striving to live the way He has prescribed - may we look to our Lamb who was slain, who is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah...the soon-coming KING, Yahshua the Messiah.

Peter, in Acts 3, said to the people of Israel,
“Repent therefore and turn back, for the blotting out of your sins, in order that times of refreshing might come from the presence of the Master, and that He sends Yahshua the Messiah, pre-appointed for you, whom heaven needs to receive until the times of restoration of all matters, of which Elohim spoke through the mouth of all His set-apart prophets since of old."

And as we approach Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the Day of YHVH's Judgment, may we know without a doubt that our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life!

Finally, as we move into the week-long celebration of Sukkot, the Feast of Booths, may we look forward to an eternity with our Elohim in the dwelling place He is preparing for us!


Staying alert with watchful anticipation for the return of my KING,

Gina

Yahshua, Balaam and the Talking Donkey...

        ...Intentions of the Heart Matter to YHVH!


Shabbat Shalom!


If you have read the Torah portion for this week, you know that it is the telling of the story of Balak and Balaam (and his briefly-talking donkey) found in Numbers 22-25.  Even if you have not read this week's Torah portion recently, you are probably still familiar with the story of Balak and Balaam and the donkey.


But if (like me), before now you have not read the Torah portion along with the Haftarah portion (the portion of scripture from the prophets that is read along with the Torah portion every week) along with the B'rit Hadashah portion (the portion from the New Testament) for this week all in one session, then you (like me) probably only have a partial understanding of the complete story of Balaam as revealed in YHVH's Word.


This is now the second year that I have committed to reading the weekly Torah portion (including the Haftarah and portion from the B'rit Hadashah).  It has deeply enriched my knowledge of and understanding of YHVH's Word.  But somehow at this particular portion last year, I must have read only the part from Numbers.  I must have skipped reading the portion from the prophets and from the New Testament. 
 When I was reading the Haftarah and B'rit Hadashah portions this week, dealing with Balaam and YHVH's warnings about his intentions and actions, I was surprised to find the rest of the story that I had not noticed before!  


Perhaps many of you are like me in that you grew up learning Bible stories as children.  I learned the story of Balaam and his donkey when I was a child attending Sunday School at the local church.  But I don't remember that I ever heard the deeper story of Balaam at any other time in my life!  Sadly, I think this happens with many events recorded in YHVH's Word...we learn them as children (or in a child-like simplicity), but then we don't go deeper as we grow older.  I have skimmed over the story of Balaam as recorded in Numbers many times in my life, but up until this week I had never looked deeper into what YHVH has to say about Balaam.


So that is what I want to do in today's blog post...
I want to look deeper into the events, actions, and words in the life (and death) of Balaam as recorded in YHVH's Word.


This week's Torah Portion:  Numbers 22:2-25:9
This week's Haftarah Portion:  Micah 5:6-6:8
This week's suggested B'rit Hadashah portion: 
Romans 11:25-32; 2 Peter 2:1-22; Jude 11; Revelation 2:14-15


Let's begin with the 3 places in the New Testament where followers of Yahshua are warned not to be like Balaam.


 1    Peter, in 2 Peter chapter 2, gives us a strong warning about false prophets....how to recognize them, what they say and do, how they lead astray, what will happen to them, etc.  This is quite a strong and graphic description of and warning against false prophets.


You can take time to read the whole chapter for yourself, but I will just include a few parts of it here:  


These false prophets will "introduce destructive heresies," "exploit you with fabricated stories," "insult things about which they have no knowledge," "speak grandiosities of nothingness," "follow their old natures in lust for filth," "play on desires to seduce people."  
They are "like animals without reason," "defects reveling in their deception," "presumptuous and self-willed," "waterless springs," "mists driven by gusts of wind," "slaves of corruption," "entangled and defeated by the pollutions of the world."
They have "eyes that never stop sinning," "a heart that has exercised itself in greed," "left the straight way and wandered off."
What is in store for them?  "Their punishment is not idle."  "When they are destroyed, their destruction will be total."  "They will be paid back harm as wages for the harm they are doing."  "It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, fully knowing, to turn from the holy command delivered to them."


And then, in the middle of the chapter, in the midst of this graphic and descriptive warning, we are told in verses 15 and 16:


These people have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of doing harm but was rebuked for his sin - a dumb beast of burden spoke out with a human voice and restrained the prophet's insanity!


 2   Now take a look at the book of Jude (only one chapter long).  His message is closely related to Peter's...a warning against those who claim to be believers but are really false prophets.
Again, in Jude's letter, these people will "pervert God's grace into a license for debauchery and disown Yahshua the Messiah," "insult anything they don't understand," "defile their own flesh, despise godly authority, and insult angelic beings," "care only for themselves," "follow their evil passions," "flatter others to gain advantage," "cause divisions."
They are "filthy spots," "waterless clouds carried by the winds," "trees without fruit," "doubly dead and uprooted," "savage sea-waves heaving forth their shameful deeds," "grumblers and complainers," "scoffers following their own godless passions," "controlled by their impulses."
What will happen to them?  They will "lie exposed as a warning of the everlasting fire awaiting those who must undergo punishment." 
 Enoch said this about them (verses 14-15):  "Adonai came with his myriads of holy ones to execute judgment against everyone, that is, to convict all the godless for their godless deeds which they have done in such a godless way, and for all the harsh words these godless sinners have spoken against him."


And once again in the middle of this strong warning, Jude includes these words in verse 11:  Woe to them, in that they have walked the road of Cain, they have given themselves over for money to the error of Balaam, they have been destroyed in the rebellion of Korach.


 3   The final place in the New Testament that gives a warning about following the ways of Balaam is in the book of Revelation.  This was spoken by Yahshua himself, to the church of Pergamum.


"To the angel of the Messianic Community in Pergamum, write: 
'Here is the message from the one who has the sharp double-edged sword:  "I know where you are living, there where the Adversary's throne is. Yet you are holding onto my name. You did not deny trusting me even at the time when my faithful witness Antipas was put to death in your town, there where the Adversary lives. 
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you:  you have some people who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to set a trap for the people of Israel, so that they would eat food that had been sacrificed to idols and commit sexual sin.   Likewise, you too have people who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.  Therefore, turn from these sins.  Otherwise, I will come to you very soon and make war against them with the sword of my mouth.   Those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities. To him winning the victory I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone, on which is written a new name that nobody knows except the one receiving it."'   Revelation 2:12-17


Isn't that interesting?  
Some important questions are raised in these warnings.  (??)


But first let's look in the Tanakh (Old Testament) for more warnings about Balaam.


 1   In Deuteronomy chapter 23, Moses is relating to the people what YHVH said about who can and cannot enter the assembly of YHVH.   Take a look at verses 3-5:


"No Amorite or Moabite may enter the assembly of YHVH, nor may any of his descendants down to the tenth generation ever enter the assembly of YHVH,  because they did not supply you with food and water when you were on the road after leaving Egypt, and because they hired Balaam the son of Beor from Petor in Aram-Naharayim to put a curse on you.  But YHVH your God would not listen to Balaam; rather, YHVH your God turned the curse into a blessing for you; because YHVH your God loved you."


 2   YHVH, through Joshua, says the same thing to the Israelites just before Joshua's death in Joshua 24:9-10.
"Then Balak the son of Tzippor, king of Moav, rose up and fought against Israel. He sent and summoned Balaam the son of Beor to put a curse on you.   But I refused to listen to Balaam, and he actually blessed you. In this way I rescued you from him."


 3   Let's also look at part of this week's Haftarah portion from Micah.  
Look at Micah 6:5 which says, "My people, just remember what Balak the king of Moab had planned, what Balaam the son of Beor answered him...so that you will understand the saving deeds of YHVH."


 4   Finally, one more important place in YHVH's Word will give us a warning about Balaam...the description of his death in Numbers chapter 31.


1 YHVH said to Moses, 2 "On behalf of the people of Israel, take vengeance on the Midianites. After that, you will be gathered to your people."....
7 They fought against Midian, as YHVH had ordered Moses, and killed every male. 8 They killed the kings of Midian along with the others who were slain - Evi, Rekem, Tzur, Hur and Reva, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword....
14 But Moses was angry with the army officers, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds coming in from the battlefield. 15 Moses asked them, "You let the women live? 16 Why, these are the ones who - because of Balaam's advice -caused the people of Israel to rebel, breaking faith with YHVH in the Peor incident, so that the plague broke out among YHVH's community! 


You've probably noticed that for the most part we have been working our way backwards in discovering Balaam's story.  Now we come to the story itself...this week's Torah portion found in Numbers 22-25.


As I said before, I'm sure you are already familiar with the story of Balaam and his donkey.  So I won't go into great detail or quote long passages from his story.   But I think we should look more closely at a few very important details.


First though, I'll just give a brief "nutshell" version of the story...just a reminder.


Once upon a time....The Israelites were camped near the Jordan River near Moab, ready to enter their Promised Land.  Balak, the king of Moab was afraid of them, so he summoned Balaam, who lived by the Euphrates River, to come and curse the Israelites. 
 (??  Why was Balaam summoned?  Why were his blessings and curses so well known?)


Balaam asked YHVH what to do and then told the first set of messengers that YHVH would not allow him to go with them, so they left.  Balak was upset (probably furious) and sent more messengers, "higher-ups," to convince Balaam to come and curse Israel.  Balaam asked YHVH again what to do, and YHVH said to go with the men but to only say and do what He instructed.
(?? Why did YHVH tell him to go with the men?)


Balaam got on his donkey the next morning to go with the men.  YHVH was angry with Balaam and the angel of YHVH stood in the path of the donkey, frightening her.  
(?? Why was YHVH angry with Balaam after telling him to go with the men?)


The donkey stalled...Balaam got angry and beat the donkey...the donkey started again.  The angel stood in the path...the donkey stalled and leaned, hurting Balaam's foot...Balaam became furious and beat the donkey...the donkey started again.  Once more..the donkey started out...the angel appeared...the donkey sat down...Balaam beat the donkey.  Finally, YHVH opened the donkey's mouth and allowed her to speak (something along the lines of "hey! stop that!")...and then He opened Balaam's eyes and allowed him to see the angel.


Of course Balaam fell flat on his face and repented of his sin.  
(?? What sin did he repent of?)


YHVH told him to continue with the men but reminded him again to only do and say what YHVH instructed.  Balak commanded Balaam to curse Israel.  Balaam said he could only say what YHVH told him to.


Okay, now let's begin to look a bit deeper into the rest of the story...


Balak took Balaam up on the high places of Baal to overlook Israel so he could curse them.
"Then YHVH put a word in Balaam's mouth...this pronouncement:  'Balak, the king of Moab, brings me from Aram...saying, "Come, curse Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel."  How am I to curse those whom God has not cursed?  How am I to denounce those whom YHVH has not denounced?' "  (Numbers 23:5-8)
(?? What did he really want to say?)


Balak let out a shriek of anger, "What have you done to me?! I brought you here to curse my enemies, but you have totally blessed them!"  He took Balaam up to another high place and told him to curse Israel.  Balaam went off and asked YHVH what to say.  When he came back, Balak asked him, "What did YHVH say?" 


Then Balaam made this pronouncement:
"Get up, Balak, and listen!
Turn your ears to me...
God is not a human who lies or a mortal who changes his mind.
When he says something, he will do it; when he makes a promise, he will fulfill it.
Look, I am ordered to bless; when he blesses, I can't reverse it.
No one has seen guilt in Jacob, or perceived perversity in Israel;
YHVH their God is with them and acclaimed as King among them.
God, who brought them out of Egypt, gives them the strength of a wild ox; thus one can't put a spell on Jacob; no magic will work against Israel.  It can now be said of Jacob and Israel, 'What is this that God has done?' "....
(Numbers 23:18-23)
(?? Again...what did he really want to say?)


Of course, Balak was angry, saying "Okay, so you won't curse them, but at least don't bless them!" He took Balaam to one more high place saying "Maybe it will please God for you to curse them for me from here."  (He was just an itsy bit thick-skulled!)


At this point the story turns...and Balaam seems to have a turning-point moment, a time of revelation, a real heart-change:


The scripture says that when Balaam saw that YHVH intended to bless Israel, he looked out toward the desert and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe.  Then the Spirit of God came upon him and Balaam said these words:


"This is the speech of the man whose eyes have been opened; the speech of him who hears God's words; who sees what Shaddai sees, who has fallen, yet has open eyes:
'How lovely are your tents, Jacob; your encampments, Israel!
They spread out like valleys, like gardens by the riverside...
Water will flow from their branches, their seed will have water aplenty.
Their king will be higher than Agag and his kingdom lifted high.
God, who brought them out of Egypt, gives them the strength of a wild ox.
They will devour the nations opposing them, break their bones, pierce them with their arrows.
When they lie down they crouch like a lion...
Blessed be all who bless you!
Cursed be all who curse you!"
(Numbers 24:3-9)


You can only imagine the furious response of Balak at this third pronouncement of blessing!
He told Balaam to go home without the large reward that had been planned for him.
Balaam responded that he had done what he said he would do, which was to say and do only the things that YHVH commanded him to say and do.


But as he was preparing to leave, Balaam said he had one more pronouncement - a warning of what the Israelites would do to Balak's people in the End Times (or end of days).


First he repeated his "heart-change" moment by saying that this was the speech of the man whose eyes have been opened..."


The next part is so important!  Are you paying attention?


Balaam pronounced:
"I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not soon -
a star will step forth from Jacob, a scepter will arise from Israel, to crush the corners of Moab and destroy all descendants of Shet...
From Jacob will come someone who will rule, and he will destroy what is left of the city."
             (Balaam "saw" Yahshua!)
He pronounced destruction on Amalek, on the Kenites, and then he said, "Oh no!  Who can live when God does this?"
(Numbers 24:17-24)


Then the scriptures say that Balaam got up and returned home, and Balak also went his way.


This appears to be the end of the story, but immediately in the next verses we find Israel whoring with the women of Moab.  "These women invited the people of Israel to the sacrifices of their gods, and Israel joined with Baal Peor.  The anger of YHVH blazed up against Israel."  
YHVH instructed Moses to kill the leaders who had led the people into this idolatry.  Before Moses could carry out the instructions, a leader of Israel walked past, taking a Midianite woman with him.  The grandson of the priest saw this happening and followed the man and woman into the tent, where he speared them to death. This action stopped the plague that had broken out among the Israelites because of their sin...but not before 24,000 of them died.


Now...we have reached the end of the story.


At this point, many questions should have come up within each of us.


(Some of my own questions have been highlighted for you throughout the story).
(?? If Balaam really did have a change of heart and a true experience with the Spirit of God, then why did he die the way he did and why is his name recorded throughout scripture as a warning of how NOT to live and act?)
(?? Why does the scripture in Numbers not tell us the rest of the story of how Balaam was involved in leading the Israelites into idolatry and whoring with the Moabites?  Obviously, from what Yahshua said in Revelation 2, Balaam was directly involved in teaching Balak how to set a trap to lead the Israelites into sin.  When did Balaam do this, and what did he tell Balak?)
(?? Was it the greed and lust for money that got Balaam in trouble and turned his heart to do wrong?)
(?? How can God choose to speak such amazing and eternal truth through the mouth of someone who is such a destructive "betrayer"?  And for that matter, how can a donkey speak and a man not be completely astounded that the donkey is speaking?)
(??  How can we guard against false prophets who, like Balaam, say all the "right words" that sound so good and so holy and so godly and yet their intentions are to turn God's people away from Him into sin?  How can we guard our own hearts from greed and wrong ungodly 
intentions?)


I am not able to provide answers to all the questions that came up for me. 
I know that some day YHVH will show us the answers to the things we don't understand in this age.


But what I want to focus on more than anything is the SCARLET CORD that ties everything together - the sacrificial LAMB who is also the ultimate JUDGE and forever-reigning KING of the Kingdom of Israel and all the earth!


He is the only one who can keep that which we have committed unto Him until that Day of Judgment and beyond into everlasting life.


Now is the perfect time to take a look at the rest of the Haftarah portion for this week from Micah chapters 5 and 6. 
This will help tie it all together. 


I will only quote part of these two chapters, but perhaps you might be willing to read the entire portion in your Bible and really focus on how this passage connects all that we have already read.  
YHVH, give us insight into the amazing TRUTHS of how to live in Your Kingdom under Your Son the King.  Show us the TRUTH of Your everlasting covenant with Your people Israel.


Micah 5:
"...Bethlehem, so small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth to me the future ruler of Israel, whose origins are far in the past...
Therefore he will give up Israel only until she who is in labor gives birth.
Then the rest of his kinsmen will return to the people of Israel.
He will stand and feed his flock in the strength of YHVH, in the majesty of the name of YHVH his God;
and they will stay put, as he grows great to the very ends of the earth;
and this will be peace....
      (Micah "saw" Yahshua!)
Then the remnant of Jacob, surrounded by many peoples, will be like dew from YHVH....like a lion among forest animals....
Your hand will be raised over your enemies; all your adversaries will be destroyed.
'When that day comes,' says YHVH, 'I will cut off your sorceries from your land...I will cut off your carved images...no longer will you worship what your own hands have made...I will wreak vengeance in anger and fury on the nations, because they would not listen.'...


Micah 6:
"So listen now to what YHVH says:  ' Stand up and state your case....YHVH has a case against his people.  'My people, what have I done to you?...I redeemed you.... My people, just remember what Balak the king of Moab had planned, what Balaam answered him...so that you will understand the saving deeds of YHVH.'....  With what can I come before YHVH to bow down before God on high?...with burnt offerings?...thousands of rams?...rivers of olive oil?...my firstborn?...the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?...
Human being, you have already been told what is good and what YHVH demands of you - no more than to act justly, love grace and walk in purity with your God."


Have you noticed throughout these scriptures the common theme of judgment?  Did you notice the destruction and vengeance that comes as a result of sin against YHVH?  Did you notice the SWORD of judgment...the SWORD of judgment killed two people in sin and stopped the plague affecting the whole community of Israel after Balaam met with Balak.  The SWORD of judgment brought an end to Balaam's life after his sin against YHVH.  In Micah, YHVH spoke of CUTTING OFF the sin of the nations.  The SWORD of judgment was spoken of by Yahshua in Revelation 2...it will come from His mouth and He will make war against those who do not turn from their sin.  
This is such an important part of the theme of this week's Torah portion...we cannot ignore the Judgment of YHVH.  It WILL happen.


In light of this, it would also be worth it to read the last chapter of Micah.  
Yes, YHVH has a case against his people.  And yes, He chooses the end of the story to be this:


Micah 7:18-20
"Who is God like you, pardoning sin and overlooking the crimes of the remnant of his heritage?....He will again have compassion on us, he will subdue our iniquities.  
You will throw all their sins into the depths of the sea.
You will show truth to Jacob and grace to Abraham, as you have sworn since days long ago."


And to bring it full circle, I want to end by quoting from one last part of the B'rit Hadashah portion for this week...from Romans 11:


"I want you to understand this truth which God formerly concealed but now has revealed...It is that stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Israel, until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; and that it is in this way that all Israel will be saved.  As the Tanakh says, 
'Out of Zion will come the Redeemer;
he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob 
and this will be my covenant with them,...
when I take away their sins.' "  
(Romans 11:25-27)


I hope this journey through this week's Torah portion (complete with Haftarah and B'rit Hadashah), this journey through the life, death, and lessons of Balaam, has reminded you like it has reminded me of the importance of our intentions, our actions, our words...and mostly of the everlasting and unchanging holiness and grace and redemption found in a relationship with YHVH through His Son, the KING!


Oh the depth of the riches and the wisdom and knowledge of God!  
How inscrutable are his judgments!
How unsearchable are his ways!
For who has known the mind of YHVH?
Who has been his counselor?...
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever!
Amen.
                                        Romans 11:33-36


In the Name of our Sacrificial Lamb, Redeemer, Judge, and King...Yahshua.


Gina