Via Martin & Norma Sarvis in Jerusalem
“For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a flaming torch.”
(Isaiah 62:1; See Torah Portion section below)
NOTICE: The next two weeks are bridged by the first of the Fall Festivals known as “The Day of Shofar Blasts” or “Rosh Hashanah”. Since the authors will be traveling during this time, we have decided to combine the Prayer Updates for that period. Barring the necessity of a “special report”, the next Prayer Update will be issued on 21 September.
1. THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS—ROSH HASHANAH 5776.
יום תרועה/ראש השנה תשע”ו
“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing [of shofars–rams’ horns], a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD’” (Leviticus 23:23-25; see also Numbers 29:1-6).
This Monday September 14th will mark the beginning of the Biblical Fall Feasts—Yom T’ruah, the Day of Blowing (of shofars)—the Feast of Trumpets. It has also come to be known as Rosh Hashanah, the “Head of the [civil] Year”. Although Hebrew months are numbered beginning in the Spring (Exodus 12:2), the numbering for the Hebrew year changes on Yom T’ruah the first of the seventh month [According to Hebrew tradition, the world was created on this day]. On this day we will enter the Hebrew year 5776.
*Of first importance, it is to be a day of t’ruah as a memorial (see Scripture above). T’ruah means a shout, a cry, an alarm, a blast or series of blasts on the shofar (ram’s horn). Psalm 33:3 says that musicians are to make t’ruah skillfully on their instruments together with singers singing a new song! Suffice to say that it is a day on which a ‘sound’ is to go up memorializing the greatness and faithfulness of YHVH, the LORD!
* The sound of the shofar also speaks of the Source of our redemption. It was through a ram caught in a thicket by its horn (from whence is fashioned a shofar) that God “provided the lamb” to take the place of Isaac on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:13-14). We believe that it is this relation to the “Lamb of God who carries away the sin of the world”, who “defeated Death”, who came to “undo the works of the Evil One,” which gives the shofar its special authoritative power when blown in the timing and under the anointing of the Holy Spirit! The sound can be an alarm, a call to battle, a sound of victory, rejoicing and celebration. There were shofar blasts from heaven as YHVH descended upon Mount Sinai to meet with Moses and deliver instruction regarding His Law and how His people could draw near to Him (Exodus 19:16, 19). In the Hebrew translation, I Corinthians 15:52 speaks of the call of one final shofar, at which shout the dead in Messiah will be raised and those remaining changed in the twinkling of an eye.
*Rosh HaShanah is a joyous holiday in Israel which traditionally lasts for two days. Beginning this year at sundown September 13th, it is a family-and-friends time of visiting the synagogue, of sounding the shofar, of wine and feasting, of giving gifts, of eating apples dipped in honey and wishing one another L’Shanah Tova! – “A Good Year!”
*However, with the joy there is to be a certain sobriety—it is to be a sabbath for taking account, for becoming awake and alert, a day of remembrance at which we also look towards the Day of Atonement nine days later. As such, it is sometimes referred to as Yom Ha-Din—the Day of Judgment. The ten days it heralds are considered “Days of Awe”. We take account of our sins. Many devout Jews partake of an ancient custom called Tashlikh—the “casting” or “throwing”. They go to a body of water and empty their pockets or throw stones into the water, repeating the final three verses from the prophet Micah:
“Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in lovingkindness. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob and lovingkindness to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old.”
PLEASE PRAY: For revelation to Jews during this holy season by the Spirit who was sent to convict of sin and righteousness and judgment—revelation of the One in whom “truth and kindness” were realized (John 1:17)—One in whose work God pardons our iniquity and passes over our transgression!
*Monday September 14th also begins the seventh Hebrew month—Tishri. In earlier times, the name Ethanim was used (I Kings 8:2). Ethanim is related to the word Ethan, which has to do with steadiness, as an “unwavering flame” or “a steady flow” . Brown-Driver-Briggs (P 250 #388) interprets it in this context as “a month of steady flow”. There are presently many forces, both outside of and within Christendom which are working to fragment the Body of Messiah regarding its God-ordained call to bless and stand with Israel and to pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. PLEASE PRAY: that during this month of new beginnings the Lord bring our streams into a steady flow of constancy. That He focus the prayers of His watchmen and watchwomen into a steady truthful flame—until Jerusalem’s righteousness ignites and “goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a torch which burns” (Isaiah 62:1).
ROSH HASHANAH IS TRADITIONALLY CELEBRATED ON BOTH THE FIRST AND SECOND DAYS OF THE SEVENTH MONTH.
In synagogues, there are special Torah and Haftarah Scripture passages read on both of these days:
Day I (14 Sept.)
Torah
Genesis 21:1-34
Numbers 29:1-6
Haftarah
I Samuel 1:1—2:10
Rosh Chodesh—“Head of the Month” “Seventh Month” Tishrei/Etanim
Numbers 28:1-15
Day II (15 Sept.)
Torah
Genesis 22:1-24
Numbers 29:1-6
Haftarah
Jeremiah 31:1-20 (Hebrew Bibles: 31:1-19)
*Genesis 22 relates the story of the binding of Isaac on Mount Moriah. “And Abraham said, ‘My son, God sees for Himself (or, “will Himself provide”) the lamb.” In the New Covenant (John 8:56), Yeshua declares, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day; he saw it and was glad!” PLEASE PRAY: for the Holy Spirit to release revelation into the spirits of many who hear anew the story of Isaac and the “lamb”. Pray that with the sounding of the shofars, many will be quickened in their inner beings as to the identity of the Lamb which God provided!
*Jeremiah 31:3. “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel!” Although in Messiah all may receive of these blessings, this message was and is first of all over the lost tribes of the House of Israel. PLEASE PRAY for Jews throughout the world to hear this call of Love and allow themselves to be drawn. Pray for those both within and outside of Israel to realize that a work has been accomplished by God Himself whereby they may again be called “virgin” and what has been broken down may again be made whole!
2. PAY HEED! LISTEN! PAY ATTENTION! — An hour of TURNING TO or TURNING AWAY. CHOOSE LIFE! An observation on the Hebrew number for 5776.
There exists in Hebrew an ancient numbering system in which letters stand for numerals—the first letter Aleph means “1”, the second Beth = “2”, etc. There is nothing “mystical” in this—in Israel the system is used on the doors of banks to show which days they are open. In Hebrew Bibles the chapters and verses are numbered with these letters. Thus, the year-number which in Arabic numerals is 5776, is on Hebrew Calendars represented by a combination of Hebrew letters: tav-shin-ayin-vav. It has caught our notice that this year’s “letter-number” actually happens to spell a Hebrew word. Now, this is a perfectly normal sort of coincidence which commonly occurs now and then. However, it is not uncommon for the Holy Spirit to take and imbue such natural occurrences with prophetic significance. The last thing we wish to do is to awaken idle speculation. Yet, when faced with a word or phrase which seems to convey a message, we believe it is responsible to ask, “Lord, are you saying something to your people in this?” It is thus, that we submit the following observations:
The word which 5776 spells happens to be a form of the Hebrew verb Lish’ot. In Modern Hebrew, this means “To pay heed, to regard, to notice, listen, pay attention.” In a strange way, it may also mean both “to turn to” and “to turn away”. Interestingly, sha’ah, the root for this word “to pay heed” is also the Hebrew word for “hour”. The way an Israelis asks what time it is, is “Ma sha’ah?”—“What is the hour?”
May there be a solemn charge which the Spirit would release to us through this? One Scripture which comes to our minds is Hebrews 2:1—
“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.”
In many sections of Christendom, the past year has witnessed an unprecedented acceleration in compromise, watering and breaking down of absolutes revealed in God’s word. Could the Lord be instructing His Body to position itself against an even stronger, yet more subtle, spirit of deception in the year ahead?
Might we be moving into an “hour” in which choices will begin more clearly to define alignments? –in which there will begin to emerge a marked separation between those (individuals? nations?) who will “turn to” and those which “turn away” from the Truth?
May the Lord clarify what His Spirit is saying to the Congregations. May His people take heed to the Truth which has been revealed, and be protected from deception. May they hear and embrace the call, released by Moses over Israel almost 4000 years ago, yet echoing into our own hour with urgency and power to all peoples:
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land . . .” Deuteronomy 20:19 (see Torah Section below).
THIS WEEK’S TORAH PORTION:
From ancient times there has been a weekly portion (Parasha) from the first five books of Moses (The Torah) and an ending (Haftarah) from the Prophets read on the Sabbath in synagogues around the world. This portion is given a Hebrew name drawn from the opening words of the Torah passage. An illustration of this practice appears to have been recorded in Luke 4:16 where Yeshua (Jesus) arrived in the synagogue in Nazareth and was asked to read the portion (Isaiah 61) from the Prophets. We have found that in perusing these weekly readings, not only are we provided opportunity to identify in the context of God’s Word with millions of Jewish people around the world, but very often the Holy Spirit will illumine specific passages pertinent that week in our intercession for the Land and people of Israel. All texts are those of English translations of the Scriptures.
The Parasha for this week 6-12 September 2015 is called Nitsavim—“You are Stationed”:
TORAH: Deuteronomy 29:10—30:20
HAFTARAH: Isaiah 61:10—63:9
*Deuteronomy 29:10. “All of you stand today before the LORD your God: your leaders and your tribes and your elders and your officers, all the men of Israel, your little ones and your wives—also the stranger who is in your camp, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water…” The Hebrew word used here for “stand” is a military term meaning to “be stationed”, “be positioned”. Elohei Ma’archot Yisrael—“The God of Israel’s Arraying” (I Samuel 17:45b) has a ‘positioning’ for each of us in the war, whatever our age, our sex, our race, or supposed social status.
*Deuteronomy 29:14. “I make this covenant and this oath, not with you alone, but with who stands here with us today before the LORD our God, as well as with who is not here with us today…” God’s word over Israel for life (see 30:19!) was not only for those present, but for the generations down the ages whose seed was present in the bodies of those standing before him and hearing this word. This release of an eternally efficacious word from the Lord was affirmed beautifully some 2000 years later by Yeshua in His “High Priestly” prayer, John 17:20-21, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
*Deuteronomy 29:18. “…that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood.” This condition came from “following the dictates of the heart” (vs 19b) and could finally result in being “uprooted” (vs. 28). Hebrews 12:14-15 in the New Covenant seems to have had this verse in mind, “Pursue peace with all, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled…”
*Deuteronomy 30:8. “And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” Another translation of this last phrase is, “for your life’s sake.” God is a “Life-God” (Elohim Chaim—El Chai). We cannot follow the “dictates of the heart” (see 29:19 above) in its natural state. God desires to cut away what is necessary, not only in our hearts, but in those who will come forth from us—“our descendants” (29:14). Then we will be able to “Love the LORD our God with all our hearts and souls that we may live!”
*Deuteronomy 30:9. “For the LORD will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, if you obey…”
*Deuteronomy 30:11. “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off…but the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” “Too mysterious” is the same in the Hebrew as “Is there anything too wonderful for Me?” in Jeremiah 32:27. The righteous live by Faith and that which is impossible becomes possible, “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10).
*Deuteronomy 30:19. “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” God gives the revelation, the grace and power to “choose life”, even before we are capable of loving and obeying and clinging to Him. “Length of your days” is the same in Hebrew as “forever”, the last word of the 23rd Psalm. The desire to dwell in the house of the LORD forever begins with having made the free choice “to live” which He is offering us!
HAFTARAH
*Isaiah 62:1. “For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a flaming torch.”
*Isaiah 62:6. “I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and til He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”
*Isaiah 63:9. “In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Face saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them and carried them all the days of old.”
Martin and Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem
[The Parashah for next week 13:19 September 2015 is called VaYelech—“And He Went”. TORAH: Deuteronomy 31:1-30: HAFTARAH (Shabbat Shuvah): Hosea 14:1-9, Joel 2:15-27; Micah 7:18-20]
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