theHIGHEST

      The title of this Sabbath's reading portion is R'eh, which means "Behold." R'eh is written with the Hebrew letters reysh, aleph, heh. Each of these letters has its own meaning, so these three letters together might express, "Behold, the Lord is the Highest." R'eh comes from the Hebrew root word ra'a, which not only means to see, to look, to behold, but it also means to consider, to inspect, to perceive, find out, discern, distinguish, to see prophetically, to see by divine revelation. We will find in this week's Sabbath reading that the LORD expects His people to see with discernment and perception, and He will reveal what this discernment should be based upon.

     Jesus gave this warning about the last days before His return: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ (Messiah),' and will deceive many...many false prophets will rise up and deceive many." (Mt. 24:4-5,11, see also Mt. 7:15-20). There are many other such warnings in scripture of the same thing (Jer. 23:16-22, 1 Tim. 4:1-2, 2 Pet. 2:1-3, 1 Jn. 4:1-3).

     In this Sabbath portion beginning in Deut. 13, Moses said to the people: "If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods' - which you have not known - 'and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing (nasa - test, try, assay, put to the proof, try by smell) you to know whether you love the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)  LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him." (Deut. 13:1-4). The LORD also said that such a prophet or dreamer "has spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage...so shall you put the evil from your midst." (v. 5). The LORD is testing His people with false prophets to see if they love Him with all of their hearts and souls. This is another "smell test" that the people of the LORD are to pass. The very first commandment of God is "I am the LORD your God...You shall have no other gods before Me." (Ex. 20:1-3, Deut. 5:6-7).

     Paul's writings and the vision presented in the Book of Revelation also tell us that in the latter days before the return of Messiah/Christ signs and wonders will be performed by workers of evil, like the false prophets mentioned by Moses above, in order to deceive many people into worshipping a false god rather than the true God (see 2 Thess. 2:9-12, Rev. 13:12-15). So the warning from Moses above to the Israelites is also prophetic and pertains to us and our time as well.

      As Jeremiah spoke the judgment of the LORD against the false prophets, the LORD also said: "For who has stood in the counsel of the LORD, and has perceived (ra'a - see above) and heard His (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) word? Who has marked His word and heard it?" (Jer. 23:18). The LORD is looking for those who stand in His counsel, who know His Word. The word "counsel" is the Hebrew word sod, which means: "secret counsel, familiar converse, intimacy with God, in close deliberation, sitting together on a couch or cushion." This is an intimate, familiar relationship with God. The disciple, and later the apostle, John, described his intimate relationship with Jesus: "Now there was leaning (ana + keimai - in the midst, among, between + to be set in place by God's intent, appointed, destined, of a city on a hill, set in place as: vessels, a throne, a city, a foundation) on Jesus' bosom (kolpos - in front of the body between the arms as one who so reclines at table that his head covers the bosom or chest of the one next to him; the bosom or hollow of a garment used for keeping and carrying things, a fold or pocket) one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved..." (Jn. 13:23). In the account from John 13, from his close position to Jesus, John was able to ask Jesus the private question of who would be betraying Him. (Jn. 13:20-26). The LORD expects us to be in His counsel and to have an intimate, conversing relationship with Him. It is found by leaning upon the Savior's bosom at His Passover table where we dine with Him, sharing the same cushion with Him, while having secret and private counsel with Him. and by loving Him with all of our heart and soul. He expects this of us, not for His benefit, but for ours. Jesus is not One of whom we can have a distant knowledge, or with whom we can have an indirect relationship because our grandmother knew Him. Jesus expects intimacy with each of us. Do we know Him this way? We each have to seriously consider this question.

     It is also interesting that within the meaning of the word "leaning" in the scripture above, is included the establishment of a city, a city on a hill, even a foundation. It is this same disciple/apostle John who would later receive the awesome ra'a vision of the heavenly city of God, the New Jerusalem, descending from heaven as a bride adorned for her husband. It was the vision of a great city on a great and high mountain having the glory of God. John gave a detailed description of this city, including its intricate foundation, from his ra'a prophetic sight (Rev. 21:1-6, 9-27). We can conclude that the seed of this vision may well have been planted in John as he leaned upon the bosom of Jesus. This is exactly the R'eh/Ra'a discerning, distinguishing, perceptive prophetic revelation relationship with God of this Sabbath's reading portion. This relationship is formed from loving and serving the LORD with all of our hearts and soul.

     In another reading portion from this R'eh Sabbath, Isaiah wrote the word of the LORD to His people: "Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you - the sure mercies of David...Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near." (Isa. 55:2-3, 6). The Messiah/Christ makes the same cry of invitation when He prophesied through Isaiah: "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat. Yes, come buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isa. 55:1, see also Jn. 7:37-38).

     As Moses warned the Israelites above against listening to those who would turn them away from the LORD their God, he described the LORD as "the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage." The one true God is the only God who can deliver His people out of bondage. This is one of His principal characteristics as Moses described it. He is also a debt Redeemer, and a bond breaker. As Moses warned the people not to listen when others try to lure them to other gods, financial debt is another form of bond and chain. From another reading portion of this Sabbath, the LORD gave the Law of the Shemita, or "the LORD's Release" to His people. Every seven years debts are to be forgiven, and indentured servants are to be set free (Deut. 15:1-2, 12). Pharaoh was a power that enslaved God's people. God's people enslave themselves to debt. The LORD has made a provision for the forgiveness of debts by His Sabbath measurement of years, and He has applied the same forgiveness for our sins (Mt. 6:9-15). This is the blessing that follows the Law of the Shemita Release: "...for the LORD will greatly bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance - only if you carefully obey the voice of the LORD your God to observe with care all these (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) commandments which I command you today. For the LORD will bless you just as He promised you; You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you...for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand...Then the LORD your God will bless you in all that you do." (Deut. 15:4-6, 10, 18).

     It can be generally said, I think, that we do not find this liberty and redemption from debt as commanded by the law of the Shemita year being practiced by those who have chosen to observe the scriptures. The LORD knows, however, that there are economic bondages that are just as oppressive as physical bondages, and He desires to deliver us out of them as is His character. The Israelites preferred the hard bondage of Egypt and wished to return to it, rather than to trust God by faith while in the wilderness. We also sometimes choose to enslave ourselves to debt for expediency. The LORD has shown us the blessing that is attached to His Shemita Release if we will receive it.

     Another reading portion from this Sabbath brings us this promise from the LORD who breaks bonds for those who are afflicted: "O you afflicted (ani/ana/ana - poor, afflicted, humble, wretched, needy, weak, lowly, depressed/troubled, downcast, stooped, bowed down, browbeaten/receive an answer, testify, bear witness, shout, sing) one, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, and lay your foundations with sapphires (sapir/sapar - gem known for its beauty and splendor/tell, declare, show forth, recount, rehearse, enumerate, inscribe). I will make your pinnacles of rubies (kadkod - striking fire, sparkling gem, extreme redness, ruby), your gates of crystal ('eqdah - fiery glow, sparkle), and all your walls of precious stones. All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you." (Isa. 54:11-14). The LORD has deliverance for His people.

     Is there anyone else except the LORD who can transform affliction into fiery glory and priceless sparkling beauty? Can we truly r'eh behold, perceive, distinguish and discern this? Do we know the LORD this way and love Him with all of our hearts and souls? The LORD wants us to "behold" this on this R'eh Sabbath.

     If you would like to know more about a R'eh relationship with the LORD, you can join me in my prayer: "Father, how I want a deeper relationship with You, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit! You want me to have discerning and perceiving knowledge of You and Your desires for my life by loving You with all my heart and soul. Forgive me because I have, during my daily life, given other things more importance. Nothing is more important than You. My family's salvation comes from You. My provision comes from You. Life comes from You. Deliverance from all bondage comes from You. You are the source of all, so what could be more important to me than You? Give me that r'eh/ra'a vision that I need to truly see this and understand it, especially in these current times. Give me the perception to choose Your liberty over bondage. Let me enter and remain in Your intimate counsel, leaning on Your bosom, Jesus, and give me the discernment to recognize anything or anyone that might try to pull me away from that place. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as Α Ω , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

     

     

Mercy&Humility

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Eikev, which means "Because". It may also be expressed "as a consequence of". The chapters from Deuteronomy that are part of this reading portion are chapters 8-11. Moses was recounting the history of the relationship between the Israelites and God up to that point, and it had been a contentious relationship.

     This reading portion begins with Moses saying to the Israelites: "Every commandment which I commanded you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) land of which the LORD swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test/prove you, to know (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) what was in your heart (lebab - inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding, conscience, inclination, mode of thinking and acting), whether you would keep His commandments or not." (Deut. 8:1-2). There is a consequence or result to observing the LORD's commandments here: to live, to multiply, to go into the promised land. 

     The way that the LORD had led Israel through the wilderness was not an arbitrary way. It was the way that was connected to the prophesied Messiah, designated by the written Hebrew letters aleph-tav (see * explanation at the bottom of the entry). The first purpose of the wilderness was to humble the people according to the verse above. These were former slaves, treated as lowly servants of Pharaoh, yet it was still required that they be humbled before the LORD. This is also the way of the Messiah/Christ: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant (doulos/deo - slave, bondman, servile condition, one who gives himself up to another's will, devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests/to bind tie, fasten, fasten with chains, to be bound to one), and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow....and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ (Messiah) is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:5-11). This is the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega way of the Messiah/Christ.

     God's second purpose of the forty-year way through the wilderness was to test the Israelites. This is an interesting word in Hebrew. It is the word nasa, which in this case means "to test, to put to the proof, to try by the smell." Yes, there is a smell test! There is a fragrance that results, or is a consequence of, our love and service to God. There is an expected fragrance to those who follow the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega way of the Messiah/Christ: "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." (2 Cor. 2:14-15). What is the fragrance of Messiah/Christ? It is the fragrance of one humbled and obedient, as a servant bound to the will of His Father in heaven. All four Gospels give the account of this fragrance. It is like the fragrance of the most precious and costly anointing ointment (spikenard: nardo + pistikos - East India plant yielding juice of delicious odor used in the most precious ointment + pertaining to belief, faith, assurance, producing belief) poured out upon Jesus six days before His death on Passover that marks one as walking humbly but powerfully in death to self (see Mt. 26:6-10, Mk. 14:3-9, Lk. 7:36-50, Jn. 12:1-8).

       The LORD also that the humbling and proving that He did with the Israelites in the wilderness was "to do you good in the end (aharit/ahar - latter time, future, the last or end, end time/afterwards [of time])." (Deut. 8:14-17).  As we are in the latter times, the end times, before the return of the Messiah/Christ, it becomes most important that we are humble, and that we pass "the smell test" in this regard as our faith is tried and proven.

     Moses defined our humility before the LORD: "And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love (ahab - beloved, to desire, to breathe after, long for, to produce fruit, germinate and shoot forth) the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) LORD (Hebrew letters yod, hey, vaw, hey: "Behold the hand, behold the nail") your God and serve (abad - serve, servant, worship, to serve as a subject, slave, bondman) Him with all your heart, and with all your soul, then..." (Deut. 11:13, see also Deut. 6:4-6, Mt. 22:37-40). This command to love the LORD totally and serve Him was the command that Moses was leaving with the Israelites. Jesus said that the whole law and the prophets were contained in this command (Mt. 22:36-40). 

     Moses explained to the Israelites that even if they are flourishing and living in wealth, it is still necessary to humble oneself before the LORD. The humility is in the understanding that the LORD supplies the air that we breathe, the rain in the proper season that's necessary to grow the food that we eat and that our animals eat (Deut. 11:13-15). We cannot supply these necessary things to live, but the LORD supplies them for us. Money and possessions are enjoyable, and to some unfortunately they are the most important things in life, but those things cannot buy the air that you need to breathe: "Therefore you shall lay up these (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes...Then your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth." (Deut. 11:18, 21).

     In another reading portion from this Eikev, "Because" Sabbath, a Psalm was written in thanksgiving for the mercy (hesed - goodness, kindness, faithfulness, desire, ardor, love, eager and ardent desire) of the LORD towards us that endures forever: TO HIM who does great wonders, TO HIM who made the heavens by wisdom, TO HIM who laid out the earth, TO HIM who made the great lights in heaven, TO HIM who struck the slave masters of Egypt, TO HIM who divided the Red Sea, TO HIM who led His people through the wilderness, TO HIM who struck down great kings on behalf of His people...it is to Him whom we give eternal thanks. (see Ps. 136). Only the LORD can do these things, and He does them out of faithful, ardent love which is His mercy.

     There is another side to the meaning of the hesed mercy of the LORD. Hesed also contains the meaning: "reproach, wicked thing, revile, shame, put to shame." There is nothing more shameful than to refuse to return the ardent love, goodness and kindness of God when considering the supernatural mercies that have been extended to us. Shame falls upon us when we forget the hesed mercy of the LORD.

     From another reading portion of this Eikev Sabbath, Psalm 19 wants us to consider "The Perfect Revelation of the LORD" according to the notation in my Bible. In this Psalm, David wants us to consider the heavens that declare the glory of God (v. 1-6). We know that the LORD has arranged the heavens into perfect gravitational balance and revolution so that the earth can support abundant life. The sun cannot pull the earth into its burning heat, and the outer planets cannot pull us into the cold darkness of space, but rather, we hang in the perfect balance between those powerful forces. The LORD maintains this balance by calling the heavenly bodies by name into their set places: "He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our LORD and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. The LORD lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground." (Ps. 147:4-6). Is the LORD not to be loved, thanked and glorified above all else for this brilliant mercy towards us? It is indeed shameful to walk in the benefits of these great mercies of God, but to refuse to continually love and acknowledge Him for them.

     One of the greatest expressions of the LORD's hesed mercy, ardent love, and desire for us is found in these words spoken by Jesus: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (Jn. 3:16-17). Here is the shameful side of that mercy: "...And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (Jn. 3:18-19). Rather than the humble, grateful acceptance of the sacrificial hesed mercy and avid love of God, it is refused in the pride and self-righteousness that dwells in men's hearts to their shame. Why refuse His great hesed mercy?

     Moses had a warning about the development of self-righteousness in the hearts of God's people when they see God remove the Canaanite nations from the promised land before them: "Do not think in your heart after the LORD God has cast them out before you, saying, 'Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) land (eres also means the whole world)'; but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out from before you. It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land..." (Deut. 9:4-6). These verses also say that God will dispossess those nations "that He may fulfill the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." It is very easy to lose our humility and become self-righteous before the LORD when He does wonders and shows favor on our behalf. Moses' serious warnings to the Israelites had to do with the issues of their hearts towards the LORD. Their fall, he warned, would not come from the actions of outward enemies, but from the sinful nature of their inward hearts.

     Jesus warned of the religious pride and self-righteousness that are traps into which we can so easily fall. He spoke of those who were religious "elite" who thought they deserved the greatest honors, titles and recognition, and did things to be impressive in men's eyes rather than for the love of God. However, the truth of the kingdom of God is this, Jesus said: "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Mt. 23:1-12). Jesus said that God is spirit, and the Father was seeking those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. The Holy Spirit, of whom we are to be filled as believers in Christ, is of the humblest character, never exalting Himself, but only revealing the glory and truth of the Father and the Son. We should be of the same heart and character.

     The apostle James wrote: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble...Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." (James 4:6, 10). Peter wrote similarly: "Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Pet. 5:5-7).

     If you would like to know more about the work in our lives of humility before the LORD, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, give me a humble heart to love You and serve You, even as Your Son, Jesus, humbled Himself to serve Your will and way. It is because of this humility that Your raised Him up and exalted Him for Your glory. You are magnified and glorified in the hearts of the humble. Be glorified in my heart today, LORD, and forgive me when I think more highly of myself than I ought. Change my innermost thoughts to conform to Your Word and Spirit. I thank You for the hesed mercy that You show to me daily. I pray in Jesus' name. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as Α Ω , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

TheConsolation

      The title of this Sabbath's reading portion is Va-etchannan, meaning "And I besought." The portion begins with Moses' prayer to the LORD in Deuteronomy Chapter 3: Then I pleaded/besought with the LORD at that time saying: 'O LORD God, You have begun to show Your (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) servant Your greatness and Your mighty (vaw [nail]-aleph [Adonoi/Lord]-tav [cross/covenant]) hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds? I pray, let me cross over and see the good (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon." (v. 23-25). Moses was referring to the previous event when he was instructed by the LORD to speak to the rock in the wilderness in order for the rock to supply abundant water for the people and their animals, but Moses, in anger against God's people, struck the rock instead. (Num. 20:7-11).

      Because of this action of "unbelief" and not hallowing the name of the LORD before the people, the LORD told Moses that he would not be allowed to lead the people into the promised land. (Num. 20:12-13).  Moses said that he besought (hanan/hana - have mercy on, graciousness, favor, pity, implore, beseech, make supplication/bow down) the LORD about His decision to keep Moses from crossing into the promised land with the people. The aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega servant of the LORD, Moses, was bowing down and begging God to show grace and mercy to him and to allow Moses to go into the promised land with the people. We would expect the LORD to hear this earnest prayer for mercy from His servant and grant it. However, Moses said that the LORD "was angry with me on your account and would not listen to me." The LORD then answered Moses: "Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter."  (Deut. 3:26). When Moses said that the LORD was angry with him "on your account", in Hebrew the word is ma'an and means: "purpose, to the end intent, for their benefit, for their welfare." The Lawgiver, Moses, could not lead the people in for the sake of their own good as the LORD saw it, but there was one who could: "But command (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Joshua ("Jehovah is salvation", Jehovah-saved), and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) land which you will see." (v. 28). For the people's own good, it was better for Joshua to lead them in. The law, represented by Moses, testifies of and leads to something greater - the salvation of the LORD as we will see, and it is the salvation that leads us in. 

     Jesus referred to this something greater, which was Himself as salvation, when He said to the religious people, "You search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life." (Jn. 5:39-40).  Jesus also said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill (pleroo/pleres - to accomplish, to make full, to complete, to carry through to the end, to carry into effect, to bring to realization/complete, filled up, to perfect lacking nothing)." (Mt. 5:17). The LORD said to Moses the Lawgiver that it was for the good of the people, for their sake, that salvation, Joshua, leads them into the land.

     As Moses experienced this heartbreak, the LORD offered him consolation: "Go up (ala - go up, ascend, climb, be taken up, brought up) to the top (ros - head, chief, principal, first, beginning, summit, captain, ruler) of Pisgah (pisga/pasag - a cleft/to consider, to contemplate), and lift (nasa - lift up, exalt, carry, bear up, extol, forgive, lofty, raise up, receive, be high) your eyes (ayin - sight, fountain, well, face, countenance) toward the west, the north, the south, and the east; behold it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over (abar - pass over, cross over, pass beyond, pass through, make to perish, make to cease to exist, make transition) this (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Jordan (yarden/yarad - descender, descending/sink down, be brought down to a lower region)." (Deut. 3:27). Moses would be given a vision of the land to console him. He, the Lawgiver, will see it by revelation from afar off, but he will not be able to cross over death: the descending, the sinking down, to get there. But Joshua, "Jehovah (LORD [YHWH: 'Behold the hand, behold the nail'] is salvation", can and will. Not only will he cross over, but he will lead all of the people to cross over with him.

     The words of the Lawgiver, Moses, and the Prophets are a light and a lamp that illuminate a path, but the path leads to a destination - The LORD: "Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path." (Ps. 119:105). This verse is the first verse that is written under the Hebrew letter NUN (נ) in Psalm 119. The pictographic Hebrew letter nun means "son, heir to the throne." In this week's Sabbath reading portion, Moses wrote this about our destination: "Hear O Israel: The LORD (YHWH, see above) our God is one (ehad/ahad - first, one, united, alike, altogether and apiece, together unitedly/unite, inseparably joined together like a sword of three edges)! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart." (Deut. 6:4-6).

     This Sabbath reading is also called Nachamu, meaning "Consolation". It is the Sabbath that follows the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, Tishah B'Av, the Ninth of Av. The Ninth of Av is the date of some tragic events in the history of the Jewish people (see the previous blog post "Speak" for more details). The Sabbath reading offers Isaiah 40 as a comfort and consolation to Israel after this day of mourning, just as the LORD offered revelation consolation to Moses in his moment of deep sadness mentioned above. Isaiah wrote the Word of the LORD to His people: "Comfort (naham - to console, to comfort, be comforted or consoled, repent, to draw a breath), yes, comfort (naham, see above) My people! Speak comfort (leb/lebab - heart, soul, inner man, kindly/mind, heart, soul, understanding) to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare has ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins." (Isa. 40:1-2).

     This Word of consolation comes from the wilderness, the desert, crying "Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God...The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (v. 3-5). (See more about the mouth and words spoken in the wilderness in the previous blog entry "Speak".) The consolation of Israel is the fact that the LORD is coming, and all eyes shall see Him! There is a Person who is known to the Jewish people as "The Consolation of Israel", and that Person is the Messiah/Christ. The consolation commanded here is not just a comforting feeling, but it is the LORD Himself. The words spoken here in chapter 40 by Isaiah were a prophecy fulfilled by the arrival of John the Baptist, who was anointed by God to point Israel to the Messiah, whom he identified as Jesus, saying, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (Jn. 1:19-36).

     This was the anointing of The Consolation from Isaiah 40: "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (v. 29-31).

     When Jesus was born, eight days were completed for His circumcision, and Mary and her husband, Joseph, came to the temple in Jerusalem after the days of Mary's purification were completed as the Law required. There was a man in the temple named Simeon who was just and devout, and he was "waiting for the Consolation of Israel" to appear. Simeon had received a prophetic revelation from the Spirit of God that he would not die before he had seen The Consolation, and the Spirit had sent him to the temple on that very day: "And when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he (Simeon) took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: 'Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel." (Luke 2:22-32). Simeon connected The Consolation of Israel, the Messiah/Christ, to the LORD's salvation.

     The prophet Isaiah also wrote that the people of God will proclaim and praise the naham consolation or comfort of the LORD, while connecting it to His salvation: "...Your anger is turned away, and You console/comfort (naham, see above) me. Behold, God is my salvation (Yesua), I will trust and not be afraid; for YAH, the LORD, is my strength and my song; He also has become my salvation (Yesua). Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation (Yesua)." (Isa. 12:1-3).

     The Apostle Paul also wrote that consolation and salvation were connected together even through men's suffering and tribulation. He pointed out the source of that consolation: "...our consolation also abounds through Messiah/Christ." (Col, 1:1-7).

     Paul wrote this blessing to the believers in The Consolation of Israel: "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ (Messiah) Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation (paraklesis/parakaleo - a calling near, consolation, comfort, solace, of Messianic salvation/call to one's side, receive consolation, be comforted, encouraged, strengthened - see Deut. 3:28) and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work." (2 Thess. 2:16-17). It is the Lord's consolation and the power of hope through His grace that enables us to walk in His Word and Works. In this verse above, we see that the meaning of "consolation" in Greek is directly tied to the salvation work of the Messiah/Christ. He allows us to call Him to our side, and He calls us to His side to console and comfort us. Jesus told His disciples that He would send The Comforter/Consoler (parakletos), the Holy Spirit, to help them after He returned to His Father in heaven. (Jn. 14:15-18, Jn. 15:26). The Salvation and The Consolation again are connected together.

     As we go back to Isa. 40, which cries out for the consolation of God for His people, Isaiah prophesied of the "good tidings" that would come out of Zion and Jerusalem (v. 9, see also Lk. 2:10-12). These good tidings that Isaiah prophesied declares "Behold your God!" Even though the LORD God would come with a strong hand and arm to rule in this prophetic Word, He is also described as The Consolation: "He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young." (v. 10-11). Jesus (Yesua - "The LORD is salvation") said, "I am the good shepherd..." (see Jn. 10:11-16).

     This Sabbath of Nachamu, which follows Tishah B'Av, the Ninth of Av, a day of mourning and loss for the Jewish people, offers this promise of consolation to God's people. If you have suffered mourning and loss, His salvation consolation is available to you also. Who better to console and comfort His people than the LORD, YHWH (yod, hey, vaw, hey: "Behold the hand, behold the nail") who had experienced the suffering of man in His own flesh (Isa. 53:3-5), and welcomed the consolation and strengthening ministered to Him by angels? (Lk. 22:41-44, Mt. 4:10-11). Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." (Mt. 5:4). The LORD wants us to seek His consolation.

     If you would like to know more about The Consolation of Israel for your life, you can pray with me: "Heavenly and gracious Father, You have sent The Consolation of Israel, Your Son, Jesus, the Messiah/Christ, and my salvation. In these times, many who have suffered loss need Your consolation and comfort. In these challenging days, I and many others need the encouragement and strengthening of Your consolation to walk in Your Word and Works. You, the LORD's salvation, are able to lead me and this Your people to victoriously cross over the descent into death and to enter into the covenant promise of God, abundant and eternal life. I pray that many will begin to seek out Your salvation consolation, and You will lead them as Your flock. I ask these things in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as Α Ω , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

Speak

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled D'varim, meaning "Words", from Deut. 1:1, referring to the words which Moses spoke to the children of Israel. D'varim (dabar - word, thing, matter, acts, chronicles, saying, commandments, speech, utterance, speaking, counsel, decree, judgment, language, promise, purpose, spoken, sing, declare, warn, threaten, to arrange in order) is also the name of the fifth book of the Torah, or Deuteronomy in Greek. In many ways this fifth book of the Torah moves us forward chronologically and physically in the journey to the promised land, but also takes us back to the beginning, spiritually. This book opens with telling us that the Israelites were very near the end of their forty-year wandering through the wilderness: "...in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the LORD had given him as commandments to them..." (v. 3).

     Moses began to recount the Israelites' history with the LORD, including their failure to heed His word to them. However, Moses also reveals the LORD's caring heart towards His people: "The LORD your God who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place. Yet for all that, you did not believe the LORD your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day." (Deut. 1:30-33). Again, Moses said, "For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) wilderness (midbar/dabar - wilderness, uninhabited land, a desert or sterile sandy country, a pasture fit for feeding flocks, speech, the mouth as an organ of speech/speak, declare etc.- see above). These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing." (Deut. 2:7).

     As we look at the word "wilderness" used in the above verse, it is the Hebrew word midbar with the root word of dabar. The meaning of the word "wilderness" here means both a sterile desert or a pasture fit to feed the flock. How can it mean both, as they seem to be opposites? Perhaps because "wilderness" is attached to its root word dabar, which means to speak and more. "Wilderness" even means the mouth as used to speak. We know that while traveling through the wilderness, the Israelites used many occasions to speak the curse of the sterile desert rather than the blessing and the glory of the green pasture that fed them, and where they lacked nothing. How are we speaking of "the wilderness" in which we sometimes find ourselves, as it awaits the spoken words of our mouths to determine its characteristics toward us? These are the words that Isaiah spoke from the LORD over the wilderness: "The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the excellency of our God." (Isa. 35:1-2). This beautiful and powerful prophetic testimony was not what was spoken by the Israelites in the wilderness, but rather bitterness and rebellion. Self-pity and unbelief spoken in the wilderness did not serve the Israelites well, and in fact, caused many deaths. For us, the prophetic promise has already been established, as we read in Isaiah. We can leave the world as a spiritual desert wasteland by the words we speak, or we can speak the promise of God leading to the transformation of the spiritual wilderness into an abundant garden of joy, singing and glory. Paul wrote that all of creation is groaning, waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. (Rom. 8:18-22). What and how are we speaking in the wilderness?

     How we speak when we are in the spiritual wilderness is especially important at this time. This Sabbath is also designated as Chazon, meaning that it is the Sabbath before Tishah B'Av. Tishah B'Av, or the ninth of Av refers to a date that throughout history has seen disaster befall Israel and/or the Jewish people wherever they might be in the world.

     Some of the events from history that have occurred around or on the ninth of Av include the destruction of the two temples by the enemies of Israel. Solomon's Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC which was followed by the Babylonian captivity, and the Romans destroyed the second temple in 70 AD that had been built under Zerubbabel. Also on or around the ninth of Av in different years, three nations expelled their Jewish populations: England in 1290, France in 1306 and Spain in 1492. In 1942, Jews were deported from the Warsaw Ghetto in Poland and taken to Treblinka concentration camp on the ninth of Av. The ninth of Av this year will follow this Sabbath and will be observed with fasting as the saddest day on the Jewish calendar.

     For this Sabbath reading portion before Tishah B'Av, the chazon vision of Isaiah is read. The meaning of the Hebrew word chazon/haza is "a vision as the vision seen by a prophet, a divine vision, divine revelation/to see, perceive, prophesy, provide, to see God, to behold the face of God." The vision of Isaiah reported what the LORD saw concerning His people. The LORD saw a desolate wilderness: "Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire; strangers devour your land in your presence; and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers." (Isa. 1:7). As desolate as the vision was for the land, it was even more so for the people: "Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment...Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah: To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?' says the LORD..." (v. 5-6, 10-11). In this vision, the rulers and people of Israel are compared to Sodom and Gomorrah. This vision is not just about the land and people of Israel. We have previously seen that the land to which the LORD was bringing the Israelites after their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt was the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) 'eres land. In Hebrew, 'eres is also used to refer to the whole earth (see also Gen. 1:1-2). When the LORD first revealed this vision to Isaiah, He said, "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth ('eres)! For the LORD has spoken (dabar, see above)..." (Isa. 1:2). This vision is for all who have been grafted into the Name of the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) LORD and the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Holy One of Israel as written in Hebrew in Isa. 1:4. To use an expression, we are mistaken if we believe that what happens in Israel stays in Israel. Do we think that what the LORD spoke in this vision about Jerusalem only applies to Jerusalem? - "How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers." (v. 21). We are mistaken if we believe that Tishah B'Av, the ninth of Av, has nothing to do with the rest of the earth. History tells us that empires were judged and eventually pulled down, and world wars were forged around the events above that were associated with the ninth of Av.

     What does Isaiah's chazon vision tell us about God's plans for this desolate spiritual wilderness described here? The LORD drops a seed of life into the middle of the desolation: "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together,' says the LORD, 'though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow...If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword;' for the mouth of the LORD has spoken (dabar, see above)." (v. 16-20). Then the LORD says: "I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors (ya'as - to advise, consult, give counsel, purpose, plan, guide, exhort, admonish, counselor or minister to a king, to provide for, to declare future things) as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her penitents with righteousness." (v. 26-27).

     Following the report of this chazon vision of Isaiah's in Chapter 1, there is a powerful prophetic promise in Chapter 2 regarding the house of the LORD in the latter days, that all nations and many people shall flow to the mountain of the LORD where: "He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem...Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the LORD." (Isa. 2:1-5). How awesome was this chazon vision for the latter days that flowed out of the desolate spiritual wilderness that the LORD had seen! It is a vision that impacts the whole 'eres earth.

     As the ninth of Av approaches this year, the heartbroken nation of Israel is in mourning even while it finds itself facing the attacks of enemies from all directions as was prophesied in scripture. These enemies are supported and directed by nations, and include nations, that have acquired nuclear weapons. Let us all who call upon the Name of the LORD cleanse our hearts, turn from evil, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Ps. 122:6) and pray that all of Israel shall return to and call upon the Lord our Savior, and be saved (Rom. 11:26-27/Isa. 59:20). Let us speak that seed of life that the LORD has dropped into the wilderness.

     If you would like to learn more about speaking in the wilderness, you can pray with me: "Father, You have shown us how to speak in the wilderness to bring life and glory in a place of desolation and waste. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that the words that I speak revive and renew those who are desolate. I pray that You would teach me Your ways so that I will walk in your paths. I pray for Israel and all of the seed of Abraham, both by the flesh and by faith, that they would live in the peace and safety of the Lord and in Your salvation, the Messiah/Christ Jesus, Immanuel, according to the words of Your prophets. I pray that we would all hear Your voice, turn away from sin and evil, and turn back to You. Especially as the ninth of Av approaches this year, we stand in the gap in the wall of fire and the hedge of protection that You have set around Jerusalem and Israel, and all those whom You have called by Your name. I ask these things, Father, in the name of Your Son, Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as Α Ω , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

     

Roads

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Mattot-Mass'ei, which means "the journeys of the tribes", from Numbers 32 through 35. Last week we studied the testimony of the tribes of Israel found in their names. This testimony of the greatness of God was brought with them wherever they traveled and would be brought with them as they settled by tribes in the land promised to them by God. This same testimony was also purposed by God to be their spiritual warfare by which the Canaanite tribes and their false gods were dispossessed from the land before them. We believers in Jesus as Savior, also carry a "tribal" name and identity that carries our testimony of belonging to the Messiah/Christ Jesus. It is the testimony of His name, which in Hebrew is Yeshua or Yehoshua meaning "the LORD of/is Salvation." The whole family (patria/pater - a nation or tribe whose lineage runs back to a common origin, paternal [from the father] descent/father or founder of a family or tribe, the originator and transmitter of anything) of heaven is named for the Father God through His Son, Jesus (Eph. 3:14-19, see also Jn. 1:10-13, Col. 3:3-4).  Our tribal testimony of the name and sovereign power of God to save also serves the same purpose as the testimony of the tribes of Israel as stated above: "...the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord..." (Eph. 3:9-11). The powers of darkness are dispossessed by the testimony that we, the tribe of God in Christ, carry.

     The importance of this week's Sabbath revelation regarding the tribes, is that their journeys (massa/nasa - pulling up of stakes, breaking camp, setting out, to quarry stones/set out, journey, remove, set forward, cause to spring up, to quarry or to cut out, pluck out, bend a bow), also reveals a truth about our journey in faith. As we can see from the Hebrew meaning of the word that is translated as "journey" above, the same thing that causes one thing to "spring up" also causes another thing to be "plucked out" or "removed" spiritually speaking as well as physically speaking. The journey also includes the meaning of "bending the bow" which points to spiritual warfare.

     The track of the journey of the Israelites was recorded by Moses by the command of the LORD: "These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. Now Moses wrote down the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) starting points (mosa/yasa - place of going out or issuing from, source, spring or watercourse, exit, going forth, proceed, east as the rising of the sun, a fountain of waters, a gate, promulgation of an edict, that which is produced, utterance of the mouth especially of solemn or formal speech/deliver, bring out, draw forth, go forward, to become fair and beautiful and clean, to be freed from) of their journeys at the command of the LORD. And these are their journeys according to their starting points (mosa/yasa - same as above):" (Num. 33:1-2). Part of the meaning of "staring point" in Hebrew is to proceed or go forward. We can see why the threat of the Israelites against Moses of their desire to "go back" to Egypt would be counter to the command of the LORD to record their "starting points." We can also see from the Hebrew meaning how important our "starting points" are as we follow after the Lord. Our "starting point" throughout all of our journey must be the cross of Jesus (see Mt. 16:24-26).

     The journey of the Israelites had its own first mosa starting point of their massa journey in Rameses/Ramses, Egypt (Num. 33:3) with many other "starting points" to follow, all of which were recorded by Moses in Num. 33. In accordance with the meaning, as the Israelites were issuing the proclamation of the deliverance of the LORD, they were "plucking out" the gods of Egypt: "...on the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out (yasa - root word of mosa above) with boldness (rum + yad - be lifted up, exalt, high, to rise, become powerful + hand, consecrate, power, dominion, ministry, draw with strength) in the sight of all the Egyptians. For the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had killed among them. Also on their gods the LORD executed judgments." (Num. 33:4). The city of Rameses in Lower Egypt was associated with four gods: Amon-Re (king of all gods), Wadjet (cobra goddess), Seti (god of chaos and destruction), Astarte (goddess of fertility and sexuality). The starting point of the journey of the Israelites became the place of judgment against these false gods of Egypt. The same must also be true of the starting points along our spiritual journey in Christ. 

     In another reading portion from this "Journeys of the Tribes" Sabbath, there came a moment where the road the tribes had traveled together would diverge. At a request approved of by the LORD and enacted by Moses, the tribes of Gad, Reuben and half of the half-tribe of Manasseh claimed their land inheritance on the eastern side of the Jordan River rather than the western side where the rest of the tribes would settle in the promised land. At the time, Moses had attained the promise from the three Israelite tribes that they would still fight with the other tribes in the dispossession of the Canaanites from the eastern side of the Jordan. The time came when the battles were done, and the tribes had settled in peace on the eastern side: "Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass." (Josh. 21:45).

     Joshua then called the tribes of Gad, Reuben and the portion of the tribe of Manasseh to him and told them that they had kept their promise to the other tribes to fight with them: "...now therefore, return and go to your tents and to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. But take careful heed to do the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him with all your heart and with all your soul. So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents." (Josh. 22:1-6). The two tribes and the part of the third tribe separated from the other tribes of Israel at Shiloh (silo - place of rest, tranquility and prosperity; an expectation belonging to the kingdom of the Messiah/Christ [see Gen. 49:10]; an epithet of the Messiah/Christ: that which belongs to Him) (Josh. 22:9). This was not a divergence in the road caused by strife and division, but with the approval of God and Moses, at a "starting point" that carried the testimony of the Kingdom of the Messiah/Christ. The three tribes that would inhabit the eastern side of the Jordan River built an altar of witness to testify of their unity in identity and in the worship of the LORD with the tribes that inhabited the western side of the Jordan River (v. 10, 26-27). Roads may diverge, and tribes may separate, but their commonly held love for the LORD and faith in the Messiah/Christ Jesus will always be a point of unity among them (see Eph. 4:1-6, 11-16).

     From another reading portion from this "Journeys of the tribes" Sabbath, the prophet Jeremiah wrote that the Israelites had abandoned the road upon which God had directed them, and chose instead the spiritual roads of foreigners, who worshipped false gods: "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters (see mosa starting point above), and hewn for themselves cisterns - broken cisterns that can hold no water...Have you not brought this on yourself, in that you have forsaken the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) LORD your God when He led you in the way (derek/darak - way, road, journey, manner, path, course of life/tread, walk, march, expressing wine or oil by tread, to bend a bow in order to string it by stepping on it)? And now why take the road/way (see derek/darak above) to Egypt, to drink (sata - drinkers, drunkards, to feast) the waters of Sihor (sihor/sahar - dark, turpid, muddy/dim or dark)? Or why take the road/way (derek/darak above) to Assyria, to drink (see sata above) the waters of the river?" (Jer. 2:13, 17-18). God's people were walking along the way of nations who worshipped idols and false foreign gods, seeking success in war, fertility and prosperity that these gods falsely promised. The aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega LORD also said to His people: "But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; For according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah." (v. 28). The LORD's way had led His people safely "...through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, through a land of drought and the shadow of death." (v. 6, see also Ps. 23:4, Isa. 9:2, Amos 5:8, Mt. 4:16). Chapter four of Jeremiah, also a part of this week's reading, tells us that remaining on the road of the LORD was not just for the sake of the well-being of the Israelites, but had even more far-reaching implications: "If you will return O Israel, says the LORD, Return to Me; And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, then you shall not be moved. And you shall swear, 'The LORD lives, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness'; The nations shall bless themselves in Him, and in Him they shall glory." (v. 1-2). As Israel returns to the way, the road of the LORD in their journey, the nations will be blessed as well.

     The way that God was leading them was the way of the aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega LORD (YHWY: "Behold the hand, behold the nail"). Jesus said emphatically: "I am the way (hodos - way, road, journey, route, highway, a progress, mode or means, manner), the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (Jn. 14:6). We are told by Jesus to walk Him as a road. When we veer off of that road for any of the various reasons that the cares and desires of life create, we walk the way of foreign false gods, as the Israelites did above.

     Paul wrote about the road of our journey: "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk (peripateo - to walk, tread all around, to progress, follow as a companion, conduct one's self) in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." (Col. 2:6-7).

     There is a poem written by Robert Frost titled "The Road Not Taken." It is about the choice a man made when the road he was on divided in the woods. He decided to take the part of the road that few if any had walked, while leaving behind the road that had been worn by the feet of many. His poem ends:

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

   

     Jesus spoke of how narrow is the gate and the way or road which leads to life, and that there are few who find it. (Mt. 7:13-14). However, that road less traveled makes all the difference. It is worth it to take that road, and to stay on that road of life.

     If you would like to know more about the importance of the road of the LORD, you can join me in my prayer: "Father, You have ordained and directed the road by which Your people are to journey. It is a road that not only builds up the faith of Your people and leads them to You, but also pulls down enemy strongholds of spiritual wickedness. This road followed by Your people also brings the knowledge of You and Your glory to all nations. Your road is the road of righteousness, and I pray that I will always walk on this road and follow its path. There are wide roads that many follow to destruction, but then there is the narrow road that few find that leads to life in You, and in Your Son, Jesus. This is the road that I desire to walk with You.  I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as Α Ω , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.