PortraitofSin

     The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is D'b(v)arim, meaning "Words." This title refers to the first verse in Deuteronomy: "These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on this side of the Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain opposite Suph, between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab." (Deut. 1:1). D'b(v)arim is also the Hebrew title of the fifth Book of the Bible, which we call Deuteronomy, or Deuteronomion in the Greek. Both the Hebrew and the Greek also refer to this Book as "Second Law," and also the "Book of Remembrance," or "Repetition of the Law" as Moses reminds the new generation of the importance of obedience to the laws of God. As the Book of Deuteronomy begins, we find out that Moses is speaking in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month "...according to all that the LORD had given him as commandments to them...". (v. 3).

     Moses will repeat the Law to Israel and also elaborate upon it in more detail in this Book. He will review the history of the Israelites as they began their journey through the wilderness. The end of the life of Moses is near as the LORD will appoint his successor to bring Israel across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land.

     The physical location of the Israelites as mentioned above, according to the Hebrew meanings of the words used, seem to reflect the history, not just of the Israelites, but of mankind, including God's plan of salvation and redemption. It starts out in a place of abounding foliage - beautiful and glorious, adorned with every need met which sounds like the Garden of Eden (see Paran). Then there follows the insipid foolishness (of man), smeared in a quagmire of slime, untempered or left weakened and tasteless: unsalted (Tophel/tapel). Man then becomes purified or made white (see Laban). He is enclosed in a court, even the court of the tabernacle, and, at the sound of a trumpet he is separated from his surroundings, which sounds like the Catching-away of the believers (see Hazeroth/haser/hasar). Finally, he is in a place abounding with gold, brilliant and splendid, shimmering like oil, like the golden splendor of the heavens (Dizahab/zabab).

     As the older generation has passed away in the wilderness during the forty years of journey, (a journey that would have taken eleven days if the people had been willing to go up and take the land as the LORD had commanded them to do earlier (see Num. 13:31-33 and Num. 14:1-4), Moses is giving his warning words to the younger generation who will soon enter the Land. 

     We live in a time when the younger generations have been raised in societies where the law of God, His truth, His principles of life and well-being, are being systematically deconstructed from our framework. Even some in the Church/Assembly of believers have clouded the understanding of sin and its resultant death, not only physical death, but the dying of the soul, which is the mind, the will and the emotions. We are now seeing whole societies debilitated by the spiritual sickness caused by sin.

     Sin is not just about breaking "meaningless" rules that the LORD has randomly created as some may think. Sin is a condition of man that falls short of God's own holiness, perfection, righteousness and glorious state. This is why scripture says, "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23). Our Father in heaven sent His Son, Jesus, to sacrificially pay the price of sin, which includes death.  We all have the sickness of sin and we all need the healing and deliverance of Messiah/Christ. His body absorbed all of that sickness of sin and became the resulting death. However, death could not hold Him in its power, and He rose again to eternal life for our sakes. This is the good news of salvation life, given by God to all people. Scripture says of sin: "What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 6:21-23).

     This D'b(v)arim ("Words") Sabbath reading portion will give us a deeper glimpse of the sin of God's people, and all people.

     Many have seen depictions of Jesus' battered and tortured face and body from the abuse He endured before the cross and from the crucifixion itself. We have also read in the Gospel accounts of the type of wounds that He received. We see the evidence of the wounds as accurately shown on the Shroud of Turin. Isaiah prophetically describes the Messiah/Christ Servant of God who was wounded and bruised for our transgressions and iniquity. (see Isa. 53:5), and as having a "visage ...marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men." (Isa. 52:14). 

     When we consider sin, we view it as hidden from sight, something within the hearts and minds. We only "see" it when it becomes an outward action. However, God sees sin in a different but compelling manner. Isaiah wrote the "Words" (dabarim) of the LORD as God describes the sin of His people: "Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who are corrupters! They have forsaken (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-LORD, they have provoked to anger (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-The-Holy-One of Israel, they have turned away backward....The whole head is sick (holi/hala - sickness, disease, grief, anxiety, calamity, sadness/be weak, wounded, sore, pain, entreat-pray-beg), and the whole heart faints (dauay/dave/dava - sick, troubled, of sorrow, distress/unwell/miserable, to languish). From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds (pesa'/pasa' - bruise, wound/to wound by crushing, to split) and bruises (habura/habar - stripe, wounds, blueness, bruise, blow/join together, have fellowship with, be allied with, a spell, to tie a magic charm to) and putrefying (tari - new, moist, fresh, dripping, raw wound, not healed nor attended to) sores (maka/naka - wound, slaughter, beaten, stripes, stroke, blow, smote, sores, scourging, the blow of a flail/stricken or smitten, scourge, give a thrust, ravage, punish, destroy); They have not been closed or bound up, or soothed (rakak - to soften, be penitent, break anyone's heart) with ointment (semen/samam - oil, olive oil for anointing, spiced oil/to cover)." (Isa. 1:4-6).

      (*Aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-LORD sees the sinful condition of His people as if they are covered with wounds, bruises and sores from head to foot. As we see the Hebrew meanings above for these afflictions, we also see the head-to-foot wounds of Messiah/Christ. It is as if (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-LORD is showing us a portrait of His own wounds that He would suffer. They are the wounds of sin.

     (*Aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-LORD also laments that those raw and dripping wounds, bruises and sores have not been covered by repentance and the oil of anointing (Messiah/Christ = The Anointed One). The prophet of the LORD expresses this same sadness when He speaks of God's people: "For the hurt (sebar/sabar - destruction, hurt, affliction, bruise, crushing/maimed, broken, rupture) of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning; Astonishment (samma - desolation, horror, appalled, stunned) has taken hold of me. Is there no balm (sori - medicine, salve, used to heal wounds) in Gilead, is there no physician there? Why is there no recovery for the health of the daughter of my people?" (Jer. 8:21-22). What did Jeremiah see in the Spirit when he spoke above of God's people? His words suggest that he "saw" the wounds, bruises, sores and extreme suffering from sin that horrified him, and cried out to God for the Healing Physician. We also refer to Jesus as that healing Balm of Gilead that the prophet mentioned above. He is the healing of our wounds.

     We see in another part of scripture that the LORD again sees the sin that dwells inwardly, in the heart, manifesting as an outward appearance in the Spirit. In Genesis 4, both (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-Cain and (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-Abel, the sons of Adam and (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-Eve, brought offerings to the LORD. Abel's offering, a firstborn lamb from his flock, was accepted by the LORD, but Cain's offering from the fruit of the ground was not accepted: "And Cain was very angry (hara/harar - incensed, hot with anger, blaze up, jealousy, burn in vexation/to burn, be scorched, be charred, dry up), and his countenance (panim/pana - face, presence, person/look, face, to turn) fell (napal - fall down, rot, the fall of a violent death, to waste away, make to rot, slay, smite out, fall to the ground, fall into calamity). So the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?" (Gen. 4:1-6).

     The LORD "saw" the wasting away and rotting of the fall of death upon Cain's face or person caused by the sin of jealous rage within him against his brother. What Cain may have believed were the hidden thoughts and emotions within him, the LORD clearly saw as the rotting of death that manifested in the Spirit outwardly upon Cain.

      Scripture tells us that Jesus would also know immediately what was within the thoughts and emotions of those with whom He dealt. He would then reveal and confront the others' thoughts. As He looked upon the hearts of men, did He also clearly see an outward manifestation of these thoughts as horrifying unhealed wounds, bruises and sores?

     Considering what we have read here, we can now understand that our sins are not hidden, but that before the eyes of the LORD they are manifested plainly upon us outwardly for Him to see. Do we now understand the nature of the manifestation of those sins - as wounds, bruises and open dripping sores?

     Let us consider one more thing. We understand that Jesus, as that covering Anointing oil, suffered the punishment for the sin of the world in our place, as Isaiah prophesied above. However, scripture tells us something deeper still: "...we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He (God) made Him (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Jesus was not only punished for our sins, but He became our sin. Could that have been why Jesus cried out loudly from the cross that God had turned away from Him, saying: "...My God, My God, why have You forsaken ('azab - forsake, leave, depart from, to be deserted) Me?" (Mt. 27:46, Ps. 22:1). He had become the sin that causes separation from God.

     What we see on Christ's body, the wounds, bruises and sores, is what sin looks like before the eyes of God. Jesus, the Holy, the Perfect, the Glory of God became the dripping open sores of sin for our sakes. He became the sores of sin, and He became the healing. Can we better understand the portrait of sin that we have been given in this week's D'b(v)arim, or "Words", Sabbath reading portion as Moses reviewed and repeated the Law of God for Israel? Can we better understand what Jesus Messiah/Christ accomplished for us through His suffering and death? 

     We have all sinned. The Apostle John wrote: "...the blood of Jesus Christ His (God's) Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess (homologeo - to say [words] the same as, to concede, to confess, declare, admit one's guilt, to assent to covenant) our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse (katharizo/katharos - cleanse, purge, purify, to free from guilt of sin/purified by fire, a vine cleansed by pruning in order to bear fruit, to free from corrupt desire-sin-or guilt) us from all unrighteousness." (1 Jn. 1:7-9). Jesus became sin; He felt the pain of sin and the subsequent separation from God, His beloved Father, and He sees and feels our pain in sin. He is our Savior from this plight.

     If you would like to learn more about the portrait of sin and our deliverance in Messiah/Christ, the Anointed of God, you can join with me in my prayer: "Holy Father, what do You feel as You see me burdened by sin? How terrible it must be for You to "see" me in this spiritual affliction. Because of Your love for me and for the whole world, You sent Your Son, Jesus, to become my sin, to suffer the consequences of my sin, and to heal and deliver me from that sin. My Lord, cleanse me this day, heal me this day, in Jesus. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness through Your gracious, loving, impartial and all-powerful forgiveness by the blood of Jesus, which He willingly shed for me and for all who will receive it. I didn't deserve this gift. I didn't earn this gift - just the opposite, but You gave it to me anyway. Are there words that are pure enough to thank You for what You have done for me? I know that You, Father, can hear and see the words that are filling my heart. I offer up my thanks and love to You 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 ΑΩ, 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. 

Overthrown

      "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!' And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying: 'We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned'...Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail." (Rev. 11:15-19, excerpt).

     This is the vision given to John by Jesus Messiah/Christ of the overthrow of earthly kingdoms of men's power and the establishment of God's kingdom on earth in heavenly power and covenant. It is accompanied by great noises and shakings, even hail. It seems that we are seeing this same kind of unusual phenomenon here on earth more and more frequently now also.

     This week's Sabbath reading portion titled D'varim, meaning "The Words," also deals in part with the overthrow of mighty kingdoms on earth. D'varim is also the Hebrew name of the Book of Deuteronomy, and the Sabbath reading begins in Chapter one of that Book. This Sabbath, we are beginning a new Hebrew month, Av, and we are also beginning a new Book, D'varim/Deuteronomy, in the Torah/Bible. The month of Av, translates to "Father" in English, and is especially used in the phrase "Menachem Av," meaning "Comforting Father," with the Father being our comfort in times of mourning and loss. The Jewish people have known great sorrows in this month throughout history, but the LORD has never given up His promise of reconciliation and renewal, which we will see in this D'varim Sabbath study.

     These two new beginnings occurring on this Sabbath, draw our attention to the idea of the old passing away and the new being established, especially for believers in Messiah/Christ. Paul wrote: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation." (2 Cor. 5:17-19). Paul said that God has reconciled the earth to Himself through His Son, Jesus, and that miraculous reconciliation process includes us. We need "to get with the program" of this great reconciliation of heaven and earth! This means that our attention should be focused in a special way. Peter wrote that we should not be invested in what is passing away but looking for and "hastening " (speudo/pous - to haste, make haste, to desire earnestly, to urge on diligently, to await eagerly, make haste unto/foot, footstool, as putting the foot on a vanquished enemy, as a disciple sits at the feet [of Jesus] listening to instruction) the new that is coming. (2 Peter 3:10-14). Why are we so caught up and invested in the things that will pass away?

     If God's people turn back from His vision of reconciliation and renewal, they can become caught up in the overthrow of the old, as we will see in this week's Sabbath reading portion.

     Moses recounts very ancient history in Deuteronomy of nations overthrown and replaced by a new people. The Lord had given territory to Esau, son of Isaac and brother of Jacob, and his descendants, and Lot, the nephew of Abraham, and his descendants. The LORD told Moses and the Israelites: "Do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as one footstep, because I have given (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Mount Seir (seir/sair/sa'ar - hairy or shaggy, patriarch of the Horites who were the aboriginal occupants of Edom before the descendants of Esau/goat, devil, satyr, hairy, demon-possessed he-goat/come like a whirlwind, be horribly afraid, dread, sweep away, come as a storm) to Esau as a possession." (Deut. 2:2-5). The LORD also commanded regarding Moab: "Do not harass Moab, nor contend with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land as a possession, because I have given Ar ('ar/'ir - a city, an enemy/a place or city guarded with a watch tower and frequented by people, a terror, rage, heat of anger, the enemies' metropolis like Nineveh) to the descendants of Lot as a possession. (The Emim ('emim/'ema/'ayom - terrors, idols that cause terror to their worshippers, a very ancient people that occupied the land of the Moabites before them/terror, dread, fear, horror, idols/terrible, dreadful, frightful) had dwelt there in times past, a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. They were also regarded as giants, like the Anakim, but the Moabites call them Emim. The Horites (hori/hor/hur - cave dwellers, troglodyte, those who in very ancient times inhabited Mt. Seir/hole, cave, den of wild beasts/hole, crevice of serpents, cell of a prison, an abominable subterranean prison, the hole of a viper or an asp, the desire to be hidden from the judgment of God [see also Rev. 6:14-17]) formerly dwelt in Seit, but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their place, just as Israel did to the land of their possession which the LORD gave them.)" (v. 9-12). The former idolatrous nations of people were long ago dispossessed by descendants of those related to the Israelites. At the time of Moses, the Israelites were not to touch the territories of Moab and Mount Seir by the command of God.

     We are given a very interesting and rare look here into ancient aboriginal people. As we can see from the Hebrew meanings of these ancient places and people, God had overthrown the terror related to them and replaced them with descendants of Abraham who were related to Israel. He overthrew the evil and the terror of these places associated with idolatry, the devil and demons.     

     Also in these early chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses reviews the recent defeat of two kings, both Amorites, by Israel as delivered into their hands by the LORD. These kings, Sihon and Og, must have a very special spiritual significance because they are mentioned several times in scripture in the Books of Numbers, Deuteronomy, Judges, 1 Kings, Nehemiah, Jeremiah, and the Psalms. They represent something that scripture intends for the people of God to remember. What must we learn about their defeat?

     Og ("long-necked"), the king of Bashan ("fruitful, region known for fertility"), was a giant, and according to the Concordance, he was one of the last of the ancient giants, the Rephaim (meaning casting down or throwing down). He ruled over the fruitfulness of the land according to the Hebrew meaning. Sihon (sihon/suah - warrior, tempestuous, sweeping away/wipe away) was king of Heshbon (stronghold, reason, reasoning, understanding). His name implies that he was an aggressive warrior who valued the reasoning and understanding of men rather than God. Both kings were of the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Amorite (emoi/amar - a "sayer"/speak, command, tell, utter, say, publish, declare, to think, intend, boast, declare, demand, desire) tribe of Canaan. We also saw the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega designation in the Hebrew writing of Mount Seir, above. The Amorites, according to their *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega designation in the written Hebrew should have been declaring and desiring the prophesied Messiah/Christ, but they, instead, fell into a demonic Canaanite religion. This is a description of the religion of the Amorites and the Canaanites in general: It is similar to the earlier Sumerian religion. It was an extraordinarily base and degraded religion of brutality, with gross and perverse sexual excesses and depravity as fertility rites. They offered animal sacrifices, and there is archeological and anthropological evidence of human sacrifices to their gods, such as Ba'al. There is evidence that the human sacrifices of the Amorites included their own children, particularly their first-born. They practiced magic, spell casting and binding, and spiritism.

     The LORD, at the time of His overthrow of the Amorites, considered their wickedness to be complete. It was time for them to go, and the Israelites dispossessed them and their kings Og and Sihon. The old evil was overthrown, and the newness of God replaced them.

     Here are some of the references in scripture to the defeat of the Amorite kings Og and Sihon, and its wider significance:

"Moreover You gave them (the Israelites of the wilderness) kingdoms and nations, and divided them into districts. So they took possession of the land of Sihon, (*vaw-aleph-tav: "the Lord, Adonai, nailed to the cross") the land of the king of Heshbon, and (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the land of Og king of Bashan." (Neh. 9:22).

"He (the LORD) defeated many nations and slew mighty kings - Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan - and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel His people." (Ps. 135:10-12). Ps. 136:17-22 describes this overthrow, reconciliation and renewal work of God among the nations of the earth as exhibiting His mercy that endures forever.

     Although Moab was not to be touched at the time of Moses' words in Deut. Ch. 2, generations later the judgment of God, who is the Just Judge without favoritism, was prophesied to fall upon that nation because it exalted itself against the LORD (Jer. 48:42). We will see some familiar references in the language used: "Fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon you, O inhabitant of Moab,' says the LORD. He who flees from the fear shall fall into the pit, and he who gets out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For upon Moab, upon it I will bring the year of their punishment," says the LORD..."...But a fire shall come out of Heshbon, a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the brow of Moab, the crown of the head of the sons of tumult." (v. 43-45, excerpt).

     The descendants of Lot, who had overthrown the aboriginal tribes who practiced perverse and murderous idol worship, would now be overthrown themselves because they had placed themselves above God and His will.

     As descendants of Noah, whom the LORD used as a prophet and deliverer from God's judgment, these idolatrous aboriginal tribes of Canaan, would have had the knowledge of the LORD from their forefathers. They chose a way of darkness instead. Sadder still, is that the people of God, then and sometimes even now, turn away from their knowledge of God and embrace the knowledge of the world instead. Both Paul and Peter wrote that this would especially be so in the latter days before the return of Messiah/Christ Jesus. (see Rom. 1:18-32 and 2 Pet. 2:1-3). The Lord holds off His judgment for as long as possible, giving every opportunity for all to repent and return to truth. (2 Pet. 3:9). However, without repentance, the overthrow will eventually come.

     This D'varim Sabbath reading portion brings us to the prophet Isaiah, who wrote the Word of the LORD concerning His own people of Judah and Jerusalem: "Alas, sinful nation, a people laden (kabed - great, grievous, heavy, sore, hard, thick, dull, difficult, very oppressive, unresponsive) with iniquity, a brood of evil doers, children who are corrupters!  They have forsaken (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the LORD, they have provoked to anger (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away backward...Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire; strangers devour your land in your presence; and it is desolate, as overthrown (mahpeka - overthrow, destruction, always of Sodom and Gomorrah, overturn) by strangers." (Isa. 1:4, 7). 

     I(nstead of being full of the kabod glory of God, as they were called to be, and as we are called to be also, His people had instead become full of kabed iniquity.

     Their appointments with the LORD, such as their sacrifices, New Moons (new month), Sabbaths, sacred assemblies and meetings, appointed feasts, meant to renew and reconcile, had become an abomination before the LORD instead. The LORD said that He could not bear them anymore. (v. 13-14). His people were practicing idolatry in the tree groves (symbolizing strength) and gardens (symbolizing protection). (v. 29-30). As designated by the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega connected to the names of God above, His people rejected their knowledge of the saving Messiah/Christ, and chose instead the natural strength and defense, and the empty promises of false gods. (see Isa. 2:6-8, 10).

     The LORD compares His people to Sodom and Gomorrah. (v. 10).

     The LORD's nation of "Praise," Judah, and Jerusalem, the city that bears His name: "The LORD is Peace," will be overthrown, as the LORD did with the Canaanite nations of idolators before them, in His prophecy to Isaiah. The LORD said that instead of being full of justice and righteousness, His city, Jerusalem, had become a city of murderers, rebellious, a companion of thieves, corrupt, oppressing the powerless and poor. (v. 21-23).

     Approximately two hundred years later, Isaiah's prophecy of an overthrown Judah was fulfilled as that nation was led into captivity to Babylon, who conquered them. God's people are not meant to be overthrown but choose it when they overthrow their knowledge of the One who loves and saves them.

     However, in this same chapter of Isaiah, the LORD also prophesies the restoration of Judah: "I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors 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 (sub - return, bring back, to restore, refresh, repair, turn back to God, be brought back) with righteousness." (v. 26-37). It is not too late to return to the LORD. It is not too late to walk in His newness through the Messiah/Christ Jesus.

      This is not the end of the story, however. The LORD would not ever forget His covenant with Israel regarding the land, and His plan for renewing and reconciling the whole earth to Himself through Messiah/Christ as stated above. This plan required the existence of Israel, including Judah: Bethlehem of birth and Jerusalem of death and resurrection. The return of Messiah/Christ and His reign on earth will also flow from Jerusalem, the place of David's throne as many prophecies promise. (see Isa. 2:1-4, Isa. 9:6-7, Ps. 2:6-12, Zech. 14:3-4,Zech. 14:8-9,14, 16-17, etc.).

     The believers in Messiah/Christ are called to be an important part in the reconciling and renewing of the earth to the LORD as we saw in the beginning verses above. The "old" will be overthrown, but we are called to be part of the "new" in Messiah/Christ, and to minister it to others.

     If you would like to learn more about the reconciliation and renewal work of the LORD, you can pray with me: "Gracious Lord and Father, from the beginning, You have set forth Your plan to restore, reconcile and renew all of the earth and its inhabitants in Yourself. You sent Your Son, Jesus, to bring this newness to the earth, to reconcile every soul with his/her Creator, to forgive and redeem all who were laden with iniquity and destined to be overthrown. I thank You for Your grace and mercy that You extended to me and to all the world because of Your love for us all. Your Son will return to establish Your Kingdom in the earth and have rule so that the earth may dwell in peace. Keep me, Lord, in Your perfect peace, and draw me nearer always to Yourself. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I may bring the Word of reconciliation to others. 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 ΑΩ , 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.