Rest

      From the beginning of the creation, the LORD has incorporated the idea of the Sabbath, a holy day of rest, a day dedicated to rest in and with the LORD our God: "Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished (kala - end, finish, accomplish, done, determined, be completed, bring to an end, fulfill, bring to pass, wholly reap; destroy, exterminate, cause to cease, put to an end, utterly destroy, expire, quite take away, perish, make clean riddance). And on the seventh (Hebrew root words seba/saba - seven as the sacred full one/to swear, charge, bind by an oath, to charge solemnly, seven sacrifices, seven witnesses, seven pledges) day God ended His work (meleka/malak - service, work prescribed to any one, workmanship/angel, messenger of God, ambassadors, representative, a prophet-priest-teacher, king) which He had done, and He rested (shabat - cease, rest, celebrate, put an end to, to cause to desist from exertion, be completed, sit down) on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed (barak - bless as an act of adoration, praised, kneel down, congratulate, make to kneel) the seventh (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) day and sanctified (qadas - sanctify, hallow, dedicated, holy, consecrate, purified, appointed, to be separate, to show oneself sacred-majestic-honored-holy) it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." (Gen. 2:1-3).

     God celebrated not only what He created, finished, accomplished, completed, fulfilled, wholly reaped and determined, as well as the appointed message contained within it, but He also destroyed the previous condition of the earth: deep, thick darkness, ruin and emptiness. I can imagine the LORD giving a shout of "Hallelujah!" over the completion of all things. The seventh day represented the greatness of rejoicing as if our New Year, Christmas and Thanksgiving were combined together! It is no wonder that the LORD told mankind to remember the Sabbath and to keep it holy. It must create sadness in the heart of God to see that mankind has lost the true and glorious meaning of the Sabbath.

     Those who are believers in Jesus, will recognize the Sabbath in the words of Jesus and in His accomplishment on our behalf. Jesus said that the Son of Man, referring to Himself, is Lord of the Sabbath (Mt. 12:1-2, 7-8). Jesus removed religious oppression from the Sabbath by proclaiming that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath (Mk. 2:27-28). Jesus was also an ambassador carrying the message (see meleka/malak, above) of the Sabbath when He declared: "Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest...and you will find rest for your souls...for My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Mt. 11:28-30). Jesus walked in the message of the Sabbath when He miraculously healed many on the Sabbath to the condemnation of the religious rulers. He challenged them and asked them: "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" (Lk. 14:1-6). It is obvious from that conversation that the Jesus had the perfect understanding of the Sabbath. When Jesus gave up His spirit on the cross, He said in what we find in the meaning of the Sabbath: "It is finished." (Jn. 19:30). Jesus had completed His work to provide salvation and atonement for sin, and at the same time, He had, with His resurrection, destroyed the power of the deep darkness and ruin of death for those who would believe in Him. The Name given to Jesus by His heavenly Father incorporates the blessing of the Sabbath, as it causes all creation to kneel before that Name and take an oath (Isa. 45:22-25, Phil. 2:5-11).

     Our understanding of the Sabbath will help us with this week's Sabbath reading portion titled CHOL HA-MO'ED SUKKOT, meaning "The interim days of the Feast of Sukkot, or Tabernacles." This feast lasts seven days with the first and eighth day, called Simchat Torah, or "Rejoice in the Torah," being observed as a special Sabbath: "It is a holy convocation/sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it." (Lev. 23:33-36). So the Feast of Tabernacles is book-ended by days that are treated as Sabbaths, with no work. Within the days of the Feast occurs a regular Sabbath as well, so three Sabbaths are involved with this Feast.

     This Feast is also known as Sukkot, meaning "booth," because temporary shelters are constructed in which the people are to dwell or commune together for the seven days of the Feast. This Feast is also called the Feast of Ingathering in scripture, referring to the joyful harvest of the fruits of the trees and the vines. (Ex. 23:14-16). 

     We see the scripture reference from Exodus 23 noted above. This chapter from Exodus is also part of this Sabbath's reading portion. It shouldn't surprise us to find that the LORD also has a command regarding the Sabbath: "Six years you shall sow (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) your land and gather in its (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) produce/fruits, but the seventh year you shall let it lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your olive grove. Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest (shabat - see above), and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed (napas - refreshed, take a breath, to breathe, to breathe upon, refreshed as if by a current of air, cease from working, take a breath when wearied)." (Ex. 23:10-12). 

     We see the LORD making provision not only for a Sabbath Day, but a Sabbath Year, and both are meant to be a blessed benefit for man. As Jesus's Words are still teaching us: "Man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath was made for man." It is a day or year for celebrating, and for giving profound thanks and love to our God who provides everything to us, even our rest and refreshing, our breath. Please let us give the LORD the highest glory, honor and praise that He deserves for providing His beloved creation with a Sabbath day or year, as we come to understand what He meant the Sabbath to be to us. It is not about observing a day on a calendar from which we have removed all divine love and provision, but about freedom from need. The LORD also said in Exodus 23: "So you shall serve (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the LORD your God, and He will bless (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) your bread and (vaw-aleph-tav: "the Lord, the First, Adonai nailed to the cross") your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land. I will fulfill (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the number of your days..." (v. 25-26).

     We do not worship the Sabbath, but we worship the LORD who provided the Sabbath for us out of joy, love and care.

     The Tabernacle or Booth which is associated with this Feast, reminds us of the shelters that the LORD provided for His people in the open wilderness when He brought them out of Egypt. It is today constructed with an open roof covered only with leafy tree branches (see Isa. 11:1-10, Jer. 23:4-6, Zech. 6:11-13), and as a three-sided shelter with the fourth side left open as a welcoming and easy door (Jn. 10:7-10) of entry. When I consider the structure of the "booth" or tabernacle used to observe this feast, the open ceiling, covered only by living greens, allows for the connection between heaven and earth. The open fourth side of the booth, not only welcomes people into the booth, but to me it represents the door to enter into the presence of and communion with God, as the LORD says, "Enter into My rest." (see Heb. 4:9-10, Mt. 25:21). To me, the booth built to observe the Feast of Tabernacles is made of living matter because the true Tabernacle is the Prince/Originator of life. (see Acts 3:14-16, Jn. 15:4-8).

     From another reading portion of this CHOL HA-MO'ED SUKKOT Sabbath, we read that the temple of God became the place where forgiveness dwelt for God's people, just as the Tabernacle in the wilderness was the place for the atonement for sins. As Solomon prayed to the LORD in order to dedicate the newly-built temple in Jerusalem, he specifically prayed that the temple would serve as a place for the forgiveness of God for those who came to Him with a repentant heart: "And may You hear the supplication of Your servant (King Solomon) and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive....When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people, Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple: then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act...that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers." (1 Kings 8:30-40, excerpt).

     King Solomon concluded, saying: "Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest (menuha - comfortable, ease, quiet, resting place, marital abode) to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses." (1 Kings 8:56).

     The temple or tabernacle represents more than just a physical building, however. Warfare would see the destruction of the temple that Solomon built and dedicated, because Israel sinned against the LORD by worshipping other gods, terrible gods. The temple that was later built and then enlarged and beautified by Herod would also fall to the destruction of the Roman army, as Jesus warned. It would be part of the destruction that would come because Jerusalem had rejected the (Atonement) covering in the Person of the Messiah/Christ. (see Mt. 23:37-39, Mt. 24:1-2). The physical building is a pattern or shadow of the reality of the glorious tabernacle that God will bring down from heaven to the earth: "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away (exaleipho - anoint or wash, besmear or cover to whitewash, blot out, pardon sin) every tear from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.' Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' And He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.' And He said to me, 'It is done! (ginomai - made, finished, come into existence, be fulfilled, be ended, performed. see also kala and shabat, above). I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be His God and he shall be My son." (Rev. 21:3-7).

     The fulfilment of the meaning of mo'ed "tabernacle" is shown to us above. Our tabernacle is not limited in meaning to a physical building, but it is the presence of God with mankind and the total Sabbath resting place that exists for us with Him.

     If you would like to learn more about the resting place in God, you can join me in my prayer: "LORD of the Sabbath and my Tabernacle, You have created a resting place for me where all of Your work regarding me has been completed. At this time of year, especially, when the Feast of Tabernacles is celebrated, teach me about the fulfilment of this feast in the earth. I do not need to wait for a physical building to be built in order to dwell in the house of the LORD forever. You are my Tabernacle. Your Son returned to You, Father, to prepare this living place for me in His Father's house, so that I may be with Jesus where He, Lord of the Sabbath, is. You have filled Your Feast with three Sabbaths for a reason. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I may also enter into this special rest. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

Clouds&Glory

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled P'kudei, meaning "Amounts of or Accounting of". The reading portion begins in Ex. 39, where we read: "Thus all the work (aboda/abad - work, service, serve, bondservant/serve, servant, work, worshippers, serve as a subject, work for another, make oneself a servant) of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished. And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD had commanded (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Moses; so they did." (Ex. 39:32).

     All of the items that had been crafted with which to assemble and furnish the tabernacle were brought to Moses: "Then Moses looked over (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) all the work, and indeed they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, just so they had done it. And Moses blessed them." (Ex. 39:43).

     When considering the title of this Sabbath portion, what does the LORD want us to take an accounting of? As we see in the first verse above, the aboda/abad work of the tabernacle was accomplished by servants, even bondservants to God, according to the Hebrew meaning of the word. The offerings of required materials for the building of the tabernacle, as we read two weeks ago, were free will offerings from the heart of all of those who felt the desire to give. The fashioning of the materials into the actual furnishings and walls and coverings of the tabernacle was done as a bond service before the LORD which is a form of worship according to the Hebrew meaning of the word. Moses is described in several verses as being a servant ('ebed - servant, bondman, bondage, slave, worshipper) of God (Deut. 34:5, Num. 12:7-8, Josh. 1:1-2). 

     Moses' service, or making himself a bond servant of God, had farther reaching impact as well: "And Moses was faithful in all His (God's) house as a servant (therapon - a menial attendant, servant), for a testimony of these things which would be spoken afterward..." (Heb. 3:5). The purpose of Moses' bond service or worship to God was not just in accomplishing the vision of God for His tabernacle in the wilderness. Moses' bond service also had a prophetic importance pointing to things that would be revealed in the future, according to Heb. 3:5, above. 

     The apostle Paul also referred to his position as a bondservant or slave in service to God and Christ. However, not only did he commit himself as a bond servant, but Paul's calling and purpose were connected to his bond service (see Rom. 1:1-4, Titus 1:1-3). Paul begged all of us as believers in Christ to offer ourselves in the same manner as living sacrifices to God "which is your reasonable service/spiritual worship." (Rom. 12:1). Paul then warns us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think (v. 3). Our elevation doesn't come from how high our own thoughts are about ourselves, but rather it comes from how low we can bow as bond servants before the LORD. To truly walk in the purpose, gifting and calling of God, it requires us to make ourselves bond servants to Him (1 Cor. 7:22, 1 Pet. 2:15-16). Slavery in bitter service to another person has an ugly meaning to us and we resist it and reject it, but slavery to God elevates us, completes us, sets us free and prophetically impacts future events, as Moses' bond service to God did. We become a living prophecy.

     Keeping the above information in mind, in Ex. 40, also part of this week's Sabbath reading, the LORD gives Moses this command: "On the first day of the first month you shall set up the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) tabernacle of the tent of meeting....And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up. So Moses raised up (qum - rise up, arise, raise, establish, to stand, to be fulfilled, cause to arise) the tabernacle..."" (v. 1-2, 17-18). The first month of the year is also the month of Passover.

     The surprising fact in this 40th chapter of Exodus is that Moses assembled and activated the tabernacle himself. All of the verses use "he" as indicating Moses as the one who set up the tabernacle. For example: "He put the lampstand in the tabernacle of meeting, across from the table,...and he lit the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. He put the gold altar in the tabernacle of meeting in front of the veil; and he burned incense on it, as the LORD had commanded Moses." (Ex. 40:24-27). As far as we can tell from the language used here, Moses did all that was required to place and activate the elements that had been fashioned for the tabernacle. Moses was even to bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle, and wash and dress them in their priestly garments himself. (v. 12-15). Generations later, during the same first month, at the time of Passover, Jesus would wash the feet of His disciples and dry them with the towel that He had wrapped around His waist. (Jn. 13:1-9).

      Why was it necessary for Moses to assemble the tabernacle himself, rather than the priests or the children of Israel? The verse from Hebrews above tells us that Moses, as the bond servant of the LORD, did what he did in service as a prophetic action of what was to come later. Moses was a prophet, and his obedient actions were prophetic. In the same manner as the tabernacle was raised up (qum - see above), Jesus would say many generations later around the time of the Passover, that the temple (meaning His body) if destroyed would be raised up in three days. In this case referring to His future death and resurrection (Jn. 2:18-22).

     So the prophetic bond servant of God, Moses (see Deut. 34:10-12, Acts 3:22-23), with every action that he personally took concerning the establishment of the tabernacle, was also prophesying future events. This was his office or calling as a prophet.

     The tabernacle was then completed: "And he (Moses) raised up (qum - see above) the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) court (haser/hasar - enclosure, court/to sound or blow a trumpet, to sound with clarions) all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) screen of the court gate. So Moses finished (&aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the work." (Ex. 40:33).

     When the bond servant, Moses, finished the work of assembling the tabernacle: "Then the cloud (anan - cloud-mass of theophanic cloud, a cloud as covering or veiling over the heaven, to veil over, a large army, a barrier, a cloud of incense, to make appear, to observe times) covered the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) tent (ohel/ahal - tabernacle, dwelling/to be clear, shine, bright) of meeting, and the glory (kabod/kabad - glory, honor, abundance, riches, splendor, reverence/heaviness, grievous, glorious) of the LORD filled the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) tabernacle...For the cloud of the LORD was above the tabernacle by day, and the fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all of their journeys (massa/nasa - pulling up stakes, setting out, point of departure, a station on a journey/set forward, depart, remove a camp, to take away, cause to go, to cut out stones from a quarry)." (ex. 40:34-35, 38).

     In another reading portion from this Sabbath, we read again of how the temple of the LORD was filled with His cloud and His glory upon its completion: "And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the house (bayit/bana - house, home, temple, habitation, family, families, a house as containing a family of descendants, descendants as an organized body/build, builder, establish, repair, built up of children even of the barren wife, obtain children) of the LORD, so that the priests could not continue ministering (sarat - serve, servant, minister to, attend as a menial or worshipper, wait on) because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the house of the LORD. Then Solomon spoke: 'The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud. I have surely built You an exalted house, and a place for You to dwell in forever." (1 Kings 8:10-13).

     As the dwelling place of God went from being a tabernacle to a temple, we can see above from the word bayit/bana meaning temple, the house of the LORD now includes the dwelling place of His family, His children, His descendants. Now, the understanding goes from "the children of Israel" to "the sons (and daughters)" of God through the Messiah/Christ: "But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them He gave the right/power/authority to become sons (children) of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (Jn. 1:12-13, see also Rom. 8:14-17, Gal. 4:4-7).

     However, both the tabernacle completed by Moses and the temple completed under King Solomon's (selomo/salom/salam - David's son [the King of] Peace/peace, completeness, safety, prosperity, health/recompense, reward, good, restitution, finished) reign, became filled with the cloud and the glory of God, as we see above.

     The manifestation of the cloud and the glory connected to the completion of both of these dwellings of the LORD also has prophetic significance as we also discovered concerning Moses' completion of the work on the tabernacle. We have these scriptures to consider. Jesus said speaking of His return: "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn (see Zech. 12:10-11), and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet (see the meaning of "court"/haser/hasar, above), and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (Mt. 24:30-31, see also Mk. 13:24-27, Rev. 1:5-7, 1 Thess. 4:16-17). The prophet Daniel also prophesied: "I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancients of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed." (Dan. 7:13-14).

     As we also saw above from Ex. 40, the cloud and the glory of the tabernacle were connected to the "journeys" (see massa/nasa above) or departures of the Israelites. The cloud and glory that Jesus spoke about above, and as Paul wrote of in the New Testament, are also connected to a departure point or removal within our spiritual journey. This removal or pulling up tent stakes in our journey is referred to as "the Rapture", which comes from a Latin word meaning "a carrying off, a snatching away". In the Greek of the New Testament the word used is harpazo which means "caught up, caught away, snatch out or away". This is when the dead in Christ and those still living who believe in Him are changed in substance and caught up to Christ in the clouds. We depart to be with Him forever. It is a defining moment in our journey in Christ.

     The work of Moses in Ex. 40 as the bond servant and prophet of God was not confined to the completion of a physical tabernacle but was also a prophecy of the living tabernacle associated with the Messiah/Christ and the point of departure in the spiritual journey of God's people to come.

     If you would like to know more about the meaning of this prophetic work of God's bond servant Moses, you can pray with me: "Father in heaven, You appointed a great work for Moses to accomplish, not only on behalf of the children of Israel, but on behalf of all of Your future sons and daughters through Jesus Christ. I can see Jesus in the cloud and glory that covered and entered Your tabernacle and, later, Your temple. Who could have imagined all of the things that You have planned for us on our spiritual journey with You?! You have hidden those plans in Your Word for us to search out and be enriched by. Lord, lead me in the way of being Your bond servant so that I may accomplish through my life all of the things that You have given me to do and become. Teach me Your Word and fill me with Your Spirit to change me and prepare me for the wonders ahead. 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 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.

Fathers

      This week's Sabbath portion is titled Va-y'chi, meaning, "and he lived." The reading portion begins in Gen. 47 and continues through the beginning of chapter 50. The title comes from Gen. 47:28: "Jacob lived (haya - live, alive, save, revive, life, recover, be quickened, restored to life, keep alive, remain alive, revive from death, breathing) in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob's life was one hundred and forty-seven years." As we look at the full meaning of the Hebrew word used here for "lived", we can see that scripture is talking about much more than the natural days of a lifespan here on earth. Built into the meaning of the word is the promise of life from the dead, resurrection life, everlasting life. Jesus defined this truth when He said to Martha, the sister of Lazarus who had died: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? She said to Him, 'Yes, Lord, I believe You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." (Jn. 11:25-27). Jesus then called her brother, Lazarus, to come out of his grave, and he came out, and he haya lived.

     What we will see in this week's Sabbath reading portion is the impact of a father's faith and words on his child and on future generations. We have lost this understanding in our modern times. A child is blessed if he or she has a father who understands the importance of imparting eternal knowledge to them. Perhaps this is why the presence of fathers in their children's lives has come under so much spiritual attack.

     Jacob, nearing his time of death, understood the promise of eternal life given to his grandfather, Abraham, when he made Joseph swear solemnly that Joseph would take Jacob's body out of Egypt and back to the specific place in Cannan near Mamre of Abraham's and Isaac's burial. Jacob said to his son, Joseph: "Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place. And he (Joesph) said, 'I will do as you have said.' The he said, 'Swear to me.' And he swore to him. So Israel (Jacob) bowed himself on the head of the bed." (Gen. 47:29-31).

     It was vitally important to Jacob to be buried with Abraham and Isaac. Abraham had received the prophetic knowledge and rejoiced in the promise of Messiah/Christ, which included the promise of resurrection life (see Jn. 8:56-58). Why would we think that the LORD would hide this knowledge from His friend Abraham (Gen. 18:17-19), who later made very special burial provisions for his wife, Sarah, when she died, for himself and for his descendants. Scripture tells us that Abraham even knew about the eternal city of New Jerusalem (Heb. 11:8-10), which would descend from heaven (Rev. 21:1-3). This knowledge was handed down from father to son, and Jacob would have been well aware of it.

     The knowledge of resurrection in the form of a Person was not only delivered to Abraham, but is found in what is called the oldest book of the Bible, the Book of Job. Job declared his resurrection knowledge: "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God." (Job 19:25-27). Job even associated persecution with this knowledge contained within him (see v. 28) as Jesus also taught (see Mt. 5:11, 24:9). Resurrection from the dead was ancient prophetic knowledge passed from father to son, and fulfilled not by false religious rituals, as the Egyptians practiced, but by the Person of the Son of God, Jesus, the prophesied Messiah/Christ, who received His knowledge and authority to give life from His Father in heaven. (See Jn. 5:19-21). This also is the knowledge that today's fathers must pass to their sons and daughters and therefore throughout generations to come.

     Joseph kept his solemn oath to his father Jacob. When Jacob died, a period of mourning was observed in Egypt, and then Pharaoh granted Joseph's request to return to Canaan in order to bury his (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) father. All of Pharaoh's court and his chariots accompanied Joseph on this journey and openly wept with (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) mourning (ebel - mourning as for an only son) for Jacob as they came to the border of the Promised Land at the threshing floor of Atad (meaning thorns, to pierce, thorn tree with firmness of roots). Then Joseph and his brothers returned to Egypt. (Gen. 50:6-14).

     Before Jacob died, he also prophesied over his sons. These prophetic words were not for Jacob's sons' present generation, but for thousands of years into the future, even for our time: "And Jacob called (qara - call by name, cry out with a loud voice, summon, proclaim, called out, chosen) his sons and said, 'Gather together (asap - gather in, receive, assemble together, to collect) that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last ('aharit/ahar - end, latter, posterity, after part, latter or future time, the very last/afterwards [of time], delay, tarry, bring late, remain behind) days..." (Gen. 49:1). Jacob prophesied to each son, each to become a tribe of many thousands and settling in the Promised Land. To his son Judah, "a lion's whelp", Jacob prophesied the Messiah/Christ: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh (silo - safety, rest, prosperity, tranquility, an epithet of the Messiah/Christ to be born from the tribe of Judah) comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people...He washed His garments in wine, and His clothes in the blood of grapes..." (Gen. 49:10-11).

     What and how do fathers speak to their sons and daughters? A father's words do not only speak to their immediate children, but to all of the children and children's children and continuing generations contained within the son and daughter. It is a father's calling to speak eternal truths that implant the knowledge of eternal promises into their children. Fathers, what are you speaking? A father's words have prophetic impact.

     In another reading portion from this Va-y'chi, "and he lived" Sabbath, King David, when he grew old, imparted words and instructions to his son and successor, Solomon: "Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged (sava - command, give orders, appoint, commission, ordain) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Solomon his son, saying: 'I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) charge (mismeret - watch, safeguard, preserving, custody, observance) of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; that the LORD may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,' He said, 'you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel." (1 Kings 2:1-2).

     Solomon was appointed above by his father to keep charge of, to safeguard, to preserve "the LORD your God." David said this is done by observing and doing the Word of God in all of its purposes. As King Solomon, known as one of the wisest kings in the world, would later write the knowledge, wisdom, understanding and prudence of the LORD God in the Book of Proverbs, he would address the writing to his own son: "My son, hear the instruction (musar - instruction, correction, chasten, doctrine, discipline, restraint, check, correction of children by their parents, admonition) of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother." (Prov. 1:8). Throughout Proverbs, Solomon addresses his words to "my son." Solomon also wrote that he received his instruction from his father, David: "When I was my father's son, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, he also taught me, and said to me: 'Let your heart retain my words; keep my commandments and live. Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not turn away from the words of my mouth." (Prov. 4:3-5). The words Solomon received from his father would preserve him, keep him, and bring him honor. (v. 6-9). While Solomon would become careless in his walk with the LORD, he later returned to God, perhaps because of the eternal words his father, David, imparted into his life. As Solomon himself would write in the Book of Proverbs: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." (Prov. 22:6). 

     This week's Sabbath reading portion also tells us that not only did David charge his son to keep the ways of the LORD, he also gave his son the greatest vision and purpose from the LORD to be achieved during Solomon's reign. The LORD said to David: "It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father." (1 Chron. 28:6). Solomon did build the house of the LORD, as his father had charged him to do - a magnificent temple in Jerusalem.

     The way of passing musar instruction (see above) from father to son as David and Solomon practiced, came directly from the ancient pattern established by God for the musar instruction of His sons and daughters. This week's Sabbath reading brings us again to the Book of Job: "Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening (musar - see above) of the Almighty...He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine He shall redeem (pada - ransom, rescue, deliver, redeem, to sever, release, preserve, to loose, set free) you from death (mavet - death, dying, realm of the dead, place of death), and in war from the power of the sword...You shall laugh at destruction and famine, and you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth....You shall know that your tent is in peace; you shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss...You shall come to the grave at a full age, as a sheaf of grain ripens in its season. Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear it, and know for yourself." (Job 5:17-27, excerpt). 

     In the Father - son/child instruction from God, our lives are preserved. In the same pattern of earthly father - son/child instruction, if we will follow it, lives are also preserved even to the redeeming or setting free from death. In these dangerous days, there is nothing more important for our children than the role and instruction of a godly father.

     If you would like to learn more about the importance of a father's role in imparting eternal things to his son/child, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father of all, You have shown us by example the way to pass on eternal knowledge of the things of God to our children in order to preserve their lives. Teach me Your Word and fill me with Your Holy Spirit of wisdom, knowledge, understanding and prudence so that I am able to equip my children and my children's children with the way of life, including eternal life in Jesus Messiah/Christ. I pray for the fathers. I pray for those fathers who need to receive the heart of God towards their children, and I pray for those fathers who desire and sacrifice to give their children the very best in life. Bless the fathers and guide them, Lord. 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. 

Neglected

      This is Part 2 of a double Sabbath reading, Va-yakheil and P'kudei, meaning "and he assembled" and "accounting of" that began last week. The Part 1 blog entry is titled "Precious" (click here) and dealt with how Moses' assembly of the items of the tabernacle from the innermost chamber (God's beginning work in our hearts) to the outermost curtains reflected how God's work of salvation through Jesus manifests in us. The LORD also had Moses account for every free will offering that contributed to the construction of the tabernacle, the process of the creation of every piece of the tabernacle, and at the end of the process, Moses also had to examine and account for the finished items before they were installed in the tabernacle according to the pattern that God had given him.

     This week's continuing study will begin in 1 Kings Chapters 7 through 9 with the assembling of Solomon's temple in Jerusalem generations later: "And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth (represented in the Hebrew letter daleth meaning the earth, material creation, a door, a path, way of life, movement into or out of) year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv (month of April-May, month of flowers,  "brightness", splendor, prominent), which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD." (1 Kings 6:1). It took Solomon seven (represented in the Hebrew letter zayin meaning completion, spiritual perfection, to cut, to pierce) years to complete the building of the temple "in all its details and according to all its plans" in the eleventh (represented by the Hebrew letters yod + aleph meaning imperfection, disorder, incompleteness, man's works as opposed to God's works) year of his reign as king (v. 37-38). 

     If we consider the number meanings above, we might be able to see a second or hidden message: The beginning of the building of the temple represented a work that would affect all of creation. the time period of completion of this work represented spiritual perfection and completion accomplished through Christ's finished work of salvation (the use of the word "pierced"). However, we see a problem in the meaning of the eleventh year, and I think that problem lies with Solomon at this point of his life, because it marks a moment in his reign. The LORD doesn't say this directly, but He does have a Word of warning for Solomon: "I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, then I will establish the (Hebrew written letters aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in Greek, representing Jesus Christ : see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13) throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father...But if you or your sons at all turn away from following Me...but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight..." (1 Kings 9:4-7). To me, these words of solemn warning are directed to Solomon because the LORD knew that there was a problem in Solomon's heart, even if it was not yet apparent to others. The LORD knows the heart (Jer. 17:9-10, Ps. 139:23-24, Prov. 15:11,1 Sam. 16:7). Jesus knew what was in the hearts of those with whom He dealt as well (Jn. 2:23-25).

      King David, Solomon's father also said to Solomon before he died: "As for you, my son Solomon, know the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. Consider now (ra'a - see, perceive, have vision, discern, look intently at, look at the face, visions), for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary (miqdas/qadas - sacred place, holy place, holy thing/consecrate, sanctify, be separate, separate oneself, set apart as sacred, clean); be strong and do it." (1 Chron. 28:9-10). David was telling Solomon that he must know aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega God not from a distance but by the experience of spiritual vision and perception, by "seeing" Him face to face, in order to build His house of salvation. 

     We know that Solomon's heart did become divided as he worshipped the foreign gods of his wives (1 Kings 11:1-8). Solomon's son, Rehoboam, did indeed lose the throne over Israel and Israel became a divided nation under two separate kings (1 Kings 11:11-13,1 Kings 12:1-19), only to be restored in the future as the prophet Ezekiel described the kingdom of the Messiah, the descendant of David (Jesus Christ the aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega), who would come, and His tabernacle established in the midst of them (Ezek. 37:24-28). We also know that the temple that Solomon built would later be ransacked and ruined by a foreign invader, and the people taken into captivity. The LORD indeed knows the heart.

     When Solomon completed the temple after seven years, he made an accounting of all of the materials that had been used to build and furnish the temple, and he assembled the furnishings after the same pattern as Moses did with the tabernacle - from the innermost chamber (1 Kings 8:6), outwards (see previous post "Precious" for details). Then the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD so that the priests could not continue ministering (1 Kings 8:10-11). This also occurred when Moses finished the tabernacle in the wilderness (Ex. 40:34-35).

     The innermost chamber of the tabernacle/temple, which was established first in the pattern of assembly, contains both the Ark containing the written Word of God, and the Mercy Seat of the Atoning Blood, reflects the salvation that begins in our hearts and continues outwardly to transform and manifest in our lives. We are the temple of the Spirit of God, and of His glory (1 Cor. 3:16-17).

     From another of this week's Sabbath reading portions, we will see that another King, Joash or Jehoash, restored the worship of God to the southern Kingdom of Judah: "...Jehoash (meaning "given by the LORD"; fire, flames, altar fire, supernatural fire, internal ardor of the mind, splendor, brightness) became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah (sebi/saba - glory, glorious, beauty, honor, pleasant/go forth to battle) of Beersheba (meaning "well of the 7-fold oath"). Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him." (2 Kings 12:1-2). The glorious temple of God that Solomon had built generations earlier had fallen into neglect and disrepair. It was in Jehoash's heart to repair the temple. He told the priests: "All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the house of the LORD - each man's census money (the half shekel of redemption from each person for the upkeep of the tabernacle under Moses' law), each man's assessment money - and all the money that a man purposes in his heart to bring into the house of the LORD, let the priests take it themselves, each from his constituency; and let them repair  (hazaq - strengthen, prevail, become strong, be resolute, be secure, repair, keep hold of, sustain, fortify, mend, behave valiantly, to bind strongly, gird loins) the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) damages/breaches (bedeq/badaq - fissure, rent, breach, leak, gap/mend, repair) of the temple, wherever any dilapidation/breaches (see bedeq/badak above) is found." (v. 4-5). The prophet Isaiah later wrote a similar Word of the LORD, incorporating the Hebrew meanings that we see used here: "Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'...Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday...You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In." (Isa. 58:8-12, excerpt). This promise of the LORD was given to those who "build" into others' lives, to those who "repair" the broken hearts, because of their delight and pleasure in the LORD, in His ways and Word, thereby sharing in His salvation character as well.

     So what happened to the repairs to the temple that King Jehoash commanded be made by the priests? Absolutely nothing! The aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega breaches of the temple did not touch the hearts of the priests. The neglected temple continued to lay in disrepair for another twenty-three years after the King's command until the King dealt with it again: "Why have you not repaired the damages on the temple?..." (2 Kings 12:6-7). The King forbad them from receiving any more money from their constituency, but to use the money they had been receiving all of those twenty-plus years for the purpose of upkeeping and repairing the temple. The priests refused to make repairs without being able to continue receiving the money from the people (v. 8). Money seems to be a very good test to determine where our hearts are, or are not, in the LORD! The High Priest, Jehoiada, who had been the one to instruct the King in the LORD, came up with another idea of how to receive the funds from the people, and the repairs were made (v. 9-12).

     From these Sabbath readings, I think that the care and attention to the house of the LORD, or its shameful neglect, is not about a physical building, but it is about what the building represents: the dwelling place of God among His people. Again, God's dwelling place, His throne, is not in the inner chamber of a physical building, but in what the inner chamber, the Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place, represents - a person's heart. This physical tabernacle or temple represents God's promise to man of His salvation through His Son, Jesus, so that we may dwell with the LORD, and He with us, forever: "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." (Rev. 21:3, see also Ezek. 37:27, Jn. 14:1-4, 6).

     In this double Sabbath reading for these last two weeks, we have seen the important roles of kings and priests in the establishing and upkeeping of the tabernacle or temple of the LORD according to the pattern of His precise instructions. Moses, who was appointed to build the tabernacle, was also considered a prince, as well as a prophet (Heb. 11:24-28, Acts 7:35-36). We also, as believers in Christ, have been made to be kings and priests before God through His Son (Rev. 1:5-6, Rev. 5:9-10, 1 Pet. 2:5, 9, Ex. 19:6).  We may sometimes acknowledge this exalted position with a kind of spiritual pride, but, as we see in this Sabbath double reading portion, the position of king and priest also carries a responsibility to ra'a consider the LORD (see above) and obey His voice, as David told his son, Solomon, to do. Not only are we to be a living part of the assembly of (Va-yakheil) His House of Salvation, but the LORD makes an accounting of (P'kudei) every detail in His House. As the LORD said above in the Hebrew meaning of the words, the establishing of His House according to the pattern which He has ordained has an impact on all of the material creation. Paul also wrote: "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God...the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." (Rom. 8:19, 21).

     We saw how the House of Salvation was neglected and fell into disrepair, and how the priests were slow and uncooperative to obey the king's command to repair it. The author of the Book of Hebrews wrote: "Therefore we must give heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through the angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience  received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect (ameleo - neglect, make light of, have no regard for, don't care about) so great a salvation, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?" (Heb. 2:1-4). If we have grown neglectful towards our salvation, and the transformation it creates in us from our innermost being, outward, then we need to make a return visit to the Most Holy Place of our spiritual tabernacle, which is our hearts, to reconnect with the life-giving wells of salvation (Isa. 12:2-3, Jn. 4:10-15). Revival starts within our innermost being, and then flows outward: from out of our bellies "shall flow rivers of living water." (Jn. 7:38).

     If you would like to know more about building and repairing the spiritual House of the LORD, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus, You have made a way for me to enter into the Most Holy Place of Your tabernacle, where first I received my salvation, and where You established Your tabernacle in my heart. Help me, Lord, by Your Holy Spirit and Your Word in me to be conformed to Your image and character. Help me to be A Repairer of the Breach, and A Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. As Your spiritual tabernacle in and with me is established and also repaired from my neglect, let the material creation also walk in the glorious liberty of the children of God. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN!"

     

     

Message

       The Sabbath reading portion for this week is titled Va-y'chi, meaning, "and he lived". This reading portion covers Genesis chapters 47 through 49. The Sabbath reading gave me much food for thought, especially considering the fact that we have just finished celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, and we are looking at the end of one calendar year, and the beginning of a new one. In this week's reading, some great old patriarchs of our faith were passing away and leaving a message of instructions for their sons. 

     Our first father in this lesson is Jacob, who, at the age of 130, came to Egypt during a severe famine to be reunited with his son, Joseph. As Jacob was introduced to the Pharaoh that Joseph served, Pharaoh asked him, "How old are you?" Jacob answered: "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few (me'at/ma'at - littleness, little worth, small matter/diminished, nothing, bring to nothing, gather least) and evil (ra/ra'a - wickedness, trouble, affliction, grievous, malignant, misery, sorrow, unhappy/bad, evil, harm, evil doer, broken in pieces) have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers (which included Abraham and Isaac) in the days of their pilgrimage." (Gen. 47:7-10). This sad testimony was Jacob's message before the king. If we consider the time of "Jacob's Trouble" that comes during the end times, it is prophesied as a time of darkness with an increase of wickedness and sorrows. However, Jacob was a man who had seen a ladder between heaven and earth with God enthroned at the top of it, and angels ascending and descending upon it. Jacob had also been renamed "Israel" (meaning "God prevails, he will rule as God, contender, soldier of God; have power as a prince, persist, to be leader, commander, to be noble") by God (see Gen. 32:28). This is a man to whom God spoke several times. His son, whom he thought was dead, was joyously revealed to be alive and ruling in Egypt, saving multitudes from the famine.  All of these events and more showed the miraculous hand of God in Jacob's life, yet his testimony to Pharaoh was that the days of his years had been small and evil compared to his fathers. Perhaps Jacob's message to Pharaoh regarding his life reflected the prophetic times of great tribulation ahead. Both Jacob, and later, his beloved son Joseph, gave instructions regarding their burials to their sons before dying, and those requests were obediently carried out by their descendants. Jacob also delivered a prophetic message over each of his sons, and the sons of Joseph as well, before he died. His prophetic message over his son, Judah, would call forth the Messiah many generations later.

   In another reading portion from this Sabbath, King David, as he aged, passed a message to his son, Solomon, who would rule Israel after him. He assembled all of the elders and rulers of Israel to bear witness to this message. David told them that it had been his heart's desire "to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it." (1 Chron. 28:1-2).  However, the LORD had told David that he could not build this house because, as a man of war, he had shed blood (v. 3). The LORD said instead: "It is your son Solomon (selomo/salom - peace, peaceable/completeness, welfare, soundness, prosperity, contentment, perfect such as be at peace) who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father." (v. 6). David then provided to Solomon all of his building plans for the house of God, instructions for the service of the priests and Levites, and all of the gold and silver necessary to construct the furnishings of worship for the house: "All this', said David, 'the LORD made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans." (v. 19). He then said to Solomon: "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God - my God - will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service for the house of the LORD..." (v. 20, see also Deut. 31:6-8, Josh. 1:9, Mt. 28:20, Heb. 13:5-6). And David prayed to the LORD for his son, Solomon, and for God's people (v. 18-20). When Solomon later completed the house of God after his father's death, he prayed that all could come to it to pray for God's relief, forgiveness and healing (2 Chron. 6). This is the message that David passed to his son, which his son obediently carried out.

     We who believe in Christ are also each being built into the spiritual house of God, and this house is also being built upon a message: "...you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4-5). Peter passed this additional message to those who are obedient: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (v. 9-10, see also 1 Cor. 6:19-20: Glorify God). Here is another part of the message given to us: "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of the darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Cor. 4:6). Jesus also prayed to His Father about the message to be contained in us: "And the glory which you gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me." (Jn. 17:22-23). This message given to us is so that "the world may know". Pharaoh represented the world before Jacob, but Jacob's message to him was a very different one, a message of smallness, diminishing glory and evil. We are to bring a different message. Solomon wrote a Psalm about the rule and reign of the Messiah (Christ). In part it proclaims: "...And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed...And blessed be His glorious name for ever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen." (Ps. 72:17-19). As this Psalm of Solomon concludes, scripture makes the notation in v. 20: "The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended (kala - finished, accomplished, determined, be completed, be fulfilled)." The Psalm of Solomon completed the prayers and message of his father, David.  

     We have just been through the observance of Christmas when we celebrate the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ/Messiah. As I read the very familiar account of the birth of Jesus in the Gospels, where the angels were delivering a message to all mankind, I thought that it is a message that I, as a believer, should be carrying and living, not just at Christmas, but eternally. The message is very similar to the scriptures we read above: "And behold, an angel of the LORD stood before them (the shepherds), and the glory of the LORD shone around them. Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and goodwill toward men!" (Lk. 2:9-14).

     I don't want to live as if this message is meant for only one day out of the year. I think this is THE message for all eternity. This message tells all people that though they may be surrounded by the darkness of the night, as the shepherds were, a Savior has come in shining glory. Though we may be in sin, a Savior has come to bring us back to His Father's heart if we will receive Him. Though our hearts may be filled with unrighteousness and unrest, we can come and find the Babe who was sent to die on a cross and rise again by the will of the Father for His glory and for our righteousness. For all of us who will receive THE message, come to the house of God's glory and presence, and be reconciled with your Father through THE message hand-delivered to us all by His Son, Jesus. As Solomon wrote THE message in the Psalm:

                                              "Let the whole earth be filled with His glory!"

     If you would like to walk in the message of praise and glory to God, you can pray with me: "Dear Father in heaven, how You have put a message in my heart and spirit! I want to walk in it, live in it, and show it before all. Like the good fathers of faith in scripture, who handed down their message and instructions to their sons, You also have handed down Your message and instruction to Your sons and daughters, born of Your Spirit. As Your spiritual house, I open my doors to any who seek to be reconciled with You through belief in Your Son, Jesus, to any who desire to be brought out of darkness and into Your light, to any who are not a people, but desire to obtain Your mercy and become the people of God who proclaim Your praises. As David drew up plans for the house of God by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, fill me also with Your Spirit so that my life may conform to the plans for Your living house. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."

RulingWisdom

      The apostle Paul said of the Church at Corinth: "...you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 1:4-8).

     This sounds like a wonderful church, coming short in no gift, enriched in all knowledge and utterance by Christ. However, there was an oversetting problem in this church that affected everything they did. They were walking in the wisdom of this world, rather than the wisdom of God. Because of this, their church was riddled with divisions and contentions. Paul wrote this example: "Now I say this, that each of you says, 'I am of Paul', or 'I am of Apollos', or 'I am of Cephas (Peter)', or 'I am of Christ'. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Cor. 1:10-13).  Paul assured the Corinthian church that the message of the cross is not a message of worldly wisdom: "For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.' Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" (v. 18-20).

     Paul described how this church had allowed worldly wisdom and understanding to guide almost everything they did. This even included their handling of the Communion, or The Lord's Supper! (see 1 Cor. 11:17-22). Paul then had to explain to this gifted church the godly wisdom of The Table of the Lord (see v. 23-31). In these verses, Paul especially equates this expression of godly wisdom with the ability to judge rightly (v. 31). By joining wisdom and judgment, Paul is expressing the meaning of the Hebrew word for wisdom: hakma/hakam - wisdom, skill in war, quality ascribed to a ruler, to a king [including the Messiah], and to God/become wise in mind, word, or act, show oneself to be wise, to make wise, teach wisdom, instruct, to judge-hence to rule. Again, Paul reflects this definition of the Hebrew word with this statement that while the idea of Christ crucified is foolishness to some: "...to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God...of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God - and righteousness and sanctification and redemption - that it is written, 'He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.'" (1 Cor. 1:23-24, 30-31).  The ruling Messiah, Jesus, personifies the true rulership, wisdom and judgment of God.

     Again, Paul wrote about the importance of godly wisdom to the Corinthians: "Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, 'The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.' (1 Cor. 3:18-20). If the Corinthian church was riddled with destructive worldly wisdom, then it may be necessary to consider if we also have based our rulership as kings and priests in Christ upon the same worldly wisdom that is really foolishness with God. It seems an easy trap to fall into while not even realizing that we are trapped.

     The apostle James, whose Hebrew name was Jacob, wrote even more emphatically: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness (prautes/praus - gentleness of spirit, mildness/humble, meek, the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-interest stemming from trust in God's goodness and control over a situation, a work of the Holy Spirit and not of human will) of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are from there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." (James 3:13-18). How closely are we willing to look at ourselves through the lens of these strong words of an apostle of Christ, inspired by the Holy Spirit for our consideration and obedience? The attaining of godly wisdom, according to James, must be accompanied by humility, and humility is in short supply.

     The Sabbath reading portion for this week, which happens to take place during Hanukkah (Feast of Lights and Dedication) this year, is titled Mikketz, meaning "At the end of", and it deals with godly rulership-wisdom and judgment.  "At the end of" deals with a period of time here, but in this reading portion, it can also mean being "at the end of" one's own self-importance, as we will see. This portion is from Gen. 41 through 43, and involves details from Joseph's life in Egypt. At the start of this reading, Joseph had been in Pharaoh's prison because, after being sold into slavery by his envious brothers, he was serving as a slave in Potiphar's house in Egypt when he was falsely accused of a crime. "Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream...." (Gen. 41:1). Joseph had been in prison for at least two years. To understand what happening in Joseph's life, we have to go back to his youth. From seventeen years old, Joseph had had prophetic dreams. He, like the Corinthian church, was gifted by God, but he exercised that gift in worldly wisdom. In his youthful "enthusiasm", Joseph told his brothers and father of his dreams of rulership over them, and even his father, though aware of his son's prophetic gift, was offended by him (Gen. 37:10-11). We will find out that the point of these dreams was not Joseph's rulership, but God's miraculous and merciful "sabbath" (seven years of plenty) provision for multitudes of people, including His covenant people, in the midst of a severe seven-year famine to come. In order to enact His plan, God would have to train Joseph up in godly wisdom. Joseph's first lesson would come from the betrayal of his brothers. His next lesson would be to serve as a slave in a foreign household. Then would come false accusation and resulting imprisonment. Then Joseph would learn how to serve even while in prison, receiving the favor of God and the trust of the prison-keeper (Gen. 39:20-23). Then while in prison, he was forgotten by someone for two full years for whom he had accurately interpreted a dream which came to pass "on the third day". (Gen. 40:20-23). We often view trials as the work of evil, but God uses them to purify our faith and to produce godly fruit in us, such as wisdom perhaps. It is at that same time that Pharaoh had two disturbing dreams which he felt had a prophetic significance: "...he (Pharaoh) sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh." (Gen. 41:8). Those of worldly wisdom could not help. Joseph was then remembered as a dream-interpreter, and Pharaoh ordered this Hebrew slave prisoner to be brought out of the dungeon to offer an interpretation of his dreams. Joseph had been cleaned and clothed, and came before Pharaoh, but we see that Joseph had changed inwardly. When asked for the interpretation, Joseph answered Pharaoh saying: "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace (see James' words above)." (v. 16). We can see here that Joseph has learned the difference between the worldly wisdom of self-assertion and godly wisdom through his time of service. Messiah/Christ Jesus, the personification of ruling, godly wisdom (see references above), told His disciples about the godly wisdom of service, in which He also walked, as contrasted with the worldly wisdom by which others ruled (Mt. 20:25-28). 

     As God gave Joseph the interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams involving seven years of abundance to be followed by seven years of severe famine, Joseph was able to tell Pharaoh how to prepare so that his country and other people may not only live through the famine, but prosper. "Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word...See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt." (Gen. 41:39-41). Joseph was also recognized as "a man in whom is the Spirit of God." (v. 38). Joseph, when he later saw his brothers who had betrayed him as they came to Egypt for food, would say to them: "...do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life." (Gen. 45:5). God's purpose here through all of Joseph's difficulties, which was the preservation of life, could only be perceived through godly wisdom, and Joseph was a man who served successfully in rulership by godly wisdom.

     Another reading from this Sabbath's Mikketz portion is from 1 Kings 3. The new king, Solomon, son of King David, had a dream while in Gibeon (Levitical hill city in the territory of Benjamin/gabia - large bowl of wine; flower-shaped bowls of oil on the holy lampstand), the place where the tabernacle was kept in those days. In his dream, the LORD asked Solomon, "What shall I give you?" (1 Kings 3:5). In the dream, Solomon answered the LORD in part: "I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. Your servant (referring to himself) is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega/see Rev. 1:8, 21:6, 22:13) people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) people of Yours?" (v. 7-9). It is interesting, and part of the Hebrew meaning of "wisdom", that Solomon requested this from God in order to judge God's people justly in rulership. Solomon could have asked for many things. His rise to the throne had been a dangerous and controversial one, because one of his older brothers had already claimed the throne while their father, David, was still alive. However, "THE SPEECH PLEASED THE LORD, THAT SOLOMON HAD ASKED THIS THING." (v. 10). In fact, the LORD is so pleased with a request for godly wisdom that scripture says that if any lack it and ask for it, He will honor that request (James 1:5).

     God said to Solomon in the dream: "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor..." (v. 11-13). The LORD also promised to lengthen Solomon's days as his father David's IF Solomon walked in the LORD's ways and kept His commandments (v. 14). Often we pray for what we think we need, but perhaps God is waiting for us to also request those things, like wisdom, that will make us more like our Father and His Son.

     Even from the first time that Solomon was called upon to administer judgment (1 Kings 3:16-27), he gained a reputation for the wisdom of God and for justice: ""And all Israel heard of the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared (yare - fear, reverence, in awe of, honor, respect, to tremble) the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice. So Solomon was king over all Israel." (v. 28, 1 Kings 4:1). 

     Solomon also wrote three Books of the Bible, one being Proverbs, the Book of Wisdom. As in the Hebrew definition of "wisdom" (see above), those who have the wisdom of God also teach and instruct others in that wisdom. The prophet Daniel, describing the events of the latter days, wrote: "And those people who understand (sakal - wisely understand) shall instruct many...Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament. and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever...none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand." (Dan. 11:33, 12:3, 9). There is a godly wisdom, through the Messiah/Christ Jesus, available to us that must accompany our spiritual rulership and just judgment. It is dangerous to try to do either without that wisdom. 

     If you would like to pray for godly wisdom, you can join me in my prayer: "Dear Father, Your Son, Jesus, is the wisdom of God, as well as being our righteousness, our healing, and our salvation. Your Word says that if any lack wisdom, they may ask You for it. I ask for Your precious wisdom to fill my life, and direct my thoughts, words and deeds. Let Your wisdom cause me to discern between good and evil, and to have wise understanding. Let Your wisdom in me allow others to see the wisdom of God, rather than my "self". Forgive me, Lord, for neglecting to seek and ask for Your wisdom. Help me, by Your Holy Spirit to see when I am following the wisdom of this world, which is foolishness, rather than the wisdom of God. I ask these things in the name of my Lord and Savior, Your Son and Wisdom, Jesus. AMEN."

Kings

This week's sabbath reading is titled Chayyai Sarah, or "The Life of Sarah". Sarah was the wife of Abraham, and had miraculously become a mother in her old age, as the LORD had promised her. It is interesting and important to us that the reading portion titled upon "the life of Sarah" begins with her death in Genesis 23. Genesis, or B'resheit in Hebrew, is about "Beginnings", and we will see another important "beginning" established here. I found that this week's reading portion is about two kinds of kings, and therefore two kinds of kingdoms as well. One thing we should know before we look at Gen. 23, is how the LORD changed Sarai's name to Sarah earlier in Gen. 17: "Then God said to Abraham, 'As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be by her. Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed..." (Gen. 17:15-17a). Her original name, Sarai, means in Hebrew "princess; ruler, steward, commander; prevail over, dominion, be a prince". All good stuff. so why rename her? As renamed by the LORD, Sarah, she becomes "a queen, the wife of a king". As we go then to Gen. 23 from this week's reading, there are at least two beginnings that we will see with Sarah's death. First of sll, the place of Sarah's death, Hebron/Kirjath Arba, has an important meaning. Hebron means "association, joining, join together, fellowship; to be marked with stripes and blows". It can also mean "charmer, spell, incantation". The other name that Hebron was known by, Kirjath Arba, means a city founded or "floored" on a square, or four-sided. This should remind us of the four-lettered name of God, and the "four-square" city of the New Jerusalem (see Rev. 21:16). Kirjath Arba also means the city founded by Arba - the greatest of the giants, and the father of Anak (Anakim). So whether we call the place of Sarah's death Hebron or its previous name, Kirjath Arba, we can see that this place represents two kingdoms. One of those kingdoms is the kingdom of God, and His Son, Jesus, who was marked with stripes and blows, and the other is a kingdom associated with witchcraft spells, and the giants who continually opposed God's people. In one of our beginnings found in this reading, Abraham will, for the first time, purchase a plot of land in what would become Israel in order to bury his wife: "...Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth ("Terror"), saying, 'I am a foreigner and a visitor (see also Jn. 17:16, 2 Peter 2:11, Heb. 13:14, Heb. 11:8-10) among you. Give me property for a burial place among you...I will give you money for the field; take it from me and I will bury my dead there." (Gen. 23:4, 13). At first the sons of Heth did not want to sell, but rather give the place to Abraham. However, Abraham insisted upon buying the land that included a burial cave for his wife. Abraham bought it for 400 shekels of silver - again the presence of a multiple of the number four: "So the field of Ephron ("fawn-like, young goat; to be dust, to throw dust") ...and the cave which was in it...were deeded (qum - accomplished, established; arise, rise up, raise) to Abraham as a possession (miqna/miqne/qana - purchase price, bought/flocks, herds/redeem, recover, of God redeeming His people) in the presence of the sons of Heth ('Terror"), before all who went in at the gate of his city." (v. 17-18). There was a very important shift that took place here, and a vital beginning - Abraham had purchased a place in what would become Israel, and now owned it. Hebron became known as "the city of the friend of God (Abraham)". We also see, by the meaning of the Hebrew words used here, the principle of God redeeming His people. However, that's not all! When Abraham approached the sons of Heth to purchase the field for a burial ground, the sons of Heth addressed Abraham as "a mighty prince among us" (v. 6). In Hebrew, this is written as "elohim nasi" among us. Elohim is the name of God. Nasi/nasa means "prince, ruler, one lifted up, vapors ascending to become a cloud/forgive, bear, endure, to suffer, take away anyone's sin, to expiate, make atonement for sin, to lay sin upon oneself, to marry a wife, to receive anyone's prayer, to lift up, rise up, to look upon". "Mighty prince" or "Prince of God" is not a complete translation into English, as we can see. There is no doubt that the sons of Heth (Terror), identified Abraham with the risen God of forgiveness, suffering and Atonement, tavek: within us, in the midst of us, Whom we know as Jesus. This is the King that the sons of Heth saw in Abraham. However, kingship in God's kingdom is not merely determined by a physical relationship to Abraham and Sarah, but by a spiritual relationship, defined by a likeness to the same King by whom Abraham was called above. In another portion from this week's sabbath reading, we will see two kings. Which king will prevail? In 1 Kings 1, King David, anointed by God, and prophesied as the patriarch from whom the Messiah/Christ would come, is still alive, but very old. One of his sons, Adonijah, appoints himself to be the new king. Adonijah is David's fourth son, and his name means "The LORD is Jehovah (YHWH: "Behold the hand, Behold the nail"). Everything seems to look good for Adonijah to become the new king- after all, his name glorifies Jesus as Lord- but he is not the successor that David named, and he is not of the right spirit to be a king in God's kingdom: "Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, 'I will be king'; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him...And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants." (1 Kings 1:5,9). Adonijah exalted himself. Kings after the spirit of Abraham and Sarah do not exalt themselves, but rather, redeem or exalt others. Adonijah made great sacrifices as Abraham did, which looks good, but he is making those sacrifices at a place called Zoheleth, which means "serpent, afraid, worms, creeping, crawling". David's appointed successor, on the other hand, was his tenth son, Solomon, whose name means "peace, covenant of peace, prosperity, welfare, health, friendship, tranquility, whole, in full number, recompense, restore, restitution, finished". When David was informed that Adonijah had already made himself king, he reaffirmed his command before Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, taking an oath, that Solomon would become the king: "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, just as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel, saying, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place', so I certainly will do this day." (1 Kings 1:28-30). David then had Solomon anointed king at Gihon, while David was still alive, Those who anointed him, according to David's command, blew the horn and proclaimed, "Long live King Solomon!". (v. 32-34). The place where Adonijah tried to take the kingship and kingdom, En Rogel (Spy, backbiter, slandered), was the source of the pool of Siloam, meaning "sent, cast out, put away". On the other hand, David sent Solomon to be anointed at Gihon, a spring outside of Jerusalem, whose name means "bursting forth, to come forth, bring forth, break forth, to issue forth from hiding places". It is also the name of one of the four rivers of the Garden of Eden, a river of paradise. As God renamed Sarah, kings would indeed come from her. Not just any kings, however, but the kings and kingdom that are of the image and likeness of the only King - Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, the King of kings and Lord of lords. These are also the spiritual kings which we are called to be (Rev. 1:6, 5:10), while recognizing our heroine of faith, Sarah, according to Heb. 11:11. If you would like to know more about being one of the kings born from Abraham and Sarah, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You prophesied to both Abraham and Sarah that they would be the father and mother of kings, not as the world identifies kings, but as those who are named after, and are identified with Your son, Jesus. There is no other King, and there is no other kingdom that delivers me from out of darkness and into Your glorious light. Your King, Jesus, has redeemed me from Terror and serpents, has laid my sin upon Himself, and made me His special possession, bought with a price. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit to guide me in the way of my King's truth, forgiveness and atonement. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Naso

This week's Sabbath reading is titled Naso, or "Elevate!". The meaning of naso in English is "to elevate, lift up, to take a census or a sum, a measure of elevation". In this Sabbath reading, the LORD will give us a look into both His priesthood and kings, and their important role in the command to "Elevate!" the people of God. As we carry on church "life as usual", we have perhaps forgotten the root of our calling from the Torah. We also have been called to be a spiritual priesthood and kingship before God (1 Pet. 2:9-10, Rev. 1:4-6, Rev. 5:9-10). In this Sabbath reading, Aaron, Moses' brother, is serving as the high priest, and his sons are assisting him. His service in the Tabernacle deals with intercession and sin, trespass, peace and atonement sacrifices to God. On only one occasion, told to us in Numbers 6, did God give Aaron a command through Moses regarding what Aaron must speak to the children of Israel: "And the LORD spoke to Moses saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons saying, "This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: The LORD bless (barak - bless, kneel, adore) you and keep (samar - guard, give heed to, keep watch, save life, to hedge about) you; The LORD make His face shine (or - light, enlighten, glorious, to make shine, kindle) upon you, and be gracious (hanan - show favor, have mercy, to bend in kindness to; to camp, dwell, pitch a tent) to you; The LORD lift up (nasa - lift up, carry away, forgive, exalt, assist, bear continuously, desire, armor, marry) His countenance upon you, and give you peace (salom/salam - peace, welfare, prosperity, health, safety, completeness, contentment, friendship in covenant relationship with God/recompense, reward, restore, repay, restitution, full, to be finished, completed, be uninjured, perfect, to be whole).' So they shall put My name (sem - name, fame, reputation, glory, authority, character, definite position, sign, mark) on the children of Israel, and I will bless them." (Num.6:22-27). This blessing to be said by Aaron to the children of Israel placed God's name upon the people, and accomplished much in the Spirit, as we can see from the word meanings. This blessing was meant to build something prophetically within the people of God, as well as supply their immediate and natural needs. This blessing, as we can see from the word meanings, immediately brings to mind those things that are found in the Person of the Messiah, Jesus: light, forgiveness, mercy, completion, perfection, wholeness, being carried away, marriage, reward. So the prophetic promise of the Messiah is also being embedded in the people through this blessing. The people didn't have to earn or deserve this blessing. It was an obligation of the priesthood to say it as commanded by God. This blessing marked the difference between the people of God and all others. Do we, the priests of the New Covenant, understand and perform this commandment of God? In another portion from this Sabbath's "Elevate!" reading in 2 Chronicles 6, we are given a kingly example of the command Naso, or to "elevate" God's people. God has placed before us in this portion, one of the most glorious and renowned of the kings of Israel, Solomon, the son of David. His glory was so far above all other kings, that Jesus used him as an example of glory in His teaching: "...Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field...will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Mt. 6:28-30). In our Sabbath reading for this week in 2 Chronicles 6, the Temple of God has just been completed in Jerusalem. It was a luxurious and glorious temple, and King Solomon is leading its dedication. All Israel was assembled before him as he stood on a platform that had been built before the bronze altar of the LORD so that all of Israel could see him: "...and he stood on it, knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven." (2 Chron. 6:12-13). When is the last time we saw a king, or any governmental authority, kneel down, raise his hands towards heaven and pray? As kings before God, which we are according to scripture, when was the last time that we knelt down, and raised our hands to heaven to pray? What did Solomon pray to God about in the dedication of this temple? He asked the LORD to make this temple a place where God's people could pray, confess His name (v. 26), and come to Him for forgiveness (v. 21, 29-30)...a place where the land could be healed as a result of the repentance of God's people (see 7:14). Not only did Solomon pray for such a house of God for the people of Israel, but for any foreigner who would come because they believed the name of the God of Israel (v. 32-33). When Solomon finished praaying, "fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple." (7:1). Because of the presence of the glory of God, the priests could not enter the LORD's house (7:2). The Prophet Isaiah confirmed Solomon's prayer calling God's house a house of prayer for all nations (Isa. 56:7). Jesus confirmed the Law and the Prophets by calling the House or Temple of God to be a house of prayer for all nations (Mk. 11:15-17, Mt. 21:12-14). As the living, spiritual temple of God, we also are a house of prayer for all nations, as we have been redeemed and called "out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation." (Rev. 5:9-10). As we saw what happened when Solomon prayed, amazing things happen when "kings" humbly and sincerely pray. Our modern politicians, even those who proclaim faith, do not pray publicly. However, there was a speech given by Ronald Reagan on February 6, 1986, that came very close, and which brings to mind the great prayer of King Solomon, and the priestly blessing of Aaron that we read above. This is an excerpt from that speech: "...We also have His (God's) promise that we could take to heart with regard to our country, that 'If My people, which are called by My name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.' Let us, young and old, join together...in humble heartfelt prayer. Let us do so for the love of God and His great goodness, in search of His guidance and the grace of repentance, in seeking His blessings, His peace, and the resting of His kind and holy hands on ourselves, our nation, our friends...and all mankind, now and always. The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America...Our country is in need of and ready for a spiritual renewal. Today, we utter no prayer more fervently than the ancient prayer for peace on earth. If I had a prayer for you today...it is that one we're so familiar with: 'The LORD bless you and keep you, the LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace...'. And God bles you all." If you would like to know more about our calling as priests and kings, which Christ has made us, you can pray with me: "Lord Jesus, You have appointed us to minister before God and man as Your priests and kings. By doing so, we speak "naso", elevation to man, and glory to God our Father in Your name. Fill us with the Holy Spirit so that we can fulfill this important spiritual assignment, not by the agendas of man, but by the command of God, and these precious examples given to us from God in His Word. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."