Judges

"But I am the LORD your God, who divided the sea whose waves roared - the LORD of hosts is His name. And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, that I may plant the heavens, lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, 'You are My people'." (Isa. 51:15-16). These are powerful words of authority. The words of God in someone's mouth enables Him to plant the heavens, lay the foundations of the earth, and announce salvation to Zion. To whom is the LORD speaking these words? Four times in the chapter the LORD identifies His hearers. The LORD first says, "Listen to Me you who follow after righteousness, you who seek the LORD." (v. 1). Again He says, "Listen to Me My people, and give ear to Me, O My nation: For the law will proceed from Me, and I will make My justice rest as a light of the peoples." (v. 4). A third time, the LORD says, "Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, you people in whose heart is My law." (v. 7). Finally, a fourth time, God says, "...please hear this, you afflicted..." (v. 21). By His word in their mouths, He is able to plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, but why say that when these things of creation have already been done? In another place in Isaiah, we read: "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind." (Isa. 65:17). We read this same promise in the New Testament: "...looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God...Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless." (2 Pet. 3:13-14). We have a direct influence on the day when these events are to occur according to Peter above. In Revelation 21, we can read: "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea." (v. 1). The Word of the LORD in the mouth of John is prophesying this new creation. There is another example where the Word in our mouths is joined with the Words of the Spirit of God: "I, Jesus, am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.' And the Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come!'. And let him who hears say, 'Come!' And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." (Rev. 22:16-17). Both the prophets Isaiah and Micah wrote of the law going forth from Zion and the word from Jerusalem in the latter days, and its purpose is to establish judgment (justice) and peace (Isa. 2:3-4 and Micah 4:1-3). It seems though, that while this power has been given to men to have the Word of the LORD placed in their mouths to bring about the new things of God, most of our time and attention is spent upon old things: the former things that are passed away. The verses from Isaiah 51 above are part of this week's Sabbath reading titled Shoftim, meaning "Judges". Moses had given this command to the people to follow when they entered into the Promised Land: "You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment." (Deut. 16:18). The prophet Isaiah spoke the Word of the LORD concerning the restoring of the judges and counsellors, as at the first, or the beginning. This restoration of the judges creates a result according to Isaiah's prophecy: "...Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city." (Isa. 1:24-26). In this process, Isaiah said, the LORD will rid Himself of His adversaries, and purge His people of their dross (sig/sug - of silver not yet refined, baser metal having been mixed with purer/move away, recant, backslide from the LORD). This Sabbath's reading titled Shoftim or "Judges", comes at a very interesting time. It comes at the start of the last month of the Jewish calendar year. This last month is called Elul, which means "month of harvest". The Words of the LORD in our mouths affects the completion of the spiritual harvest of souls for His Kingdom. The month of Elul will end at the beginning of the Feast of Trumpets, also called Rosh Hashanah, which is also the first month, Tishrei, of the new calendar year. The word Tishrei means "to begin". The purpose of the last month, Elul, is to spiritually prepare for the arrival of the new, beginning month and year. Repentance occurs in this last month of Elul in order to cleanse and purify, like the removal of dross from Isa. 1 mentioned above, for the coming of the new, according to Jewish practice. This continuing theme running through the scriptures we have looked at for this week brings to mind the Words Jesus spoke of Himself: "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." (Rev. 22:12-13, also Rev. 1:8, 11, 17). The use of 'Alpha" and "Omega" refer to the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Jesus spoke Hebrew/Aramaic, and would have said instead "I am the Aleph - Tav...". Here are more meanings of the Hebrew words used in scripture that are translated as "first" and "last": first, one, once for all, join oneself together with, unify, begin, opening, sorrow, violate the honor of, defile, desecrate, perforate, pierce through, wounded, afflicted, sick with grief, son, first fruits, first born/ last, latter, uttermost, delay, tarry, wait, reward, rearguard. We can also look at the meanings of the words "Beginning" and "End" used by Jesus: beginning, origin, person or thing that commences something, the first place, the outer corner of a thing, to be the first to do anything, chief, leader, ruler, to be first in rank or power, to reign/ end, uttermost, finally, the limit at which a thing ceases to be, that by which a thing is finished, the end goal, aim or purpose. One purpose for God's Words being placed in the mouths of the judges, and also in the mouths of God's people according to the words of Isaiah above, are meant to bring old things to an end, and new things to a beginning. We can conclude with another portion from this week's Sabbath reading, which is again very appropriate for this time of the Jewish calendar year, when the last month ends, and the first month of a new year begins: "Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you. Shake yourself (na'ar - the rustling of a lion's mane which accompanies his roar) from the dust, arise; Sit down, O Jerusalem! Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion!" (Isa. 52:1-2). The words "Sit down" used here is the Hebrew word yasab, which includes the meanings "to sit as a judge, where a judge sits to give judgment, as a king sits down on a throne, as an army that sits in a place and holds possession of it, dwelling among the praises of Israel, as sitting down at the right hand, to cause a bride to sit down in a dwelling, marriage, inhabit". These Words from Isaiah are calling us to speak and move in a new thing! If you would like to know more about the role of the judge, and the Words of God placed in our mouths regarding the First, the Last, the Beginning, and the End, the old and the new, and the former and the latter, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You have placed Your Words in our mouths in order to cause the old to pass away, and to hasten the creation of the new, and the return of Your Son. As I grow into the full measure of Your Son, Jesus, let me also speak Words of Aleph-Tav, First and Last, and Beginning and End. The ending of one calendar year, and the beginning of a new month and year, have greater spiritual significance than a measure of time. By Your Holy Spirit, teach me to understand, look for, and walk in the new creation, and hasten the day of Christ's return. Let me speak with the Holy Spirit and say, "Come!" for the Lord's return. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

NewMoon (Pt. 1 of 3)

I would like to tell you some wonderful things about the fall feast, Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets (Lev. 23:23-26), which we are about to observe. It is also known as Rosh Hashanah. There is so much to tell you about this feast and the ten days that follow leading up to the next feast, Yom Kippur, that it will require two blog entries. So please also read the next entry, "AWE", which will be posted a few days after this one.
The LORD commanded all the generations of Israel to keep the feast days as holy appointments with Him. However, these feasts, both spring and fall feasts, are not just for the Jewish people. All of the feasts are a type and shadow of the Messiah for whom Israel was to wait and watch for in faith. Jesus, of whom the feasts prophetically pertained, faithfully observed them, and the apostles wrote and taught about the feasts. For those of us who have experiential knowledge of the Messiah, Jesus, how much more important is it for us to know and observe the significance of these feast days, and to incorporate that knowledge of Christ into them? 
The Feast of Trumpets is the first day of the month of Tishrei ("beginning" ), so it is the beginning of beginnings. As we will see, this feast marks the beginning, not only of the secular Jewish year, but of a vital spiritual process.
Elul is the month before Tishrei, and it is the month we are in now as of this post. It is the last month of the Jewish secular year. From the 14th century, Jews have understood the letters of Elul to be an acronym, (Hebrew letters aleph, lamed, vav, lamed) for the phrase Ani l'dodi v'dodi li which translates, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." (Song of Songs 6:3). To us, this verse, as well as the entire Song of Songs, refers prophetically to our Messiah and His Bride. The Aramaic meaning of Elul is "to search". In the Song of Songs, the Shulamite (to be perfect, to be peaceful, to be in a covenant of peace, to be complete, be finished, to make whole, restore, to be performed) woman must search for her Beloved, her Bridegroom.
The Feast of Trumpets is not only associated with the blowing of the shofar, which also signals the rapture of the Church in scripture (1 Cor. 15:51-55), but its timing is directly tied into the first appearance of the new moon which marks the beginning of the month of Tishrei. It is a feast that is directly associated with the new moon. For this feast to begin, the new moon must be  watched for diligently and then the shofars, or trumpets, are sounded when it is first spotted in the sky. Therefore, we may not know the exact day and hour (Mt. 24:36, 25:13) when this feast will begin. We only know as a result of looking up, and watching or searching the skies when we see these things begin (Lk. 21:28).
Psalm 81:3 also refers to this feast, and rather than the English translation we have, the Aramic/Targum phrase with which Israel would be familiar is, "in the month in which the day of our festival is concealed". This commanded feast of the LORD, left so vaguely described in Leviticus, requires us to search it out for its meaning and importance. So let the search begin!
The Hebrew root word used for "new moon", with which this feast is so closely associated, is chadash. This means, "renew, make anew, repair, renew oneself, to rebuild, restore, cutting or polishing (a sword)". The pictographic meanings attached to the Hebrew letters of the word khadash: cheth, daleth, shin, might be expressed by the idea of a separation, a wall, between a protected inner chamber, and a sharp devouring, consuming, destruction as with teeth. In this wall there is a door, by which movement into or out of is provided. Either you can enter in, with the door closed against the destruction, or you can be outside the door, separated from the protection of the inner chamber. To enter through the door involves a path or way of life. 
This feast and its connection with the new moon includes in its meaning that it is a time to make a changing choice. On one side there is renewal, repair rebuilding and restoration. On the other side, there waits destruction.
This new moon root word, chadash, appears in other verses:
"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."  David, Ps. 51:10
"Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's."
                                                                                                            David, Ps. 103:5
However, chadash also carries far beyond the individual:
"...and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations." Isa. 61:4

"...let us go to Gilgal (a wheel, rolling), and renew the kingdom there."  1 Sam. 11:14
"...Asa...put away the abominable idols..., and renewed (NKJV-restored) the altar of   the LORD..."   2 Chron.15:8
"...Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD."  2 Chron. 24:4, 12
"Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth."
                                                                                                               Ps. 104:30
Individuals, cities, the kingdom, the altars and the house of the LORD, and even the whole earth are affected: renewed, restored, repaired by the chadash, new moon renewal.
Believers are familiar with the idea of renewal and restoration. We see many references in the New Testament to the "new" things promised through Christ, who is the Messiah prophesied in this feast: new wine, new tongues, new wine in new bottles, a new lump, a new creature, a new man, a new testament, a new living way, a new name, new heavens and a new earth, New Jerusalem, and "make all things new".
How far reaching the renewal is! It starts within ourselves, but it is not limited to ourselves. We, who have been given all of these promises of renewal in Christ, must understand the importance of this renewal feast, not only to us, but to all creation. However this renewal is a process. It is a process with a beginning. This process, this "path or way of life", begins with repentance. This may not sound like fun, but the result and reward is miraculous renewal.
The chadash renewal of Tishrei begins on the feast day of Trumpets, but there are ten days that follow this day. These are the Days of Awe/Repentance, or Aseret Yemei Teshuvah. The ten days end at the next feast of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The rabbis say that these ten days are given to us for an opportunity to change, and an opportunity given to be written and then sealed in the Book of Life, rather than the Book of Death. Believers know this book as the Lamb's Book of Life (Phil. 4:3, Rev. 3:5, 13:8, and more). Though believers may not be familiar specifically with the Book of Death taught by the rabbis, we know that there is more than one book consulted in judgment:
"And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books."   Rev. 20:12
As the rabbis teach that on the Feast of Trumpets, we are written into one of these books. We are given the ten days between the two feasts for repentance (change of mind, feeling regret, a determination to change, an effort to repair the affects of one's misdeeds), prayer, and charity for change and renewal, before we are sealed into the book on Yom Kippur. Our repentance determines on which side of the "door" we choose to be. 
We may say, "I am Christ's, so I am saved from all", but scripture doesn't say we are guaranteed to be saved from this destruction. Our "works" define how we are building on the foundation of that protective khadash wall. Are we building with gold, silver, and precious stones, or wood, hay, and stubble-things which can burn? Our useless works will be burned, and we will be saved as through fire. The Day (yom) will declare it (1 Cor. 3:9-15). Christ said that we must pray that we are worthy to escape these things and to stand before Him (Lk. 21:36). At that last trump, when Christ returns, we who are in Christ, whether dead or still alive, will meet Him in the air for sure (1 Cor. 15:51-52, 1 Thess. 4:16-17), but we don't want to meet Him singed and smoky! At least, that's the way I'm looking at this opportunity found in these feast days.
The Prophet Jeremiah wrote:
"Turn us back ("shuv" , part of teshuvah or repentance: to turn, return, restore, refresh, repair) to You, O LORD, and we will be restored; renew our days as of old, unless You have utterly rejected us, and are very angry with us!"  Lam. 5:21-22
We can also see this call to "shuv" , or repentance, again in the Song of Songs. The Beloved (Bridegroom) and His friends tell the Shulamite woman, His beloved:
"Return, return ("shuv, shuv") O Shulamite;  Return, return ("shuv, shuv") that we may look upon you!"  Song of Songs 6:13
The Beloved even repeated the call twice for emphasis in the above verse.
The "search" in the month of Elul, the "beginning" found in the month of Tishrei, the new moon chadash renewal of the Feast of Trumpets, and the following ten Days of Awe/Repentance, are not just for the Jews and Israel, but for the Church, the Bride, all believers. These days given for our repentance and change impact all creation.
We are being examined by the LORD and His Spirit over these ten days (see next post, "AWE"), and according to the verses cited earlier, the resulting process of repentance and renewal has far reaching affects. The Jews carry out this period with only a prophetic knowledge of Messiah. We come to these same feasts and ten days with the sure and living knowledge of Christ. How much more effective can a believer be in this spiritual renewal of self, cities, years, kingdom, heaven and earth as we obey the command of the feasts through Christ?
In Part 2 of this topic titled "AWE", which will be posted a few days after this entry, we will see how this feast of Trumpets, its following ten days, and Yom Kippur are represented in Jewish traditional liturgy, and revealed in a powerful, parallel manner by Jesus in the Book of Revelation.

Our Father has called us to the Feast of Trumpets' new moon chadash restoration, renewal and repentance.