Rosh Hashanah 5779! Looking Forward - Will Messiah Come on Rosh Hashanah?

When most people think of Rosh Hashanah, they think of Apples & Honey, round Challah with Raisins... listening to a shofar sound at the synagogue, thinking about the new year, and turning over a new leaf, trying to be "good"; and then coming home for a nice Rosh Hashanah Oneg meal with your friends and family.  For the more "observant" it's two days here in the Diaspora, for others, well it's just a day and then back to work...

For Messianic Jews however, it has more of a prophetic meaning, about which this feast of Adonai speaks of a coming "Day of the Lord".  These themes are certainly there in the Siddur and the readings in the synagogues for all Jews to see, but this inaugural Holy Day of the Fall Feasts of Israel, initiates for us Messianic Jews a very serious time about future revelatory events that causes us to acknowledge the stern warnings that the Shofar represents and the imagery of apocalyptic symbolism that permeates the Scriptures, both Tanakh (Old Testament), and the Brit Chadasha (New Covenant).  Many people ask, "what exactly will happen when the Great Shofar is sounded and the Messiah comes/returns"?

The purpose of this article is to respond to this question.  

The Biblical name for this Holy Day in Leviticus 23 is Yom Teruah, (Day of Trumpet).  It is not called Rosh Hashanah in the Bible.  It later became known by this name which means Head of the Year, as this day starts the fall harvest time which in itself is a type of "new year", much like a business has a "fiscal new year" which is distinct from January 1st.  Yom Teruah is simply a day to hear the Shofar call.  Why does God want us to remember and recall the Shofar Call?  Obviously, we know that the Messiah's return and also the "Day of the Lord" will be heralded with Shofarot (Shofars!).  So the question really becomes not "what will happen when the Great Shofar is sounded"?... but rather "which Shofar blast will we begin to see Divine Intervention into the End Time affairs of this world"?

In his commentary, Dr. David Stern says, “Shofars not trumpets. The idea that the Great Judgment of the Last Days is heralded by blasts on the Shofar has its roots in Tanakh.” (Stern, 1992)

Shofars (plural).  There are more than one Shofar blast that will occur, as in Revelation 8, which has the 7 Shofar Blasts and with each one, something happens.  But as Stern points out, the end time shofar blasts are rooted in Tanakh.

Zechariah 9: 14 ADONAI will appear over them, and his arrow will flash like lightning. ADONAI ELOHIM will blow the shofar and go out in the whirlwinds of the south….16 On that day ADONAI their God will save them as the flock of his people; for they will be like gems in a crown, sparkling over his countryside.

If you are a little frightened about eschatology (the study of end time apocalyptic Biblical literature), no worries... God protects Israel, his Jewish people, and this is evidenced in Rev. 7:1-8 as the 144,000 Jews are sealed before these Shofar blasts in Rev. 8.  But before we go there, more is said in Tanakh about shofars and the Day of the Lord...

Isaiah 27: 13 On that day a great shofar will sound. Those lost in the land of Ashur will come, also those scattered through the land of Egypt; and they will worship ADONAI on the holy mountain in Yerushalayim.

Joel 2: 1 “Blow the shofar in Tziyon! Sound an alarm on my holy mountain!” Let all living in the land tremble, for the Day of ADONAI is coming! It’s upon us!

Zephaniah 1: 15 That Day is a Day of fury, a Day of trouble and distress, a Day of waste and desolation, a Day of darkness and gloom, a Day of clouds and thick fog, 16 a Day of the shofar and battle-cry against the fortified cities and against the high towers (on the city walls).

Aside from Tanakh, there is also other literature known as Extra-Biblical literature that speaks about the apocalypse.  

The same evidence is found in the Pseudepigrapha and Apocrypha writings, which are…

“The Apocrypha (Greek, "hidden books") are Jewish books from that period not preserved in the Tanakh, but included in the Latin (Vulgate) and Greek (Septuagint) Old Testaments. The Apocrypha are still regarded as part of the canon of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, and as such, their number is fixed. The term Pseudepigrapha (Greek, "falsely attributed") was given to Jewish writings of the same period, which were attributed to authors who did not actually write them. This was widespread in Greco-Roman antiquity - in Jewish, Christian, and pagan circles alike. Books were attributed to pagan authors, and names drawn from the repertoire of biblical personalities, such as Adam, Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Ezekiel, Baruch, and Jeremiah. The Pseudepigrapha resemble the Apocrypha in general character, yet were not included in the Bible, Apocrypha, or rabbinic literature.

All the Apocrypha and most of the Pseudepigrapha are Jewish works (some contain Christianizing additions). They provide essential evidence of Jewish literature and thought during the period between the end of biblical writing (ca. 400 BCE) and the beginning of substantial rabbinic literature in the latter part of the first century CE. They have aroused much scholarly interest, since they provide information about Judaism at the turn of the era between the Bible and the Mishna (Biblical Law and Oral Law), and help explain how Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity came into being.” (Stone, 2001)

So here is an example of a book from the Pseudepigrapha known as Psalms of Solomon: 

Psalms of Solomon 11: 1. Of Solomon. Unto expectation. 1 Blow ye in Zion on the trumpet to summon (the) saints, 2 Cause ye to be heard in Jerusalem the voice of him that bringeth good tidings; For God hath had pity on Israel in visiting them. 3 (2) Stand on the height, O Jerusalem, and behold thy children, From the East and the West, gathered together by the Lord; 4 (3) From the North they come in the gladness of their God, From the isles afar off God hath gathered them. 5 (4) High mountains hath He abased into a plain for them; 6 The hills fled at their entrance. (5) The woods gave them shelter as they passed by; 7 Every sweet-smelling tree God caused to spring up for them,(6) That Israel might pass by in the visitation of the glory of their God. 8 (7) Put on, O Jerusalem, thy glorious garments; Make ready thy holy robe; For God hath spoken good concerning Israel, for ever and ever. 9 (8) Let the Lord do what He hath spoken concerning Israel and Jerusalem; Let the Lord raise up Israel by His glorious name. (9) The mercy of the Lord be upon Israel for ever and ever.

And in the Apocrypha: 

4 Ezra 6: 23: And the trumpet shall give a sound, which when every man heareth, they shall be suddenly afraid. 24: At that time shall friends fight one against another like enemies, and the earth shall stand in fear with those that dwell therein, the springs of the fountains shall stand still, and in three hours they shall not run. 25: Whosoever remaineth from all these that I have told thee shall escape, and see my salvation, and the end of your world.

So now let’s go to the Brit Chadasha (New Covenant) to take a look at these trumpet blasts in Revelation 8 to address the question at hand about what will happen with each Shofar blast?

Revelation 8: 7 The first one sounded his shofar; and there came hail and fire mingled with blood, and it was thrown down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

8 The second angel sounded his shofar, and what looked like an enormous blazing mountain was hurled into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood,

9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

10 The third angel sounded his shofar; and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky onto a third of the rivers and onto the springs of water.

11 The name of the star was "Bitterness," and a third of the water became bitter, and many people died from the water that had been turned bitter.

12 The fourth angel sounded his shofar; and a third of the sun was struck, also a third of the moon and a third of the stars; so that a third of them were darkened, the day had a third less light, and the night likewise.

Interestingly, the first 4 of the 7 shofar blasts in Revelation 8 all have to do with nature and do not directly appear to be aimed at humans.

According to Stern, “The first four judgments affect nature directly and people indirectly (compare Matt 24:4-8)…

Matt 24: 4 Yeshua replied: “Watch out! Don’t let anyone fool you! 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. 6 You will hear the noise of wars nearby and the news of wars far off; see to it that you don’t become frightened. Such things must happen, but the end is yet to come. 7 For peoples will fight each other, nations will fight each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various parts of the world; 8 all this is but the beginning of the ‘birthpains.’

…and resemble the plagues of Egypt (see Psalm 105:29, 32):

Psalm 105:29 He turned their water into blood and caused their fish to die. 30 Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the royal chambers. 31 He spoke, and there came swarms of insects and lice throughout their land. 32 He gave them hail instead of rain, with fiery (lightning) throughout their land.

…while the last 3 plagues affect people directly (compare Matt 24:13-22):

Matthew 24: 13 But whoever holds out till the end will be delivered.

14 And this Good News about the Kingdom will be announced throughout the whole world as a witness to all the Goyim. It is then that the end will come. 15 “So when you see the abomination that causes desolation spoken about through the prophet Dani’el standing in the Holy Place” 16 “that will be the time for those in Y’hudah to escape to the hills. 17 If someone is on the roof, he must not go down to gather his belongings from his house; 18 if someone is in the field, he must not turn back to get his coat. 19 What a terrible time it will be for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that you will not have to escape in winter or on Shabbat. 21 For there will be trouble then worse than there has ever been from the beginning of the world until now, and there will be nothing like it again! 22 Indeed, if the length of this time had not been limited, no one would survive; but for the sake of those who have been chosen, its length will be limited.

Dr. Stern continues, “The remaining Shofar judgments are directed not at nature but at the people living on the earth, in order to get them to repent (9:20-21); while the sealed are spared (9:4; 7:1-8). These three “woes” are announced by the remaining Shofar blasts and are described at 9:1-12, 9:13-11:14 and 11:15-18:24 respectively. Just as the seventh seal included the seven Shofar judgments, so the seventh Shofar blast includes the seven “bowl” judgments which begin at 16:1.” (Stern, 1992)

Revelation 8: 13 Then I looked, and I heard a lone eagle give a loud cry, as it flew in mid-heaven, Woe! Woe! Woe to the people living on earth, because of the remaining blasts from the three angels who have yet to sound their shofars!

Therefore, it is my conclusion and opinion based on Jewish-believing sources that the rapture would take place at the conclusion of the 7th Shofar blast, and until then and through the final three blasts, God protects those who are sealed through the tribulation.

Consider this was done before, in Egypt; when God poured out his plagues on Egypt while Israel was still in their midst…

Ex 10:23 People couldn’t see each other, and no one went anywhere for three days. But all the people of Isra’el had light in their homes.

Furthermore, Stern says: “Like the plague of boils which affected only the Egyptians (Ex 9:8-11), these disgusting and painful sores appear only on unbelievers, the people who had the mark of the beast (Rev. 16:2), and worshipped its image. According to v. 11, despite the pain of these sores, their hearts, like Pharaoh’s remain hard – they never turn from their sins to glorify God, v. 9, but curse him to the end v. 21.” (Stern, 1992)

This is all the more reason why believers today who are sealed and faithful can likely expect with the overwhelming biblical evidence that rather than being removed from and during the plagues and woes, that God is more than able to protect those who are faithful to him even during these events and circumstances.

This is why the description seems to change after the 7th Shofar is blown…

Rev 11: 15 The seventh angel sounded his shofar; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and his Messiah, and he will rule forever and ever! 16 The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones in God’s presence fell on their faces and worshipped God, 17 saying, "We thank you, ADONAI, God of heaven’s armies, the One who is and was, that you have taken your power and have begun to rule.

“When the seventh angel sounds his Shofar, then the kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Messiah, and Adonai has begun to rule. The active reign of God on earth, the Messianic Kingdom, promised at 1:5-8 and 6:10, now begins to become real. Between these verses and Ch. 19 are the various judgments and other events associated with the overthrow of the system of this world and the inauguration of the Messiah’s rulership. This is why essentially the same cry is heard again at 19:6: “Halleluyah! Adonai, God of heavens’ armies has begun his reign!”. (Stern, 1992)

In summary, the answer to the question is that the final shofar blast will inaugurate both the rapture and the Messianic Kingdom simultaneously in my opinion and the Biblical evidence does support it; however one still can only speculate. 

These are common questions Messianic believers have when it comes to Shofar Blasts, Rosh Hashanah, and considering the imminent return of our Messiah, Yeshua.  So for us, it's not just about challah and apples and honey!  We got some business to do with God, and it "ain't" business as usual.

May you get your house in order, may we be ready with our lamps filled with oil and wearing our white robes washed white and pure by the perfect and powerful Blood of the Lamb, and may our Names be sealed in the Book of Life.

“Ketivah v’chatima tovah”(כתיבה וחתימה טובה) “A good inscription and sealing"

R' Eric

bibliography 

Stern, D. H. (1992). Jewish New Testament Commentary. In D. H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary (p. 927). Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications.

Stone, M. E. (2001, June). The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha . Retrieved November 8, 2011, from Jewish Virtual Library: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/apocrypha.html

Your Daily Pesuk Sept. 7, 2018

Parashat Nitzavim / פרשת נצבים

• Fri, 7 September 2018 = 27th of Elul, 5778
• כ״ז בֶּאֱלוּל תשע״ח

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 (4 p'sukim)

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

11 “For this mitzvah that I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it far off. 12 It is not in the heavens, that you should say, ‘Who will go up for us to the heavens and get it for us, and have us hear it so we may do it?’ 13 Nor is it across the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross over for us to the other side of the sea and get it for us, and have us hear it so we may do it?’ 14 No, the word is very near to you—in your mouth and in your heart, to do it.

11 כִּ֚י הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לֹֽא־נִפְלֵ֥את הִוא֙ מִמְּךָ֔ וְלֹ֥א רְחֹקָ֖ה הִֽוא׃

12 לֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֙יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃

13 וְלֹֽא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲבָר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃

14 כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ ס

One of the most beautiful pesukim in all of the Torah are for us today.  Hashem says that His Torah is "NOT" too difficult for us, nor is it far off...

While it is true, that in and of ourselves and our own flesh, our Yetzer Hara (Evil Inclination), compulses us towards sin, and the Torah judges and condemns sin, that is in us.  Just a few days ago the pesukim spoke of the "Curse of the Torah", (cursed are all those who do not perform all the words of this Torah!). 

So on one hand, it is "too difficult" for us alone, but on the other hand, it really is not when we are trusting in "God's Way of making us Righteous".  In other words, God's way of making us righteous is NOT based on our ability to keep the Torah commandments perfectly.  He knows our nature...we are but dust!!!

Psalm 103:14 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
For He knows our frame. He remembers that we are but dust.

There is no righteousness in ourselves.  But, the good news is, that when we fully put our faith in Him and His Way of making us Righteous, then we become that Righteousness of God, and then within His Spirit and His Power - the Torah is close to us, actually in us and in our hearts and we are able to fulfill it.

So how do we come to know God's Way of making us righteous?  First, we NEED TO BE SAVED!

Romans 10:Romans 10 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have zeal for God—but not based on knowledge. 3 For being ignorant of God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Messiah is the goal of the Torah as a means to righteousness for everyone who keeps trusting.

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on Torah, “The man who does these things shall live by them.”  6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks in this way:

“Do not say in your heart,
‘Who will go up into heaven?’
    (that is, to bring Messiah down),
7 or, ‘Who will go down into the abyss?’
    (that is, to bring Messiah up from the dead).”

8 But what does it say?

“The word is near you,
    in your mouth and in your heart”
—that is, the word of faith
that we are proclaiming:
9 For if you confess with your mouth
        that Yeshua is Lord,
and believe in your heart
        that God raised Him from the dead,
    you will be saved.
10 For with the heart it is believed for righteousness,
and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation.

11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever trusts in Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all—richly generous to all who call on Him. 13 For “Everyone who calls upon the name of Adonai shall be saved.”

So when you first get "Saved" you literally become the righteousness of God, then it is true what the Scriptures say...

Do not think that it is too difficult!  For those who have been saved, it is NOT too difficult.

Philippians 4:13 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

I can do all things through Messiah who strengthens me.

Just call on the Name of the Lord, trust in Yeshua (God's Way of making us Righteous), and then you'll be SAVED - and then, you will be strengthened in Him, to keep all of this Torah!

2 Corinthians 5:21 He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Baruch Hashem!  Shabbat Shalom!

Your Daily Pesuk Sept. 6, 2018

Parashat Nitzavim / פרשת נצבים

• Thu, 6 September 2018 = 26th of Elul, 5778
• כ״ו בֶּאֱלוּל תשע״ח

Deuteronomy 30:7-10 (4 p'sukim)

Deuteronomy 30:7-10 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

7 “Adonai your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 8 Then you—you will return and listen to the voice of Adonai and do all His mitzvot that I am commanding you today. 9 Adonai your God will make you prosper in all the work of your hand—in the fruit of your womb, and the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your soil—for good. For Adonai will again rejoice over you for good, as He rejoiced over your fathers— 10 when you listen to the voice of Adonai your God, to keep His mitzvot and His statutes that are written in this scroll of the Torah, when you turn to Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

7 וְנָתַן֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הָאָל֖וֹת הָאֵ֑לֶּה עַל־אֹיְבֶ֥יךָ וְעַל־שֹׂנְאֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר רְדָפֽוּךָ׃

8 וְאַתָּ֣ה תָשׁ֔וּב וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֖ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה וְעָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֺתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם׃

9 וְהוֹתִֽירְךָ֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ בְּכֹ֣ל׀ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֗ךָ בִּפְרִ֨י בִטְנְךָ֜ וּבִפְרִ֧י בְהֶמְתְּךָ֛ וּבִפְרִ֥י אַדְמָתְךָ֖ לְטוֹבָ֑ה כִּ֣י׀ יָשׁ֣וּב יְהוָ֗ה לָשׂ֤וּשׂ עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ לְט֔וֹב כַּאֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֖שׂ עַל־אֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃

10 כִּ֣י תִשְׁמַ֗ע בְּקוֹל֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר מִצְוֺתָיו֙ וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו הַכְּתוּבָ֕ה בְּסֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֖ה הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֤י תָשׁוּב֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ פ

Yesterday, I discussed "Shuvah" to Return.  Again, today we see this phrase in Pesuk 10, "Hazeh Ki T'shuv El Adonai Elohecha"  When you return to Adonai Your God...

What happens when we return?  The pesukim lists what will happen...

1. Our enemies are cursed

2. We will have prosperity

3. Our children will flourish "wombs" birth...etc...

4. Our livestock even will multiply

5. Our soil will even flourish and produce abundance!  (talk about "Prosperity Gospel"!!!)

6. Adonai will rejoice over us!  (Divine Favor).

Sounds like a good deal.  Notice what the condition is...

10 when you listen to the voice of Adonai your God, to keep His mitzvot and His statutes that are written in this scroll of the Torah, when you turn to Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Do all that is written in the Scroll.  Not always what was "added" later by men, (unless it conforms to what is in the Scroll).  Yeshua taught us how to approach this issue regarding Oral Traditions...

Matthew 23:Matthew 23 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

23 Then Yeshua spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying, “The Torah scholars and Pharisees sit on the seat of Moses. 3 So whatever they tell you, do and observe. But don’t do what they do; for what they say, they do not do. 4 They tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 All their works they do to be noticed by men. They make their tefillin wide and their tzitziyot long.  6 They love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called rabbi by men.

8 “But you are not to be called rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man on earth your father; for One is your Father, who is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Messiah. 11 But the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Some interpreters attempt to take this out of it's "Jewish Context".  Yeshua would never tell anyone to break the Torah by dishonoring one's own father or mother.  Nor is he saying that you should never have a teacher or a rabbi.  We know who our Master is.  There is only One; the Messiah - Yeshua Himself.  He is our Teacher and our Rabbi.  Anyone else is just an "under-shepherd"...

1 Corinthians 11:1 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
11 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Messiah.

This is how we know the good ones from the bad.  Are they following Yeshua?  Are they walking with Him and attempting to be like Him?  That is what we should all do.  He is the Living Torah!

Amen

Your Daily Pesuk Sept. 5, 2018

Parashat Nitzavim / פרשת נצבים

• Wed, 5 September 2018 = 25th of Elul, 5778
• כ״ה בֶּאֱלוּל תשע״ח

Deuteronomy 30:1-6 (6 p'sukim)

Deuteronomy 30:1-6 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

30 “Now when all these things come upon you—the blessing and the curse that I have set before you—and you take them to heart in all the nations where Adonai your God has banished you, 2 and you return to Adonai your God and listen to His voice according to all that I am commanding you today—you and your children—with all your heart and with all your soul, 3 then Adonai your God will bring you back from captivity and have compassion on you, and He will return and gather you from all the peoples where Adonai your God has scattered you. 4 Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the heavens, from there Adonai your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. 5 Adonai your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, and you will possess it; and He will do you good and multiply you more than your fathers. 6 Also Adonai your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants—to love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live.

30 וְהָיָה֩ כִֽי־יָבֹ֨אוּ עָלֶ֜יךָ כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הַבְּרָכָה֙ וְהַקְּלָלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ֙ אֶל־לְבָבֶ֔ךָ בְּכָל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִדִּיחֲךָ֛ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁמָּה׃

2 וְשַׁבְתָּ֞ עַד־יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֣ בְקֹל֔וֹ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם אַתָּ֣ה וּבָנֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

3 וְשָׁ֨ב יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־שְׁבוּתְךָ֖ וְרִחֲמֶ֑ךָ וְשָׁ֗ב וְקִבֶּצְךָ֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֱפִֽיצְךָ֛ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁמָּה׃

4 אִם־יִהְיֶ֥ה נִֽדַּחֲךָ֖ בִּקְצֵ֣ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם מִשָּׁ֗ם יְקַבֶּצְךָ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וּמִשָּׁ֖ם יִקָּחֶֽךָ׃

5 וֶהֱבִֽיאֲךָ֞ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יָרְשׁ֥וּ אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֑הּ וְהֵיטִֽבְךָ֥ וְהִרְבְּךָ֖ מֵאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃

6 וּמָ֨ל יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לְמַ֥עַן חַיֶּֽיךָ׃

Pesuk 2 says "V'shavta Ad Adonai Elohecha"...  V'shavta has the root word שׁוּב "Shuv", which according to "Strong's Definition: A primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat...

It is so very fitting that these pesukim are read today and during this season, only days away from Rosh Hashanah; as all Israel should be contemplating doing just this... Returning to our God!

There is an equally important promise in these Pesukim, speaking of a time in the prophetic future.  After all the exiles throughout Israel's history, there is going to be a Great Shuvah!  A revival of Israel, that will take place.  Our pesukim says it will happen when we are among the nations, where we have been banished, and we will remember our God.  Then we will "Return".

Returning is a matter of the heart, and the pesukim today call it: "U'mal Adonai Elohecha Et L'vavcha"... וּמָ֨ל יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖

U'mal means: "and circumcise".  Adonai our God will be like a "Mohel" (pronounced "moyal"), just like in the ritual of circumcision of the flesh, so too will the barrier of the heart be removed.  This is a heart matter, but also it is a spiritual matter.  It is not something we can do ourselves.  Shuvah happens when our hearts are first circumcised.

Even in the uncircumcision condition of the heart, once can become circumcised, just as Abraham received the favor of God while he was still uncircumcised, as Rav Shaul points out;

Romans 4:9 Is this blessing then only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? For we say, “trust was credited to Abraham as righteousness.”

10 In what state then was it credited? While circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised! 11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of the trust he had while he was uncircumcised, so he might be the father of all who are trusting while uncircumcised—that righteousness might be credited to them as well. 12 Also he is the father of the circumcised, to those not only circumcised but also walking in the footsteps of the trust of our father Abraham before his circumcision.

The matter of the heart comes when we put our "trust" in God.  True Faith, True Emunah, True Bitachon!  This is indeed the definition of a "REAL JEW"... not just someone circumcised on the 8th day, had a Bar Mitzvah at 13 and never darkened the door of the synagogue again...that is "NOTHING"....

Romans 2:28 For one is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something visible in the flesh. 29 Rather, the Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—in Spirit not in letter. His praise is not from men, but from God.

This circumcision of the heart is what MUST HAPPEN.  A matter of the heart, and when that barrier is removed, and we RETURN... then we can truly see with spiritual eyes that have been opened about who the Messiah really is...and who we really are!  As Rav Shaul continues...

Romans 3:21 But now God’s righteousness apart from the Torah (i.e. "Torah observance", our ability to keep Torah) has been revealed, to which the Torah and the Prophets bear witness— 22 namely, the righteousness of God through putting trust in Messiah Yeshua, to all who keep on trusting. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 24 They are set right as a gift of His grace, through the redemption that is in Messiah Yeshua.  25 God set forth Yeshua as an atonement, through faith in His blood, to show His righteousness in passing over sins already committed. 26 Through God’s forbearance, He demonstrates His righteousness at the present time—that He Himself is just and also the justifier of the one who puts his trust in Yeshua.

27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what principle? Of works? No, but by the principle of faith. 28 For we consider a person to be set right apart from Torah observance. 29 Is God the God of the Jewish people only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. 30 Since God is One, He will set right the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then nullify the Torah through faithfulness? May it never be! On the contrary, we uphold the Torah.

In other words whether we are "physically" circumcised means little... what really matters is we have the circumcision of the heart, and this is done by the Spirit, not the hand of man, and we put our trust in the Messiah, Yeshua whom God sent into this world.  That is our Salvation, as Shaul taught:

Colossians 2:11 In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision done not by hand, in the stripping away of the body of the flesh through the circumcision of Messiah. 12 You were buried along with Him in immersion, through which you also were raised with Him by trusting in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with Him when He pardoned us all our transgressions. 14 He wiped out the handwritten record of debts with the decrees against us, which was hostile to us. He took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 After disarming the principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross.

Your Daily Pesuk Sept. 4, 2018

Parashat Nitzavim / פרשת נצבים

• Tue, 4 September 2018 = 24th of Elul, 5778
• כ״ד בֶּאֱלוּל תשע״ח

Deuteronomy 29:15-28 (14 p'sukim)

CLICK LINK ABOVE FOR TODAY'S PESUKIM

One pesuk that really stands out today is:

18 “Now when someone hears the words of this oath and in his heart considers himself blessed, thinking, ‘Shalom will be mine, even though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart’—thus sweeping away the moist with the dry— 19 Adonai will be unwilling to forgive him.

There are many different translations to "moist and dry", some say the "Dry and Watered"  What does "moist with the dry", mean?

Parasha Nitzavim falls on the last Shabbat just before Rosh Hashanah.  During this season when we are all preparing for the holiday and the period of time known at the 10 days of Awe, where traditionally Jews focus on their spiritual life more than any other time…

We come across these words in the pages of our Torah portion that describes this foolish attitude described as someone who lies to himself that he is going to be alright, refuse to repent and keep living stubbornly doing whatever he wants and expect to get blessed in the end.  There are virtually two types of dispositions a person can have towards God.  Either he is like this fool who lies to himself and is stubborn, refuses to repent or turn and acknowledge God’s Sovereignty…which is “The Dry”.  Or a person can choose to have a soft heart, repent of his sin, acknowledge the Lord and be forgiven…which is “The Watered”.  The point of this passage of Torah and the point of this message is to remind you that the Dry will not be added to the Watered.

Delitzsch translates it this way: "“ To sweep away that which is saturated with the thirsty: ” a proverbial expression, of which very different interpretations have been given (see Rosenmüller ad h. l. ), taken no doubt from the land and transferred to persons or souls; so that we might supply Nephesh in this sense, “to destroy all, both those who have drunk its poison, and those also who are still thirsting for it” ( Knobel ). But even if we were to supply ארץ (the land), we should not have to think of the land itself, but simply of its inhabitants, so that the thought would still remain the same.

The "Moist & Dry" are like the "Sheep & Goats"...

Matthew 25:31-46 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

31 “Now when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  33 And He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on His left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’[b]

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You? Or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger and invite You in? Or naked and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’

40 “And answering, the King will say to them, ‘Amen, I tell you, whatever you did to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’  41 Then He will also say to those on the left, ‘Go away from Me, you cursed ones, into the everlasting fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in; naked and you did not clothe Me; sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44 “Then they too will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not care for You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Amen, I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’ 46 These shall go off to everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.”

Rosh Hashanah symbolizes the Great Shofar when the Messiah comes, and when He comes, this is what will happen as Yeshua describes it...

• A separation will occur, between the dry and the watered, the sheep and goats.  

• What separates the sheep from the goats? (what they did) (actions they took, not just the creeds they recited)…

• Those who do what God wants – off to eternal life.

We have a choice to make today.  

Let's not lie to ourselves that we can go on sinning and everything will remain as it is today.

Let's not think we can go on living and doing the things we always want to do.

Let’s make 5779 the year we make a commitment to Messiah Yeshua

Let Yeshua into your house and KNOW HIM today.

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Your Daily Pesuk Sept 3, 2018

Parashat Nitzavim / פרשת נצבים

• Mon, 3 September 2018 = 23rd of Elul, 5778
• כ״ג בֶּאֱלוּל תשע״ח

Deuteronomy 29:12-14 (3 p'sukim)

Deuteronomy 29:12-14 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

12 “This is in order to confirm you today as His people. So He will be your God, just as He promised you and just as He swore to your fathers—to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. 13 Not with you alone am I cutting this covenant and this oath, 14 but with whomever is standing here with us today before Adonai our God and with whomever is not here with us today.

12 לְמַ֣עַן הָקִֽים־אֹתְךָ֩ הַיּ֨וֹם׀ ל֜וֹ לְעָ֗ם וְה֤וּא יִֽהְיֶה־לְּךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּר־לָ֑ךְ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּע֙ לַאֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹֽב׃

13 וְלֹ֥א אִתְּכֶ֖ם לְבַדְּכֶ֑ם אָנֹכִ֗י כֹּרֵת֙ אֶת־הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶת־הָאָלָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃

14 כִּי֩ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֶשְׁנ֜וֹ פֹּ֗ה עִמָּ֙נוּ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד הַיּ֔וֹם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְאֵ֨ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵינֶ֛נּוּ פֹּ֖ה עִמָּ֥נוּ הַיּֽוֹם׃

Yesterday, we learned that God chose Israel, "AND" all those who attached themselves to Israel, a "mixed multitude", to be His people.  Today, we see that it was not only those standing there that very day... but all of their descendants, the souls of those who would one day be born, and also those "whomever" in the future would attach themselves to Israel!

The Torah teaches us something about this fact.  Whenever we observe the Passover Seder, we are to recount the story to our children, as if we (ourselves) were there personally at Mt. Sinai...

Exodus 13:8 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
8 “You are to tell your son on that day saying, ‘It is because of what Adonai did for me when I came out of Egypt.

The purpose of this, according to the rabbis and sages of Israel, was to treat each generation of Israel, and those attached to Israel, as if it were only (1) single generation removed from being there at Sinai.  To keep the experience fresh in the minds an souls of each generation.  So that no one would ever forget.

It seems fitting then that the Messiah of Israel chose a Seder to reveal the New Covenant, and the words of the New Covenant and the testimonies of the eye witnesses to the Resurrection can speak to us directly, as if we were all there together at His last Seder.

And we can recount this to our children; looking forward to the day when we take our seat at the great Supper of the Lamb!

Revelation 19:9 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
9 Then the angel tells me, “Write: How fortunate are those who have been invited to the wedding banquet of the Lamb!” He also tells me, “These are the true words of God.”

Your Daily Pesuk Sept. 2, 2018

Parashat Nitzavim / פרשת נצבים

• Sun, 2 September 2018 = 22nd of Elul, 5778
• כ״ב בֶּאֱלוּל תשע״ח

Deuteronomy 29:9-11 (3 p'sukim)

Deuteronomy 29:9-11 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Parashat Nitzavim

You Are Standing Before the Lord

9 “You are standing today, all of you, before Adonai your God—the heads of your tribes, your elders, your officials, all the men of Israel, 10 your children, your wives, and the outsider within your camp (from your woodchopper to your water carrier). 11 Each of you is to cross over into the covenant of Adonai your God that He is cutting with you today, and into His oath.

9 אַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם רָאשֵׁיכֶ֣ם שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗ם זִקְנֵיכֶם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרֵיכֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

10 טַפְּכֶ֣ם נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם וְגֵ֣רְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֶ֑יךָ מֵחֹטֵ֣ב עֵצֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד שֹׁאֵ֥ב מֵימֶֽיךָ׃

11 לְעָבְרְךָ֗ בִּבְרִ֛ית יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וּבְאָלָת֑וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כֹּרֵ֥ת עִמְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם׃

There are only 3 pesukim today as we begin a new week and a new Parasha Hashuvah.  Franz Delitzsch comments:

"Summons to enter into the covenant of the Lord, namely, to enter inwardly, to make the covenant an affair of the heart and life.

“ To-day ,” when the covenant-law and covenant-right were laid before them, the whole nation stood before the Lord without a single exception - the heads and the tribes, the elders and the officers, all the men of Israel. The two members are parallel. The heads of the people are the elders and officers, and the tribes consist of all the men. The rendering given by the lxx and Syriac (also in the English version: Tr.), “ heads (captains) of your tribes ,” is at variance with the language.

The covenant of the Lord embraced, however, not only the men of Israel, but also the wives and children, and the stranger who had attached himself to Israel, such as the Egyptians who came out with Israel (Exodus 12:38; Numbers 11:4), and the Midianites who joined the Israelites with Hobab (Numbers 10:29), down to the very lowest servant, “ from thy hewer of wood to thy drawer of water ” (cf. Joshua 9:21, Joshua 9:27)."

The obvious lesson here is that anyone and everyone is invited to join this covenant with Adonai, the God of Israel.  Everyone, Jew or non-Jew, slave or free, male or female.  It matters not who you are or where you come from.  Adonai's mercy and grace are extended to all nations.

We all can enter the covenant through the Blood...

Matthew 26:28 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the removal of sins.

This Brit Chadasha, (New Covenant), must be entered by blood.  Either your own, (in which you pay for your own sins, or it is paid by Yeshua, the Messiah), by trusting in His powerful redemption, by purchasing us with His own Blood.

Just as with the Older Covenant with Moses, Israel and foreigners entered therein...so it is with the New.  It is a covenant made with Israel, and all from the nations, who attach themselves to Israel must be included...

Jeremiah 31:30 “Behold, days are coming”
—it is a declaration of Adonai—
“when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah—
31 not like the covenant
I made with their fathers
in the day I took them by the hand
to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they broke My covenant,
though I was a husband to them.”
it is a declaration of Adonai.
32 “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”
—it is a declaration of Adonai—
“I will put My Torah within them.
Yes, I will write it on their heart.
I will be their God
and they will be My people.
33 No longer will each teach his neighbor
or each his brother, saying: ‘Know Adonai,’
for they will all know Me,
from the least of them to the greatest.”
it is a declaration of Adonai.
“For I will forgive their iniquity,
their sin I will remember no more.”