During the Feast of Sukkot, the Jewish people took part in a water drawing ceremony on the last day of the feast. They would go down to the Pool of Siloam, draw water and bring it to the Temple Mount. Then they would pour out the water and recite Isaiah 12, “and with joy you shall draw water out of the wells (springs) of salvation.” In Hebrew, the word salvation and Yeshua (Jesus, in Hebrew), are the same.
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Though the new cycle of Israel’s feasts has concluded, I’d like to share one more observation about last week’s high holy day, Yom Kippur. It is a day on which adults are afflicting themselves by fasting, abstaining from all pleasures, and repenting. But for the children, Yom Kippur is a very different holiday. This day is my son Obi’s favorite holiday! Why? Because the kids are not fasting or recalling their sins or suffering at all – they are celebrating freedom!
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Amazingly another year has passed and tomorrow night begins the feast of Yom Turah — or Rosh Ha Shannah — the Feast of Trumpets.
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As we ask in His name, and we see our prayers being answered, we realize how real and faithful our God is. But I want to focus on the life that is overflowing with JOY!
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A major earthquake struck Taiwan over the weekend, which triggered a tsunami warning as far away as Japan.
This reminded me of when we first moved to Israel, in 2003.
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The Lord gave us His promise to send us a helper — the Holy Spirit. The word for “helper” in the NT Greek is “paraclete”. This word has more meaning then simply “helper” — it was also an ancient term used in warfare. When Greek warriors went onto the battle field, they went out in pairs, so when the enemy attacked they could stand back-to-back, covering each other’s blind side. The battle partner in Greek was called a “paraclete” — he was there to watch your back!
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In Israel, the Ministry of the Interior is called Misrad Ha-Pnim, translated literally, “Office of the Faces”. Those in charge of immigration and citizenship are looking into the faces of those who seek citizenship or residency within the land. Some have observed that the officials there carefully scrutinize each applicant…
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