A Lesson in Faith - Av

The nation of Israel would do well to look back to the past to remember God's faithfulness to His children after bringing them out of slavery in Egypt. We have entered the month of Av, the fifth on the Hebrew calendar. Historically this month is remembered as one of crisis and destruction, especially the 9th of Av or Tisha B'Av. Calamities were brought about at this time by the curse of Kadish Barnea, the Israelite camp at the border of the Promised Land. God told Moses, "Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites." (Numbers 13:2) Twelve leaders from the nation of Israel, one from each tribe, went into Canaan to survey the land. When they returned ten of the twelve gave a bad report, warning the Israelites that the natives were "stronger than we are." (Numbers 13:3b)
 
During the month of Av, the children of Israel rebelled against the advice of Caleb and Joshua. Hebrews 4:2 tells us, "Those who heard (the message from God) did not combine it with faith." (NIV) The Complete Jewish Study Bible puts it this way:  "...But the message they heard didn't do them any good, because those who heard it did not combine it with trust." According to Rabbinic tradition, the Israelites' refusal to believe that God would give them the Promised Land occurred on the 9th of Av. How quickly they forgot the miraculous ways in which God had provided for them and protected them! Because of this they made a negative confession and established a curse upon themselves. They asked, "...Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" (Numbers 14:3) Because Joshua and Caleb believed that God would give them the land "flowing with milk and honey, the whole assembly talked about stoning them." (Number 14:10)
 
There are ramifications from our confessions—whether good or bad. Moses had to intercede for the Israelites so that God did not strike them down with a plague and destroy them completely. God instructed Moses to tell his community, "I will do the very thing I heard you say. In this desert your bodies will fall—everyone of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home...For forty years—one year for each of your forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you." (Numbers 14:28-30, 34) The curse that was confessed over the children of Israel took hold to such a degree that on the fateful day of the 9th of Av (throughout the years) destruction has occurred:  Babylon destroyed the first temple (587 BC), the Romans destroyed the second temple (70 AD), thousands of Jews were killed during the Crusades that were launched on this day (1095 AD), Jews were expelled from England (1290 AD), Jews were expelled from Spain (1492 AD), Jews were deported to concentration camps (1942 AD), Jews were removed from their homes in Gaza (2005 AD).
 
These are perilous times! Even as I write this letter, the nation of Israel is expecting a furious attack from Iran and its proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. The month of Av was originally to be one of blessings since the Israelites would have been entering their Promised Land. Even the number of the month, five, means grace. In addition, the name Av means Father. Father God longs to be gracious to all His children. Like the children of Israel, we may declare an agreement with the powers of darkness through our words and actions. If we do so, how do we reverse the curse and open the door for grace and blessings to be poured out? First, we must repent of any sin of unbelief, and then live our lives so that we mix God's promises with our faith. We must not allow the Word of God to be subservient to our circumstances! This month is a pivot point where we can select our destinations. As we remember God's faithfulness to us and look to the Cross, God will make a way for us to have victory over our enemies so that we can enter our own promised lands.