​A curse on the Jewish people has been able to take hold because of the doubt and unbelief of the first generation of Israelites when they were to cross over into the Promised Land. One of the first demonstrations of this came in the year 587 BC, on the ninth of Av. The beautiful temple built by King Solomon was destroyed by the Babylonians, and a multitude of the Jewish people were dispersed throughout the world. Many in the world today are denying that the Jewish people ever lived in Israel. However, God would not allow the evidence of the Israelite temple in Jerusalem to remain buried. Days before the ninth of Av the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University had personnel digging in the area where the First Temple had been built. They uncovered preserved wooden beams from Solomon's Temple. Heritage Minister, Amichai Eliyahu said this about the find: "Jerusalem's soil continues to provide tangible evidence of the City's ancient past. The wooden beams burned in the destruction of the First Temple stand as a powerful reminder of the Jewish people's presence in Jerusalem some 2,600 years ago. On the eve of Tisha B'Av (The 9th of Av), this discovery underscores that our connection to Jerusalem is rooted not only in faith, but also in history, archaeology, and collective memory."
 
What was found in this archeological dig confirms Scripture. "They (Babylonians) set fire to God's temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there." (2 Chronicles 36:19) The Excavation Director, Efrat Bocher, explained in greater detail about their discovery of the charred beams. "They appear to have served as the roof of the inner courtyard in a building from the First Temple period. During the destruction, they collapsed on the floor. We believe that the plaster cladding of the building's walls, melted by the fire, covered the charred wooden beams, and ultimately enabled their exceptional preservation." Not only could the age of the beams be ascertained by the counting of the growth rings, but the archeologists were able to identify the wood used for the beams as coming from Sycamore Trees. Minister Eliya went on to say, "It is our responsibility to continue uncovering, preserving, and passing this heritage on to future generations."
 
God gave instructions to the children of Israel from the second generation to observe His commandments and "teach them diligently" to their children. (Deuteronomy 6:7) He made His intentions clear, saying, "...When the Lord your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant—When you have eaten and are full—then beware, least you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him and shall take oaths in His name." (Deuteronomy 6:10-13 - NKJ)
 
From this passage, we can see that God wanted the presence of the Israelites to remain in the Promised Land to be a witness to His goodness and faithfulness. Because they did not obey the Lord's commandments, other people groups like the Babylonians, Romans, and Turks took over and destroyed much of the evidence of their existence. Today we hear from many people and organizations in the world that the Jews cannot claim the land that God gave to them. But God never forgets His promises and the covenant He made. He demonstrates His faithfulness through unexpected surprises that confirm truth. This amazing story of the charred beams of the First Temple speaks to all who would doubt God's promises to Israel. This should be an encouragement for us as well. Hold on to the promises God has made to you. He will be faithful to fulfill them.

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There is significance in the coinciding of last week's Torah portion and the beginning of the month of Av. Last week's reading was the first three chapters of Deuteronomy. In it Moses is giving a second generation of Israelites a history lesson in the hope that they do not repeat the same mistakes as their parents. He reminds them of their journey through the wilderness, the consequences of fear and unbelief, and the faithfulness of God. The first generation of Israelites made many mistakes, but their major one, that still has ramifications today, was their sin of unbelief and fear instead of faith in the promises of God.
 
The book of Deuteronomy is about renewing God's covenant with Israel and preparing hearts to live by His covenant. Moses reminded his charges about God's promises and faithfulness. He was teaching the second generation to trust in God's covenant instead of their military power. The tragedy of the month of Av began when the Israelites sent twelve spies into the Promised Land to investigate. When they returned, ten of the spies gave a negative report to the community. Though they acknowledged that the land flowed with milk and honey and carried back a cluster of grapes on a pole, they focused on the fortified cities and the people who lived there who were descendants of Anak. Only Caleb and Joshua declared the voice of faith. On the ninth of Av the Israelite community made a decision and partnered with fear, doubt, and unbelief. They did not remember the faithfulness of God to bring them out of Egypt with plunder, to carry them through the wilderness, to help them win battles against warring nations, and to provide for all their needs. They forgot that God made a covenant with them and promised to guide and protect them all the days of their lives.
 
Because of their negative confession the Israelites placed themselves under a curse. They made an agreement with the kingdom of darkness and set into motion a cycle of destruction that can be seen by the events that have occurred throughout the years. Their history of unbelief was reinforced when the Jews refused to accept that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus told them He is the Son of God and demonstrated His Kingdom through miracles and words of life. The book of Hebrews explains that the Israelites could not enter God's rest because of unbelief. "...The word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it." (Hebrews 4:2 - NKJ) Because of their doubt in God's promises, the children of Israel were not permitted to enter the Promised Land and were condemned to wander in the desert for forty years until all the first generation died.
 
On the ninth of Av many Jews will spend the day fasting in sorrow for the way history has demonstrated the results of unbelief. If we look at a few of the events that occurred on the ninth of Av, we can feel the heaviness of the curse that has followed the Jews. Here are some of the manifestations of the curse:  Babylon destroyed the first temple (587 BC), the Romans destroyed the second temple (70 AD), thousands of Jews were killed during the Crusades 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).
 
The history of the Jews in this month should remind us to renew our faith in God and His promises to us. Remembering God's covenant with us and His faithfulness in our lives must be a priority. The truth is that every generation faces the same choice: Do we trust God when we make decisions or let fear and unbelief prevail? Our confession must be, "Doesn’t matter what I feel; doesn’t matter what I see. My hope will always be in Your promises to me.” (Song – “Your Promises” by Elevation Worship)

​Thursday morning, we were awakened to the sound of electric hedge trimmers buzzing below our second-story condo. We had noticed the "landscaping" crew working in our community and took note of their improper pruning habits. Every shrub in our area was cut into the shape of a ball, rectangle, or some sort of parallelogram. Flowers buds for next year or ripening stalks of berries for fall beauty were removed. Last year we planted a graceful Nandina that we did not want to fall prey to the undiscerning patterns of those who were cutting the bushes. My husband ran down the stairs and stood guard over our Nandina bush until the crew finished working in our area.
 
As a landscaper, I have great appreciation for the unique way that God designed every tree, bush, and flower. When designing a landscape, it is proper to use different plants with varying growth patterns to enhance the beauty of the places where they are planted. While contemplating all of this, God reminded me how He uniquely formed each of us. Isaiah 64:8 explains how God formed us individually and designed us for our own good and His glory. "Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay; You are the potter; we are all the work of your hands."
 
God's plans and purposes for us are always being challenged by the world and the demonic realm. These entities want to shape us into their own image. Romans 12:2 speaks to this: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will." In the first six verses of Jeremiah 18, God gives us a picture of how He may rework the clay to shape it in the perfect way. He sent the prophet Jeremiah to the potter's house for a picture of His work. "...And I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so, the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as it seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 'Can I not do with you, Israel, as the potter does?' declares the Lord. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.’” (Verses 3-6) The potter started over again because the clay was not cooperating with him. We, like the clay, need to be moldable and cooperative with God's transformative work in our lives.
 
Jesus is our perfect example of one being yielded to the hands of Father God. He "made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross." (Philippians 2:7, 8 - NKJ) Father God engages in every intimate detail of the shaping of our character and destiny. We must submit to His will and trust that the design of our Sovereign God is for our good and His glory. Remember this: "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His image with every-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

​As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation, I cannot think of a better Scripture to embrace than Psalm 33:12. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance." (NKJV) Our nation has been blessed by God. This is so because our Founding Fathers honored and sought God. If we want that blessing to continue, we will need to welcome His presence.
 
May I suggest that the freedoms we enjoy are God-given but do not come without expectations. In fact, the story of the Israelites and their freedom from Egypt became an inspiration for our Founding Fathers. We can find the Ten Commandments, Scripture quotes, and artwork depicting Biblical scenes in our United States Capitol, the Supreme Court, federal buildings, and in many of our State Capitols. Our United States Constitution was modeled after Old Testament concepts of covenant with an agreement between the people and our government.
 
The Bible was the most important book in the founding of our nation and was used as a textbook in schools from elementary to college level. I ran across an interesting story about a Bible shortage in America during the War for Independence. A committee from the Continental Congress saw that the "Bible is so universal and its importance so great” that they recommended that the Committee of Commerce import 20,000 Bibles. The order was given on September 11, 1777. The Bibles were delivered to America with most of them coming from Holland and Scotland.
 
The citizens of the United States have a similar mandate to the Israelites who were set free to be a nation that shared the love of God with the world. The formation of our nation is rooted in Christianity. We share a moral framework and cultural inheritance with the Jewish people. Our founders, George Washington and John Adams, understood that a free government requires a morally and religiously guided populace. The Declaration of Independence draws on Biblical principles of justice and human worth, and the United States Constitution was modeled on Old Testament concepts of covenant.
 
I must express my concern for the road on which our nation is traveling. Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, authored an article on June 20 entitled "If we Forget our Story, we Lose our Identity.” Our nation is rooted in Christianity, and the Bible is the foundational document of America. Tony writes, “As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we have an opportunity not merely to commemorate our history but to recover it.”
 
Benjamin Franklin made a statement that should make all of us stop and think about our heritage: "I have lived, Sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this Truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without His aid?" I think not. It is time for us to acknowledge our God-given heritage and to return to our Christian roots. The anti-Christian and anti-American sentiment that is rising in our nation will destroy it. Only God can restore us and set us back onto the right track. We must cry out to the Lord for national repentance and revival. 2 Chronicles 7:14 should be our mandate. "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Amen!