​God has a position and destiny for every individual on the face of the earth. We are positioned for the purpose that God ordained for us. He consecrates us and sets up apart to influence those around us. The Bible gives us examples of individuals who have had "mantles" placed upon them. A mantle is a calling, an anointing, or transference of spiritual power and authority given to someone by God. We can look at the lives of Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Elijah, David, and Esther, to name a few.
 
One of the great modern-day prophets, Kim Clement, who is now in heaven, made a statement about the ways our lives unfold in alignment with our destinies. He said, "Your destiny dictates your present circumstances." He points to Joseph, Israel's favorite son, and reminds us that his destiny lay in Egypt. Joseph even named his second son Ephraim as a reminder of his call. He declared, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." (Genesis 41:52) Had Joseph not been in Egypt, he would not have been able to rescue his family from the seven-year famine that came upon the land.
 
Since Purim will be celebrated this week with the telling of the story of Esther, let's investigate how she was called to suffer for the salvation of her people. She and her people had been exiled to the Babylonian empire. Having lost her parents, a cousin named Mordecai took her under his wing to care for her. Esther's birth name, Hadassah, was changed to the Persian name, Esther. In changing her name, Esther's nationality and family background were concealed. God made Esther "lovely in form and features" (Esther 2:7) so that when the king was looking for a new queen, she was chosen as one of the candidates for consideration. As Joseph's destiny lay in Egypt; Esther's destiny lay in the citadel of Susa in the Persian empire. She was positioned for a purpose.
 
The call of Esther was one that would require humility and sacrifice. She would live in the king's palace as part of his harem. For one year she would undergo beauty treatments to prepare for one night with the king. Esther won his favor and was chosen as his queen. But, just as Esther received a promotion, a test would come. The enemy saw her destiny and plotted to destroy her promotion. Candice Smithyman wrote in her book, 365 Prophetic revelations from the Hebrew Calendar, "We are never truly promoted until we are faced with a situation where we have to stand for righteousness."
 
Stand for righteousness Esther did as she was faced with the possibility of death for herself and every Jew in the kingdom because of an evil decree from the king's chief noble, Haman. Mordecai said to her, "...If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish, and who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14) Esther determined to go before the king to save her people.
 
We can see how Esther served God and those around her so that she could attain her God-ordained destiny. She had been appointed by and established in her position by man so that God could use her in her calling at the right time. It was not until Esther had been tested that she received her spiritual promotion, her mantle was secured, and a miraculous turn of events occurred. We too can walk in miracles when we embrace God's call on our lives, live by faith even during times of testing, and position ourselves in the presence of our Lord. We have been commissioned to carry Christ's love. This is confirmed in Ephesians 2:10. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (NKJV)

​God is for us and not against us. (Romans 8:31) He even encourages us through each month on the Hebrew spiritual calendar. The first day of the last month on this calendar occurred at sunset on Friday night. Its very name, Adar, means strength and shows us that God wants us to finish the year with strength. Nehemiah 8:10 lets us know that "The joy of the Lord is our strength." Psalm 16:11 tells us that it is the presence of the Lord that brings this joy. A footnote in The Passion Translation explains that in Hebrew there is no word for "Presence," so the passage uses the word face. "For You bring me a continual revelation of resurrection life, the path to the blessing that brings me face-to-face with You." 
 
Can you imagine being face-to-face with Jesus and what that would do to our feelings of joy and peace and our growth in faith? Isaiah 61:2 and 3 instructs us to comfort those who mourn by bestowing on them "a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." While it is the intention of the Lord to lead us into joy and blessings, we must be aware that our enemy is always attempting to remove us from God's timing so that he can destroy our strength.
 
The Jewish people will be celebrating the festival called Purim on the 13th and 14th of this month. Every year on these dates they remember the plot of Haman the Agagite against the Jews who were moved into the Persian Empire, which is modern-day Iran. Haman's ancestors were enemies of Saul and the nation of Israel. Their hatred for the Jews was manifest through Haman who cast the lot (called Pur) to select the 13th as the day when those in the Persian kingdom could kill the Jews according to a royal decree.
 
None of this caught God by surprise. He already had a plan to raise up a young orphan girl named Esther (meaning star) to save her people. To do this she had to become part of the royal harem. After twelve months of beauty treatments, she would be called to the king, probably much older than her, to please him in whatever way he desired. Her sacrifice is unthinkable! She would lose her virginity and become the possession of the king.
 
After her night with the king, Esther was named queen but was only permitted to see him if called upon. Becoming aware of Haman's evil plot against the Jewish people, Esther became an advocate for them and fasted and prayed with them for three days. The plan was for Esther to go to the king without being summoned which could mean death for her unless he extended his golden scepter. Knowing this, Esther sent a message to her people: "...I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." The favor of the Lord was with her, and the king gave her permissions to write another decree that allowed the Jews to "attack those seeking their destruction." (Esther 9:2) "This happened on the 13th day of the month of Adar, and on the 14th, they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy." (Esther 9:17)
 
Ester 9:23 says, "The Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun..." The celebration continues to this day. In Israel, the Jews party in the streets, dressed in customs of the characters in the story and "booing" when Haman appears. Sadly, the anti-Semitic spirit lives today through Hamas. I would imagine that the joy meant for this season will be tempered by the sorrow of the great losses that have been inflicted on the people of Israel. May I suggest that we pray for comfort, peace, and strength for the Israelis, especially during this season? Perhaps God will raise up another advocate for His people.

​God speaks through the fire! An article published in "All Israel News" and written by their reporter Jo Elizabeth reveals the miraculous hand of God in the Los Angeles, California fires. The "Eaton fires" burned 14,000 acres in the Pasadena area. Homes, houses of worship, and stores were decimated. The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center was in the path of the fire, and the roof and three walls crumbled to the ground. However, one wall remained standing.
 
Before the fire hit the Temple, some of the congregants were able to save thirteen Torah scrolls. After the fire, these people returned to the synagogue to find it completely destroyed except for one wall. The fire burned the sheetrock and stucco off the standing wall but left a mural of what looks like a Biblical scene from ancient times in Israel. A member of the synagogue and professor of Hebrew history, Kristine Garroway, was "stunned" by the mural. She estimates that it dates back to the 1920s and said, "It feels like this is a phoenix that's risen up out of the fire."
 
For me, the interesting part of the story is that no one in the Synagogue was aware of the presence of this mural. It lay hidden behind the wall and depicts Middle Eastern men and women along with animals and trees. A large palm tree is etched in the center of the picture. The Biblical meaning of this tree did not escape the congregants. According to The Prophet's Dictionary, written by Paula Price, Ph.D., a palm tree is a symbol of victory and triumph over death. It also signifies resurrection and ascension. Palm branches were used in the celebrations of military triumphs in Biblical days. Jesus rode a colt into Jerusalem as the Son of David and King of kings and as a proclamation that He is the One who conquered sin and sickness. The people laid their cloaks at his feet and waved palm branches as He went by and praised God by declaring, "Hosanna! Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord..." (Mark 11:9)
 
Psalm 118:26 and 27 recounts a Passover celebration in Jerusalem. "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord, we bless you. The Lord is God, and He has made His light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession." Revelation 7:9 and 10 refers to the saints of the Lord at His throne celebrating their victory over the devil. "After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in loud voices: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'" 
 
The revelation of the mural on the Temple wall has been a great encouragement for the community of the Jewish faith in Pasadena. One member believes that this mural is teaching them a lesson that they can overcome hardship. Another called the discovery "a miracle." Still others think that the picture portrays Israel's 40-year wandering in the desert and believe that the time of their discovery is "profound." Like the Israelites, the Jews from Pasadena Temple have been displaced and are wandering until they can find a new home. Their leader, Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater says, "We're a people of history. We know in Jerusalem and the land of Israel that you find murals on top of murals and stones on top of stones. The fact that this was a hidden mural...is a very Jewish idea."
 
Those of us who belong to The Church need to be praying for the Jews in this season. God has a home for them in heaven with Him, but they have not yet discovered the way to find it. Will you join me in praying for the salvation of the Jewish community? Let us pray that their blind eyes would be opened to the truth that their Messiah, Yeshua, is waiting to introduce them to Father God in heaven.

​A principle that is especially important to God but rarely talked about in the Church is called the "Principle of Firstfruits." What we say to God when we practice firstfruits giving is that we honor and worship Him, we have faith in Him, and we bless Him. The idea is that we are setting aside the first and best portion of what we have in gratitude to Him.
 
God introduced the principle of firstfruits to the children of Israel as they camped at Mount Sinai and after Moses met with Him to receive the Ten Commandments and other laws. He told them, "Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me...Celebrate the Feast of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crop you sow in your field...Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord." (Exodus 23:14, 16, 19)
 
Monthly, the Israelites celebrate what they called Rosh Chodesh (The Head of the Month) or The New Moon Festival. Firstfruits offerings were an integral part of these celebrations. Not only did they set aside the firstfruits of their time to worship the Lord, but also the firstfruits of their possessions and crops. When King Hezekiah was arranging for worship contributions, he assigned priests and Levites to give thanks and sing praises. Second Chronicles 31:4 and 5 tells us what he did next: "He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord. As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, oil, and honey, and all that the fields produced."
 
It seems to me that when we follow the principle of firstfruits we are showing God our hearts toward Him. Only the Lord is worthy of receiving our first and best offerings. What does this look like for us today? How do we acknowledge the one who provides for our sustenance and increase? For most of us firstfruits are no longer tied to fields and growing. Today it is all about our lives and sacrificing in a way that we put Him first in our lives. We must ask ourselves if we are giving the Lord our first and best in time, resources, and love. We must be intentional in what we do and how we do it.
 
Romans 11:16 says, "For if the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches." According to the Passion Translation footnotes, the firstfruit portion of the dough refers to Abraham and the patriarchs, whereas the batch of dough refers to those descended from them. Since the first "portion" was dedicated to God, the rest belongs to Him also and is considered consecrated to God's use. James 1:18 explains further: "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created."  
 
With the New Year upon us, it is appropriate that we offer the Lord the firstfruits of our time and resources. Let's remember all the ways He has been faithful to us in the year 2024 and that as the God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He will be faithful to us in 2025. Isn’t He  worthy of our worship?

​We have another interesting convergence occurring on December 31. It includes New Year's Eve, Day six of the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), and Rosh Chodesh (Head of the Month) for the tenth month on the Hebrew calendar, called Tevet. Hanukkah is a reminder that God wants our temples cleansed. When the Maccabees overcame the Syrian Greek army, they found their temple in a shambles and went about restoring it. Only one vial of oil was discovered for lighting the menorah. The miracle of this festival is that the Temple was illuminated for eight days with this vial. By then the priests were able to provide freshly made oil so that the light would continue.
 
Since our new year is 2025, we highlight the number five as it represents grace, goodness, restoration, and God's favor. The prophets are reminding us that there are five books in the Torah (first five books of the Bible) and that this is the year that we should put emphasis on the Word of God. The fifth book of the Bible is Deuteronomy, which is all about preparing to occupy the Promised Land. Consequently, we should position ourselves to cross over into the promises that God has for us.
 
Now, let us look at the Head of the Month (Rosh Chodesh). Please note that the Hebrew word Chodesh comes from Chadash which means to renew, rebuild, repair, and heal. At the beginning of every month the moon is a slight sliver in the sky. I so enjoy watching it grow to a full moon. It is a prophetic picture of what is to come. The light of the new year and the light of the menorah grow just as the moonlight and the daylight increase. Likewise, God is all about expanding and renewing our lights.
 
There is another convergency to take note of. The tenth month of the Hebrew calendar, Tevet, has within it January 20. Since ten is the number of godly authority, we should be praying for our new Commander in Chief in the White House. We must ask God to fill Donald Trump with godly wisdom. Pray that every decision he makes brings the Lord's blessings and prosperity to our country. This month we should be cognizant of our responsibility to pray for all our leaders. Let us build them up with prayer so that the enemy cannot get to us through them. Tevet is associated with the Hebrew letter AYIN which is a picture of an eye and of a well or spring of flowing water. These pictures tell us to be watchful against those who look to do evil. However, we should be excited that new life will be flowing as we enter the new year.
 
I am so blessed that my church, The Crossing, is beginning the new year with a week of fasting and worship to the Lord. This is the best way for us to start the beginning of the year and the head of the month. Fasting is a discipline that cleanses our systems and allows us time to reflect on the past year and look to God for direction for our futures. Let us use the new year to develop our spiritual hunger for the Lord and to realign our priorities by putting emphasis on our relationship with Him. We must look for the path of ever-increasing light and follow it. "The path of righteousness is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” (Proverbs 4:18)

​The town we know as Bethlehem, where Jesus the Messiah was born, was originally called Bethlehem Ephrath. The meaning of this name is significant with Bethlehem meaning "House of Bread," and Ephrath meaning "Fruitfulness." Many years before Joseph and Mary were sent to this town, God instructed Jacob to move his family from Bethel to the region of Bethlehem. Before sending Jacob to this new location, he changed Jacob's name to Israel and affirmed His intentions with a declaration for the future: "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you." (Genesis 35:11,12) Indeed, Jacob's beloved wife, Rachel, was pregnant and gave birth to her second son while on the journey to Bethlehem. Because she died in childbirth, Jacob set up camp near Migdal Eder, in the region of Bethlehem, where he mourned the death of Rachel and set up a pillar over her burial place. Genesis 21:35 tells us, "Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder." (Tower of the Flock)
 
In the prophetic book of Micah there is a reference to the Christ child being born in Bethlehem near Migdal Eder. "As for you, O Watchtower of the flock (Migdal Eder), O stronghold of the Daughter of Zion, the former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to the Daughter of Jerusalem." (Micah 4:8) Part of the journey that Jacob/Israel and Rachel took as they moved toward Bethlehem was traced by Joseph and Mary some 1800 years later. They took a 90-mile trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem to take part in the census decreed by Caesar Augustus. It is fascinating to note that Mary would give birth in Bethlehem near Migdal Eder to Jesus, a descendant of Jacob and called our "Messiah."
 
We must not miss the significance of the location for the birth of Jesus. Joseph and Mary would have walked by the Tower of the Flock where shepherds, called Levitical Shepherd Priests by the Sadducees, were helping in the birth of lambs destined for Temple sacrifices. Just as the Lord told Moses on the night of the Passover, "The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect..." (Exodus 12:5), the lambs brought to the Temple for sacrifice had to be perfect. The Bethlehem shepherds were experts in animal husbandry and brought the ewes from the field into the Tower when they were ready to give birth. This was done to protect the lambs from being scarred by any defects. Upon their birth, the lambs were wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in stone mangers lined with hay.
 
What a rich context we have for the birth of Jesus who would become the Sacrificial Lamb of God thirty-three years later! Jesus stepped out of eternity as prophesied by Micah. "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me One who will be Ruler of Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times." (Micah 5:2) Micah continues: "He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will live securely, for then His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And He will be their peace." (Micah 5:4, 5)
 
God made a choice to become a humble servant that would redeem the world if the people of the nations chose to believe in His redemption. When we look at the details of His plan, how could we not embrace His love?

​An unusual synchronization of our month of December with the ninth month on the Hebrew calendar (Kislev) happens this year. Kislev began at sunset on December 1 and runs until December 30. We should also note that both Christmas and the beginning of Chanukah occur on December 25. The messages of both holidays are the same:  Light overcomes darkness and good overcomes evil. It is fitting that people from both the Jewish and Christian faiths will be celebrating together this year.
 
Though we are in the season of increasing darkness, by the time Christmas and Chanukah roll around that cycle will be slowly changing. The winter solstice, which marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, occurs on December 21. After this date, the days will slowly get longer, and the nights will get shorter. Also, let us remember that we are celebrating the entrance of Jesus Christ or Yeshua into the world. In John 8:12 He is called "The Light of the World." In the meantime, the Jews are lighting the candles on the Menorah for eight nights and recalling how the Maccabees overtook the evil armies of Antiochus in 164 B.C. after three years of battle.
 
I think the nightly candle lighting of the Menorah is representative of the ever-increasing amount of light that is shed upon the earth. It is significant that the number eight represents new beginnings. The eight candles are lit by the ninth candle, positioned in the middle of the Menorah and named the "Shammas" or "Servant" candle. We can see how God paints a picture through the lighting of the eight candles. Yeshua, Jesus, came to earth as a servant to provide light in the darkness. What a prophetic picture!
 
When Jesus was born the Roman empire had placed King Herod in charge of the region around Jerusalem. Being one who despised those he was to oversee and who was jealous of anyone who might challenge his position, he put in place an evil plot to kill Jesus the Messiah and Light of the World. He had learned from the magi who came to worship the "King of the Jews" about the prophecy that was written in Micah 5:2, 4. "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel." (Also written in Matthew 2:6) Herod was so disturbed by this prophecy that he ordered all the baby boys in the Bethlehem area to be killed.
 
The star that God placed in the sky at the birth of Jesus shed a path of light to the place where He was born. After worshiping Jesus and leaving gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, the magi returned to their homeland by a different route from the one they came by. God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. Later, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and warned him of Herod's plans. He was told to flee to Egypt with his family where they would be safe. This is where they would stay until God called His Son out of Egypt, fulfilling the prophecy of Hosea 11:1.
 
God will not be outsmarted or outdone! No matter what kind of darkness tries to overcome the light or evil that tries to prevail over goodness, the Lord is a step ahead and has plans that He will bring to fruition. We would do well to remember these stories in the difficult season we presently live in.

​There is a divine order to the fall feasts. God planned that repentance would come before celebration because repentance leads to joy. Sin holds us back from God's purposes in our lives. When we have cleansed ourselves through repentance before God, we are freed from the hindrances that stop the Lord's blessings from flowing. When we repent before the Lord a door is opened for times of refreshing to come. Consequently, five days after Yom Kippur the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot takes place.
 
After getting right with God, the Jews celebrate in fellowship with Him for seven days and nights. Preparation for this feast occurs through the building of a sukkah or tabernacle. This dwelling was frequently constructed of broken branches. The roof of the Sukkah is to be open enough for its occupants to see heaven from earth and pray for the meeting of the two. It is a reminder that God takes us from the wilderness and bring us into the Promised Land. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:12) This is what brings us into intimacy with the Lord. The Feast, as it is often called, is the culmination of the seven yearly feasts. It is the seventh of seven yearly feasts occurring in the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar. The number seven is the one of perfection and completion.
 
There is a greater significance to this Feast. God's great desire has always been to dwell with us, His people. What He planned is described in John 1:14. "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father full of grace and truth."  In essence, God came to dwell in a temporary body so that we could get to know Him and He could draw us closer to Himself.
 
When the priests in the temple called their people to join them in the celebration of Sukkot there were two main themes:  Light and Living Water. The festival included illumination of the temple by placing four enormous gold candlesticks about 75 feet high in the Court of Women. There were four golden bowls, filled with pure oil, on top of the candlesticks that were lit for all to see. It is reported that when the lights from these candlesticks shown, every court in Jerusalem was lit up. Did Jesus not say, "I am the light of the world?" (John 8:12) He lights up our lives and calls us to be lights to the world.
 
The other part of the celebration was called "The Water Libation Ceremony." The priests drew water from the Pool of Siloam, walked through the Water Gate at the temple, and then poured the water over the altar. This was a significant sacrifice, because Israel would have been without rain for six months. Prayers of thanksgiving to God for the fall rains to come would then be prayed. It was during this portion of The Feast that Jesus declared who He is. John 7:37, 38 says, "On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 'Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.'"
 
Why don't we let Jesus light up our lives and quench our thirst for Him in this season of the Feast of Tabernacles?

​Saturday, October 12, was a Yom Kippur like none other. There was a convergence of events that only God could have put together. Humility was the foundation for them as described in 2 Chronicles 7:14, 15. "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 sins and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place." The holiest day on God's calendar is Yom Kippur or The Day of Atonement. It was the only day when the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies to make a blood offering for the sins of Israel. It was and continues to be the one annual day that God summons His people to repentance and renewal. Today we understand that God removed ungodliness and poured out redemption through the blood of His son, Jesus. His sacrifice removed our sin and shame for all time. The sacred Day of Atonement is to be one of fasting and prayer in acknowledgement of who God is and what He has done.
 
Joel 2:12-16 expresses God's heart for HIs people. "'Even now,' declares the Lord, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning.’ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity...Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people, consecrate the assembly..."
 
In 2017 God set into motion another event that He wanted to happen on the Washington, D.C. Mall on the Day of Atonement. He gave His servant, Lou Engle, a dream of one million women coming to the Mall to pray for the next generation and our nation. At the time, Lou did not realize this would be The Day of Atonement. All he had was a date and an understanding that "the Lord was opening a door of opportunity for the saving of our nation." He was encouraged by his friend, Pastor Francis Frangipane, who had studied the history of revival. Francis learned that an organized prayer movement preceded every revival except one—The Jesus Movement of the late sixties. He spoke with God about this mystery and was told:  "I answered the prayers of a million mothers." Those prayers broke the chains of evil that tried to capture our youth.
 
Remembering how Queen Esther, along with Mordecai and the Jews in Persia, had fasted and prayed for their nation, Lou knew that another Esther moment was before America. He was greatly encouraged when he realized that the target date was The Day of Atonement. Lou set up a web site to explain what God was up to. The site explains that the "public battle for the revival and reformation of America" would occur at the seat of the US government. It was Esther's intercession before the king that saved the Jews from genocide. “Now, her story has become the divine template and inspiration for every generation who lives under the shadow of anti-Christ legislation, persecution, and anti-family ideologies which threaten to destroy the very social fabric and foundation that a nation was built upon, was preserved by, and by which it prospered."
 
The God-given, "holy prescription" to heal our land is still Joel 2:12-16. This prescription was followed yesterday at the D.C. Mall on Yom Kippur. The assembly of about 250,000 people consecrated themselves in what was called a "Global Esther Moment." In a posture of humility, sins were confessed, repentance took place, and the spirit of Ishtar (one of rebellion, sexual immorality, and perversion that is trying to possess our nation) was broken. Decrees were made to agree with the Kingdom of Heaven. The ten-hour gathering concluded with communion where we were reminded that we are a Covenant people, led by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is time for us to take back our nation! Who knows if we were not put into our positions for "such a time as this?"

​It happened on October 7, 2023, a special Sabbath day called Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in Torah), the eighth and last day added to the Feast of Tabernacles. In Israel, this day is celebrated with dancing in the streets and the synagogues with Torah scrolls. It marks the end of the annual cycle of public reading of Torah. The end of Deuteronomy is read, the scrolls are rewound to begin a new cycle of reading, and the beginning of Genesis is read. There is great joy and excitement on this day.
 
I imagine that Simchat Torah will never be the same in Israel because last year the Israelis were attacked by Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip in an unprovoked assault at the beginning of this day. At the end of the day twelve hundred Israelis were murdered, and two hundred, fifty victims were kidnapped. The brutality of the terrorists from Gaza is difficult to comprehend as many were raped, tortured, and terrorized.
 
The outcome of the Sabbath attack on October 7 was the beginning of a war that still rages. Other players have come into the fray including Hezbollah and the Houthi rebels from Yemen. All these terror groups are encouraged and supplied with weapons and ammunition from Iran. Whenever there are conflicts of this nature innocent people get caught in the battle and suffer from injury, loss of life, and displacement from their homes. Even last week, Iran upped the ante by sending about two hundred missiles into Israel. The threat of a regional war is very real. Those who are living in the aftermath of October 7 have been traumatized and bear the scars and injuries from their losses, both internally and externally.
 
Add to this situation the fact that antisemitism has been on the rise. This mindset is global! Chosen People Ministries published a report that confirms that antisemitism has tripled in the last twelve months against Jews living outside of Israel. It is my opinion that the growing display of antisemitism is demonically inspired. With the one-year anniversary of the attack on Israel being upon us, how should Christians respond?
 
Scripture must be the foundation of our commitment to the Jewish people. Our Messiah handpicked Jews as His chosen people. However, "...His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross by which He put to death their hostility." (Ephesians 2:15,16) According to Genesis 15:18, God's first covenant with Abram declared that His descendants would have the land of Israel. However, years of lies and prejudice have fueled hate against the Jews and Christians.
 
We are in a spiritual battle led by Satan himself. History shows how he has attempted to irradicate the Jews in every generation because God chose His people to be His instrument of redemption and blessings for all nations. He also ordained that our Messiah would come through His covenant people. As Isaiah 62:1 says, "For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch." We must stand for the Jewish people and pray for them along with others who need to know the love of Jesus. The Jewish New Year, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles are upon us. Let us pray for the tender-loving mercies of God to be poured out upon all people, but especially those hurting families in the Middle East.