​The ninth month on the Hebrew calendar, Kislev, is called the month of miracles. This is because of the miracle of the oil that occurred during the second temple period. The altar of the Lord had been overtaken by Greek invaders led by Antiochus Epiphanes. That altar was desecrated when Antiochus decided to sacrifice a pig on the altar of burnt offering in 167 BC. In addition, he erected a statue of the Greek god, Zeus, on top of the altar. Then he looted the temple treasure and burned copies of the law.
 
Hundreds of years before this event occurred, the prophet Daniel wrote about it, calling it "an abomination of desolation" in Daniel 11:31. A priestly family of Israelites called the Maccabees would not sit still as their temple was being defiled, and so went to war against the invaders. After three years of battle, they overcame and recaptured the temple. The first order of business for this priestly family was to cleanse and rededicate the temple. Thus, we have the celebration called Hanukkah which means "Dedication."
 
A new altar was built and the temple restored. The priests remade the holy vessels and brought back the lampstand. The miracle of Hanukkah occurred as the Maccabees searched for oil to light the lampstand. Only one vial of oil was found that had been approved and sealed by the high priest. This would only keep the lampstand burning for one day. The priests decided to light the lamps anyway. To their delight, that one vial of oil kept the lampstand lit for eight full days, the amount of time needed to prepare more oil. It should be noted that the number eight is the number of new beginnings. How significant! This miracle happened during the month of Kislev. The celebration of Hanukkah begins on Kislev 25 on the Hebrew calendar. In 2025 that is December 15 on our Greek-based calendars.
 
The lampstand that was used in the temple had seven branches. The Menorah used today has nine branches, one for each of the eight days that the lampstand was lit and one center candle called the "Shammas" or "Servant" candle. It is the middle candle that is used to light the other eight candles. Those of the Christian faith should see the significance of the Servant candle and its position above the other candles on the Menorah. For us, it represents the Light of the World, Jesus. He made His identity clear in a declaration from the Temple. "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
 
When Joseph and Mary came to the temple to bring a sacrifice of two turtle doves and to introduce Jesus, they encountered Simeon. The Bible says he was "just and devout," and was waiting to see the Lord's Christ. When he saw Jesus he took Him in his arms and said, "Lord, now You are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word: For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel." (Luke 2:29-32 - NKJ)
 
It is revelation that turns on the light. As the "Servant candle," Jesus/Yeshua, came to light the world. He lights one candle at a time with the oil of His Spirit. As the Maccabees rededicated the temple, we must rededicate our temples. The world is becoming increasingly darker, which gives us the opportunity to shine even brighter. We have an unlimited supply of oil from the Holy Spirit that is meant to be used to glorify God and show the love of Christ to those around us. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world..." (Matthew 5:14) Why not be a part of this miraculous month by letting your light shine?

​The third of the fall feasts begins at sundown on Monday. Called Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles, its main message is that God desires to dwell with His people. Jesus/Yeshua is the consummation of the holiday as He "tabernacled" among us. Sukkot is the pinnacle of the Jewish calendar and is referred to by God as "The Feast." The week-long feast commemorates a time when God dwelt with His people in the desert. Moses reviewed the commandments for the Feast of Tabernacles with the Israelites before he left them. Here is how it is written in Deuteronomy 16:13-15. "You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates. Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice." (NKJV)
 
There are several themes to the festival of Sukkot that we will review:
Joy - God commanded that the Jewish people take four species (Leviticus 23:40) and wave them together before Him in rejoicing. The Jews use an etrog (large lemon-type citrus fruit), a palm frond, a willow and myrtle branch, and tie them together into what is called a lulav.
 
Ingathering - Sukkot is the celebration of agricultural harvest. This gathering of the harvest represents what will occur when the fullness of the Gentiles comes to faith in God and makes room for the return of the Jewish people to faith in their Messiah.
 
Dedication - In 1 King 8:2 we can read how King Solomon selected Sukkot as the time to dedicate the temple and bring the ark of the covenant into the inner sanctuary of the temple.
 
Light - During Sukkot four huge golden candlesticks were set up on the court of the Temple. Four young priests would climb ladders placed by the candlesticks as they carried about 7.5 gallons of pure oil to light the bowls at the top candlesticks. The light from those four candles lit the entire courtyard in the temple in Jerusalem. Many would dance in the night, holding bright torches and singing songs of praise to the Lord.
 
Water - In the last day of the festival the priest would go to the Pool of Siloam to draw water. They brought it back through the Water Gate and poured it on the altar. Prayers thanking God for the harvest rain would then be prayed. It was during this ceremony that Jesus declared, "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." (John 7:37, 38)
 
Nations - Through the prophet Amos, God promised that He would raise up the fallen tabernacle of David. "In that day I will restore David's fallen shelter. I will repair its broken wall and restore its ruins, and will rebuild it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all nations that bear my name." (Amos 9:11, 12) The theme of Sukkot will be fulfilled according to Zechariah 14:16. "Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, The Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles." 
 
As the Jewish people are building their Sukkahs, or temporary booths, and live in them to remember their ancestors' journey through the desert, we must pray for them to be awakened to the truth of their Messiah who came to tabernacle with us.

​It comes once a year and is God's holiest day on the Hebrew calendar. It is the only day of the year when the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies. His assignment was to make a blood offering for the sins of the people of Israel. This holy day is called Yom Kippur or The Day of Atonement since the sins of a nation would be atoned for. At the center of the three fall festivals, we can read about all of them in Leviticus 23. Each of the three feasts have a theme and include The Feast of Trumpets (repentance), The Day of Atonement (redemption), and The Feast of Tabernacles (rejoicing).
 
Yom Kippur is the culmination of The Ten Days of Awe that started on The Feast of Trumpets and is the day when God summoned His people to repentance and renewal. On this day, the children of Israel examined themselves to evaluate their faith and their relationship with God. It was, and still is, a day of fasting and prayer. The translation for The Day of Atonement is "The Day of Covering." When a sacrifice was made on the altar, God provided a covering for sin. However, the Jewish people are faced with a conundrum today. Leviticus 17:11 says, "...It is the blood that makes atonement for one's life." In other words, there is no atonement without the shedding of blood. Blood was the evidence that an animal had paid the price for the sin of God's people.
 
The sacrifices for sin occurred in the Temple of God. With no temple, there is no place for a high priest to make the blood sacrifice. Father God recognized this problem and had a solution for it before the beginning of time. He sent His Son, Jesus, to save us from our sins and to fulfill the sacrificial system. He paid the sin debt once and for all time through His crucifixion. Being buried, He rose again on the third day and demonstrated the power of God to save us. The crucifixion of Jesus occurred 40 years before the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. He shed His blood for the entire world to cleanse us from our sins so we could have relationship with God.
 
In Hebrew, Chapter 9, the writer explains that Christ became the mediator of a new covenant. "He died as a ransom to set them free from sins committed under the first covenant." (Verse 15) Verse 22 confirms what was written in Leviticus: "...Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Verse 28 declares a glorious future for those who believe in Christ. "Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him." 
 
Sadly, blindness has come over the Jewish people. Their rabbis have instituted new ways to observe Yom Kippur. Prayer and fasting, attending synagogue, readings, and sermons are now the way the Jews observe this day. They have set aside what God prescribed and commanded. As Believers in Yeshua, Jesus, it is our responsibility to pray for the Jewish people to have their eyes opened and their hearts transformed to believe the truth. Here is how it is stated in Romans 11:11 and 12. "Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring?"  We must be on our knees for the Jewish people.

One of God's greatest desires is for intimate communion with His children. Thus, He "created man in His own image." (Genesis 1:27) In the cool of the day God came to walk in the garden with Adam and Eve. God is still coming to meet us and looks forward to drawing near during the three fall feasts. Monday, at sunset, the shofar will be blown to signal the beginning of the Jewish new year 5786. The Head of the Year, or Rosh Hashana, is also called Yom Teruah, The Day of the Blowing. The ten-day period from Rosh Hashana to Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement, is referred to as "The Ten Days of Awe." These days are a time for introspection, repentance, and renewal.
 
Rabbinic Judaism memorializes Rosh Hashana as the time when the world was created. It is the beginning of the Jewish calendar year when counting the Sabbaths and the numbered years. Genesis 22, the chapter in the Bible that tells the story of Abraham's obedience to God when he was asked to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, will be read in synagogues. God will be praised for His substitutionary atonement (a ram in the thicket). For Believers in Yeshua, there is greater significance to this story as it was a foreshadow of what Messiah would do for us. "The Lord caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him." (Isaiah 53:6) Let us remember that the spiritual application of God's word for our lives has never changed. The blowing of the shofar 100 times is a mighty call to learn from the past and look forward to the future.
 
Considering the events of the past two weeks, I believe that there is a prophetic significance to the new year 5786. Many prophets will be focusing on the Hebrew meaning of the numbers in the new year, especially the six and eighty. The Jewish system assigns a numerical value to every letter in their alphabet. The sixth letter in the Hebrew alphabet is "vav" and is shaped like a hook or connecting rod used to join words or concepts together. Some call the connecting rod a hinge. When we look at Genesis 1:1 we see that "God created the heavens and the earth," and He connected them together. The prayer Jesus taught His disciples is written in Matthew 6. Verse 10 demonstrates God's desire to connect heaven and earth. "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Jesus came to earth to restore the connection between heaven and earth through His redeeming blood on the Cross. Rabbi Jason Sobel points out that since the number six is pictured as a hinge pin, we are being called in this year to change. This is the year of the "turning point."
 
The blowing of the shofar is a wakeup call for us. The truth is that without repentance there is no revival. It is time for the Church to wake up and declare truth. This is shown in the number 80. Eighty is "pey" in the Hebrew alphabet. Hence, we are in the decade of "pey." The Church must raise its voice and speak truth for us to turn toward the Lord's direction. Let the shofar blast remind us to lift our voices to call for an awakening in our land. It is time to turn toward righteousness and justice. Without transformation our nation will falter. Patricia King, in her yearly assessment of what is to come in 5786, says we must avoid the evil that tries to hook us and be firmly connected to God. Divine alignment with Him will help us purify our hearts and keep our speech and actions in heaven's flow.
 
Let us declare this new year of 5786 as one of preparation for the coming of the Lord. We must be ready to go to battle for the plans and purposes of God as we prepare for His coming. 

​The Hebrew month we enter tonight is called Elul. This sixth month is meant to be a time for introspection before the High Holy Days begin. The Jews use this time as one of repentance for the wrongs done to others. The Hebrew letters of Elul (Aleph, Lamed, Vav, Lamed) are an acronym for "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." (Song of Solomon 6:3) Elul is meant to be a time of recommitting to our relationship with God. Some people called Elul the "Jewish Lent." This season is called Teshuvah which means repentance and returning to God. According to Jewish tradition, Elul is the time when Moses was on Mount Sinai preparing to receive the second set of tablets.
 
The origin of the word Elul is linked to the Akkadian word for harvest. However, Elul is also related to the Aramaic word, "El," which means "to search" or "to examine," highlighting the introspective nature of the month. We are called to deepen our relationship with God during Elul. Some Jews will blow their shofars daily (except on the Sabbath) as a reminder that we are in the month of repentance. It is customary to read Psalm 27 twice daily (morning and evening) from Elul 1 until Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles). The Psalm is meant to give the reader peace in their souls as they repent.
 
During Elul, it is said that the King comes out to the field and can be approached by anyone. It is a time when there is divine closeness like no other time of the year, and an ideal time to deepen our relationship with the Lord. The King's accessibility is a great time of excitement. The definition of accessibility is "the quality of being at hand when needed," or in other words, He is available and easily approachable because all barriers are removed.
 
Jesus is a perfect example of the King coming into the field. He set aside His royal robes so that He could come to earth and commune with us. As it says in John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and made HIs dwelling among us." Jesus lived in a tent of mortal flesh so that He could manifest God's goodness to us. While on earth, Jesus chose twelve disciples who had intimate connection with Him for three years. During this time, He poured into them and taught them how to live according to God's Word. In His prayer to His Father in John 17, Jesus asked that His disciples would be sanctified by God's truth. Jesus came to earth so that the life of God would flow through mankind and that our fellowship with God would be restored.
 
The King came to earth to unite man and God through salvation. The King is in the field to bring us "life and life abundantly." (John 10:10) For the Christian who has pursued the King, every month is like the month of Elul. He makes Himself available to us because He desires intimacy with us more than we do with Him. However, we can use this month of Elul as a reminder of the King's amazing love for us.

​Today we have arrived at the fifth month on the Hebrew calendar. It is called Av, and its literal meaning is "father." It is said that this month is the low point on the Jewish calendar because on the 9th of Av the people of Israel chose to believe the negative report from ten of the spies who scouted out the Promised Land. Because of their unbelief in the power and faithfulness of God to do what He promised, a cycle of devastating events has taken place over the years on this very date. The enemy of their souls took advantage of their agreement with his kingdom and has used it to bring about devastating moments in history. These include the destruction of the first and second temple, the expulsion of the Jews from England and Spain, the deportation of the Jews to death camps in 1942, and the beginning of the expulsion of the Jews from Gaza. I can only imagine what the Jews in Israel will be thinking as they remember the horrors of this day.
 
It was twenty years ago, between the dates August 15 and September 12 on our calendars, that twenty-one Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip were dismantled and about 9,000 residents forcibly removed by their own people. They were caught in an impossible position because Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and members of the Knesset agreed to unilaterally disengage from Gaza in the hope that giving the "Palestinians" their own strip of land would lead to peace. The Jews left behind beautiful orchards, fields of grain, and greenhouses that produced most of Israel's produce and flowers. So much was grown that the bounty was shared with the world. It is still inconceivable to me that all of the growing areas were destroyed by those who moved in.
 
Least anyone wonder about the Jews' claim to the land in Gaza, let us remember that both Abraham and Isaac lived in Gerar. (Genesis 20:1 and 26:1 and 17) Gerar is located in the modern-day Gaza Strip. Josephus tells us that Simon Maccabee started a Jewish settlement in Gaza. Also, there was a large Jewish community living in Gaza between 10 and 220 AD and in the Byzantine period between 330 and 1453 AD. During World War One the Jews were deported from Gaza, but they returned in 1970. Under the direction of Israel's Prime Minister, Golda Meir, they remained there, building communities and supporting themselves through the planting of trees and flowers, and the construction of greenhouses. The thought that the implementation of The Disengagement Plan would lead to less terror attacks and greater levels of security proved false. Shortly after the Jews were removed from Gaza, the Palestinian Authority took charge. Two years later, when Hamas seized control of Gaza, it became obvious that the fears of those expelled from Gaza became true. Their leaders have no respect for human life or property.
 
Israel is now at a crossroad. The success of the recent twelve-day war brings new hope that Israel's security may improve. There are those who want Israel to take back Gaza and develop a plan for the resettlement of it by the Jews. However, international opinion may not let this happen. In the meantime, as Av 9 (called Tisha B'Av) approaches, the Jews will fast for 25 hours, dim their lights, and cover the cabinet holding the Torah scrolls (called Aron Ha Kodesh) in black. The Shabbat following their fast is called Shabbat Nachamu or Shabbat of Comfort, and the period following this day is Menachem Av, the Comforter of Av. The readings from their Scriptures will be about comfort and consolation.
 
You may think there is no hope for the fifth month of Av, but this is not so. With the Lord there is always redemption! While it is true that the people of Israel have had much to mourn in their history, God's grace is greater than His judgment. The prophet Isaiah promised that there would be "the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." (Isaiah 61:3) In addition, Zechariah gives us great hope. This is what he tells us: "This is what the Lord Almighty says, 'The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore, love truth and peace.'" (Zechariah 8:19) What started centuries ago with Israel's unbelief can be redeemed. Let us use this month as one to agree with the voice of faith. Let us believe God's promises and enter into His blessings for us and the people of Israel.

​These are perilous times that we live in. So many around the world are facing extraordinary trauma along with physical needs. The disciples asked Jesus, "What will be the sign of Your coming and the end of the age?" He told them, "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famine and earthquakes in various places. All are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the world as a testimony of all nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:3-14)
 
These verses sound like a description of our times; however, much still needs to be accomplished for the end to come. Primarily, there is an ocean of people who need to hear the gospel of Christ. The Lord's desire is that all humankind be saved so that they can live with Him for eternity. We play a part in the accomplishment of the Lord's end game. As it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." Not only are we to do this, but we are to follow the advice in 1 Timothy 2:1-3. "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our Savior who wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."
 
Paul's advice to the believers at the church in Thessalonica and to Timothy as he ministered to the church in Ephesus is for us. No matter how we feel about the leaders of our country, the mandate remains: Pray for them! Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Israel, recently sent a message of encouragement to President Trump that bears repeating: "Mr. President, God spared you in Butler, PA, to be the most consequential President in a century—maybe ever. The decisions on your shoulders I would not want to be made by anyone else. You have many voices speaking to you, Sir, but there is only ONE voice that matters. HIS voice. I am your appointed servant in this land and am available for you, but I do not try to get in your presence often because I trust your instincts. No president in my lifetime has been in a position like yours. Not since Truman in 1945. I don't reach out to persuade you. Only to encourage you. I believe you will hear from heaven and that voice is far more important than mine or ANYONE else's. You sent me to Israel to be your eyes, ears, and voice and to make sure our flag flies above our embassy. My job is to be the last one to leave. I will not abandon this post. Our flag will NOT come down! You did not seek this moment. This moment sought YOU! It is my honor to serve you!" I am sure that Mike Huckabee realizes the pressure that is on our president and desired to point him in the right direction. The decisions that President Trump must make will not only impact us but the world around us.
 
Praise God that the Holy Spirit is with us to remind us that we are supernaturally empowered to walk in peace. And as it says in James 1:5, we should ask God for wisdom because the "wisdom that comes from God is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." (James 3:17) As we pray, we must remember the innocent people who are caught in the crosshairs of the battle between Israel and Iran. Ask the Lord to have mercy on them. Pray that God will give victory to the righteous and will take down the evil principalities and powers over the Middle East. We must recognize that President Trump has made and continues to make extremely critical decision about how the United States will help Israel. He and his team need the wisdom of God for ongoing plans on how to engage on the world stage. We want God's will to be done and His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. When this is done, the door for revival will be opened in the Middle East and around the world.

​ 
The significance of God's timing and His coordination of events speaks loudly about His brilliance. On this very night, the 6th of Sivan, the third month on the Hebrew calendar, we should be aware of the "trifecta" of events that converge. They are all about the physical provision, revelation, and power that God gives His people. In Scripture, He commanded them to appear before Him three times a year to celebrate His goodness and align their lives with His timing. The first of these three feasts is to remember God's deliverance from Egypt and is called Passover or Pesach. Next comes Pentecost or Shavuot. On this day, the children of Israel brought to the temple the firstfruits of their wheat harvest and gave thanks for God's physical provision.
 
It is no coincidence that the Lord chose the day of firstfruits to give Moses and the Israelites the law of the Old Covenant. God gave Moses a reminder and a promise in Exodus 19:4-5. "You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagle's wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." In Exodus 19:16-18 it is reported: "On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled...Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace; the whole mountain trembled violently." Then the ten commandments were engraved in stone.
 
About 1,400 years later Jesus was born. He came as the fulfillment of the law. (Matthew 5:17, 18) His life was one free from all sin, as He perfectly kept both the letter and the spirit of the law. Christ's life and death met the requirements of the Old Testament law. His death and resurrection removed the law as a way of coming to God. It was replaced with salvation by faith in Christ's finished work on the Cross. Jesus broke down the divisions between God and us to bring us peace with Him. Here is how Ephesians 2:14 and 15 puts it: "For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace."
 
For forty days after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His apostles and gave them a command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit...You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:4, 5, 8) Their waiting was rewarded on the day called Shavuot (meaning weeks)—seven weeks from the Sabbath of Passover week—plus one day or fifty days. The Spirit of God descended to fulfill Pentecost (meaning fifty). "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:1-4) Here we have God's provision of power, boldness, and revelation. It was the day when the Word and the Spirit came together as one.
 
The third commanded feast, Tabernacles, will not take place until the fall when we begin a new year on the secular Hebrew calendar and a time to repent for our sins and rejoice in the glory of God. In the meantime, we have much to contemplate. Jeremiah 31:33 tells us that God fulfilled His promise by writing His law on our hearts. Let us give thanks for all of God's promises and remember the "trifecta" of provision: Harvest to physically sustain us, Torah to guide and nourish us spiritually, and the Holy Spirit as the Lord's guiding, sustaining, and nourishing presence with us. Let us also cry out to the Lord for a fresh infilling of His Spirit and an illumination of the Scriptures.

​According to the Oxford Language Dictionary, the definition of transition is "the process or a period of change from one state or condition to another." This shifting from one state or place to another is mostly uncomfortable. When we are in transition, we must be willing to work on the process of transformation and look at the developments that are taking place as we progress.
 
The Bible is filled with stories of people making changes in their lives and trusting in God to provide for all their needs. But the one that stands out to me the most is when the children of Israel were moving toward Mount Sinai under the direction of Moses. During the first month of the year, Nisan, God set them free from slavery and brought them out with plunder from the Egyptians. They were making their way to a place where they would meet God, and He would give them directions on how to live their lives in the future. In essence, they were moving from redemption to revelation. The Israelites had fifty days of traveling to reach their destination. Their travels became a trial because they forgot what God had done for them in Egypt. They did not remember the powerful signs, wonders, and miracles they experienced before and during their time of freedom.
 
God's plan was to use this transition time to teach the children of Israel about Himself. With each trial and subsequent provision for them, they received insight into God's marvelous power and personality. Through several examples, God was saying to them, "Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9) Despite what God had done, they had their first breakdown in the Desert of Shur. They had been without water for three days until they came to Marah. The water here was too bitter to drink, so they reacted by grumbling against Moses. God instructed Moses to place a tree into the water which resulted in the transformation of the water into sweet liquid. A decree was sent from God: "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals." (Exodus 15:26) First and foremost, God wanted His people to know Him as "Jehovah Rapha," The Lord Who Heals.
 
It did not take long for the children of Israel to grumble again. Exodus 16:1 tells us that this occurred on the "Fifteenth day of the second month," which is Iyar, the month we are in now. The community complained because they were concerned about lack of food. God used this opportunity to tell them that He is "Jehovah Jireh," The Lord Who Provides. He rained down manna and quail for His people so they had more than they needed. A third teaching moment came when the Lord helped Israel defeat the Amalekites who had attacked them. Aaron and Hur stood at the top of the hill with Moses and held up his arms while the Israelites fought. After they won the battle, Moses built an altar and called it "Jehovah Nissi," The Lord is My Banner.
 
As we can see, the time of transition became a time of learning and drawing closer to God. What can we learn from this story? First, we must remember what God has done in the past. Psalm 77:11 says, "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago." Then, when we are in a time of transition, we must trust God and seek His guidance. Proverbs 3:5 and 6 say it all. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Finally, we must give thanks to Him for all that He has done and will continue to do. "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17) I hope that these truths encourage you during your times of transition and as you contemplate what happened to the Israelites during this month of Iyar. God is faithful, and He uses our times of uncertainty to draw closer to us, introduce us to new aspects of His personality, and prepare us for our new seasons.

​Passover is all about remembrance of God's faithfulness and beginning a new life cycle. As slaves, the children of Israel had no relationship with time because one day was the same as the other. With the Passover, God was marking time and redeeming His people so that they could begin their year with encouragement as they recalled how He gave them new life. It is through remembering the victories of the past that we have hope for the future. Deuteronomy 32:7 tells us, "Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and He will tell you, your elders and they will explain to you." 
 
The yearly tradition of sitting at a table to share a meal and tell the story of freedom for God's people was instituted by the Lord. He said, "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance...Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt." (Exodus 12:14, 17) The Hebrew meaning of the Passover meal, called "Seder," is "order." It is written in a book called the "Haggadah," meaning "telling," that includes the story from the book of Exodus, an explanation of the meal courses, and songs and blessings. The gathering at the table is for all generations.
 
Asaph, the writer of Psalm 78, tells of our responsibility to bring up the next generation in the knowledge of the truth. Psalm 78:2-7 says, "...I will utter hidden things, things from of old...What we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us, we will not hide from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob (The King James Version says, "He established a testimony.") and established the law in Israel, which He commanded our forefathers to teach their children so that the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands."
 
This year the Passover began on April 12 (Nisan 14 on the Hebrew calendar). Many families sat around the Seder table for the retelling of the story of the exodus and the journey to the Promised Land. We can read how Jesus also celebrated a Seder with His disciples. It would be His "last supper" before going to the Cross. Imagine how he felt knowing that He was destined to be the Passover Lamb in the future and for all eternity. He told His disciples, “’I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.' After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, 'Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.'" (Luke 22:14-17)
 
Many Christian communities do not celebrate the Passover. Long ago Emperor Constantine tried to merge Christianity with paganism by changing the calendar. With the Council of Nicaea, he outlawed Passover and changed the date for celebrating Christ's death and resurrection to correspond with the spring festival of the pagan goddess Ishtar, also known as Easter. Those who refused to stop celebrating Passover were persecuted and murdered. Falling into the hand of Satan, the Church agreed to pronounce a curse on Christians who celebrated the Passover. Satan is still at the forefront of the battle to stop the Passover and taking Communion because he knows that the power is in the blood of Jesus.
 
The blood of Jesus was shed to redeem us from the enemy. Our deliverance comes through the blood of the Lamb on the Cross of Calvary. Every time Christians take communion, we celebrate the Passover Lamb. However, communion celebrates more than freedom from bondage in Egypt; it celebrates our release from the bondage of sin. We can take communion as often as we desire. 1 Corinthians 11:26 says, "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." Father God is the one who connected the sacrifice of Jesus to the Passover and why He is called the Passover Lamb. For generations to come we must share the power of His shed blood.