​"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...and God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." (Genesis 1:1, 3) What is light?  John 1:4 says light is life.  "In Him was life; and the life was the light of men."  According to the dictionary, light is something that makes vision possible.  It is "visually perceived radiant energy."  Light is called electromagnetic radiation because its wavelengths vary and carry different amounts of energy.  Western Washington University's website says, "Our brains interpret waves by assigning different colors to different wavelengths,"  Violet and blue carry short wavelengths and more energy than long wavelengths of red and burgundy.  
 
The colors blue, red, and purple are talked about frequently in the Bible and represent different aspects of God's nature.  Red represents passion and speaks to us of sin and redemption.  It is the color of blood that Jesus shed for our forgiveness.  Blue is seen in nature—the sky and water—and represents the Holy Spirit, divine revelation, and peace.  Purple is the color of royalty, majesty, nobility, and kingship.  This past week I was reflecting on the significance of these colors and how the combination of red and blue create purple.
 
Exodus 39:1 says, "From blue, purple, and scarlet yarn they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary..."  This refers to the clothes of the priest who ministered to God.  When the priests of Israel asked for gifts to construct the Tabernacle one of the prescribed offerings was "blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen."  They were used in the making of the Tabernacle curtains and veils.
 
In his devotional, The Book of Mysteries, Jonathan Cahn gives us an interesting perspective on the three colors used in sewing cloth for the priests clothes and the Tabernacle curtains and veils.  He says, "The Tent of Meeting was the place of the joining, the reconciliation, the meeting of two realities, God and man...Blue is the color of the sky, the heavens...representing the heavenly, God...In Hebrew, the word for man is Adam.  Adam comes from the Hebrew word for red.  Red is the color of the Middle Eastern earth from which man came.  The scarlet red is the symbol of sin and guilt.  Red is the color of man...Purple is the joining of blue and red.  And so, it speaks of the joining of God to man, heaven to earth...the joining of all that is holy to all that is not...so totally joined that God will appear as sin."  Jesus came from heaven to receive our sin.  He joined humanity to make us one with Him.  How fitting that He was covered with a purple robe by the mocking soldiers (John 19:2) as He made heaven and earth, God and man, blue and red one—purple!
 
As I look at the chaos in our country and the division among people with different beliefs, my heart is grieved.  Our two main political parties have claimed red and blue to represent them.  There is little hope for seeing the joining of these parties. Differences in beliefs create friction while demons desire to cover us in darkness so that no colors will be visible.  Where does the Body of Christ fit into the drama that is being played out in the United States today?  We must call forth the light!  We must take our authority as children of the Most High God to break off every curse and trauma laid on humanity.  We must release the sound of our voices to call forth God's healing and restoration.  We must remember that we were made in God's image and are co-creators with Him as we release the sounds of worship to our righteous God.  We must affirm God's original plans and purposes for us to be a people of love and a godly nation that shines forth His light and life.
 
With God's help, there will be a way where their seems to be no way.  Call forth an awakening that sets the captives free and brings them into their destiny.  Join with the chorus of Believers to declare, "I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.  For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness..." (Isaiah 61:10)  I wonder...Could the color purple prevail?

God uses unorthodox ways to demonstrate His nature and purposes.  So it was with Hosea the prophet.  His name means "Jehovah (The Eternal One) is Salvation or Deliverer," and he lived among God's chosen people during a period when their leadership encouraged a materialistic, immoral, and unjust lifestyle.  God watched as His people, chosen to live a godly lifestyle as an example to the entire world, and to be God's bridge of redemption to the pagans, were totally unfaithful to Him.  They prostituted themselves to the very ones they were called to bring to the Redeemer.
 
Imagine how you would feel if God said to you, "Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord." (Hosea 1:2) Hosea's adulterous wife, Gomer (meaning completion), bore him two sons and one daughter who were named by God:  Jezreel (God plants or sows), Lo-Ruhamah (not loved), and Lo-Ammi (not my people). Hosea's life was to represent the heart of God in loving the unfaithful.
 
God found Himself in a position of having to punish the children of Israel for chasing after other gods and abandoning their commitment to Him.  Verse 12 of Chapter 4 says, "A spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God."  In his book, Hosea describes some of the detestable behaviors engaged in by the people of God during his day.  "They practice deceit, thieves break into houses, bandits rob in the streets." (Hosea 7:1) "They speak about me falsely.  They do not cry out to me from their hearts." (Hosea 7:13-14) "Israel has rejected what is good...They set up kings without my consent..." (Hosea 8:3-4) "Israel has forgotten their Maker..." (Hosea 8:14) "But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception.  Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, the roar of battle will rise against your people…”  (Hosea 10:13-14)
 
Does Hosea's description of his times sound familiar?  They do to me!  We are living in a day that is characterized by our vile behaviors and affections to other gods.  The spirit of prostitution appears to be alive and well.  From His people Israel, God was looking for a repentant lifestyle.  God said, "...Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears...For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:4, 6)  While God had some harsh words for Israel, He also had some words of compassion.  He remembered the time when they were faithful to Him:  “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree..." (Hosea 9:10) Early fruit on a fig tree was considered especially delicious.  When God found Israel in the desert He was overtaken by her appearance and taste.  He confessed, "How can I give you up, Ephraim?  How can I hand you over, Israel...My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused." (Hosea 11:8)
 
Mitch Glaser, Ph.D., wrote a book titled God's Plan and Purposes for the Jewish People.  He makes some interesting points that are worth repeating:  "The Scriptures never suggest that Israel's disobedience would outlast God's grace...Instead, when God wants the nation to repent and again receive His blessings, the Lord would do what was necessary to turn the people back to Him.  The book of Hosea proclaimed the message to Israel that God was not going to reject them, but would wait for, or even initiate, their repentance." (Page 23)
 
God's compassions toward Israel have never failed.  I believe He has those same compassions toward the United States of America.  He is the One who helped establish our country through guiding Christopher Columbus to our shores.  He brought the pilgrims to our lands so that they could establish a country with righteous foundations and freedom to worship the One True God.  The Lord said of Israel, "I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.  I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily.  Like a cedar of Lebanon, he will send down his roots…” (Hosea 14:4-5)  God is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) Let us call out to Him for healing, restoration, and revival that our nation will return to Him and be like the early fruit on a fig tree.

​We can read the prescribed way that the leaders of Israel were to take a census in Exodus 30:11-12. "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom for his life at the time he is counted.  Then no plague will come on them when you number them.'"  Here is the bottom line:  God wanted His people to trust Him in all things.  The small ransom required (a half shekel) was to support the service of the Tent of Meeting and became part of the Israelite worship of God.  When King David made plans to take a census of the fighting men in his ranks without collecting the half shekel, Joab, the commander of the army, asked him, "Why does my lord want to do this?  Why should he bring guilt on Israel?" (1 Chronicles 21:3)  Joab was overruled and spent nine months and 20 days counting the troops.  After receiving the report, David was conscience-stricken.  "And he said to the Lord, 'I have sinned greatly in what I have done.  Now, O Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant.  I have done a very foolish thing.’" (2 Samuel 24:10) However, the Lord's anger rose, and He instructed David's seer, Gad to tell him the ramifications of his action.
 
It is interesting to note that God gave David the opportunity to select the punishment for Israel.  His choices were three years of famine in the land, or three months of fleeing from Israel's enemies, or three days of plague.  David told Gad, "Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for His mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men." (2 Samuel 24:14)  The plague in Israel took 70,000 lives.  When the angel of the Lord was about to ravage Jerusalem, the Lord became so distressed that he said, "Enough! Withdraw your hand." (1 Chronicles 21:15)
 
We must remember that Jerusalem was at the heart of God's plans for HIs people.  The angel of death was stopped at the very site where God wanted the temple to be built—the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.  David told him that he would like to purchase the threshing floor so that he could build an altar of sacrifice to the Lord to stop the plague.  Araunah generously offered to give David the oxen for the burnt offering, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering.  Here is David's reply:  "No, I insist on paying full price.  I will not take for the Lord what is yours or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing." (1 Chronicles 21:24)  David paid for the site and sacrificed burnt and fellowship offerings to God.  As he called on Him, "The Lord answered him with fire from heaven." 
(1 Chronicles 21:26)
 
It is the place of costly sacrifice where the fire of God falls and destruction ends.  It is the place where God's mercy is poured out, and we position ourselves for the future.  There is much significance to the site God chose for David’s costly sacrifice.   It is Mt. Moriah, whose name means "seen by Jehovah." 
Our heavenly Father sees us through the lens of our destiny.  If we look back to Abraham, we see that God selected David’s altar for another costly sacrifice.  Abraham was instructed to take his only son, Isaac, to Mt. Moriah where he would lay him on the altar as a sacrifice.  His willingness to trust God to make good on His promise gave Abraham the faith he needed to bind Isaac to the altar.  Both Abraham and David saw God's judgment and mercy meet on Mt. Moriah, the site God had chosen for the temple to be built before time began.  Indeed, shortly after David had his encounter with the Lord, he began to make preparations for the building of the Temple on this holy land.  He said, "The house of the Lord God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel." (1 Chronicles 22:1)
 
Does what happened to David and the people of Israel have any significance for us today?  Here are the results of my contemplations:  (1) I believe that The United States of America has been ordained by God as a godly nation whose purpose is to worship Him, to show other nations the generosity of God through blessing them with costly sacrifices, and to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. (2) I believe that God is grieved by the way we have pulled away from our godly roots, established by our forefathers.  Our habit of counting our resources instead of trusting in the Lord must be put to an end. (3) I believe we could experience the mercy of God being poured out upon us if we laid costly sacrifices before Him.  Would our  investments in Kingdom ministries and fervent prayers for revival catch His attention?  I think so!  Oh God, "Will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in You?  Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation." (Psalm 85:6-7 - NKJV)

​During the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles the Israelites cut branches from three different trees--the palm, the myrtle, and the willow.  The branches were an integral part of their celebration that included remembering their wilderness journey.  According to Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, the people were reminded of the desert plains by the palms, the desert mountains by the myrtle, and the desert brooks that gave them water by the willow.  Yearly, the Jews celebrate the journey of life as they remember the wilderness times that led them to the Promised Land.
 
The Feast of Tabernacles is a celebration of the harvest and a time of remembering God's provision and protection in the wilderness.  It is referred to as "The Feast" because it is the culmination of all the Biblical holy days and is a time to meet with God.  It actually points toward the culmination of God's redemptive plan and represents the final stage of His plan of salvation.  The Feast is a fore-shadow of the millennial kingdom.  The prophet Zechariah tells us that "The Feast" or Sukkot, will be celebrated in the millennial kingdom:  "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 Feast of Tabernacles.  If any of the people of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain.  If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain.  The Lord will bring on them the plague He inflicts on the nations that do not celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles." (Zechariah 14:16-18)
 
The feasts of the Lord were appointed by God before Jesus was born.  We can read how they were celebrated in the Old Testament.  However, they would have lacked authority because they were not celebrated under the authority of the name of Jesus.  Now, we can see Jesus revealed in the feasts.  We must look forward to that day when He returns as a triumphant King on a white horse. (Revelation 19:11)  Believers from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue will worship Him, waving palm branches before Him.
 
Do not miss the significance of the week of celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles; it is rich in symbolism. Contemplating these times appointed by God can bring us into a deeper communion with Him.  We must celebrate our journey of life.  The wilderness is a symbol for our life on earth now, and the Promised Land is a symbol of heaven.  That is our goal!  Rabbi Cahn says, "Remember, in heaven, you will give thanks for the heavenly road you're walking on right now, on your way to the Promised Land."
 
Why not pause and reflect on your journey during this season?  Life is full of struggles, sorrows, and disappointments along with times of joy, fruit bearing, and harvest.  God's plan for us is written about in John 15:8. "This is my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit..."  The journey is meant to strengthen us and point us in the direction of our ultimate destination—Heaven!  Let us meet with the Lord during this kairos (opportune or strategic) time at the table He sets for us.  It is time to feast with Him as we look for His victorious return!

​Yearly, an organization called HaYovei (The Jubilee) has been helping farmers with small properties in the regions of Judea and Samaria harvest their grapes.  A recent story by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz in "Biblical News" told about the organizations faithfulness in bringing more than 3,000 Christian volunteers from 30 countries to Israel for the past 15 years.  As they helped pick grapes, these Christians breathed life into the Biblical prophecy in Isaiah 61:5.  "Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards."
 
This year was different from all others.  Israel's Health Minister placed travel restrictions on the country so that their borders were closed to all non-citizens.  It is reported that about 400 tons of grapes were in danger of rotting on the vines because of the restrictions.  The leaders of HaYovei pulled out all the stops to get the Israeli government to relax their regulations.  Eventually, 50 volunteers were permitted to enter the country as long as they committed to staying for three months, with the initial two weeks being set aside for quarantine.  On September 2, the first group of volunteers began harvesting the grapes.  Pickers came from The United States, Canada, and Germany.
 
When the harvesters are finished, it is expected that approximately 500 tons of grapes from 10 farms in the Biblical heartland will have been picked.  Some of the HaYovei volunteers are motivated by the prophecy in Ezekiel 36:36.  "Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate..."  Although the volunteers may not proselytize, their generosity in assisting with the harvest demonstrates the love of God.
 
What a blessing it is to be alive during a time when so much Biblical prophecy is coming to life!  The grapevine is a symbol of the Jewish people.  As the grapes mature, so are the Jewish people as they come to know their Messiah.  God told King Hezekiah to look for a sign from Him.  "This year you will eat what grows by itself, and the second year what springs from that.  But in the third year, sow and reap, plant vineyards, and eat fruit.  Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above.  For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.  The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." (Isaiah 37:30-32)  I would imagine that the Jews who own the vineyards in Israel's heartland and the Christians who are helping with the harvest will join together to celebrate and give thanks to God (the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) for bringing in the crop.
 
The Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) began on Friday evening.  Saturday, September 19, is the first day of the new year and Tishrei, the seventh month on the Jewish calendar.  Typically, families gather together in their synagogues and read Leviticus 23:23-25 and Numbers 29:1-6.  They also read the story of Abraham taking Isaac to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice him as instructed by the Lord. (Genesis 22)  God rewarded Abraham's obedience and provided a ram as a substitute sacrifice.  It is the ram's horn that is blown on the New Year as a reminder of Father Abraham's obedience to God.  Those farmers in Judea and Samaria who have help with harvesting their grapes have another reason to celebrate God's goodness.
 
The "Grapevines" continue to thrive despite efforts by the enemy to kill them.  God is invested in and committed to HIs covenant with the Jewish people.  He has made and kept His promises to His people and uses the Christian community to help in their fulfillment.  "...New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills, and I will bring my people Israel back from exile.  They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them.  They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.  I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them." (Amos 9:13-15)
 
As the Jews celebrate their new year, we as Christians should be praying for their prosperity and taking our places as harvesters for the Kingdom of God.  God looks with favor on those who help His chosen ones.

The number 40 is significant to God.  The first time we see it in the Bible is in Genesis 7:4 when God tells Noah, "Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made."  After escaping from Egypt, the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.  Exodus 16:35 says, "The Israelites ate manna 40 years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they left the border of Canaan."  When Moses was talking with God, "he stayed on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights." (Exodus 24:18, 34:28)  After Gideon and his tribe subdued the Midianites, "the land enjoyed peace 40 years." (Judges 8:28)  When the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord they were delivered "into the hands of the Philistines for 40 years." (Judges 13:1)  David reigned as king of Israel for 40 years. (2 Samuel 5:4)  Likewise, his son, Solomon, reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel 40 years. (1 Kings 11:42)
 
Joash reigned as king of Israel for 40 years and used this time to repair the temple. (2 Kings 12:1) Through Jonah, God told the Ninevites that they had to repent within 40 days or Nineveh would be destroyed. (Jonah 3:4)  Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days and nights. (Matthew 4:2)  Satan tempted Him during that 40-day period. (Luke 4:2)  After His death and resurrection, "Jesus appeared to His disciples over a period of 40 days and spoke about the kingdom of God." (Acts 1:3)  As we can see from the Scriptures above, 40 is the number of probation and testing that ends in victory or defeat.
 
The Jewish people have established a 40-day period between Elul 1 and Tishrei 10 (Yom Kippur) as a time for repentance.  It is a time to turn from evil and turn towards good.  It takes its name from the Hebrew root word "shoov" which means return.  These days are called The Teshuvah--the days of turning, fasting, and repentance.  The 40 days are meant as a time of preparation for the upcoming new year that begins at sundown on September 18.  It is in this season of turning from sin that one moves toward the Lord.  The key word here is return.  Throughout the Scriptures, prophets and apostles called to God's people to repent and return.  Let's look at some of them:
 
"'Return (Teshuvah) backsliding Israel,' says Adonai.  'I will no longer frown on you, for I am merciful,' says Adonai...'Return (Teshuvah), O backsliding children,' declares Adonai..." (Jeremiah 3:12, 14)
 
"Yet even now, turn (Teshuvah) to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping and lamenting.  Rend your heart, not your garments, and turn (Teshuvah) to Adonai, your God..." (Joel 2:12-13)
 
"Come, let us return (Teshuvah) to Adonai.  He has torn, but He will heal us.  He has smitten, but He will bind us up." (Hosea 6:1)
 
"Return to Me (Teshuvah) and I will return to you." (God's Teshuvah) (Zechariah 1:3)
 
Turn away (Teshuvah) from your sins, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matthew 3:2)
 
"Repent (Teshuvah), therefore, and return (Teshuvah)--so your sins might be blotted out." (Acts 3:19) ("Teshuvah" Scriptures taken from the Messianic Jewish Bible—Tree of Life Version)
 
This is the season when we should be inviting the Holy Spirit to show us what needs to change in our lives.  We need to be mindful of the decisions we make and the actions we take.  I find it fitting that two giants in the faith, Franklin Graham and Jonathan Cahn, have selected September 26 as a day of national repentance (Teshuvah) in Washington, D. C.  The event is called "The Return" and is meant to be a National and Global Day of Prayer and Repentance.  It falls the day before Yom Kippur.  Jonathan Cahn explains that America is in a pivotal moment in time.  We have turned away from our foundations and call good evil and evil good.  The Biblical template shows us that after a nation is warned by God, it has a window of time to repent.  September 26 has been designated as a day of prayer, fasting, and repentance for ourselves and the nation.  It happens to be the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower on the shores of America and 40 days before the presidential election.  Let us join Christians in our nation in humbly coming before the Lord and crying out for His mercy.

​The sixth month of the Spiritual year on the Hebrew calendar is also the 12th month of the physical or civil year.  Six is represented by the Hebrew letter Vav which is a tent peg or nail used to connect or make something secure.  The Hebrew letters Yod or Bet are for 12 and represent leadership and government.  I find the conjunction of these two letters interesting, especially when we consider the times and seasons we are in.  We truly need our government and leadership to be secured or pegged to the King of kings.
 
We have just entered the month of Elul when it is said, "The King is in the field."  God is especially accessible to us during this time before the high holy days of the seventh month of Tishrei.  Elul is when He offers us special access so we can meet Him face to face.  How we need an encounter with the Lord!  Elul could be called "a haven in time."  It is when we should look back to assess what has happened and prepare for the holy days ahead.  During Elul, it is said that the holy visitation of God comes in the mist of our daily lives.
 
Picture yourself working in a field.  How would you feel if the King of your nation came into your field?  Wouldn't you feel a change in the atmosphere around you?  At the same time, we would be honored that the King came into our environment on our terms, so to speak.  Let this remind us that every effort we make should be directed toward bringing God's presence into what we do.  Every realm of our existence should have a goal of transforming each aspect of life, so it becomes a dwelling place for our king.  Ordinary life is meant to be intertwined with godliness so that it brings honor to the King.
 
Elul should remind us that our world is God's dwelling place.  As the King's kids, this is our season to refine our relationship with Him.  Daily repentance would accelerate this process.  The prophet Isaiah encourages us this way:  "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near." (Isaiah 55:6)  The month of Elul is when one is to assess the year gone by and prepare for the high holy days of Tishrei. (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Succot) It is said that God relates to us in a more tangible way during Elul.  Therefore, we should evaluate our past, repent for our sins, and prepare for the future.  Take advantage of the fact that we can approach the King in our own fields, because He comes to encourage us.  It is said that here "the holy meets the mundane."  I believe it is meant to be a season when the King spurs us on to do good works and to get to know Him more intimately through prayer and Bible study.
 
The story of the King in the field should remind Christians of how Jesus left the comforts of heaven and came to earth to demonstrate His love and die for our sins.  The shepherd boy David was a prototype of this.  He went from his father's house into the field to tend the sheep.  He became a worshiper of God, playing his harp and singing songs to the Lord as he tended the sheep.  It would be from his line, the tribe of Judah, that our Messiah would come.  Jesus was indeed a King who left his throne to become the Passover Lamb and "The King of the Jews." (Matthew 27:37)
 
King Jesus, Yeshua, is our Messiah.  He came so that those who seek Him would find Him. (Matthew 7:8) He came into our field for 33 years, taught us the lessons of heaven, and gave us a picture of life in heaven with Him and Father God.  Before dying for our sins, He let us know that there is a table prepared for us in heaven, and that we can have life everlasting with the King of kings and Lord of lords.  This King invites us to come into His presence as He draws very close to us.  Jesus presents us with this haven in time as we get ready for the high holy days of Tishrei.  God wants to meet us in the everyday affairs of our lives.  He wants intimacy with us. The letters of Elul actually form an acronym for the words of Song of Solomon 6:3.  "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine."  Look for the King in your lives during this month, and rejoice that He delights in being with us.

The time frame between the 17th of Tammuz (the 4th month on the Hebrew calendar) and the 9th of Av (the 5th month) is called Bein Hametzarim or "Between the Straits."  The term for this three-week period originated in Lamentations 1:3 as written in Hebrew.  "Judah has gone into exile because of suffering and harsh toil.  She dwelled among the nations but found no rest; all her pursuers overtook her in the narrow straits."  It is also called the time of dire straits.  On Tuesday night we entered the month of Av—one where we need to be vigilant and agree with the promises of God.
 
A cycle of destruction during the dire straits that has been harmful to the Jewish people began when the children of Israel decided to believe a negative report about their ability to take the Promised Land.  Fear overtook them so that they did not believe God's promises.  During a period of 40 years, every person over the age of 19 died in the wilderness, except for Joshua and Caleb, who did go into the Promised Land and settle there.  It is lack of repentance by the Israelites that opened the door for the enemy to attack them repeatedly during The Three Weeks.  The walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans in 69 AD at the beginning of this period. Both temples were destroyed on the 9th of Av.  A Torah scroll was burned by a Roman military leader prior to the Bar Kokhba Revolt of 132 AD.  Crusades against the Jews led to the killing of thousands of them and has continued throughout the years.
 
The Jews know that they must be vigilant during the Dire Straits.  However, many in the church have not understood their spiritual roots and the Biblical calendar that would give them warning about the dire straits.  "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6)  The enemy is still on the prowl against the Jews and Christians.  He rears his ugly head during this season to destroy our spiritual temples.  He seeks to devour us.  We must be "self-controlled and alert."(1 Peter 5:8)  We must be awakened to the demonic cycles of destruction so that we can be ready for battle and take a preemptive strike against the enemy in the power and authority given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
We are definitely in a period of distress right now!  A full-on attack has been launched against our health and economic well-being.  Battles that pit black against white are taking place in our streets.  Our elected officials are placing politics above leading wisely.  Godly values are crumbling, and the family unit is being dismantled.  Both spiritual and natural warfare are intensifying.  
 
What are we to do?  First, I want to bring to your attention Richard Wurmbrand, a Messianic Jew who was imprisoned and tortured by the Communist in Romania for 15 years.  He became an expert at dealing with times of distress and developed a "recipe" for a type of "tea" that had seven ingredients or "herbs," as he called it.  (1) Contentedness - Be satisfied with what you have.  I may shiver in my rags as I gnaw on a crust, but how much worse off I should be if they had thrown me naked into a dungeon with nothing at all to eat!  (2) Common sense - Whether I rejoice or worry, I shall still be in prison, so why repine?  (3) Remembrance of past sin - Count them, and on the supposition that every sin deserves a day in prison, reckon how many lives you would spend behind bars.  You have been let off lightly!  (4) The thought of the Cross - If the only man on earth who could choose his fate chose to become sin, what great value He must have seen in it!  Suffering redeems.  (5) Suffering has been given to us by God as from a father, not to harm us, but to cleanse and sanctify us. - The suffering through which we pass has the purpose of purifying us and preparing us for heaven.  (6) No suffering can harm a Believer's life - ...Prison cannot stop me from loving; iron bars cannot exclude faith...  (7) Hope - The wheel of life may put the emperor's physician in prison, but it goes on turning.  It may put me back into the palace, and even on the throne.  Wurmbrand declared upon his release from prison, "I have drunk barrels of this tea, and I can recommend it to you all.  It has proved good."  He went on to establish an organization that supports Christian who are persecuted called Voice of the Martyrs.
 
Second, we should be alert to the schemes of the enemy against us.  We must stand our ground, being watchful.  Let us realign our hearts with the Lord by repenting for our sins so that the enemy has no legal ground or open doors to enter.  We must be faithful in prayer for Israel, for the Church, and ourselves. We must be those who worship the Lord in every circumstance because worship chases away the enemy and establishes us in God's camp.

Disturbing reports of chaos and destruction are prevalent in the news media.  It seems that mob rule is taking over as those charged with keeping the peace back away and allow the angry mobs to have their way.  What is behind this anarchy?  The events that occurred during the fourth month of the Hebrew calendar (Tammuz—our current month), give us revelation about the spirit of our day.
 
When the children of Israel left Egypt there was not one feeble among them and they left laden with silver and gold. (Psalm 105:37)  In addition, they were being led by God who took the form of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  Their ultimate destination was the Promised Land--"a land flowing with milk and honey."  On the way, God led them to Mt. Sinai where they were reminded of how He brought them out of Egypt and provided for them throughout their journey.  Moses went to the top of the mountain to receive the Lord's commandments.  A blood covenant was made between God and the people. (Exodus 24:8)  Then, "Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the 70 elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel...They saw God, and they ate and drank." (Exodus 24:9-11)  "Then Moses entered the cloud as he went up the mountain.  And he stayed on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights." (Exodus 24:18) Before he left, Moses put Aaron and Hur in charge.
 
No sooner had Aaron returned to the camp then the people schemed to make other gods.  How could they?  First, they took their eyes off God's promises.  Second, they did not remember all the signs and wonders they saw.  Third, they wanted immediate comfort and security and were willing to give up their inheritance for it.  How tragic!!  Aaron joined the mob in building a golden calf from the gold taken out of Egypt.  In front of the calf Aaron built an altar and all of Israel sacrificed burnt offerings, ate and drank, and indulged in revelry. (Exodus 32:6)  Immediate gratification was the call for the day.  The anger of the Lord was so great that He wanted to kill all of them.  The Lord relented only after Moses interceded.
 
Reuben was the first-born son of Jacob and Leah and is associated with this month of Tammuz.  As the first-born son, he stood to receive a double portion of his father's inheritance and should have been a leader of the other brothers and their tribes, and a priest of his family.  However, he esteemed his birthright lightly and lost it all from lack of self-control and patience.  His sin was great against God and his father, Jacob.  "Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it." (Genesis 35:22)  Reuben's sin resulted in shame and loss for the rest of his life.  His behavior had ramifications for generations to come.  When it came time to enter the Promised Land, Reuben settled for land east of the Jordan and rejected his portion of the inheritance.
 
There are lessons for us to learn on how to live during this month of Tammuz and in the future.  All of us have received promises from God that should guide us toward our destinies.  We must stay focused on those promises and wait with patience for God's perfect timing.  As He tells us in Isaiah 55:8, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways."  Destructive behaviors lead to losses in the future.  A desire for immediate gratification that results in rash decisions and activities brings an inferior inheritance.  We must not settle for less than God's best, and we must agree with His methods and timing to see the manifestation of His promises.  We cannot join the angry mobs in building "golden calves"—idols that only give a moment of satisfaction.
 
This is the time when we should be reviewing the signs that God has given us and focusing on His promises.  We cannot be seduced into producing idols that feel good now.  Paul gives us excellent advice in Philippians 3:14.  "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."  How should we move forward to our Promised Lands?  We must keep our eyes focused on God's promises and persevere with patience.  If we are tempted with thoughts of discouragement or desires for building an idol, replace them with extravagant worship to our Lord and King who will guide us to our destinies.  He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it. (Philippians 1:6)

Look outside and observe the beautiful display that nature is showing us!  It emerges from its winter rest with strength and vitality to produce flowers, leaves and fruit.  This is a season that can produce hope for the future if we allow God to speak to us through creation.  It is His desire for us to walk in blessings because of His love for us.  He also wants us to demonstrate His Kingdom to others. To accomplish the pouring out of these benefits, the Lord set up cycles of blessings and rest that are meant to lead us to our destinies.  True rest, brought about through trusting in the Lord, will propel us into our futures like an arrow released from a bow.  It is interesting that the prophet Isaiah compares the children of Israel to an arrow.  "...He made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in His quiver.’  He said to me, ‘You are my servant Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.'" (Isaiah 49:2-3)
 
God's Word explains His cycles of blessing.  The weekly cycle is patterned after the seven days of creation.  The seventh day of the week is for rest where we celebrate Him, meditate on His blessings, and become strengthened physically and spiritually. (Genesis 2:2-3) The monthly cycle, Rosh Chodesh or the New Moon Festival, is a "firstfruits celebration." It falls on the first day of each month on the Hebrew calendar and is a time of joyful celebration when God's people gather together to gain revelation for the month ahead.  It is also a time to present the Lord with a firstfruits gift to honor Him by giving Him the first and best of all He has given to us. (Numbers 28:11-15)  As we participate in this festival, we honor God with the first of our time and receive a day of rest somewhat like the Sabbath.  The third cycle of blessing is yearly and includes three key appointed times to set aside our routines and meet Him. (Exodus 23:14-17) The three feasts are Passover (Pesach), Pentecost (Shavuot) and Tabernacles (Sukkot). God chose them as a time to reveal Himself to us and to demonstrate His greatest works.  These feasts align our lives with God's timing.  Passover is a time to remember God's redemption, Pentecost His physical provision and power through the outpouring of His Spirit, and Tabernacles to receive joy by dwelling in God's presence and celebrating His glory.
 
Since rest is an integral part of all God's blessings, let's look at what it includes and why it is critical for a healthy life.  Moses said to the Lord, "'If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you...' The Lord replied, 'My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'"  That promise of rest was key to receiving God's blessings and is meant for all of God's children.  Under the leadership of Joshua, the promise to Moses was fulfilled.  "The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their ancestors..." (Joshua 21:44)  The writer of Psalm 91 explains how important it is to dwell in the presence of the Lord.  "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." 
 
The core of rest is trust in the Lord!  The writer of Hebrews explains this in Chapter 4.  Those with unbelieving hearts have not entered faith's rest.  "For those of us who believe, faith activates the promise, and we experience the realm of confident rest!" (Hebrews 4:3 - TPT) The whole world is in a season of rest now.  As all of us are quarantined to protect us from the virus, we are in a season of waiting, and we have more time to reflect on our lives.  We are being prepared for the season of breakout.  If the truth be admitted, our lives before the virus were too busy, and seasons of rest were ignored.  This gift of time has allowed us to refocus on what is important.  Rest and relaxation lead to refreshing, rejuvenation and renewal.
 
Have you ever wondered why an archer unstrings his bow? Before the archer shoots, he tightens the strings, creating tension.  When the shot is released some of this tension is released but not all of it.  The tension on the limbs of the bow weakens them over time and produces what is called fatigue.  Unstringing the bow releases the tension, prolongs the bows longevity, and gives it power to propel an arrow to hit its target.
 
We must use this season of rest to unstring our bows.  We are in a time of preparation for the next season.  Rest comes by trusting the Lord to accomplish all that He intends for us.  As we wait on Him and allow Him to transform us, we become more like Him and will break forth in beauty and power.  Read the word of the Psalmist and let it inspire you:  "I cried out to the Lord.  'God, come and save me!'...He answered me and came to my rescue!  Now I can say to myself and to all, 'Relax and rest, be confident and serene, for the Lord rewards those who simply trust in Him.'" (Psalm 116:4, 6-7 - TPT)