Psalms 27:1,5,14The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. 14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
Traditionally in Jewish spirituality, these 40 days of prayer and repentance beginning the 1st of Elul to Yom Kippur parallel the 40 days that Moses spent on the mountain [Exodus 34:28] pleading God’s forgiveness for Israel’s sin of creating and worshiping the golden calf. Interestingly, Psalm 27 is read each day of the month of Elul, along with the shofar blast in preparation for Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).
Ancient Jewish sages teach that Elul is an intense season of repentance and reckoning, preparing for a direct “face to face” encounter with God. Their belief is that such repentance qualifies us to be in right standing with the Almighty, able to speak to Him without any hindrances, “face to face” as Moses did as God’s friend; [Exodus 33:11]. Moses waited on the LORD for 40 days until his face radiated the glory of God; so the daily exhortation in Psalm 27 “Seek my face” [verse 8], serves for them as an exhortation during this season, with the expectation of a divine encounter.
How does seeking God’s face in the presence of enemies (the major theme of Psalm 27) relate to Moses’ 40 days on Mount Sinai? Simply that the sin of Israel’s idolatrous worship opened the door for God’s judgment, often manifested as enemy invasion. And turning back to Him was the only sure protection. Moses did this as an intercessor for the nation, as such, typifying the intercessory work of the Messiah, descending from the mountain radiant with the glory of God on His face, and carrying a second presentation of YHVH’s word, the Ten Commandments.
We know, however, that repentance alone, no matter how fervent or persistent, does not qualify us for a “face-to-face” encounter with God and that the Law of Moses is insufficient to provide for us the righteousness God requires for intimate communion with Him. In fact, the apostle Paul describes the covenant of Moses: “…the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones…[2 Corinthians 3:7], even though it appeared with the glory of God on His servant’s face.
But, “..we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord;” [2 Corinthians 3:18]. Beholding the glory of Messiah, waiting on Him in this, or any season, will cause us to radiate His nature, presence, and love. This is the amazing glory of the New Covenant in His blood, access to the very presence of God through Yeshua the Messiah. Spend time in His Presence, radiate His glory.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Some of you know the miraculous story of our daughter Elianna. She was born blind, with a rare eye condition called bilateral vitreous hemorrhage. We didn't even realize it until she was three months old. When we went to the doctors in Israel, they advised an immediate risky surgery. We quickly went to the Lord in prayer and fasting for her healing. Low and behold, the Lord began to heal our little one!! Today, three years later, we're overjoyed to say that despite the fact that her vision is not yet perfect, she is a thriving and beautifully developing child!
The noted English architect Sir Christopher Wren was supervising the construction of a magnificent cathedral in London. A journalist thought it would be interesting to interview some of the workers, so he chose three and asked them this question, “What are you doing?” The first replied, “I’m cutting stone for a shabby 10 shillings a day.” The next answered, “I’m putting in 13 hard hours a day on this job.” But the last said, “I’m helping Sir Christopher Wren construct one of London’s greatest cathedrals.”
Ever since the Garden of Eden where the story began and our first parents sinned, fear has permeated humankind. The fracturing of relationships, God to man, man to man, man to woman, engendered a universal pandemic of fear and alienation. Fear supplied the Adversary, Satan ("satan" means adversary in Hebrew) with a powerful means for control, manipulation, and deception of fallen humanity, with nearly infinite varieties of expression.
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“Teacher”, said a young boy, “why is it that so many prayers are unanswered? I do not understand. The Bible says, ‘Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock and the door shall be opened unto you.’ But it seems to me a great many knock and are not admitted.