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]Early in his life David was forced to flee from his king and father-in-law, Saul -- to flee for his life. During this long season of exile and hiding David began to find himself surrounded by loyal friends who joined themselves to him. But these were friends of an unusual kind: they were men who had all been unhappy, distressed, helpless, or in debt -- by and large, the outcasts of the world. But an amazing thing happened to these formerly hapless human beings when they joined with David; they were empowered and became his "mighty men." When David finally became King of Israel, these men were ennobled and raised to be princes and officers in his Kingdom.
Sukkot is a festival about rejoicing in the blessings that God has provided, but let’s be sure our focus is on the Lord of blessing – instead of the blessings!
During the Feast of Sukkot, the Jewish people took part in a water drawing ceremony on the last day of the feast. They would go down to the Pool of Siloam, draw water and bring it to the Temple Mount. Then they would pour out the water and recite Isaiah 12, "and with joy you shall draw water out of the wells (springs) of salvation." In Hebrew, the word salvation and Yeshua (Jesus, in Hebrew), are the same.
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This reminded me of when we first moved to Israel, in 2003.
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