Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together”, says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.”
The Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur in Hebrew, was the single most important day during the time of Yeshua (Jesus) and still holds utmost significance in Israel and among Jews worldwide today.
I mentioned that every year the high priest would sacrifice a goat and sprinkle its blood on the altar for the atonement of the people. But there were actually two goats sacrificed on this day. One’s blood was sprinkled on the altar but the other was led to a cliff in the wilderness, where it would meet its end. This goat was called the “scapegoat” – it represented the “carrying away” of the iniquities of the children of Israel.
It is in connection with this ceremony, that an interesting tradition arose which is mentioned in the Mishna, an ancient Jewish commentary. A crimson colored sash would be placed on the door of the Temple before that second goat was sent into the wilderness. When the goat died, somehow the sash would mysteriously turn to white. And this was a sign to Israel that God had accepted their sacrifice and their sins were forgiven. The Mishna goes on to say, however, that something mysteriously happened in 30 AD, approximately forty years before the destruction of the Second Temple. Despite the continued goat sacrifices each year, the sash never turned to white again.
Hmm. What other very significant thing happened about this very time? Yeshua (Jesus) died.
Two thousand years ago, the final sacrifice was made for the atonement of our sins and for the sins of all who would believe. Yes! Yeshua is the Messiah! He has died and risen again! He rules at the right hand of our Father and He is interceding for us right now! Let’s pray for the world’s eyes to be opened today! There’s so much work to be done!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]The place we call home in Israel is in the rebuilt city of Arad, an ancient city rebuilt in 1962 near the historic site of Tel Arad. It was the first planned city in Israel.
Tel Arad was an ancient fortress that, according to archaeologists, has been destroyed and rebuilt at least ten times. The citadel was thought to have originally been built during the times of King David and Solomon. The Negev desert’s arid conditions have remarkably preserved the fortress’s archaeological layers, providing a continuous record of its history for hundreds of years.
Last week, I did a series of devotionals on the Dead Sea scrolls. As I’ve been pointing out the archaeological discoveries as well as their prophetic significance, I’ve saved the best for last! Recently discovered fragments of the Bible in the Dead Sea region containing two passages of Scripture are incredibly relevant. I spoke of the passage in Zechariah last week.
When we study a translation of a Scripture passage we often miss out on the nuances hidden in the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament). Often, it’s not that a word is mistranslated, but that rendering the meaning in one English word is difficult if not impossible.
When Moses sent out the 12 spies to report on the condition of the land of “milk and honey”, ten of the spies brought back a bad report. They focused on the giants, and the great obstacles in their way. They walked with eyes set on the physical realm and said within themselves, “We are but grasshoppers in the sight of these giants!
Living in Israel all these years, I often encounter amazing stories of God’s deliverance and grow increasingly fond of listening to the fascinating ways He shows His power. During our tour in England recently, we met a man whose family experienced a great miracle during WW1. He tells this incredible story…
In this world we will face all kinds of obstacles, trials and tribulations and we should be wary of any doctrines or teachings that say we shouldn’t have to face these things. Why? Because the Lord said we will have tribulations. So the encouragement He is giving is simply this: You’re going to face trials, but GOD is greater than any problem you will face in this world!
When the prophet Jonah entered Nineveh, he gave a message of hopelessness — in 40 days your city will be destroyed! He did not say, Nineveh will be destroyed “unless”, but emphatically prophesied destruction to the people of the city — seeming to say their situation was hopeless. Yet hearing this message …