Hosea 3:4-5 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.
A prayer frequently heard at the conclusion of Orthodox Jewish services is “Ani Ma’amin” translated, “I believe.” The full prayer is. “I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Mashiach; and even though he may tarry, nevertheless, I wait each day for his coming.”
We know that Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) did not meet the expectations of the Pharisees at His first coming because they were jealous of Him and focused on a victorious king, “Mashiach ben David”, one who would rule on the throne of David, bring judgment to the wicked and restore the Temple and the Kingdom to Israel. So, to this day, Orthodox Jews anxiously await Messiah’s arrival, believing he could come at any time.
Now this important prophecy in Hosea, often overlooked, speaks of a period of time for many days when Israel would be without a King, or Prince, or a sacrifice, or other religious articles — but that in the latter days (the Hebrew literally means “the End of Days”) the nation will return, and seek the Lord and the Messiah — specifically “Mashiach ben David” — the Messiah Son of David. This time period began with the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD and continues to the present.
But even having missed the first coming of the true Messiah, still, the Jewish people nourish a continuing hope and expectation for His coming, which is included regularly in their liturgy. Enduring exile and persecution over many generations they have continued in the unwavering hope of his coming.
In light of this example of persevering hope among the Jewish people, how much more expectant and hopeful ought we to be who already truly know Him who is coming again for us…and for them? He who was resurrected from the dead — Yeshua, the “hope of glory”! As the earth continues to groan, and so do we, let’s keep our focus where it really belongs. He is coming soon. Even so, Come Lord Jesus!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]The conquest of the land did not happen in a single moment — it unfolded over years of battles, endurance, and sustained faith. What began at the Jordan required perseverance through opposition, setbacks, and continued trust in God. City by city and territory by territory, Israel advanced, not by one decisive act alone, but through a journey of ongoing reliance on the Lord.
Jericho stood as the first and most formidable barrier in the land of promise. Its walls were thick, its defenses strong, and its reputation intimidating. From a natural perspective, it was unconquerable. Israel had just entered the land, and immediately, they were confronted with a fortress that could not be overcome by conventional means.
After crossing the Jordan and being consecrated at Gilgal, Israel did not immediately march into battle. Before Jericho, before strategy, before conquest, God brought them back to worship — they kept the Passover. In the very land of promise, they paused to remember the blood. This reveals the order of God: before you fight for what He has promised, you remember what He has already done. Before inheritance is possessed, redemption is honored. The same God who brought them out of Egypt by the blood of the lamb was now bringing them into the land by His faithfulness, and worship anchored this transition.
Elul is unlike any other month. As we mentioned yesterday, it is the 12th month on the civil calendar and the 6th on the prophetic calendar. This dual position gives Elul a unique character — it both closes a cycle and prepares for a new one. That is why the shofar sounds each day during Elul: it is a wake-up call, reminding us to reflect, repent, and return to the Lord before the great and awesome days of the Fall Feasts.
This begins a very special season on God’s calendar — the month of preparation before the Fall Feasts. The month of Elul is unique: it is the 12th month on the civil calendar and the 6th month on the prophetic/biblical calendar. Each day of Elul is marked by the blowing of the shofar, a trumpet call that awakens the soul. These daily blasts prepare our hearts for Yom Teruah (the Feast of Trumpets, Rosh Hashanah) and ultimately for Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).
We have come to the final meditation in this journey through the Z’roah, the Arm of the LORD. From the Arm that redeemed Israel out of Egypt, to the Arm that pierced the dragon, to the Arm that is coming with reward — all of these revelations lead us here: the Arm that brings His people into rest.
Isaiah’s vision looks ahead — not only to the Arm of the LORD revealed in the Exodus or even in the cross, but to the day when that same Arm will come again in glory. This is not a picture of brute force but of purposeful arrival. The Z’roah — the Arm of the LORD — comes clothed with strength to establish His rule, and He does not come empty-handed. His reward is with Him, and His work is before Him. The promise is sure: He is coming, and He is rewarding.