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 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 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 …
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…
If you were to visit Paris, you could see the statues of two men, both named Louis.
The first is of Louis XIV, France’s absolute monarch. He represents one of the supreme achievements of greatness through power. His philosophy of life was that the whole nation and the world, should serve him.
I don’t know about you, but it seems that the tests we’re going through are getting harder and harder. Do you remember when you took tests in high school? At the time they may have seemed hard. But imagine if you had to take an elementary school test when you were in high school. You’d probably think – oh this is so simple.
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!