This week in Israel:
1. THE BLOSSOMING OF THE ALMONDS-WAKE, WATCH, SEE!
This past week we were driving in west Jerusalem near the little community of Ein Kerem (The village where John the Baptist is thought to have been born), when we began to notice the bare branches of trees alongside the road dotted with white. The almond blossoms were awakening! This is always an excitement here-even before the first green leaves appear, these trees burst into blazes of white on all the still-greening valleys round Jerusalem. The Hebrew word for almond is "sha'ked". Perhaps a reason it is related to "sho'ked" (Biblical Hebrew: "wake" or "watch") is that this is the first tree to "awaken" each year; it is alert, watchful, diligent in knowing its time of coming forth. In fact, in Modern Hebrew the verb means "to be diligent-to persevere." Both words Hebrew words appear in Jeremiah 1:11-12, when the LORD asks, "Jeremiah, what do you see?" and he answers, "I see a branch of an almond (shaked) tree." The LORD responds, "You have seen well, for I am wakeful/watching (sho'ked)over my Word to perform it." In context, the "Word" the LORD was watching wakefully and diligently to perform appears to be related to the "words" He had placed in Jeremiah's mouth (vs. 9).
PLEASE PRAY:
* That the prophetic gift of "seer" be restored to the body of Messiah in the Land of Israel.
* In this year of "seeing"-that believers in Israel will hear when the Holy Spirit quickens us to "look again" and think on what we're looking at. That we will take time to observe accurately and bring what we see to Him for interpretation.
* For realization that the "Words" God has released over Israel both in ancient times and in us personally today are being diligently and alertly watched over by the Father to be released precisely in their timing.
* That watchmen and watchwomen in Israel will awaken, shake themselves and shine--even while it may still be winter and many others are asleep. That we present ourselves alert, diligent and persevering to watch "with Him" (Mark 14:37) when He calls.
* For musicians and minstrels-to stay awake and alert through their 'worship watches'-realizing that theirs also is the awakening of life and releasing of the Word in time of winter.
2. DISCOVERY OF HEBREW WRITING FROM THE TIME OF DAVID-ON BEHALF OF SLAVES, WIDOWS, STRANGERS, INFANTS AND TH E POOR.
A breakthrough discovery in biblical research was announced this past Thursday by the University of Haifa, where a Professor Gershon Galil has evidently successfully deciphered an inscription on a 3000 year old pottery shard found in Israel 1 ½ years ago, and judged the script to be an ancient form of Hebrew. If accurate, this would be the earliest example of Hebrew writing known. Furthermore, the fragment makes mention of a "king"-thus indicating that a kingdom indeed existed here in Israel during the period of David (ca 1000 BC). Until now much secular biblical scholarship was been skeptical of the existence of any biblical writings (especially in Hebrew) until hundreds of years later than the age of this shard; in fact, many have denied that Hebrew even existed as a language at that early a time. This discovery points towards the plausibility of a tenet which religious Jews and Christians have always held, that portions of the Scriptures have been written in Hebrew as far back as the reign of David and before, and that a form of the Hebrew language has been used in Israel since ancient times.
The writing is of a kind of ink written on pottery. Prof. Galil has shown that the words contain roots common to Hebrew but rare to other Semitic languages. Some words, such as almana (widow), have spellings which are peculiar to Hebrew. The text is only a fragment and tiny-yet in its five lines it mentions "worship", the use of [good] judgment on behalf of slaves, widows, and strangers (in the land), pleading on behalf of infants, the poor and widows; rehabilitation of the poor "at the hands of the king"; protection of the poor and the slave, and support for the stranger. This, Prof. Galil commented, "that these ideas while typical of the Biblical text, reflect ideas virtually unheard of in the surrounding cultures. He is convinced that "this discovery disproves the current theory, which holds that the Bible could not have been written before the 6th century B.C.E., because Hebrew writing did not exist until then." (See: "Inscription indicates Kingdom of Israel existed in the 10th century BCE.": Shalhevet Zohar: The Jerusalem Post:Online Edition; 8 January 2010; AND, "Deciphered etching sheds new light on Bible's origin.": Fadi Eyadat, HAARETZ.com, 8 Jan 10.)
PLEASE PRAY:
*God's Kingdom Come! He is watching over His Word to perform it. He has promised to restore the ancient language (Zephaniah 3:9 NKJV), to restore David as a shepherd and prince in Israel (Ezekiel 34:23-24), and to establish a Kingdom for His Son which will have no end (Daniel 7:13-14).
*We see this inscription as a call for Israel to return to that which was obviously considered righteous and just during King David's reign. James 1:27 says: "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."
3. ROSH CHODESH "SH'VAT" BEGINS FRIDAY NIGHT-A MONTH FOR STIRRING OUR ZEAL FOR JERUSALEM.AND OUR AWARENESS AND COOPERATION WITH HEAVENLY MESSENGERS.
Rosh Chodesh (pronounced "Roshe HO'desh") means "Head of the Month" and is the first day (beginning at sundown the evening before) of each month in the Hebrew (Biblical) calendar. It IS mentioned in Scriptures as having been celebrated regularly in ancient Israel at the time of the new moon. It is a time to celebrate and give thanks for God's mercies over the past month-and to pray and decree His Word and purposes over the month ahead. This Friday evening begins the month of Sh'vat (or Shevat/Shebat). The only place where this month Sh'vat is specifically mentioned by name in the Bible is Zechariah 1:7. Angels had been patrolling their 'watches' around the world and all seemed quiet. However, the Lord of Hosts released a warning that he was angry with the nations and that anger was related to their actions towards Jerusalem. He continued, "I am exceedingly jealous/zealous for Jerusalem and Zion.My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and YHVH (the LORD) shall again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem" (1:14,17). In Ch 3:2 the Adversary/Satan is himself rebuked in the Name of "YHVH who has chosen Jerusalem."
A unique feature of the first half of this book is the presence of intense angelic activity observed by and interacting with the prophet. In particular, beginning with 1:9, is a recurrent mention of "ha-mal'ach ha-dover bi" -- "the angel who talked with me." As we approach the beginning of this month of Sh'vat:
PLEASE PRAY:
*Thanksgiving over the blessings of the past month of Tevet.
* Ask the LORD to give you words to pray, to proclaim, to decree over this new month regarding your own family, home, community and nation-and over Israel and Jerusalem.
* For more understanding of the jealous zeal which the LORD of Hosts has for Jerusalem; how we may be vessels for the release of that zeal in our intercession-and how like the angel in Zechariah 3:2, we may wield it as a weapon against the Adversary.
*FOR BELIEVERS IN ISRAEL TO MATURE IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR PLACE IN MESSIAH IN THE HEAVENLIES-TO THE PLACE THAT THERE CAN BE INTERACTION WITH GOD'S HEAVENLY MESSENGERS WHEN NECESSARY-THAT WE WILL HAVE EARS TO HEAR AND UNDERSTAND WHEN ANGELS CHOOSE TO SPEAK WITH US.
4. ATTACKS RESUME FROM GAZA STRIP.
"You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day" (Psalm 91:5).
This past week over 20 rockets and mortar shells were fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip. It was by far the largest measure of this sort of thing since the end of Israel's "Cast Lead" offensive a year ago. The Israeli Air Force immediately responded by attacking perceived manufacturing plants for rockets and tunnels currently used by Iran to smuggle missiles and rockets into the Strip.
PLEASE PRAY:
*That YHVH Tzevaot, Elohei Ma'archot Yisrael-YHVH of Armies, God of the Arraying of Israel (I Samuel 17:45) will council our Prime Minister, Defense Minister and military leaders in how to effectively and decisively respond to these attacks on Israel's sovereignty.
*Protection over those living within the range of the missiles, that they put their trust in the Most High, under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1).
5. CHIEF RABBI CALLS FOR DAY OF FASTING THURSDAY FOR RAIN IN ISRAEL.
"The poor and the needy seek water, but there is none.I the LORD will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them" (Isaiah 41:17).
The Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar today called on all capable of fasting to do so and to pray this Thursday 14 January that God will end the drought which has brought devastation on Israel's water supply and seriously endangered our agriculture. As America, England and the European mainland have been enduring severe bouts of snow, ice and low temperatures, Israel has been experiencing summer-like weather. We are still in the season of the former (early) rains (The latter rains begin around the Passover season and usually continue until early May). Israel has had a few rains-but not nearly enough to make a big difference in our water supply. In a notice sent today to rabbis and synagogues across the nation, the Chief Rabbi wrote: "Because of our sins the water situation is in a serious state. Our duty in this situation is to scrutinize and examine our actions and bring ourselves close to God with all our hearts. We must be repentant with broken hearts and anyone who is able should fast, if not a whole day at least a half day" ("Chief Rabbi calls fast day for Thursday": Matthew Wagner, Jerusalem Post: Online Edition, 11 January 2010).
PLEASE PRAY:
*That Israel will humble herself to seek the Lord for restoration of her water supply (Isaiah 41:17-20).
*That God would mercifully send a fullness of both former and latter rains between now and May on both Israel and our neighbors.
This week's Torah Portion:
From ancient times there has been a weekly portion from the five books of Moses (The Torah) and from the prophets (Haftarah-final reading) read on the Sabbath in synagogues around the world. This portion is given a Hebrew name taken from the opening words of the passage. An illustration of this practice appears to have been recorded in Luke 4:16 where Yeshua (Jesus) arrived in the synagogue in Nazareth and was asked to read the Haftarah portion (Isaiah 61) from the Prophets. We have found that in perusing these weekly readings, not only are we provided opportunity to identify in the context of God's Word with millions of Jewish people around the world, but very often the Holy Spirit will illumine specific passages pertinent that week in our intercession for the Land and people of Israel. While it is not within the scope of this Prayer Update to supply a "commentary" on these readings, we will here and there draw attention to certain points which may prove helpful in informing our intercession. All texts are those of English translations of the Scriptures.
The readings for January 10-16 are called Va'Era ("I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as El Shaddai."), and include:
TORAH: Exodus 6:2-9:35
HAFTARAH: Ezekiel 25:25-29:21
[The Torah and Haftarah portions for next week (17-23 January, "Bo") will be: Exodus 10:1-13:16; Jeremiah 46:13-28]
