History

RETURN TO ZION – the Miracle of Modern Israel

September 25, 2020 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

The destruction of Jerusalem and the second temple by the Romans in 70 CE and the banishment of the Jewish people to the far corners of the Roman Empire ended the Jewish nation and the sovereignty of the Jewish people of Judah for almost 2,000 years. During the following centuries, until the 19th century, whenever a Jewish population attempted to settle and gather in the suburbs of Jerusalem, they were warned off by the reigning empire—frequently by force. After the decree of Rome banishing the Jewish people from the city of Jerusalem and the region, the Roman government renamed the land “Palestine.”

Thereafter, the Jewish people suffered prejudice and persecution as a people. There ceased to be a Jewish nation – neither Israel nor Judah. As the Lord warned through the biblical prophets, the people of Israel were scattered around the earth. However, the Jewish people stayed together as a people wherever they lived throughout the world, observing the Sabbath and celebrating the Jewish (biblical) holidays. During the Passover Seder (meal), they recited the story of deliverance from slavery in Egypt, and at the end, they proclaimed: “Next year in Jerusalem!”

The land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem were never forgotten. In the latter19th century, events began to transpire that would eventually give birth, after almost two millennia, to the modern Jewish state of Israel.

The “Aliyah Movement”

The literal meaning of the Hebrew word, “Aliyah” is “to go up.” In other words, no matter where a Jewish immigrant is coming from to Jerusalem or the Land of Israel, he is going up. It is also the term for calling a member of a Jewish synagogue to “come up” to read the weekly portion from the Holy Torah scroll.

The Aliyah movement was a response to the historic and repeated persecution of European Jews. It swept young Jewish adults of Eastern Europe in an almost spontaneous burst of passion for the Land.

The First Aliyah in 1881 to 1882 – a reaction to pogroms (an organized massacre) in Czarist Russia would eventually include almost 35,000 Jewish pioneers, a generation of Jewish young adults determined to leave their countries of origin and “go up” to the land of their forefathers, now called Palestine. Their passion was to rebuild their families and the land. These pioneers frequently overcame monumental obstacles to reach the historic lands of Judah and Israel, at that time known as “Palestine,” in an attempt to build a new life for themselves and the Jewish people.

The First Zionist Congress – The second significant event in the latter 19th century was the emergence of Zionism under the initial inspiration and leadership of Theodor Herzl, a successful secular Jewish journalist from Vienna, who was shocked by the deadly anti-Semitism, prejudice, and persecution of the European Jews at the hand of the gentiles, and was convinced that they were a continual threat. The solution, according to Herzl, was a Jewish homeland in Zion, the ancient land of the Jewish people. To this end, he organized the First Zionist Congress, held in Basel, Switzerland, in 1897 with about 200 Jewish delegates in attendance from different nations.

During the 19th century, as the First Aliyah began to unfold, and the First Zionist Conference was held, Christian leaders were of mixed opinions as to the significance of these matters. Some read the prophecies in the scriptures and were certain the nation of Israel had to be reborn. Others, believing in the replacement theology, were just as certain Israel and the Jews were rejected by God and replaced by the “Church.” Depending on the denomination, churches were for or against, (moral) support to the Zionist cause.

This debate continued right up until the UN voted in 1948 to make a way for a Jewish homeland, and continues to rage to the present day. Is it Prophetic or Political? Whether it is a Russian diplomat acting on behalf of the Czar; or a U.S. President, or the U.S. State, religious and/or political beliefs lie beneath the surface of action or inaction. Even today, beliefs, as well as self-interest and necessities, right or wrong, specifically affect individuals’ and nations’ positions on the events taking place in the Middle East.

Following the death of Herzl in July 1904, the banner for a Jewish state was carried by a new generation of secular, humanist, European Jews. Chaim Weizmann and David Ben-Gurion were the most notable. The motivating force behind the struggle for the creation of a Jewish homeland was driven by these men who were liberal, even socialist in their beliefs and politics.

Religious Judaism was not significantly represented among the early leaders of what became the first Israeli politicians. They were not motivated at all by a historical/biblical longing for the return to the land of their fathers. Their motivation was nationalistic; to the extent that they were convinced, there could never be peace for Jews in any non-Jewish country.

Internationally, and under all circumstances, whenever events turned negative—be they political, economic, or even climate change—the Jews were always the convenient scapegoats for blame. Even in the USA, it was widely held among the general population that “the Jews were behind the banking crisis and the Great Depression.”

The early Zionist founders were Jews but had no real connection to the Jewish religion or traditions. Some barely believed in God, or not at all. In fact, religious Judaism was skeptical of any effort to create a new Jewish state. Many Orthodox rabbis spoke openly against it, even maintaining it was up to the Messiah, when He comes, to reestablish the nation. Many went so far as to say working for a (secular) Jewish state was blasphemous.

The Balfour Declaration – Britain’s Lord Balfour’s declaration was a public statement issued on November 2, 1917, by the British government and published on November 9, 1917. It declared support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, (which was at that time a Muslim Ottoman Empire region with a small minority Jewish population.)

It seemed to satisfy the vision Herzl had for a Jewish home in their homeland. However, its implementation met with opposition within the British government because England was dependent upon the expanding crude oil development of the Middle East, which necessitated good relations and support of the Arab populations and states that apparently controlled the crude reserves.

At the conclusion of WWI, the victorious Allies, at the encouragement of Great Britain, made several modifications to the map of the Middle East that was previously the undivided Turkish Ottoman Empire. They divided up much of that territory to create a new map. Included in this innovative map-making was the creation of several new countries that had never existed before, such as Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and others. The “Great Nations” behind this new map of the Middle East were Great Britain, France, and, to some extent, Russia.

A New Map

With all of this “new country creation,” the Zionists had realistic expectations, in light of the Balfour Declaration, that Great Britain would only allow for a sliver of land in Palestine for the first Jewish homeland in two millennia.

Unfortunately, even this did not happen at that time, as the national security voices within the British Foreign Office prevailed with the argument that the vast Arab majority of the Middle East, where the largest concentration of future crude oil was certain to be located, would not permit the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine, no matter how small.

The League of Nations (later to become the United Nations) gave Great Britain the mandate over the Palestine area, which included the area that is now Jordan. The British were supposed to be there until the Jews would be able to rule their new state. They were also supposed to keep the peace in this troubled spot. This enabled the British to maintain British dominance in this strategic region.

But, due to England’s growing prejudice and hostility toward world Jewry and their religion, as the 20th Century progressed, it became clear to the Zionists that a Jewish homeland in Palestine might never be achieved. With hostility increasing all over Europe toward the Jews and British policy limiting the immigration of Jews to Palestine, Jews began to resort to “illegal” means to enter and settle in Palestine.

Nowhere to go

Even as Hitler’s final solution to exterminate the Jewish population of Europe progressed, Great Britain continued to forbid entry of additional European Jews refugees to Palestine. Once Hitler was finally defeated, Europe found itself with millions of DPs, (Displaced Persons,) of which the majorities were Jewish survivors of the Hitler extermination machine. These Jewish Holocaust survivors soon discovered they were not even welcome to return to their former European homes or cities. When a few brave ones attempted, they were greeted not as survivors of Hitler, but as “the cause of the war.”

A significant number of those who survived Hitler were killed by angry anti-Semite mobs when they attempted to return to their homes which had been confiscated (among them were Bella’s father’s family.) In Poland, returning survivors were attacked with shouts of, “Hitler should have finished the job! Why aren’t you dead?” The Allies decided it was too risky to allow these Jewish survivors to “just run loose.” So, the Allied Occupation Command decided to convert many of Hitler’s “death” camps to “DP camps,” camps for displaced persons (Bella was born in a DP camp in 1947). Once again, the Jews were locked up!

Although pressure was mounting on Britain to let some of these Holocaust survivors enter Palestine, the British government feared it would provoke an Arab violent reaction, as it saw itself as the only peacekeeping force in Palestine between the Arab population and the growing Jewish one.

By the fall of 1947, the pressure upon the British had grown almost intolerable, with U.S. President Harry Truman leading the way, finally, Great Britain agreed to an option of ending the mandate (trusteeship) submitted to a vote by the newly created United Nations general assembly. Britain lobbied on behalf of a proposal, calling for the simultaneous creation of an Arab state and a Jewish state, dividing the previously undivided Palestine.

However, with the growing aspirations of the Soviet Union in the Middle East and the desire to reduce the influence of Great Britain in the region, the Soviet Union, with all of their vassal states, voted for the end of the mandate and the creation of an independent Jewish state.

The U.N. vote on November 29, 1947, ended the British mandate in the region, as well as the blockade of the European-Jews, immigrated to Palestine.

Declaration of the State of Israel

Immediately upon the withdrawal of the last British troops from Palestine, Ben-Gurion, the leader of the Jewish population in the land declared the independence and statehood of the Jewish nation, calling the new Jewish state and the land – “Israel.” In fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 66:8, on May 14, 1948, a nation, the Nation of Israel was truly born in a day.

Once the U.N. voted to end the mandate, and cleared the way for a Jewish state, it began to establish the permissible, likely borders. Also, it was envisioned that an additional Arab/Palestinian state would simultaneously be created in the former British Mandate Palestine.

The neighboring and existing (Islamic) Arab nations in the region opposed the idea of a Jewish state ever emerging in the Middle East, no matter how small. At the core of the Arab opposition was a fundamental Islamic inviolable precept that “Once a land or territory has been conquered by Islam, from that time that land is Islamic! All true followers of Islam are committed to going to war, and even dying, to enforce this Islamic dictum!” (Israel was conquered by Islam in the 7th century and reconquered in the 11th century)

The Miracle

This is the mantra of organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah as well as nations like Iran. To the secular nations, including the emerging secular leadership of the (then) proposed Jewish state, it seemed impossible to reason with such religious dogma. It appeared war would be the only solution. Jihad (Islam Holy War) was the only honorable response prescribed by Islam.

The outnumbered, outgunned Jews of the new state were seen as having no chance to survive such an attack from the surrounding enormous enemy armies. It was widely believed the Jewish state that was born in one day would not survive even one day. Miraculously, Israel defeated these enemies and God’s word of a reborn Jewish state prevailed.

End Time Warnings and Assurances

August 31, 2020 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

My good friend, sister in the Lord, and prayer and ministry partner, Joan Lipis, – A gifted teacher and evangelist to Jews and Israelis – has an English website for prayer for Israel: Lunch Time Prayer For Israel. God has called her to do a series on End Time events that we see happening around the world. I (Bella) have been doing the Hebrew translations for the site since 2012. I would like to incorporate some of her insights in this letter, especially for the purpose of prayer and seeking the Lord in these crucial times.*

In approximately 20 BC, King Herod began rebuilding the second Holy Temple that had been built earlier by the Jews who came back from the Babylonian captivity more than 400 years earlier. It took him 46 years to complete it.

In 70 CE (AD), the second temple was destroyed (as Yeshua prophesied 40 years earlier.)

Sixty years after the destruction of the second temple and massacre of hundreds of thousands of Jews by the Romans, there was another uprising by the Jews against Rome, called the Bar Kochba Revolt. Rome crushed the revolt and expelled the Jews from Jerusalem. The majority of the Jewish population of the land were killed, enslaved, or exiled. Thus began the 2000-year dispersion (diaspora) from their covenant land.

“And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.” Luke 21:24a

The Jewish people would not regain their national independence until the Zionist era and the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 CE.

Yeshua’s warnings

The Temple and the city of Jerusalem distinguished Israel as a people and a land, having a unique relationship with God as His presence was visible and tangible through His Holy Spirit. It is important to remember that the issue and the conflict of the Temple Mount today is a spiritual one and not political. It is the center of God’s activities on the earth and the epicenter of the conflict between the Lord, the God of Israel and His Arch-enemy, Satan. Not surprisingly it was, is, and will remain (until the New Jerusalem) the world’s most disputed property on earth.

At the time Yeshua was on earth in Israel and Jerusalem, the Temple was the center of Jewish life; spiritual, worship, and communal. Although the apostles had been in the temple many times, they still marveled at its magnificent beauty. Now Yeshua prophesied that it would soon be destroyed that not one stone would remain on top of another. (Mark 13:1-2)

When they heard Yeshua prophesy its destruction, the apostles must have been shocked. They all had the same question in mind and asked: “When will these things be?” Yeshua spoke about the signs of “These Things” as well as His second coming and the end of the age. (Luke 21:7, Matthew 24:3) Matthew, like the Jewish people then and still today longed for a Messiah who would bring in the glorious Messianic Kingdom of worldwide peace. He would reign in Jerusalem where all nations would come to hear Him: “from Zion will go forth the Torah and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2) but… “When will these things be?”

In 70 CE (AD), 40 years after Yeshua’s prophecy about the destruction of the second temple, it was fulfilled when the Romans destroyed the magnificent second temple. Other things Yeshua warned in His prophecy happened, are happening, and will happen in the future.

These ‘signs’ would apply to the world, to those who believe in Him, and to the Jewish people.

Firstly, Yeshua warned against deception:

And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many” Matthew 24:4

In Luke 21:8 He adds that the deceivers will claim that the ‘time has drawn near,’ so He said not to follow them. Yeshua’s warning was fulfilled shortly after He left the earth, as men rose up claiming to be the Messiah (Acts 5:34-39.)

Ultimately, in the end time, another imposter will succeed in seducing many by using flattery and even signs and wonders, especially by bringing false peace to the world. Discerning between the real Messiah Yeshua and the Imposter will be crucial; it will be a matter of life or death.

We must also be aware of false prophets and teachers who change the literal meaning of God’s word for interpretations that make us feel good rather than challenge, exhort, and encourage us to seek God’s righteousness.

“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.” 2 Peter 2:1-2

This apostasy is one of the most prevalent and dangerous signs of the end times today. (see also 1Timothy 4:1-5)

The credential of a true prophet comes from the Word of God in the Torah:

“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name. But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.” Deuteronomy 18: 18-20

Yeshua’s word warned that there will come a false prophet who will be the spokesperson for the coming false messiah. This false prophet will lure the unsuspecting away from God’s truth and ultimately demand the world worship that false messiah. Those who will follow him will lose their lives in God’s final judgment.

Wars and Rumors of Wars

There were, and still are great wars around the world, but most have come and gone. However, here in Israel, war, acts of belligerence, terror attacks, and rumors of war occur all the time. Yeshua assures us that when we hear of wars and even when they happen, while the rest of the world is in fear and despair, He is sovereign and we need not fear, but have faith and trust in Him.

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass…” Matthew 24:6

“…but the end is not yet.”

In Luke 21:9 He uses the word “uprisings.” A synonym for the Greek word is ‘disorder’.
“But when you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.”

As we reflect on these warnings and descriptions of what is to come, it’s obvious that we are standing on the brink of these “End Times.” Not only are wars and rumors of wars increasing, but so are uprisings and disorder. There is an increasing loss of respect for authority as protests and demonstrations turn into violent and deadly riots, as seen in the news broadcasts.

Faith in Yeshua is the only source of hope and peace in these days and the days to come.

Nation against Nation, Kingdom against Kingdom

Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” Luke 21:10

Yeshua warned His disciples that “these things” were in their future…but for us, they are also here! We must be prepared and prepare others.

Lately, in Israel, there has been a kind of peace with the occasional outbursts of hostilities. Although they caused property damage, Israelis recognize that God is protecting lives. They are calling those events “miracles” or “luck,” for, despite the rockets against us, there are no casualties, even though there are some close calls.

Famine, Pestilence, Earthquakes

“And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.” Mark 13:8

When any of these events happen, our immediate reaction is fear and hopelessness. In just the last fifty years, cities and entire nations have been devastated and almost completely destroyed.

In our days, famine rages throughout Africa as unprecedented swarms of locusts destroy crops. Earthquakes lead to tsunamis that ravish the prepared and unsuspecting alike. The Indian Ocean earthquake/tsunami in 2004 devastated Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia with a death toll of close to 230,000.

And now, this year the “Corona-19” virus has shut down the entire world in varying degrees.

Great signs from heaven

In Luke 21:11 He adds that there will be fearful events and…”great signs from heaven.”

Although this is another sign of the Tribulation, it was part of Yeshua’s prophetic warnings to the Apostles.

The Hebrew prophet Joel warned about these great signs, but also about God’s promise to save all those who call upon Him in faith.

And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said,
among the remnant whom the Lord calls.” Joel 2:30-32

The words of Joel’s prophecy were repeated by Peter on the Day of Pentecost. Acts 2:19-21, which reveals God’s heart of mercy and grace to continually warn Israel of the impending doom. It is likewise a warning to us for whom the Day of the Lord is so much closer.

An asteroid?

Recently there was a scare about an asteroid that could hit Earth this November 2, just two days before the American election.

However, NASA just announced that even though this particular asteroid is estimated to come within 4,994.76 kilometers of Earth – which is very close in space terms – it is very small and doesn’t pose a threat to our planet. Even should it hit Earth, the overwhelming odds are that it still won’t hurt anyone since it is about the size of a car.

NASA can’t promise that a bigger asteroid won’t hit us in the future; they did promise that they are making progress in detecting those ‘near-earth objects’ with the hope of one day even deflecting them.

The Beginning of Sorrows

Yeshua’s warning that these were only the “beginning of sorrows” probably struck terror in the hearts of the Apostles. The word translated as “sorrows” can be described as “intolerable anguish, consuming grief, pain, travail.” In other words, there is that much worse to come.

“All these are the beginning of sorrow.” Matthew 24:8

The Psalmist expresses the same kind of fear and pain, but he is comforted in the Lord:
“The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.” Psalm 16:5-6

The day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night, but fear not.
“For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3

As Yeshua told His disciples not to fear, we also should not fear. We have His supernatural protection as He has promised:“But not a hair of your head will perish.” Luke 21:18

For us, His children, death is not the end, for we will be alive with Him through all eternity.

We, who believe in Yeshua, by God’s grace, have been redeemed and reconciled to Him. We will never perish but have eternal life in His presence (John 3:16.)

Even in the midst of the most horrible situations, God never forsakes His people.Isaiah 43:1-3a
“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
²When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
³For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
…”HALLELUYAH!

*(Lunchtime Prayer for Israel is a daily blog in both text and a slightly expanded video that helps Believers pray God’s promises to Israel and the nations. With the short commentary on the predominately Old Testament Scriptures, people have a greater understanding of God’s unique relationship with Israel. The new “End Times” series is written not just for the committed pray-er, but also for the growing interest among non-believing Israelis.
Text:
https://lunchtimeprayer.com
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE1cs4SLVgY3zHGadXXcJFQ

New Moon Celebration

June 28, 2020 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

Exodus 12:1-3

Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month is the beginning of months for you; it shall be the first month of your year. Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man must select a lamb for his family, one per household.”

The gentile Gregorian calendar, based on the sun, substituted God’s biblical (Hebrew) calendar that was based on the moon as if saying that the substitute was a better way. They made a different day for the Sabbath, they made different dates for the Set Times of the Lord (the Jewish holidays) and omitted the celebration of the New Moon from the calendar.

This month some nations joined in Jerusalem for the first time to celebrate the New Moon, thereby reconnecting with God’s biblical calendar. It’s a huge thing, since the Gregorian calendar is actually part of the root of anti-Semitism, denying that God chose the Jewish nation to establish His calendar in the world.

When God took Israel out of Egypt and established her as a nation, He declared that this would be the first day of the first month (first new moon.) Our New Moon celebrations fulfill the declaration He made, that Israel and the nations would gather on God’s timetable.

The Lord’s Supper – Victory Meal

In Jeremiah 31, God promises: “The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. God speaks of the new covenant He would give to Israel. We usually stop at the verse where the Lord declares, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” However, in the very next verse, 35 “This is what the Lord says, He who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar – the Lord Almighty is His Name: 36 “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the Lord, “will Israel ever cease being a nation before Me.” He confirms this promise again in the next verse, “ 37 This is what the Lord says: “Only if the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the Lord.”

God affirms that His commitment to Israel is not dependent on what she does or doesn’t do. It is only because of His faithfulness that He will never reject Israel and Israel will never cease from being a nation before Him. Therefore, taking the Lord’s Supper on the New Moon is a victory meal, like a victory shout, that Israel exists before Him as a nation and that the One who brought us out of Egypt, the One Who was, is still alive and is the One Who is to come. As we line up with this promise, we are on a journey to the throne.

What will all nations sing before His Throne? The song, “Redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb,” and “Worthy is the Lamb.” This journey started in Exodus, when He said in chapter 12:2, “This is the first of your month and the first of your year” and in the next verse He instructs to choose and take a lamb.

At Passover, all the people of Israel passed through the doorposts covered by the blood of the lamb. That event began the journey to the Throne. And each month, more people enter by one thing – by the Blood of the Lamb of God, Yeshua/Jesus. Each month we get closer and closer to His coming – the One Who was, Who is, and Who is to come. We are not just wandering around in this world. We have a purpose; we know where we are going.

The New Moon is a sign of the New Covenant in His Blood, and God’s eternal commitment to Israel. Even before He gave the Ten Commandments, He commanded:

“This is the first of the month”. That was the basis for His people’s calendar. It echoes way back to creation when He made the moon for signs and seasons.

For a long time, it was removed from our understanding. But now we are enlightened.

People may object saying that it is not in the New Testament. But in the Gospels, we see Yeshua honoring the Sabbath, honoring and celebrating the biblical feasts, so we have no reason to think that He didn’t celebrate the New Moon. On the other hand, there are no instructions to eliminate this set time.

We can’t know when Passover is if we don’t mark the New Moon of that month. We can’t go up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles if we don’t recognize the first of the seventh month. Colossians 2:16-17 “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.”17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is Christ.”

*At the time of the New Moon, the sliver of the moon is so small that you can barely see it.*

A shadow speaks of something real, a substance, which is Him. It’s all about Him. The New Moon celebration is not to be removed but to be fulfilled; Yeshua is its meaning. Therefore, it’s so significant that the nations honor this day.

Finally, the nations are saying, “We have joined the New Covenant by the Blood of the Lamb, and we recognize God’s eternal calendar by which He moves.”

May the nations reject the false calendar they set up and celebrate the New Moon to say, “We are joining in and honoring Jerusalem, the city of the Great King, the Coming King.”

Celebrating with the blowing of the silver trumpets in “My House”.

We are thankful for “My House” where we can celebrate every first of the month on God’s calendar until He returns to rule and reign from Jerusalem. This is a thanksgiving feast. To God be the Glory! Amen!

The Counting of the Omer

May 10, 2020 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the Omer sheaf (sheaf) of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:15-16)

In Jewish tradition, the Omer is considered to be a bridge that connects the Exodus from Egypt from slavery to freedom, to the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai seven weeks later, on the holiday of Shavuot (Pentecost.) Passover and Shavuot are two of the three pilgrimage festivals when the people of Israel went up to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem to come before the Lord.

God commanded the Israelites: “Three times a year shall all your men appear before the Lord your God in the place that God will choose [God chose Jerusalem as His dwelling place], on the festivals of Unleavened Bread (Passover), the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), and the Festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot). They shall not appear empty-handed. Each shall bring his own gift, appropriate to the blessing which the Lord your God has given you.” (Deuteronomy 16:16)

The Lord wants to bless His people with abundance, but He wants them to come to Him with the first Omer of their crop, and He will give the increase.

The three festivals are joyous times of anticipation for God’s blessings on their offerings. The time between Passover and Shavuot is truly a happy event, seven weeks of joyous celebration, believing God for a great harvest.

However, since the destruction of the Temple and the Jews dispersed to nations all around the world, the counting of the Omer has become a tradition of strict laws set by the rabbis.

Jews in the Diaspora developed laws regarding what to say and what to do. For example, one stands when counting the Omer, and begins by reciting the blessing in Hebrew translated: “Blessed are you, Lord our God, Sovereign of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to count the Omer.” After the blessing, one states the appropriate day of the count, like: today is the 28-day of the Omer, and so forth for each day. He also states the week, because the biblical text instructs, “you shall count 50 days.”

Furthermore, the text also says to “count seven complete weeks.” Therefore the tradition commands to count both days and weeks with the appropriate blessings as they appear in the prayer books for the evening service. However, if a person forgets to count the Omer on a particular evening, he may count the next morning for the previous day but without reciting the blessing, and then may continue counting, as usual, that evening with the blessing.

If, however, one forgets to count the Omer at night and also forgets to count in the morning, one should still count the Omer on every subsequent night, but should no longer recite a blessing before counting.

In Judaism, the days of the counting of the Omer have become a solemn time of partial mourning. In different Jewish communities, there are different traditions regarding how much of the Omer period is spent in mourning, and what restrictions apply, for at least some portion of the days of the counting of the Omer. Behavior such as listening to live music, celebrating weddings and Bar Mitzvahs, shaving, and getting haircuts are generally forbidden. There is just one day, the 33rd day of the Omer, Lag Ba’Omer, that is a joyous day, which is treated as a minor holiday with singing, dancing, (hair cuts are allowed), and gathering around lit bonfires.

According to the Talmud (Oral Law), the reason for the mourning during the counting of the Omer is to commemorate a terrible plague that killed 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva’s students during the Omer period (a famous rabbi who lived in Israel in the 130’s CE and is considered to be one of the greatest rabbinic sages.) The Talmud explains that this horrible tragedy was a punishment because the followers of Rabbi Akiva did not respect one another. The followers were extremely learned men who devoted their lives to the Torah, mainly the Oral Law; but their lack of respect for one another caused the devastation. Jewish tradition puts great emphasis on the treatment of people one to the other. It is not enough to learn Torah and be right with God without being kind and doing good to our fellow men.

Rabbi Akiva also proclaimed Bar-Kochba as the Messiah (a false one) which led to the rebellion against the Romans in AD 132, a rebellion that failed.

As followers of Yeshua/Jesus, the True Messiah, we lift up our attention and focus on God’s Eternal Kingdom. (Colossians 3:2)

During these 50 days of counting the Omer we look forward to Shavuot (Pentecost) and pray for Spiritual Awakening with the promise of God to pour His Spirit on all people. (Joel 2:28)

Judea & Samaria – Known as the West Bank

February 28, 2020 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

Views of Judea and Samaria from Bella's recent trip. — *Welcome to Judea and Samaria (from Bella’s recent trip.)*

Moses led the Hebrew nation out of Egypt about 1,300 BC. Muhammad originated Islam about 600 AD, about 1,900 years later. The offspring of Jacob, the Jews, predate the Muslims everywhere in the Middle East. The land of Judea was the Jewish nation before the Roman occupiers expelled and killed a large portion of the population during the Jewish wars of the first century and renamed it Palestina in an effort to blot out every connection of the Jewish people to the land. Palestina was the name of the small part of the land that was occupied by the Philistines along the southern coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. [Read more in the article: “The Origin of Palestine”.]

Before the Muslim conquest in the 7th century CE, the land was occupied by both Christians and Jews. The population remained essentially unchanged from the days of the Byzantine occupation (324 CE – 640 CE), and the majority of the population consisted of Greek Orthodox Christians and two minorities – Jews and Samaritans. The number of Arabs settled in Palestine was negligible. Most of the Arabs who now declare themselves Palestinians immigrated to the area between the 19th and 20th centuries, during the Ottoman rule (1516 – 1918) and the British Mandate period (1918 –1948).

Proof that Judea and Samaria belong to the Jewish people are cities that the Oslo Accord gave to the Palestinians –Jericho, conquered by Joshua; Hebron, where Abraham bought the burial place for his wife Sarah and where Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Rebecca, and Leah are buried; Bethlehem – where Rachel is buried nearby and where Yeshua (Jesus) was born to Jewish parents; East Jerusalem with the Temple Mount, the City of David, and Golgotha, where Jesus the Jewish Messiah died, was buried and was resurrected.

There has never ever been a Palestinian state nor a political entity that belonged to the self-proclaimed Palestinians. Through all the international agreements from 1917 until 1947, the land designated Palestine was divided into three entities: Jordan, east of the Jordan River, and the suggested Jewish and Arab future states to be shared in the land west of the Jordan River. While the Jews reluctantly accepted this painful partition as better than nothing, an area much smaller than originally allocated to the Jewish state, the Arabs refused anything less than everything and launched a war of aggression against the new Jewish state of Israel in 1948. As a result of Israel’s victory, it gained additional land but was unable to hold Judea and Samaria or East Jerusalem which fell to the Jordanians who immediately occupied and annexed the areas, a violation of international law. At the same time, the Jordanians expelled Jews from their homes in East Jerusalem creating Jewish refugees.

During the Jordanian rule of Judea and Samaria, Arabs who were kept in refugee camps never claimed to establish a Palestinian state in that area. Rather, they adamantly refused to share the land with the Jews–land they previously refused and consequently lost in the 1948 war. Until today, the Arabs who now call themselves Palestinians want to replace the land of Israel with what they still call Palestine. [See the article “The Origin of Palestine”.] In the1949 cease-fire, the Arabs refused to accept Israel’s victory and claimed that the borders drawn had no legal significance.

What is the Legal Status of Judea and Samaria

As of 1967, the territory legally belonged to no one, since the annexation of Judea and Samaria by Jordan was considered illegal. The British vacated in 1948 at the end of their mandate whereupon the War of Independence began. In 1949 at the end of the war, armistice boundary lines were drawn up but the Arabs refused to recognize them, insisting that the boundaries had no legal significance.

Therefore, according to international law, the land cannot be considered “occupied” but is considered “Disputed Territories”, a term used when there are territorial disputes.

In 1964 Arabs in those areas formed the Palestinian Liberation Organization (the PLO), under the leadership of Yasser Arafat, in order to reclaim Israel as their land of “Palestine.” It had nothing to do with the territory of the West Bank. They only began demanding rights to the West Bank once it too was in Israeli hands.

UNSC Resolution 242 doesn’t call for a complete and total withdrawal from ‘ALL captured territories’ nor does it call for a unilateral withdrawal only on the Israeli side, but just calls for a withdrawal from ‘captured territories’. The language of the resolution states that withdrawal must be made towards ‘Secure and Recognized Boundaries’ or defensible borders. Judea and Samaria is a special case because it was never part of a Palestinian state. Israel, Judea and Samaria and Gaza were all part of British-ruled Palestine, and Britain previously promised a national home for the Jewish people in the area, without specifying boundaries. On that basis, Israel maintains it has the right to extend sovereignty over the territories with a simple Cabinet vote, a position backed by the Trump administration.

However, most of the international community refuses to accept these facts and insists on referring to annexed east Jerusalem and the so-called West Bank as “occupied territory” because, they claim, the area was seized in war.

Israel insists that the Palestinian’s demand for Israel to withdraw to the pre-1967 boundaries is absolutely not secure and safe borders. For years, Palestinian propaganda has claimed falsely that Israel is occupying their land, resulting in a new generation that does not know the facts of history. They believe the Palestinians are being ruled by Israel which has taken land that rightfully belongs to them.

According to all agreements with the Palestinians, beginning with the Oslo Accords of 1993, a permanent status solution of Judea and Samaria should be determined solely through negotiations, which have never taken place. According to United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, Israel has agreed to give parts of Judea and Samaria to the Palestinians, but only in return for recognition as a Jewish state and guaranteed security, which has also never occurred.

Previous Prime Ministers of Israel, Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert agreed to negotiate the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel in Gaza and in parts of Judea and Samaria. They offered both Arafat and Abbas respectively almost all of Judea and Samaria in exchange for real peace and security and mutual recognition.

Not only did the Palestinians refuse Barak’s peace offer to Arafat in the 2000 Camp David talks, but they began massive terror attacks as well as a campaign war of political propaganda to delegitimize Israel. In 2007, the propaganda intensified after Abbas refused another peace offer from Olmert’s offer in Annapolis.

More Views of Judea and Samaria from Bella's recent trip. — *Judea and Samaria*.