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Holy Week in the Holy Land: Three Calendars Collide

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

This week in the Holy Land, the three major faiths here—Jewish, Christian, and Muslim—all celebrate a major holy event, a rare intersection of calendars that only happens about every 33 years. Passover, Easter, and Ramadan have intersected this year.

For the Jewish people—it is Passover. In Jewish homes across Israel and the world, tonight (Friday), we will gather with family (no restrictions this year due to COVID!) and eat a special meal and remember a time when the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob rescued our people from slavery and made us into who we are today—the nation of Israel. And our deliverance came through obedience to God’s command to apply the blood of a lamb to the doorposts of the house. As Messianic Jews, we also remember the pure, spotless Lamb of God, Yeshua, who offered Himself as our sacrifice, once and for all, 2,000 years ago…and made deliverance from death into eternal life possible for everyone who believes, Jew and Gentile. His blood covers us.

Sadly, so many of my Jewish brothers and sisters—Yeshua’s brothers and sisters! —do not yet SEE Him and recognize what He did. So many things in the Passover Seder (meal) point to Yeshua, but most Jewish people are blind to this reality.

In fact, there is actually a competition this time of year by one small, extremist Jewish group—Return to the Mount—to see if anyone can get a lamb or goat to the Temple Mount and sacrifice it.

They are so desperate to get right with God. Animal sacrifices won’t do it! Yeshua is the way, and I long to see the day when their eyes will be opened, and they will see Him for who He is. The day is coming.

While they have attempted a Passover sacrifice on the Temple Mount for many years, this year, Return to the Mount is actually offering cash prizes to anyone who tries, gets arrested trying, or happens to succeed.

“Arrested? NIS 400. Arrested with a goat/lamb? NIS 800. Managed to sacrifice? NIS 10,000,” according to a Facebook post on Returning to the Mount’s page.

Needless to say, this has infuriated the Palestinians—Hamas in particular—because this act would be near their holy sites—even though the area all technically belongs to Israel. Both the attempt by a tiny fringe group in Israel and the reaction from the Palestinian Islamists are rooted in misguided religious zealotry and not the love of God.

“We stress that this represents a dangerous escalation that crosses all red lines, as it is a direct assault on the belief and feelings of our people and our nation during this holy month,” a statement by Hamas said.

Israeli police are working hard to keep the peace by preventing any infiltration of the Jewish group, especially this time of year.

For Muslims—it is Ramadan, a holy month of fasting and prayer…and more. This year, Ramadan and the days leading up to it have been the bloodiest in recent memory. So far, 14 people have been murdered, including an attack last weekend when three Israelis were gunned down in Tel Aviv, not far from where we live. There have also been nightly clashes between Palestinian Muslims and Israeli police in Jerusalem—unfortunately, this is not unusual during this month on the Islamic calendar. Tensions typically run high in this season—last year, it all culminated with the 11-day war between Israel and Hamas and the 4,000 or so rockets they rained on our nation.

For Christians, this week is the Easter season—from Palm Sunday to Easter, it is the most sacred time on the church calendar. The interesting thing about Easter in Israel is that unless you live in the old city of Jerusalem, you would have no idea. It is just another workday—the first day of the week.

Last Sunday, thousands of Christian pilgrims were back in Israel—after two years of COVID shutouts—to do the annual Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives past the Garden of Gethsemane into the Old City of Jerusalem. The walk commemorates Yeshua’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem before His crucifixion. The procession culminated in a service at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the spots thought to be where Yeshua was crucified.

“After two years of Covid, of restrictions, of closed churches, today we are in a normal atmosphere,” Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem (the Catholic Church’s head person in this part of the world), said. “We have a lot of pilgrims, a lot of local Christians. We are very happy. For us, it’s a kind of resurrection.”

Asher Intrater and others on our team will be participating in a Global Communion from Jerusalem with Watchmen for the Nations at Christ Church in the Old City. (Click here for more info)

 

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In Jerusalem, Dozens Of Religious Leaders Call For Peace In Ukraine

by The Israel Insider
written by The Israel Insider

Dozens of religious leaders gathered at the Moskva Square at the center of Jerusalem and publicly called on Patriarch Kirill to use his position as head of the Russian Orthodox Church to bring peace to Ukraine.

The Christian, Druze, Jewish, and Muslim leaders gathered in front of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and called for peace for Ukraine.

This gathering follows the delivery of a letter earlier this month to Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, calling on him to speak with President Putin to seek peace. The letter was signed 150 Jerusalem and global religious leaders and clergy, including Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pizzaballa, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Swami Rameshwarananda Giri, Venerable Dharmakosajarn, Imam Mustafa Ceric and Rabbi Michael Melchior.

The religious leaders, representing many faiths and traditions around the world, expressed their deep concern with the war and affirmed the key role religious leaders can play in promoting peace between Russia and Ukraine.

“At a time when everything hangs in the balance, we must not assume that political and military leaders alone will be able to defuse this crisis. As Putin has put Russia on nuclear alert, it is a key time for religious figures worldwide to advocate for peace,” the group stated.

“This is a moment when religious leaders should raise the banner of peace and do everything in their power to promote it,” said Rabbi Yonatan Neril, director of The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development.

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Between Land Day In The Negev And Ramadan In Jerusalem: Efforts To Prevent Security Deterioration

by The Israel Insider
written by The Israel Insider

Security tensions are rising ahead of Ramadan.

Palestinian sources report that factions in the Gaza Strip are considering resuming violent clashes with IDF forces on the Gaza Strip border fence and resuming the activities of the night attrition units as part of what they call the “popular protest.”

Sources report that some factions in the Gaza Strip intend to hold events taking advantage of the Negev and Jerusalem issue and organize two large rallies to mark “Land Day,” which will occur on March 30, adding that the factions are considering holding activities in the Palestinian Authority as well.

The activity planned to mark “Land Day” could be the opening shot in a series of events that will lead to an escalation in the month of Ramadan, which will begin two days later and in close proximity to Passover and towards Israel’s Independence Day.

At the end of the week, the “National Committee for the Support of Israeli Arabs” was established in the Gaza Strip. A Hamas spokesman said at the event that “the meeting of national and Islamic forces in Gaza is a historic event, and the announcement of the establishment of a committee to support Israeli Arabs is intended to prove that our people are indivisible.”

Israeli Minister Zeev Elkin’s intention to resume planting in the Negev, including in areas where violent clashes took place two months ago, is already receiving attention on the Palestinian side, but the fear of escalation stems from a series of further developments, including the diverted global attention from the Palestinian issue in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine, pressure on the Palestinian Authority to freeze security coordination with Israel, tensions between Fatah and Hamas, and due to Israel’s intention to approve the construction of housing units in Jerusalem.

In eastern Jerusalem, which was at the center of events last May that led to Operation Guardian of the Walls, Palestinians are warning against Jews ascending the Temple Mount on Purim and the Passover holiday, in parallel with Ramadan. Sheikh Akram Tsabari, a preacher at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and head of the Supreme Muslim Council, called on Muslims on Sunday to increase their presence in mosques in the east of the city “and to repel the attacks of Jewish worshipers.”

Sheikh Tsabari also called for the prevention of Purim ceremonies on the Temple Mount, and explained that “such comic ceremonies hurt the feelings of Muslims.”

News sites and social media activists are monitoring the activities of Jewish organizations on the Temple Mount, and Hamas is threatening escalation following the upcoming Purim ceremonies at the holy complex.

Hamas spokesman for Jerusalem affairs, Muhammad Hamada, said “calls for Purim ceremonies are a crime and provocation” and the Twitter page of “Jordanian Youth for Jerusalem” claimed that “dangerous news is spreading about the call of extremist temple groups to storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Purim.”

Nasser al-Hadmi, head of the Jerusalem Committee against Judaization (of Jerusalem), said in an interview that “the city is marching towards an explosion in the month of Ramadan” and explained that “Israel intends to house the Jews who emigrated from Ukraine specifically in Jerusalem.”

Israel has been in a series of contacts recently to prevent a deterioration in the month of Ramadan. Arab sources claim that the issue came up at a meeting between Foreign Minister Yair Lapid with Hussein A-Sheikh, the Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs, and with King Abdullah in Jordan.

The Jordanian news agency Petra reported that during the meeting, the king stressed the need not to harm the status quo in Jerusalem and to keep quiet while stopping all unilateral measures that undermine the two-state solution.

The Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper claims based on Palestinian sources that “Israel is pressuring the Palestinian Authority not to freeze security coordination and not to turn to UN institutions for membership, which could worsen the situation in the region.”

This is due to the pressure exerted on PA head Mahmoud Abbas by PLO institutions and especially by the Fatah Central Council, which demanded a freeze of the security coordination, withdrawal from the recognition of Israel, and intensifying the “popular struggle” against Israel.

Along with the political contacts, Israel announced that the number of permits for Palestinian workers leaving the Gaza Strip for Israel will increase to 12,000, and Palestinian sources estimate that this number is expected to increase to 20,000, in an effort to prevent the Gaza Strip from deteriorating this spring.

Security tensions in Jerusalem increased recently when four stabbing incidents occurred within five days and tensions are also growing in the PA, and Palestinian sources claim that the number of shooting incidents in the Shechem (Nablus) area alone, in the first half of March, stands at 12 incidents.

The Palestinian Authority is aware of the deteriorating security situation and is also increasing arrests against Palestinian terrorists. A Palestinian human rights organization recently reported that the PA had arrested dozens of students and released prisoners.

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Second Terrorist Stabbing Attack In Jerusalem In Two Days – Another Policeman Stabbed

by The Israel Insider
written by The Israel Insider

For the second time in the last two days, a terrorist stabbed Israeli border police offices at one of the gates that enter into the Old City of Jerusalem. The second attack occurred on Monday evening at the Cotton Gate, which leads into the Temple Mount area, reported the police spokesman’s office.

The terrorist was armed with a knife and stabbed two Jerusalem District and Border Police officers who were operating in the area.

In response, police opened fire on the terrorist in self-defense and he was killed. The attack left two policemen moderately injured (according to medical sources) and they were evacuated to the hospital

The Israel Police said that in response to the terrorist attack considerable police forces were called to the scene where they set to work gathering information and evidence.

The attack came after another Arab terrorist stabbed and injured two other Border Policemen at the Lions’ Gate entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem early Sunday morning. That terrorist, a 19-year-old from eastern Jerusalem, was shot and killed by the police who responded to his attack.

Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem reported that a 25-year-old policeman with stab wounds to the upper body was taken to the trauma room at Hadassah Mount Scopus. His condition was reported to be apparently moderate, and the victim of the attack was fully conscious when brought in. The policeman underwent imaging tests.

MDA medic Baruch Weissman referred to two wounded officers. “When we arrived at the cotton gate, we saw the policemen treating 2 wounded [police] in their 20s,” he said, “who had suffered stab wounds. We took them to the Western Wall plaza for initial medical treatment, which included applying bandages and stopping the bleeding, and transferred them to an intensive care unit that then evacuated them to the hospital when their condition was stable.”

Condemnation of the attack came swiftly from Israel’s right-wing politicians. An irate MK Itamar Ben-Gvir, who leads the opposition Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party tweeted, “Terrorist attack follows terrorist attack, and for the second time this week another attack, and the government is silent.”

Ben-Gvir went on to call Naftali Bennett’s government weak.

“At this difficult time,” added Ben-Gvir, “praise to the fighters who acted professionally, and eliminated the heinous terrorist along with all the people of Israel praying for the safety of the wounded.”

Matan Peleg, chairman of the “Im Tirzu” (If You Will it) Movement released a statement in response to the attack, saying that Israel’s government is too busy dealing with the crisis in Ukraine to deal with security issues at home. “With all due respect to the desire to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, the Cabinet must convene and prepare for the wave of terrorism that by all indications is going to resume on us soon,” he said.

Peleg also warned that every year just before the month of Ramadan acts of Arab terror increase in Israel.

“The lack of enforcement in the face of the construction of illegal mosques in Jerusalem joins the lack of significant activity in the face of growing terrorism in Judea and Samaria,” he added. “The policy of gifts and benefits to the Palestinian Authority, along with an attempt to maintain calm in the face of nationalist riots in Israeli territory, will certainly lead to another war within the cities.”

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snow in Jerusalem
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Snow-vid-19 Blankets Israel

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

Snow and Covid come to the Holy Land. As Winter Storm Elpis brought in snow from Mt. Hermon in the north up to Jerusalem in the center of Israel, the coronavirus is also blanketing the nation. According to a report released Thursday, Israel had more reported cases of COVID-19 in January than was reported in ALL of 2021.

Last year, according to the Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center, there were 960,500 coronavirus cases in Israel. As of Wednesday, Israel has had more than 1,160,000 people test positive—in one month. That is more than one out of every 10 Israelis! Omicron has surged through the nation, with a positivity rate of almost 25 percent.

While there are 931 people in serious condition, given the huge number of those infected, Omicron still appears to be far less lethal than previous variants. Still, the strain on the nation’s healthcare system is real.

“The health system is working around the clock, day and night, to safeguard public health. Now we are further strengthening the intensive care wards. We are in the height of the wave, and soon we will see the light at the end of the tunnel. We will get through this wave together,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement.

Part of the crisis is that healthcare workers themselves are out sick with the virus. As of Thursday afternoon, hospital occupancy nationwide was at 82.1 percent, and yet more than 9,800 medical staffers, including 1,282 doctors and 2,793 nurses, were themselves dealing with Covid.

As Israelis continue to weather this latest coronavirus wave, Winter Storm Elpis moved across Israel this week, bringing eight inches of snow to Mount Hermon in the north. Of course, we only got freezing temps, wind, and rain here in Tel Aviv. As I walked to the store, my umbrella nearly took me for a Mary Poppins ride before flipping inside out, getting me wet. :-)

Almost four to ten inches of snow accumulated in Jerusalem (depending on which report you believe), transforming our capital city into an ancient-looking winter wonderland. Schools were closed, and even the main highway into the city was shut down temporarily. Friendly snowball fights broke out in parts of the city, and unfortunately, not-so-friendly fights broke out. Palestinians in East Jerusalem tried to take advantage of the weather to throw rocks at police and the light-rail transit system in protest over the demolition of contested housing in that part of the city. A female police officer was injured, and 22 rioters were arrested.

When snow blankets the Holy Land, it reminds me of one of my favorite verses that was fulfilled in Yeshua:

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

In Yeshua, our Messiah, we have eternal life, and we have HOPE—fun fact: Elipis, the name of this storm, is the Greek word translated as “hope” in the New Testament.

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City Of Jerusalem Approves Master Plan For Renewal Of Arab Neighborhoods Beit Hanina And Shuafat

by The Israel Insider
written by The Israel Insider

The local planning and construction committee of the Jerusalem Municipality has given the green light to move forward with a new master plan for the Arab Beit Hanina and Shuafat neighborhoods in the city. The plan includes new housing and commercial developments, as well as several new parks.

This comes in conjunction with a massive $300 million construction project revealed in October by Bashar Masri, a billionaire entrepreneur and founder of the Palestinian Authority city of Rawabi near Ramallah. That project is to be called the “Lana” (for us) and will have a 400 unit housing project to be built in the northern areas of Jerusalem.

The new plan for the Beit Hanina and Shuafat neighborhoods is promoted by the city of Jerusalem through architect Eli Ilan. The plan covers an area of approximately 1,500 acres in North Jerusalem. The area to be developed is located on both sides of Shuafat Road and Beit Hanina Road, also known as the Ramallah Road.

This road is the main traffic artery for these neighborhoods, and in the Shuafat area it also includes the route of the red line of the Jerusalem light rail.

The purpose of the plan is to examine and determine an overall policy for the area in question, in accordance with the guidance of the master plan for Jerusalem 2000. The goal is to identify needs in the area of public space and to guide detailed plans. The region covered by the program is rich in landscape and archeological and historical heritage assets.

The height limit for construction and the building rights in the various areas proposed in the plan are graded according to the size of the lot. Certain areas, especially along the ridgelines, will be slated for the construction of buildings up to 12 stories in height.

Beyond that, in key areas along Ramallah Road, the plan offers hotspots for the construction of towers up to 18 floors. Along the light rail route, there is also an area that allows for high-rise construction.

The plan also defines a number of neighborhood and district centers in different ways which will enable the development of public institutions and employment in the neighborhood.

As for conservation, the plan mapped and identified historical construction areas according to periods. Its conservation appendix includes such specifications, which will serve as tools for examining existing construction as part of preparing detailed plans and submitting applications for building permits.

The master plan also offers a number of new wide roads to relieve congestion on Ramallah Road that will lead from Beit Hanina and Shuafat towards the city center. These roads will help to transfer traffic from the neighborhood to Uzi Narkis Road in the east and Road 50 in the west.

The program will also see the development of two new district parks. One will be adjacent to Road 20 (Ben Zion Netanyahu Road) to the north and the other will be in the area of Nahal Atarot in the north of the neighborhood.

There will also be a boardwalk along Route 21 that connects the western side of the plan, between parts of the neighborhoods from south to north.

The Mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Lion, declared, “Continue the development of Jerusalem! Approval of the plan will regulate the planning and construction area in the area, promote the establishment of parks and lead to improved residents’ lives. The East of the city, like the West of the city, is evolving, for a better quality of life.”

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Tent and the night sky
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Stake And Tent

by Asher Intrater
written by Asher Intrater

Recently in a prayer meeting with some of our friends at Watchmen for the Nations, I had a sense that the time had come for a certain fulfillment of the “stake prophecy” in Isaiah 22, at least for me personally.

 

I have been carrying this in my heart for almost 4 decades. The stake in Isaiah 22:20-25 speaks of a man named Eliakim who became a government leader in Jerusalem in the time of Isaiah and Hezekiah. The stake is also symbolic of the cross of Yeshua, who would come to be crucified on a stake and then rule on the throne of David from Jerusalem.

 

For me the stake also represents the remnant of Messianic Jews in these last days, who stand in faith for the prophecies about Jerusalem and Yeshua. In any case, I have always felt a personal identification with this passage as a calling to serve the Lord in Jerusalem.

This month Betty and I are moving back into downtown Jerusalem to strengthen our base there. While only a 10-kilometer move, it is significant to us personally. It is a fulfillment of our calling; a spiritual “alignment” with God’s plan for us and our ministry.

 

The symbolism of the stake is then universalized in Isaiah 54:1-3 to: “enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your cords, strengthen your stakes.” Actually, this passage was the Haftarah at my Bar Mitsvah, and I remember the melody to this day.

 

I have a recurring picture in my heart of a tent that is covering the whole world. This is the people of God, from every tribe and tongue. The stakes are the people in each nation; the cords between them are our relationships; the tent is who we are as a global family.

 

When the tabernacle or temple was built, the presence of God came to fill the place. The real tabernacle is not made of stones but of people. If we can become a loving and unified body of people, I believe God can fill us in a special way as never before.

 

The stake is a claim of inheritance by faith in every land. Put your stake in the ground. Believe for your nation. Take dominion in spirit and prayer. Let’s stretch our tent and strengthen our cords. This tent has a central “stake” in Jerusalem, which helps to bring unity and alignment to the rest of the stakes.

 

The stakes are connected to keys (Isaiah 22:22; Matthew 16:16-19; 18:18-20). The stake represents a faith claim toward the earth. The keys open the windows of heaven above. Wherever you are, put your stake in the ground beneath and open the heavens above.

 

Let’s become this living tabernacle, stretched out all over the world. May His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And may the glory of the Lord fill the tent!

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It Ain’t All About You

by Rabbi Eric Tokajer
written by Rabbi Eric Tokajer

Many years ago when I lived in Mobile, Alabama, a friend of mine asked me to go with him to a tent revival. I had never heard of the speaker, nor did I have any real desire to attend the services, but my friend was my friend, so off we went. When we walked into the tent area, there was a smaller entrance tent before the actual big tent where the services were being held. In this smaller tent, there were tables where you could buy some of the books written by the speaker, as well as tape sets of his previous sermons, etc. However, just past the tables with the books, the speaker was sitting in a shiny suit at a table signing 8×10 glossy pictures of himself, like a movie or stage star would. After seeing this, my friend and I looked at each other and without saying a word turned around and walked back to our car.

One of the reasons that the sight of this speaker autographing photos spoke so strongly to us was that we had just been studying the book of John chapters 7 and 8 because we were preparing to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. In John chapter 7, we find Yeshua (Jesus) and His brothers preparing to travel to Jerusalem for the Feast of Sukkot or Tabernacles, an 8-day celebration that takes place each Fall. Tabernacles is a harvest festival of thanksgiving, in which all the men of Israel were to travel to Jerusalem (with their families if they were able to) and bring thanksgiving offerings to the Temple.

As they prepared to make their trip, we read of a short conversation between Yeshua and His disciples.

John 7:2-5:

2 Now the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near. 3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so Your disciples also may see the works You are doing. 4 No one who wants to be well known does everything in secret. If You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world!” 5 For not even His brothers were trusting in Him.

Notice in verse 3, His brothers tell him that He needs to go to Jerusalem – not so He could observe the Feast, and not so that He could bring offerings to the Temple. No, they wanted Yeshua to go to Judea (Jerusalem) so that His disciples could see the works He was doing. In other words, they wanted Yeshua to go to Jerusalem so He could perform miracles, signs, and wonders. Why did they want Him to do this? Verse 4 answers this question plainly. Because they wanted Yeshua to become well known and famous. “Show yourself to the world,” they said.

If verse 4 didn’t reveal a big enough problem in the hearts of Yeshua’s brothers, the text doesn’t stop there; it goes on in verse 5 to inform us that Yeshua’s very own brothers didn’t yet trust in Him. To understand the significance of these words, notice that we are not talking about a conversation between Yeshua and the twelve disciples. This is a conversation between Yeshua and His actual brothers. His brothers were more concerned with Yeshua’s fame than they were concerned about His message. They didn’t want Yeshua to go to the Temple to share about the coming Kingdom; they wanted Yeshua to go to the Temple so He could perform miracles and become a star. They were trusting in the works He was doing, but not the message He was sharing.

As we read on, Yeshua sends His brothers to Jerusalem ahead of Him so He can enter secretly without any fanfare or notoriety. It was these words found in John 7:16-18 that my friend and I thought of when we walked out of that tent that night.

16 Yeshua answered, “My teaching is not from Me, but from Him who sent Me. 17 If anyone wants to do His will, he will know whether My teaching comes from God or it is Myself speaking. 18 Whoever speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

Nothing Yeshua said or did was to focus attention on Himself. Every miracle, every sign, and every wonder was a huge neon lighted sign pointing directly at our Heavenly Father, as an example to those who would carry His message of the Kingdom after His time had come, you and I.

There is a popular saying today: “It ain’t all about you.” But, the truth is that it isn’t that it ain’t all about us. It is supposed to never be about us. It is all about Him. The moment we walked into that tent and saw that it wasn’t all about G-D, we knew it wasn’t for us. As we read these words from John’s writing, what should grip our hearts is that even Yeshua’s very own brothers got caught up in this trap.

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It Ain’t All About You

by Rabbi Eric Tokajer
written by Rabbi Eric Tokajer

Many years ago when I lived in Mobile, Alabama, a friend of mine asked me to go with him to a tent revival. I had never heard of the speaker, nor did I have any real desire to attend the services, but my friend was my friend, so off we went. When we walked into the tent area, there was a smaller entrance tent before the actual big tent where the services were being held. In this smaller tent, there were tables where you could buy some of the books written by the speaker, as well as tape sets of his previous sermons, etc. However, just past the tables with the books, the speaker was sitting in a shiny suit at a table signing 8×10 glossy pictures of himself, like a movie or stage star would. After seeing this, my friend and I looked at each other and without saying a word turned around and walked back to our car.

One of the reasons that the sight of this speaker autographing photos spoke so strongly to us was that we had just been studying the book of John chapters 7 and 8 because we were preparing to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. In John chapter 7, we find Yeshua (Jesus) and His brothers preparing to travel to Jerusalem for the Feast of Sukkot or Tabernacles, an 8-day celebration that takes place each Fall. Tabernacles is a harvest festival of thanksgiving, in which all the men of Israel were to travel to Jerusalem (with their families if they were able to) and bring thanksgiving offerings to the Temple.

As they prepared to make their trip, we read of a short conversation between Yeshua and His disciples.

John 7:2-5:

2 Now the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near. 3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so Your disciples also may see the works You are doing. 4 No one who wants to be well known does everything in secret. If You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world!” 5 For not even His brothers were trusting in Him.

Notice in verse 3, His brothers tell him that He needs to go to Jerusalem – not so He could observe the Feast, and not so that He could bring offerings to the Temple. No, they wanted Yeshua to go to Judea (Jerusalem) so that His disciples could see the works He was doing. In other words, they wanted Yeshua to go to Jerusalem so He could perform miracles, signs, and wonders. Why did they want Him to do this? Verse 4 answers this question plainly. Because they wanted Yeshua to become well known and famous. “Show yourself to the world,” they said.

If verse 4 didn’t reveal a big enough problem in the hearts of Yeshua’s brothers, the text doesn’t stop there; it goes on in verse 5 to inform us that Yeshua’s very own brothers didn’t yet trust in Him. To understand the significance of these words, notice that we are not talking about a conversation between Yeshua and the twelve disciples. This is a conversation between Yeshua and His actual brothers. His brothers were more concerned with Yeshua’s fame than they were concerned about His message. They didn’t want Yeshua to go to the Temple to share about the coming Kingdom; they wanted Yeshua to go to the Temple so He could perform miracles and become a star. They were trusting in the works He was doing, but not the message He was sharing.

As we read on, Yeshua sends His brothers to Jerusalem ahead of Him so He can enter secretly without any fanfare or notoriety. It was these words found in John 7:16-18 that my friend and I thought of when we walked out of that tent that night.

16 Yeshua answered, “My teaching is not from Me, but from Him who sent Me. 17 If anyone wants to do His will, he will know whether My teaching comes from God or it is Myself speaking. 18 Whoever speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

Nothing Yeshua said or did was to focus attention on Himself. Every miracle, every sign, and every wonder was a huge neon lighted sign pointing directly at our Heavenly Father, as an example to those who would carry His message of the Kingdom after His time had come, you and I.

There is a popular saying today: “It ain’t all about you.” But, the truth is that it isn’t that it ain’t all about us. It is supposed to never be about us. It is all about Him. The moment we walked into that tent and saw that it wasn’t all about G-D, we knew it wasn’t for us. As we read these words from John’s writing, what should grip our hearts is that even Yeshua’s very own brothers got caught up in this trap.

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Rare First Temple Era Deception Uncovered In Ancient Jerusalem

by The Israel Insider
written by The Israel Insider

Israeli archeologists digging in the City of David in Jerusalem’s Old City came upon an extremely rare finding from the days of the First Temple – a biblical weight called a gerah that was probably used by a cheater.

Although registered is weighing two gera, it weighs three times as much, evidence of cheating dating around the time period of 589 BCE.

The weight is made of reddish limestone, smoothed and well polished, and on its upper part appear two deeply engraved straight, parallel and thick lines, indicating a weight of two gera which are 0.944 g.

However, when weighed, the researchers were surprised to find that it weighed 3.61 grams – more than three times its expected weight.

Only one other gera weight was discovered in Israel.

Archaeologist Eli Shukron, who conducted the excavation and investigated the find together with Hagai Cohen Kolonimus from the Hebrew University, said the obvious conclusion is that it was a weight that was used for forgery and fraud in the trading process.

“The Bible indicates that the problem of weight deception is nothing new. Merchants cheated and held separate heavy and lightweight systems and used them when buying or selling,” the researchers explained.

This phenomenon was criticized in several sources in the Bible. For example, in the book of Dvarim (Deuteronomy), it is written: “Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light. Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small.  You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. For the Lord, your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.”

The book of Proverbs also criticizes the phenomenon of deception by means of weights, saying “the Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.”

Some 3,000 years later, evidence of this very deceptive practice the Bible condemned was found in the heart of Jerusalem.

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