Pour Out Your Heart

“I am worn out from groaning;
all night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.”—Psalm 6:6

Sometimes when we are at our lowest moments, in our deepest despair, we tend to withdraw from others. When asked, “How are you doing?” we stoically answer, “Just fine.” We don’t want to admit to others, even those who care most about us, that we’re struggling, whether it’s with despair, loneliness, or depression. So we put on a brave front and do our best to carry on.

During those periods in our life when we are reluctant to share our struggles, we need to remember that there is Someone with whom we can be completely honest — God. We can bring to him our anger, our despair, our doubts, our disappointments, and our weaknesses, without fear of rejection or judgment.

David models this for us in Psalm 6. As he comes before God, David pours out his heart. He is weary from groaning; his bed is drenched in tears; his vision is blurred from his grief; he is wasting away from the strain. In anguish, David cries out, “Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak” (v. 2, NKJV)

David is completely honest with God. He tells God exactly what he is feeling, and in doing so, David is able to turn his inward grief toward God. He concludes this short prayer for deliverance by stating in verses 8-9, “the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD has heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.” David had complete trust that God would take care of him in this situation.

We, too, can be honest with God even when we’re filled with anger or despair, because God knows us thoroughly and desires the very best for us. He knows our situation and He alone can guide us through those valleys. As we pour out our hearts to God, we will also find ourselves, as David did, turning from a focus on ourselves to a focus on our all-powerful, all-loving, merciful Father.

And isn’t that a better place to be looking?
HLM

A Tabernacle of Glory over Jerusalem

The Apostle John uses a verb form of the same Greek word that is used to translate the Hebrew word for booth (sukkah) when he wrote, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt [tabernacled] among us." (John 1:14) He tabernacled among us, and He will tabernacle among us again in the messianic future. The celebration of the Festival of Booths (Sukkot) celebrates the Messiah who once tabernacled among us, now tabernacles within us, and in the future will again tabernacle among us.

The last appointment on God's Leviticus 23 calendar is the Feast of Booths, a seven-day harvest celebration. The Hebrew name of the festival is Sukkot, a word that means "shelters, stables or huts." These temporary, tent-like structures are often translated as "tabernacles" in our English Bibles. The festival is so named because Israel is commanded to annually build such dwelling places as a reminder of the post-exodus years when they lived in huts and booths, following God in the wilderness.1 Sukkot is a time of joy and celebration, a time to celebrate the harvest and revel in God's goodness.
Many beautiful traditions are attached to the annual Festival of Booths. For example, it is traditional to invite guests into one's booth for a festive meal each night of Sukkot. Among the list of invitees are some auspicious names: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David. Each are specially invited to come into the booth and pull up a chair at the table. Obviously, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David are unlikely to actually attend the meal, since they are all dead. That, however, is the point of the ritual. The Feast of Booths anticipates the Messianic Age, when the dead will be raised to life again and we will all sit at the table with the aforementioned in the kingdom of heaven.
When Messiah comes, He will bring in the final harvest of God's kingdom and institute an age of peace and prosperity upon the earth. The prophets relate that day to the festival of Sukkot, a day when every man will sit beneath his own vine and fig tree.2 Isaiah 4:6 tells us that God will spread a tabernacle of glory over Jerusalem.
According to the prophets, the Feast of Booths celebrates a time when all nations will ascend to Jerusalem bearing tribute to King Messiah and celebrating the festival. In that day, all nations will ascend to His throne in Jerusalem in order to celebrate the Festival of Booths (Tabernacles). Obviously, this is a very important festival for disciples of Messiah today.
Sukkot is the great festival, the culmination of all the appointed times. Sukkot is to the other festivals what the Sabbath is to the other six days of the week. As such it is a fitting foreshadowing of that great celebration of creation when the entire world will live in peace and brotherhood under the reign and rule of the righteous Messiah King. Just as the weekly Sabbath foreshadows the millennium, Sukkot also looks forward to that great age. Therefore, the festival of Sukkot, like all the festivals, foreshadows Messiah.
FFOZ
1. Leviticus 23:42-43
2. Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10

True Messiah

I came across a rabbinical statement that I had never heard before. The following article is in part a conversation with Jay Weisburd about it.

Roy:
What do you make of this statement?
We have seen on other occasions that had Moses entered into the Land of Israel, the Temple never would have been destroyed, and Moses would have been the Messiah. The only problem was that the people were unworthy.

Jay:
This flies right smack into the reason why Moshe was denied entrance into the Promised land in the first place.
Exodus 20: 6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. 7 The LORD said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”

God tells Moses to SPEAK to the rock, and the water would come out. Why would He want him to speak to a rock and not do as he did? Answer: Because God wanted the people to see He was the one with the powers, the one who had the power to bring water from a rock.

What would the people think when Moses says "must WE" bring you water from this rock? How sure would they be that the person with the power was God, and not Moses? When water comes from that rock, was it because God listened to the prayer or because Moses drew it out by hitting it?

So, it was hardly that the people were unworthy...Moses was too proud, too consumed with his abilities, which is also why the Rabbinic Jews are so wrong to expect the Meshiach to be a conquering King on the first coming...

Yeshua was humble, and while He intimated on more than one occasion that he was God, it was because HE WAS, but He NEVER exalted Himself, He always accredited what was being done to Father. Moshe did not do that with the rock.

Roy: Excellent

Jay: Secondly, Moses was a Levite. Paul has written extensively in Hebrews about why the Meshiach would not come from the Levitical tribe, because Moshe's lineage had something to do with his being chosen, as he was a descendant of Levi. I think God always intended for the Meshiach to be in the order of Melchizedek-chosen because of his characteristics, not his blood line. Besides, if we look at Gen 1:26, where God says "Let US make man in OUR image," He already knew His Son, who was there before mankind existed---I mean, who else was God talking to if man had not been created yet but the person in whose PHYSICAL IMAGE we were cast--so if we look at that, we see that God's plan was always to have Yeshua step forward--He was ALWAYS, from ALPHA to Omega, the anointed one...But first God had to give us His lessons, His commandments, his Laws..and establish a priesthood that would teach it to us, then He would come and as the master show His apprentices how to apply what we had learned, truly apply it, so as adults in the faith, we could use it on our own merits,.
God just had to wait UNTIL IT WAS TIME.

Roy: Thank you. Good info.

Jay Weisburd is a Messianic Jew from Levitown New York

The Prayer of Moses

Despite God's refusal to allow Moses to enter the land of Israel, God gives Moses a gentle death and a loving burial.
The Sages teach that Moses had offered 515 different prayers, but one and all were rejected.
I beseeched God at that time Deut.(3:23)

Moses prayed 515 prayers -- the numerical value (gematria) of va'etchanan, "and I beseeched" -- to be allowed to enter the land.

Prayers can only be effective until the final judgment has been decreed; at that point prayers cannot cancel the decree.
Moses' prayers were rejected, because his judgment had been finalized.
Judgement Day is coming!!
'Go on top of the peak and lift up your eyes, westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold with your eyes, for you will not cross this Jordan.' (Deut. 3:27)
Rabbi Eliezer taught: "Prayer is greater than good deeds, for there was never a man who had better deeds than Moses our Master, nonetheless, Moses was only answered as a result of his prayer, for it says, 'Enough for you! Speak no more to me on this matter' and right afterward it says 'Go on top of the peak...' (Talmud Brachot 32b)

If this is the case, then why would God have told Moses that he need not pray? Rashi in his comments to the Torah addresses the point in the Torah narrative when God says Rav Lach! "Enough for you!" Rashi translates rav lach literally -- rav "a lot," lach, "awaits you" -- and then goes on to explain:

[This means] "there is a lot of good awaiting you," therefore Moses need not pray anymore for his share in the other world.
The answer is subtle, yet simple. God does not change. Man does.
In order for Moses to have a chance to enter Israel, he did not need to fix anything in his relationship with God, his prayers were not necessary. For Moses to enter the land, and more importantly for the people to stay in the land, the people needed to change, to grow closer to the Shechina.
Therefore, Moses is told by God to cease his prayers, and instead Moses is told to take up what he does best: teach.

Moses gives a phenomenal "lecture" in the hope that this will lead his students, his followers, back to God. Moses attempts to fix that which was severed.

In the end, Moses' efforts fell short, but the "lecture" which he left us remains.

Red Heifer

We have learned that the sages gave a hint for understanding the red heifer: it is related to the sin of the golden calf. "To what can this be likened? To a maid who worked in the palace of the king. One day her child came and soiled the palace with his filth. The king said, Ôlet the mother come, and clean her child's filth'." This is the concept of atonement for the golden calf, for the Holy One said, "Let the red heifer come, and atone for the golden calf."

If we examine the concepts of red heifer and the golden calf, we can find many parallels and connections. For example:

Why must the heifer be red? To rectify the infamous idol which shone with a reddish hue... it is an atonement for Israel's "red" sin. And in general, Scripture likens sin to red: "Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be white as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). Says the Holy One: Since Israel's sins are red, let the heifer also be red - and when it is burned, its ashes are white... thus the prophet assures his people in the Creator's name that God promises "they shall whiten as snow."

In order for the heifer to be fit, it must never have carried a yoke. This is an allusion to Israel, who threw off the yoke of Heaven in insubordination when they worshipped the golden calf.

Why must the heifer be given to Eleazar, and assistant, and not to the High Priest himself? Because Aaron oversaw the creation of the golden calf, and therefore it would not seem proper for him to officiate with the heifer. There is a principle, "the same one who was prosecutor, cannot become a defense attorney."

The heifer is burned, an allusion to the calf that was burned: "And he took the calf which they had made, and burned it in the fire... " (Ex. 32:20)

Three species are used: hyssop, cedar, and scarlet wool, which are reminiscent of the 3,000 who fell at the sin of the calf. And why these three? The cedar is the highest, and the hyssop is the lowest... and whoever is haughty (equal to the sin of idolatry) must become like a worm (from which the red dye is obtained) in his own eyes, as King David prayed: "I am a worm and not a man" (Psalms 22:7). If he will lower himself, his sins will be atoned.

Just as the sin of the golden calf exerts its influence forever, as it states "and on the day that I will remember you and I will remember your sin" (Ex. 32:34), so too the Holy One commanded that the ashes of the red heifer be kept as a remembrance for all generations: "and they shall be for the congregation of the Children of Israel for a remembrance."

And just as the golden calf rendered all those who participated in it impure - for idolatry causes impurity, as it is written: "You shall cast it away as a thing impure... " (Isaiah 30:22), so the heifer renders all those who come in contact with it impure.

And: As Israel became pure through the ashes of the golden calf, which Moses burned and ground into a dust - "... and he burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it upon the water... " So Israel becomes pure through the ashes of the red heifer.

But why must the heifer be free from all blemish?

... Because at their spiritual source, according to their true exalted nature, Israel is perfect and free from blemish.

All the Heifer's Requirements are a Metaphor to Israel

On still an entirely different level, the entire precept can be seen as an affectionate allegory to Israel herself - the Holy One compares His nation with the secret of that which cleanses her.

How fitting that the heifer which figures so importantly in the process of Israel's purification, must be completely red, perfect and without blemish.

Israel is red, as it is written (Lamentations 4:7) "... they were more ruddy in body than rubies."

Israel is perfect - so the verse states (Song of Songs 5:2) "... open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect... "

Israel has no blemish, as it is written (ibid. 4:7), "You are all fair, my love, there is no blemish in you."

Moses said to Korech, "The red heifer will atone for their gold which is red. As it is perfect and without blemish, let it atone for the nation which is perfect. Israel was perfect but became blemished through this sin; the sprinkling of the ashes will restore their perfection and cleanse them of their blemish. And just as it has had no yoke - let it atone for our insubordination."

True Religion?

What is True Religion? Many people avoid that word religion like a plague. With so many sects of Christianity it is no wonder the world is confused.
Why does God allow this? Like so many things, we have the write to choose, and God hopes you will choose Him. 2 Peter 3:9 >>
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
At this time of the year are the "Days of Awe" a time of repentance for the Jews. Shouldn't any "True Religion" have repentance? It's what the Apostles did. Unfortunately so many eyes are blind to what is boldly written in front of them in the Bible. People want security, they want to be saved. I have heard people say that this is "churchy"
We have church, we attend church, we are the church, we are the bride, we are the chosen ones for whom the Savior died. We are the church, we've been redeemed, we are the soldiers of the cross, We Are The Church!
This business of the Bible doesn't mean this or that is wrong. Jesus chose 12 disciples and gave them explicit instructions. This is where the Hebrew Perspective comes in. Peter and the others were not ignorant of scriptures. All Hebrew children were taught Torah. Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
The Apostles were taught by Jesus who He was and where He was in the Scripture. He taught them God's plan that was from the beginning.
You cannot err in following what the Apostles preached.
What is "True Religion?" We know that the Apostles knew and obeyed Jesus' command. When Peter stood at Pentecost and said, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38.
Was Peter wrong? How come the other 119 with him didn't say anything? No one whispered into his ear and said, "your saying it wrong".
Baptism in Jesus name is a commandment. At this time of year many Jews also take a ritual bath (mikveh) they fully immerse (tevelah) themselves. This is also what they did in Exodus 19 before receiving the law.
The infilling of the Holy Ghost is what Jeremiah talked about. Jeremiah 31:33 >>
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
It seems so simple yet many struggle with it. tim Mahoney said, "Perhaps we all should have a sign in front of our church that reads, "Understanding Spoken Here".

Preaching

In preaching, the heart is poured out and every fiber of the being screams forth the holiness of God. Preaching, for the preacher, is worship.
Acceptable worship is impossible without preaching, for preaching is making known the Lord's name, and worship is praising the name made known.
People have the faulty idea that the PREACHER is an actor on stage and they are the critics, evaluating him. What they don’t know is that THEY are the actors on stage! The preacher is merely a prompter in the wings, reminding them of their lost lines, and GOD is the audience!
We cannot make much of ourselves and of God simultaneously. If people say "Amazing preaching!" we have failed. They must say "Awesome God!"
Raymond Woodward