Day 280 Two Years

 

10/7/2025 

"Comfort, yes, comfort My people!" says your God. 

"Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare

is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has 

received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins."

Isaiah 40:1-2

  

The Feast of Tabernacles officially started last evening, and people have been setting up temporary shelters, or booths, in which they dwell for the eight days of the festival. This annual pilgrimage is done to remind the Jewish people of the time of Israel's 40 years in the wilderness, and as a reminder of God's provision during that time. It is a time when everyone, poor and wealthy alike, live in temporary, humble dwellings of branches, palms, with open skies. Today the attendees representing the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), gathered in support of the families of the hostages as they remember today, the second anniversary of the unprovoked massacre by Hamas of innocent men, women, and children in their beds, in their homes, and at a festival of young people. Hostages taken that day still remain in the tunnels of Gaza, but an ultimatum has been made for the release of all remaining hostages, alive and dead. This is a time that is normally happy and festive, joyous and fun, instead it is bittersweet for all as they wait for their loved ones to come home.

The theme for the festival set up by ICEJ is taken from scripture, Zechariah 8:20-23: "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Peoples shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities; the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, "Let us continue to go and pray before the LORD, and seek the LORD of hosts. I myself will go also." Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.' 

"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'" 

Last night at the first night of the ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles celebration, a pastor spoke about how beautiful corporate worship is to God, but he wanted to emphasize that during this time of celebration together as the ICEJ family and with Israel, that God is calling each of us to individual worship. This is something I harp on a lot, as you know, so I am thankful that I'm not the only one. It's great to meet people for the first time face to face, as well as to meet others, making new friends and wonderful memories, and as such, we can get carried away and neglect the quiet time alone with God. Here they are in Israel, in Jerusalem, the City of God, neglecting quiet time?! But yes, it happens, and I can well imagine it happens a lot, as they scurry around doing things, eating out, visiting, and attending the festivities and conferences. It happens to us every day in our individual lives, and then the unimaginable happens to us. We cannot afford to draw away from God. The Bible teaches us in James 4:7-8 to draw nigh to God, resist the devil, and he will flee:

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God, and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." 

Pastor Manosa also shared that as he was thinking about spending eternity in heaven where we will be worshiping God continually, that he wondered, "Wouldn't that get boring?" When he consulted with God about it, God said, "No, because He reveals Himself eternally." Every fraction, every second, of our time in Heaven with God will be like an "Eternal WOW!" Not just a "spark" of revelation but a huge BURST of insight of WHO HE IS!! Imagine it! God's attribute is His Holiness. His essence is Perfect Holiness. There is not comparison. He stands alone! In Heaven "we become the object of His Love, and He becomes the object of our worship." Think about it...He made us in His Image, creating Adam from dust, but Holy Spirit breath of life. When we meet Him, we will breathe out that breath. First breath - God to man, and final breath - man to God. Even thinking about it like that is a mini Eternal WOW, because we see in part and know in part, but then...WOW!

So in this life, anything that takes our focus off of God is idolatry. I was reading the book of Hosea that is a good illustration of how God view Israel as an adulterous nation because of their preference to idols who had no life, no breath, could not speak, yet time and time again, the people of Israel and Judah turned to the gods of the land, until God punished them and led them into exile to the very nations they served. But He always had a remnant in Judah who did not follow the ways of the disobedient and idolatrous worshipers that He likened to spiritual adultery. He is returning for a Bride without spot or wrinkle. 

The Apostle Paul in writing to the Corinthians regarding to the New Covenant in Christ said:

"Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech - unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away by Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:12-18)

God has been restoring Israel to the land He gave them that includes Gaza and West Bank or Judea Samaria. The land is being restored, and the nation is being blessed in scientific, technological, and medical advances. Agriculturally the land is bursting with wealth and prosperity. But there is much more needed, as in the nations of this world - a spirit of repentance. God can take the most horrendous atrocities and restore what the locusts have eaten away. If we Gentiles do the work He has set us to do, they will come to know Jesus as Messiah and Lord. I pray for that day to happen quickly, as revival has begun in so many places already. Young people are rising up, hungry for more, not a nibble, but a banquet. They want the meat of the word of God. And we must deliver, because it is happening now. For Israel, Zechariah 12:10 says:

"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn."

Let it happen now, LORD! Open their eyes during the Feast, and receive the blessing of knowing the One who died to set them free!  

 "He is here, He is here,

to break the yoke and lift the heavy burden.

He is here, He is here,

To heal the hopeless heart and bless the broken."

Jesus Image, "He is Here"