COMMENTARY: Prophetic Timing for Israel’s Victory

Friday, September 13, 2013 |  Jonathan David, Israel Today  

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Bible

The Lord of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has provided specific instructions that give prophetic direction into His timing for the nation of Israel, the Jews and His sheep all over the world. Sadly, His instructions are often ignored or rejected, which means that many will miss the perfect timing, protection and provision of the Lord.

What advantage does the Jew have? The apostle Paul gives us the answer in Romans 3:2: “Much in every way: chiefly, because that unto them (Jews) were committed the oracles of God.”

The oracles are those prophetic conduits of the Lord’s words of instruction, wisdom and knowledge. The words of the prophets are still there for all of us to behold if we really want to know the Lord’s ways rather than man’s ways, His thoughts rather than man’s thoughts. And we can also know God’s timing rather than man’s timing, if we choose to.

By and through the word of the Lord found in the Holy Scriptures, we can know His times and seasons. For example, because of the prophecy written by Daniel around the fourth-century BC, the Magi from the East knew that Messiah would be born on earth at the time Yeshua HaMashiach was born, yet the Jews were not waiting and watching and obviously were not prepared.

Yeshua rebuked his Jewish brethren and prophesied how Rome would throw down the stones of Jerusalem, “because you knew not the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:44). I wonder how much trouble the Jews would have avoided at the hands of their enemies had they recognized the timing of Messiah’s first visit. Obviously, through their error, we can see the danger of ignoring or showing no regard for the word or instruction of the prophets.

The following is a timely example of how man’s ways, words, thoughts and timing have attempted to replace the Lord’s ways, words, thoughts and timing.

Most Jews in Israel and around the world recently celebrated Rosh Hashanah (Feast of the Trumpets) beginning on September 5th, 2013. In fact, since they wanted to be sure to get it right and not miss the true timing, they celebrated Rosh Hashanah for two days. So, why all of the guess work when the word of the Lord regarding this Holy festival is precise and without error?

Scripture makes it clear that the Lord’s timing for His people to celebrate Rosh Hashanah/Feast of Trumpets is on the “first day of the seventh month” (Leviticus 23:24, Numbers 29:1). Furthermore, the Lord gave instructions for identifying the first day of a month: “Blow the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.” (Psalm 81:3)

Based on these instructions of the Lord for the nation of Israel, the first day of the month is always identified by the new moon. Since it arrives at differing times each month, it’s impossible to know the day or hour of appearing, so Israel must always be waiting and watching for the sighting.

Sadly, since the fourth century, the Jews stopped waiting and watching for the Lord to reveal the exact date of His Festival. It was then arranged by Jewish leaders that Rosh Hashanah/Feast of Trumpets would never fall on a Sunday, Wednesday, or Friday. The argument for this is that the Covenant people of the Lord were driven out of the land of Israel and scattered throughout the earth, making it hard to know whose observation of the new moon and which location on earth should have been used to determine the date.

However, now that The House of Judah (Jews) has been restored back to the Land of Israel, why should 4th century rules or even the Western Hemisphere moon sightings continue to trump the word of the LORD regarding Israel’s Holy Day? After all, Micah 4:2 confirms that “…the law shall go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”

Had the Jews been waiting and watching this year according to the Lord’s instructions, they would have known that the Festival of Trumpets’ new moon was sighted in Israel on the evening of Saturday, September 7th, which is the start of September 8th, since Genesis confirms that the Lord counts days beginning at sundown. Therefore, according to the Lord’s timing, Rosh Hashanah/Feast of Trumpets was on Sunday, September 8th.

So, what can be so bad about neglecting the order, direction, wisdom, understanding and timing of the Lord?

Well, ignoring the instruction of blowing the trumpets (warnings, rallying calls, notices, worship) on the first day of the seventh month now means that the Jews will not be able to follow the Lord’s instructions regarding the Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur this month.

“On the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.” (Leviticus 16:29, Leviticus 23:27, Leviticus 25:9, Numbers 29:7, Ezekiel 20:1). The day of atonement is a time of humbleness for the nation of Israel; a time of fasting, repentance and seeking the Lord’s mercy and help.”

Sadly, by not following the oracles of the Lord, and choosing rather to follow man’s devices, the Jews did not obey the instructions for the Feast of Trumpets and set a wrong date. Therefore, they now project another date based on their first error, which now leads to more disobedience as they have erroneously scheduled the Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur for September 14th, 2013.

So, on the true tenth day of the seventh month, as identified by the Lord’s word and identified by the new moon, which He presented to the nation of Israel on September 8th, 2013, we know that September 17th, which begins on the evening of the 16th, is the required day of national prayer, repentance and fasting. It’s the Lord’s Day of Atonement on the true tenth day of the seventh month in Israel, which He established.

So, a very important question to ask is what are the ramifications of ignoring or rejecting the instructions, commands, knowledge and understanding which the Lord provided the Jews through the oracles? More importantly, just what advantage does our attentiveness and obedience to the word of the Lord bring?

King David shared the answer to both of these questions when he shared the following word of the Lord with Israel in Psalm 81:11-16, “But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

“If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways, how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever. But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Prayer: May the Lord forgive us for following our ways above His. May we heed King David’s admonition and forsake our own devices. May we honor the Scriptures of the Lord given through His prophets. May we eagerly submit to Abba’s words above all. May we be pleasing to Him, truly listening that we may behold His promised protection and provision. May we be like the wise virgins in Yeshua’s parable, who knew the timing of the Lord, and so be prepared, watching and waiting to enter in at the right time; the timing of the Lord.

Do you want victory in your battles and against your enemies? Obey the word of the Lord above all others.

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