SHABBAT SHALOM!

Note that Yeshayahu/Isaiah 40:1-26 is the Haftorah/Haftarah portion read with the TORAH Portion, “VA’ETCHANAN/And I Pleaded or Besought.”

This is a time of preparation spiritually! Wake up, please if you are sleeping spiritually.

Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashanah 2018 will begin in the evening of

 

Every year, the 3 weeks preceding Tisha B’Av are known as weeks of sorrow. Why? It is because it has been a time of great persecution of the Children of Israel over the years throughout mankind’s history. Those 3 weeks are time to cry out unto the LORD YAHUVEH for HIS Mercies which endure every morning plus for protection over the Children of Israel worldwide.

Tisha B’Av—the ninth day of the Israeli/Jewish month of Av—is a major turning-point on YAH’S calendar calendar. This date commemorates the destruction of the Temple in YAHrushalayim/Jerusalem in 586 BCE by the Chaldeans and again in 70 CE by Rome. For the 3 weeks leading up to Tisha B’Av we read Haftarot of Affliction, passages pronounced under RUACH HA KODESH inspiration by YAH’S Holy Prophets that describe the judgment to come upon YAHrushalayim.

Then for 7 weeks after Tisha B’Av, we read Haftarot of Consolation or Comfort, beginning with the opening words of this week’s Haftarah (a.k.a HafTorah), “‘Comfort, comfort My people,’ says your God” (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 40:1).

 

Note the switch in atmosphere. This switch in spiritual focus away from mourning and onto consolation prepares us to enter a New Year, Rosh Ha Shanah, with joyful anticipation of the goodness and mercy of the LORD YAHUVEH. In typical Jewish fashion, we honestly face the sorrowful loss of the Holy Temple, that is to say that – for three weeks—but we end on a note of hope and affirmation of YAH’S goodness—for seven weeks. As Children of Israel (both biological and adopted), we’re not in denial about either our shortcomings or the tragedies of our history, but we insist on focusing on the good, be positive concerning the future, the hopeful, the promises yet to be fulfilled.

Today (sun-down Friday 27th to sun-down Saturday 28th July 2018) is our first week of the seven.

In our haftarah this week, first of the seven, Yeshayahu Ha Navi (a.k.a Isaiah the Prophet) continues with a word of comfort:

Speak kindly to the heart of YAHrushalayim (Jerusalem)
and proclaim to her
that her warfare has ended,
that her iniquity has been removed.
For she has received from ADONAI YAHUVEH’s hand
    double for all her sins.

Then the prophet introduces “a voice crying in the wilderness,”

Prepare the way of ADONAI YAHUVEH,
Make straight in the desert
    a highway for our YAH.

(Yeshayahu/Isaiah 40:2–3)

The imagery is striking, that is to say that a highway is prepared through the desert and we expect it to be the route of return for those exiled in Babylon. Valleys and hills are leveled, the crooked way is made straight, and we await the return of the captives. But it is the glory of the LORD YAHUVEH that appears; the heralds watching from high places around YAHrushalayim don’t announce the return of exiles, but instead cry out, “Behold your ELOHIM (or YAH)!”

Look, ADONAI ELOHIM comes with might,
    with His arm ruling for HIM.
Behold, His reward is with HIM,
    and HIS recompense before HIM.

(Yeshayahu/Isaiah 40:9–10)

It is clear that the heralds announce the Special Coming of YAHUSHUA HA MASHIACH to Israel instead of the return of the exiles, but of course, it’s both.

The return from exile is part of the LORD YAHUVEH’S return to Israel and Israel’s return to HIM. It’s entirely fitting that Yeshayahu Ha Navi’s “voice in the wilderness” is cited in all four of the gospel accounts.

Note that it is YAH’S newly Eliyahu Ha Navi (Prophet Elijah) of that time and this time as well as the time to come who says these words.

Even more fitting is that the word for one who heralds the LORD YAHUVEH0’S return, mevaser, is from the same Hebrew root as “gospel” or besorah. Yeshayahu’s word of comfort is besorah—a prototypical gospel—to Israel. It provides the foundation for the coming besorah of Messiah YAHUSHUA, which entails HIS saving work for all Israel, even as it goes beyond to bring a message of YAH’S Salvation to all mankind.

Our haftarah pictures a vital linkage in the besorah that we might tend to overlook. YAH’S promise to return and restore all Israel includes return to the land of Israel. And if so, the current ongoing return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel, amazing as it is, is but part of an even grander and more amazing restoration to YAH HIMSELF:

 

“‘Return to Me, and I will return to you,’ says Adonai-Tzva’ot”

(MalakYAH/Malachai 3:7).

 

How do we return?

Start by genuine repentance.

Then return to the habit of reading Scripture regularly and steadily and to speak words of Scripture as prayers in response to the intense events unfolding all around us. Read, study, memorise, digest and pray YAH’S Holy WORD into your soul constantly!

Thirdly, listen to the right reports, to the “Calebs” and “Joshuas” instead of the nay-sayers (see Numbers 13)!

Mankind generally thinks too much of the bad news. Strive to dwell on the good news of Holy Scriptures. Turn your thoughts away from the ever flowing stream flood of depressing, anxious, tempting things and back to the GOOD report of the Holy Biblical Scriptures, which you’ve already read, chewed on, and stored within!

Remember:

Isaiah 53:1 New King James Version (NKJV)

The Sin-Bearing Messiah

 

After Tisha B’Av, we have 7 special weeks which precede YAH’S very special /High Sabbath called “Yom Teruah/Day of Sounding the Shofar” a.k.a Rosh Ha Shanah! This is something to look forward to for sure as it marks a New Beginning for us all both spiritually and physically as set by YAH Almighty from the beginning of time as per Genesis 1.

 

Yeshayahu/Isaiah 40 is a Good report of Israel’s Restoration! In this critical time we need to read and re-read them, and moreover to pray them, to mysteriously become part of their fulfillment as the ancient words of Yeshayahu are transformed into words of comfort for today.

 

So may we each become a mevaseret Zion—one who announces good news to Zion: “Behold your YAH!”

 

Remember that YAHUSHUA HA MASHIACH revealed to today’s Eliyahu Ha Navi that, what if Rosh Ha Shanah is the day HE comes to elope with HIS Bride (and Guests) who have made themselves ready for HIM?

Watch the following video and as you do, note that the Shofar/Trumpet will be sounded in the Spiritual Realm. Only those who have accepted YAH’S SALVATION and are very sensitive spiritually will hear it as per Matthew 25. The spiritually sleepy Bride (and Guests) will miss it.

 

This is a time of preparation spiritually! Wake up, please if you are sleeping spiritually.

 

Isaiah 40:1-26 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Comfort, Proclaim Good News

40 “Comfort, comfort My people,”
says your God.
² Speak kindly to the heart of Jerusalem
and proclaim to her
that her warfare has ended,
that her iniquity has been removed.
For she has received from Adonai’shand
    double for all her sins.
³ A voice cries out in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way of Adonai,
Make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.^[a]

⁴ Every valley will be lifted up,
every mountain and hill made low,
the rough ground will be a plain
and the rugged terrain smooth.
⁵ The glory of Adonai will be revealed,
and all flesh will see it together.”
For the mouth of Adonai has spoken.

⁶ A voice is saying, “Cry out!”
So I said, “What shall I cry out?”
“All flesh is grass,
and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
⁷ The grass withers, the flower fades.
For the breath of Adonai blows on it.
Surely the people are grass.
⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades.
But the word of our God stands forever.”^[b]

⁹ Get yourself up on a high mountain,
you who bring good news to Zion!
Lift up your voice with strength,
you who bring good news to Jerusalem!
Lift it up! Do not fear!
Say to the cities of Judah:
    “Behold your God!”
¹⁰ Look, Adonai Elohim comes with might,
    with His arm ruling for Him.
Behold, His reward is with Him,
    and His recompense before Him.^[c]
11 Like a shepherd, He tends His flock.^[d]
He gathers the lambs in His arms
    carries them in his bosom,
    and gently guides nursing ewes.

Who Is Like Him?

¹² Who has measured the waters in the palm of His hand,
or measured out heaven with a span,
or calculated the dust of the earth in a measure,
or weighed the mountains in scales,
or the hills in a balance?
¹³ Who can fathom the Ruach Adonai?
Or instruct Him as His counselor?
¹⁴ With whom did He consult,
    and who instructed Him?
Who taught Him in the path of justice
    or taught Him knowledge?
Who informed Him about
    the way of understanding?

¹⁵ Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
    and count as a speck of dust on the scales.
Behold, the islands weigh as fine dust.
¹⁶ Lebanon is not enough to burn,
or its animals enough for a burnt offering.
¹⁷ All the nations are as nothing before Him.
By Him they are accounted null and void.
¹⁸ To whom then will you liken God?
To what likeness will you compare Him?
¹⁹ To an idol? A craftsman casts it,
a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.
²⁰ One too poor for such an offering
chooses wood that will not rot.
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to prepare him an idol that will not totter.