Dear Family in the Messiah Yeshua! Greetings and blessings to you from your brothers and sisters at “Holy Land Ministries”, Israel!
As some of you may know we have commemorated the 9th Av (Tisha B’Av) here in Israel.
This year the 9th Av fell on 27th of July, starting the evening before.
Tisha B’Av is a solemn Jewish fast day that commemorates various tragedies throughout history, most notably the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. It falls on the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, hence the name “Tisha B’Av” (Tisha meaning nine). On this day, Jewish people mourn the loss of their holy temples, as well as other calamities and misfortunes that have befallen the Jewish people over the centuries. It is a time of reflection, prayer, and fasting, as well as reading from the Book of Lamentations, which expresses sorrow and grief. Tisha B’Av serves as a reminder of the importance of unity, repentance, and hope for a better future.
We are delighted to share with you the following article from our Rabbi, who is not only a dear friend but also a brother in Messiah Yeshua, here in Israel.
Tisha B’Av 5783
Why Did G-d Punish His People?
The ninth day of Av marks the ending of three weeks of atrocities committed against the Jewish people by Nebuchadnezar and his armies. The Bible is most clear that it was G-d Himself Who used Babylon to punish Judah severely for her sins. What were the sins of Judah that caused G-d to place such a harsh punishment upon His people? When studying the book of Jeremiah, one learns that Judah engaged in idolatry and numerous other sins. Jeremiah prophesied for over forty years and despite his strong words and clear call for the people to repent, the people refused to heed his words. In fact, their idolatrous behaviour included burning their children as an offering to Molech, a false god.
There is a good example of why G-d punished His people so harshly in the thirty-fourth chapter of Jeremiah. Jeremiah speaks to Zedekiah, the king of Judah in the midst of the war. This war was indeed avoidable, as Jeremiah had informed the people if they would go out before the Babylonian army and seek mercy from them, that G-d would spare the people and they would live. Such an action required the people to trust in the words of Jeremiah and they did not. Now in the midst of the war, Jeremiah speaks to Zedekiah regarding the armies of the world which had joined with Nebuchadnezar, and that Judah would fall, including the Holy City of Jerusalem.
It was during this bleak time that Zedekiah led the people to enter into a covenant. This covenant was an attempt to bring G-d’s favor back upon the people and cause Him to act in a mighty way to save Judah. It is this covenant, and the people’s ultimate response to it, that revealed the true spiritual condition of the people and why G-d placed this harsh punishment upon them. This punishment included the destruction of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem, with all the death and suffering that went along with it and the seventy years of exile in Babylon.
The key passage in Jeremiah’s prophecy begins with the words,
“The word which was to Jeremiah from the L-rd after King Zedekiah cuts (makes) a covenant with all the people who are in Jerusalem to proclaim to them liberty.”
Jeremiah 34:8
The word “liberty” at the end of this verse relates to the liberty that describes the year of Jubilee (See Deuteronomy 25:10), when all Jewish slaves are set free. Please note: the commandment to release slaves and maidservants not only relates to the year of Jubilee, but Israel is commanded to do this at the end of the seventh year, every seven years! It would seem that the people of Judah had ignored this commandment and according to many of the commentators and the Biblical text itself (See verse 14), it was Judah’s failure to observe both the Shemitah year and the year of Jubilee that contributed to the seventy years that the people would spend in exile. It is clear that this covenant which was proclaimed related to the matter of Shemitah / Jubilee, as the passage continues and states,
“To send a man his slave and a man his maidservant, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman free, not to enslave them, a Jewish man his (Jewish) brother.”
Jeremiah 34:9
When King Zedekiah proclaimed to do this, the people responded in obedience and set free their Jewish slaves. The Biblical text (See verse 10) emphasized the people’s obedience by stating twice that all the people heard, i.e., obeyed (וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ). However, in the next verse one reads,
“And they returned afterwards and they caused to return the slaves and maidservants which they had sent free and they conquered them for slaves and maidservants.”
Jeremiah 34:11
Whereas in verse 10 the reader is told twice that all the people obeyed the commandment of King Zedekiah and entered into the covenant and sent free their slaves, in verse 11 it is stated twice (וַיָּשׁוּבוּ, אַחֲרֵי-כֵן, וַיָּשִׁבוּ) that the people caused their slaves to return and once more enslaved them. When looking at the Hebrew vocabulary for the returning of the slaves again into slavery, it is the same word for repentance which is used. This means that instead of truly repenting and obeying the covenant in which they had entered, they “repented” from the right thing to do and turned once again to act in disobedience to the Law of Moses and did not practice the Shemitah or the Jubilee.
The message of the passage is clear. The people, even when doing the proper thing, will not continue in it consistently, but immediately אַחֲרֵי-כֵן (afterwards) return to their evil ways, defying the instructions of G-d. It was this failure to be committed to the covenant in which they had entered that manifested their true spiritual condition and revealed G-d’s justification for punishing the people as He did. The reader learns that G-d was initially pleased with what the people did in sending their slaves free, but when they “repented” from this good deed in order to “return” to their sinful ways, G-d stated that this act profaned His Name.
G-d then reveals that such behaviour will indeed have a severe punishment.
“Therefore, thus said the L-rd, you have not heard (obeyed) Me to proclaim liberty a man to his neighbour; behold I am proclaiming to you freedom declared the L-rd to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, and I will place upon you terror of all the kingdoms of the world.”
Jeremiah 34:17
It is clear that it was G-d’s intent to bring upon the people the terror (לְזַעֲוָה) of all the kingdoms of the world, in order to cause the people to truly repent. When studying the prophecy of Jeremiah, there are frequent Scriptural indicators which demonstrate a similarity between the spiritual condition of the people during the time of Jeremiah and what will be the spiritual condition of the people in the end times. Whereas, only a remnant actually were changed due to the Babylonian Exile and returned to Judah in faith, so too will there only be a remnant in the end times that will be truly changed by the time of Jacob’s Trouble (See Jeremiah 30:7) and be saved. The emphasis of this passage is on the the fact that Jeremiah says,
וְנָתַתִּי אֶתְכֶם לזועה (לְזַעֲוָה), לְכֹל מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ.
“…I will place upon you the terror of all the kingdoms of the world.”
Jeremiah 34:17b
In actuality, although Nebuchadnezar had a large coalition of nations, he did not have all the kingdoms of the earth fighting with him against Judah. However, in the end times, this will indeed be the situation, as all the nations in the world will join with the antichrist to bring terror upon the Jewish people in an attempt to destroy both the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. In a similar manner, as after the Babylonian Exile, G-d forgave His people and brought them back to the Land of Judah (See Jeremiah 33:7-11), so too will He do so in the end times. In fact, the clear emphasis in Jeremiah’s prophecy is that G-d will bring this about through Israel’s Messiah! This is also what is taught in Jeremiah 33:12-26.
Therefore, as we mourn the events of the destruction of the First and Second Temples during Tisha B’Av and the Babylonian and Roman Exiles, let us also remember the promises of our Great G-d, Who through Messiah Yeshua will establish all His Kingdom promises. Amen
We are pleased to reintroduce you to a highly esteemed member of the HLM community, Olga Bat Ya’akov, who is 78 years old. Olga, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, grew up in challenging circumstances just after the Second World War. Despite the hardships, her naturally joyful and positive character remained unaffected, which set her apart from many other children of Holocaust survivors.
Her infectious joyfulness only deepened when she found faith in her Messiah, Yeshua. Now, at an age when most people might be receiving care, Olga is devoting herself to caring for many elderly individuals, offering them her joyful encouragement.
However, recently Olga has been facing serious health concerns related to her digestive system. She is currently undergoing treatment and tests to determine the cause of her issues. Despite these challenges, Olga’s unwavering faith in her Lord and her enduring joy continue to shine.
We sincerely request your prayers for Olga’s well-being, that the Lord may heal and comfort her, so she can continue spreading the light of Messiah to her contemporaries for many more years to come.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16
We would like to request your prayers for Ariel and his family. Ariel has recently embraced faith in Messiah Yeshua, leaving behind an ultra-orthodox Jewish background. Since then, they have attended a HLM Shabbat meeting and maintained regular contact with us.
Ariel is deeply devoted to his Messiah and is eager to share the message of Messiah with those around him, particularly within the orthodox Jewish community. Let us pray that the Lord guides Ariel and his family to be a blessing to their community.
Due to opposition from former friends and acquaintances, Ariel and his family had to relocate from a small, predominantly orthodox Jewish town to Jerusalem. In light of this, please pray for their spiritual protection and well-being. Additionally, pray for Ariel’s physical health and strength.
Moreover, we ask for prayers for discernment and guidance for HLM as we strive to reach out and bless others like Ariel and his family. Your support through prayer can make a significant impact on their lives and our outreach efforts.
“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
Colossians 1:13-14.
In our newsletter, we are delighted to share news of HLM’s recent expansion of ministry in Kyrgyzstan. Over the course of several trips, HLM has been in close contact with a small group of believers in the Kyrgyz Republic, Central Asia. The purpose has been to provide encouragement and support as these believers explore the Jewish roots of their faith and establish charity projects within their community.
Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked country bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and China to the east, presents challenges for believers. Despite these difficulties, the group is determined to make a positive impact in their community by spreading the light of Messiah through their witness and charitable acts. Currently, they actively support their local orphanage, and with HLM’s assistance, they hope to expand this essential work.
As we pray for this dedicated group of believers, let’s ask for their spiritual and physical strength to grow, enabling them to be a blessing in their local area and share the Good News of the Messiah with many. Additionally, let us also pray for HLM, seeking wisdom and guidance as they work diligently to establish this vital ministry on a solid legal foundation. Together, we can support and uplift these endeavours, bringing hope and transformative change to the lives of those in need.
Holy Land Ministries 