Shalom Ephraim and Judah,

Over the last couple of weeks and especially around the time of Yom Kippur, we have watched the social order in our country begin to disintegrate. Israeli Jews and Arabs have taken to the streets in violent confrontations, not to speak of the tense situation in Judea, Samaria and Gaza and on the Lebanese border. In addition to that, the Arab heads of state will soon gather for a summit on the Arab Israeli conflict. In some of those countries we have seen demonstrations and a growing number of other incidents like the terrorist bombing of an American warship. But even more graphic was the brutalization yesterday of two Israeli soldiers and the burning of an ancient synagogue in Jericho. The frenzied elation of beating on a human body over and over was brushed off as psychological frustration, by the president of the United States. My friends, if that is all that is seen behind that madness we are in deep trouble. It is being said that if the Palestinians had their own state, they would make peace with Israel, but what about the rest of the Islamic nations? Do they not have their own states? Why is the populace in those nations also having violent hate-filled demonstration with the burning of Israeli and American flags? It is not because they are aligning themselves with the Palestinian cause; that is only the excuse. The deeper meanings are biblically based and are sovereignly watched over by an Omnipotent Creator. Have our leaders forgotten that peace goes hand in hand with love, and that hatred and peace do not make good partners?

In the midst of all of this, I kept hearing the word "distraction". It dawned on me that in the days of David, Ezra and Nehemiah, who were all involved in YHVH's work of restoration, the enemies managed to distract the workers from restoring or building the house of YHVH.

Twenty-two years ago, while in a discipleship training program, I had to memorize scriptures. One such scripture that really spoke to me was 1 Cor. 15:58: "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord". In the course of meditating on that scripture the little word OF spoke out like the voice from a burning bush. I suddenly became very puzzled and asked in prayerful thoughts: "What is the work OF the Lord? Lord what is it that you are doing? I see around me a lot of work FOR You. But is this the work "OF" You?"

Over the years YHVH has been slowly revealing His work to His workmen. Because we see through a glass darkly, it can be a slow process of revelation. But as we perceive from the Word, He is building himself a dwelling place. As we know, if a house is to be built it must be built on a rock solid foundation. The rock bed is the Creator Himself, "For I proclaim the name of YHVH, ascribe greatness to our Elohim. He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He" (Deut. 32:3-4). "No one is holy like YHVH, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our Elohim" (1 Samuel 2:2). The bedrock on which the foundation is laid, is the Holiness, Righteousness, Faithfulness, Justice and Truth of our Elohim.

The foundation of His house is the apostles and prophets (of Scripture). The chief cornerstone Yeshua, who is also the foundation, was taken from the bedrock (Elohim). "Thus says YHVH: 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation'" (Isaiah 28:16). The Apostle Paul, addressing those who have been called out from the nations, writes: "Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Yeshua the Messiah, Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit" (Eph 2:20-22).

The house cannot be restored until the foundation has been completed. In other words, we must have a full picture of what the apostles and prophets, along with the chief cornerstone, have been revealing to us. I believe this is what drew me to read about the restoration work that has been recorded in Ezra, Haggai, and Zechariah. As I read these books over and over, the one major theme that became apparent to me was YHVH's determination to lay the foundations and restore His house, while the enemies' objective (then and now) was and is to keep that from happening. I believe, as many of you know, that the "House of YHVH" and the "house of Jacob" are one and the same. This conclusion I have drawn from the writings of both the prophets and the apostles. For example Luke 1:32-33: "He [Yeshua] will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; Adonai YHVH will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end". In whose house was He to set up an everlasting kingdom? In what house was He to sit on the throne of His father David? Over which house did His father David rule? In the 'foundation stones' of the Prophets it is recorded: "And now YHVH says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel is gathered to Him… Indeed He says, `It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel…?" (Isa. 49:5-6).

In the return and restoration during the days of Zerubbabal, the foes endeavored to discourage and frighten the workers from doing their job. They would even hire counselors against them to frustrate their counsel (see Ezra 4:4-5). Even to the point where the workmen would say: "It is not the time for the house of YHVH to be built" (Haggai 1:2). Is this situation comparable to the one in Israel today? During those most difficult days YHVH sent two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah to exhort and encourage the remnant that had returned, under Zerubbabel and Joshua, to finish laying the foundation and to build the house. "Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Joshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, helping them. (emphasis added)" (Ezra 5:1-2).

I strongly believe that there is a remnant of both houses of Israel that has returned to the land and is called and gifted for the task of completing the foundation and building the House as prescribed to the Branch . "Then speak to him, saying, `Thus says YHVH of the armies, saying: "Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of YHVH; yes, He shall build the temple of YHVH. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both [the kingly and priestly of the Melchizedek order]"' (Zech. 6:12-13). We all have been grafted as branches into the Messiah who is the "shoot and the branch" (netzer and the tzemach) , and are therefore intricately involved in His work.. "Therefore let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of YHVH of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built….for it will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel (Ephraim) so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong" (Zech. 8:9,13).

Do not let all these distractions discourage you, but, rather, seek Him for your portion of the work in the restoration of the House of YHVH (the house of Jacob). Thank you again for being with us at such an awesome and glorious time as this. Have a blessed outing in your succa, but remember this feast is prophetic and a shadow of things to come. Hag Sam'ach and Shabbat Shalom, Shevet Achim

Indeed, how great and glorious will be His house, when the brothers (the sons of Jacob) sit or dwell together in unity, in the restored succa of David.

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