Meat for the Hungry

    sewingdivine.com Most of us celebrated Resurrection Day on March 31, 2024, commemorating the AD 32 Passover events—the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Yeshua Jesus, our Jewish Messiah. Interestingly, Israel was celebrating Passover as I began writing this week. According to Chabad.org, “The Jewish Passover began Monday, April 22 nd , at 7:34 p.m. EST and ended Wednesday, April 24th, at 8:29 p.m. EST.” However, they celebrated with heavy hearts this “…night of solemn observance to the LORD for bringing them out of the land of Egypt…” [1]   Almost 4,000 years ago, in the Jewish month, Nisan , aka Abib, YHWH – the I AM Who I AM – the only True and Living God, who is Three, yet One, miraculously passed over the Israelites who had the BLOOD of a lamb spread upon the doorposts and lintel of their homes, while He killed the firstborn of Egypt. Why did God do this? So, Israel “…may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel…s...

  How quickly things change.   Tuesday, we buried my friend, my sister in Christ, my worship ministry partner, a person I greatly loved and admired. And the thing is, everybody felt the same way I did about her. She loved everyone, and everyone loved her. When Kim left this earth, she left a hole in our hearts and a vacancy in our church that only God can fill.   But this morning, as I was reminiscing, praying, and thinking about how to begin August’s newsletter, the LORD gave me a word – PILLAR – and the phrase, “…a pillar in the temple of My God….” [1]   I felt Jesus say to my heart, “Kim is one of My pillars. She shall go out no more. I have written My new name on her and the name of My city – the New Jerusalem.”   Tears escaped and wet my cheeks—tears of happiness for her—and tears of sadness for me and for those who miss her. Kim is seeing our God face to face, something she had longed to do since she met Him. He is keeping her close to His h...

There are many things in scripture I don’t understand, and so, I skim over them, or I set them aside until I have a reason to dig. Today is a day for digging. I love  Moody Radio  – WCRF – 103.3 or 90.5 on the FM dial. In the past few weeks, Pastor Colin Smith of Unlocking the Bible has been reading from his new book, Heaven, So Near – So Far . It’s the story of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus. These readings intrigued me because in January I thought quite a bit about Judas. Why? I was preparing the communion service for our Women in Ministry (WIM) Retreat, based on Luke 7:36-50. Near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, at the home of Simon, the Pharisee, a woman, plagued by many sins, poured a fragrant and very expensive oil,  Spikenard , on the feet of Jesus. In my studies, I found  John’s gospel  confirms four times that Judas was the son of Simon. [1] Some have suggested the Pharisee in Luke was Simon Iscariot. Still, Scripture mentio...

www.lambsblog.com     As morning sun lasered through the stitched seams of Nahshon’s tent onto my eyelids, I realized I’d slept way passed dawn. I tried to get up, but since my circumcision, every move caused excruciating pain. With gritted teeth, I stood to my feet and peeked through the door flap. Our chosen lamb leaped and baaed in joyful play with Nahshon’s giggling children. Tonight I would have the privilege of celebrating Passover with my new friends. In these four days, I too had become very fond of the soft little lamb and it had become his children’s pet. Surely Nahshon would not sacrifice this lamb now when he could just as easily choose another.      I scarfed down the manna cakes left for my breakfast and went in search of Ithamar. As I drew closer to the Tabernacle, the curtained structure that seemed so ominous a few days ago, I heard Eleazar’s voice. Just outside the east-facing tapestry gate, he and Ithamar were instructing th...

It was the 6 th day of the month Sivan, exactly fifty days after Israel slew the lamb and applied its blood to the doorposts and lintels of their homes in Egypt. This lamb’s blood had caused the destroying angel to pass over their homes when delivering God’s last plague. Now, here they are standing at the base of Mount Sinai anxiously awaiting God’s commands. Out of the billowing smoke and fire boomed the voice of The Almighty, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.” (#1 – Exodus 20:2-3)

With Israel’s deliverance secured and their memorials in place, the journey continued. “Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, for God said, ‘Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt. So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea…” (Ex. 13:17-18a) I’ve heard the walking distance from Egypt to Canaan could have taken only eleven days. If true, Israel might have been in their new home in less than two weeks.  However, God knew war and giants awaited them and they were not ready. So God lead them the best way, the way He wanted them to go.

On the fifteenth day of the first month, the month of Nisan, the children of Israel departed the land of Egypt. They traveled from Rameses to Succoth where the Lord instituted three ordinances. The Lord God commanded Israel to remember and perform these throughout their generations:  The Passover, The Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Consecration to the Lord of the Firstborn. Together, these were Israel’s first sign (Ex. 4:1-8) fulfilled in the latter sign (Is. 7:14, Matthew 1:18:23, Luke 1:26-35, Luke 2:8-14, Luke 2:25-35), awaiting the Tribulation or time of Jacob's trouble when water will once again become blood (Revelation 11:1-6, 16:4). Although the Lord’s feasts are not our focus, we will touch on the spiritual aspect of the first two. Since I Corinthians 2:14 tells us it takes the Holy Spirit to unlock the treasure of scripture and don our spiritual glasses, let’s take a little quiz. We’re looking for the spiritual equivalent or representation of the memorials Jeho...