Thursday, May 29, 2008

Are You Satisfied?

"O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth." (Psalm 96:9)

Private and public worship is something that stirs my heart today. Do we understand the longings of our Father as it pertains to worship . . . do we consider His desires as a priority as opposed to what makes 'us' feel good or what is most convenient for us?

It occurs to me that much money is spent on creating a beautiful physical sanctuary or temple where God's people congregate for the purpose of worship. But God finds beauty in holiness - in a heart submitted to Him, a heart following hard after Him, a heart that is steadfast and eagerly seeking Him day after day, night after night, even in the midnight hour!

How is it possible to worship Him in the beauty of holiness if we only worship God in public? Have we not turned the physical sanctuary or temple into the place where God dwells? But then, can we expect flames of our worship of God to burn brightly in the physical temple when our hearts are cold and indifferent, barely warming the embers in private and secret worship the other six days of the week?

Let's ask ourselves another question: Does our private and secret worship - in the beauty of holiness - satisfy us? Better yet, does it satisfy God's longing for intimacy with us? Geoffrey Thomas, a Welsh Baptist, made a profound statement that will never outdate itself: "There is no way that those who neglect secret worship can know communion with God in the public services of the Lords Day."

So let's take a temperature reading of the flames of our worship on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Are the flames burning hot or have the embers died since last Sunday's encounter with the Most High God? Are you satisfied to worship only once a week in a man-made sanctuary or are you worshipping in the beauty of holiness . . . in a place where God dwells, with a heart following hard after Him?

Father, how can I neglect the flaming of the embers in private and secret worship? I ask myself this but yet I know I must ask Your forgiveness for not pursuing an encounter with You in the beauty of holiness every day of every week, every moment of every day. Father, I long to be in Your presence and to worship You . . . teach me to heed the call of the Spirit and meet you in the secret place where You can be worshipped in the beauty of holiness. I long to worship You and give You all the glory due Your name! Amen and Amen!

"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." (1 Chronicles 16:29)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

The Great Cover-Up

"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10)

We certainly have a lot to be thankful for . . . a lot to rejoice about . . . a lot to make us joyful! When we think of what has been provided for us, the garments and clothing that have been purchased for us; we should be overwhelmed with the fragrance of His love for us!

Have you ever considered why He "clothes" us? Clothing is put on for all to see . . . garments cover up our imperfections and physical flaws!

By clothing us with the garments of salvation . . . when He looks upon us, all He sees is that we're clothed with salvation! We're clothed with the Blood of the Lamb that bought us our salvation! The Accuser of the Brethren may attempt to accuse us of past sins, but when the Father looks upon us all He sees is that garment of salvation . . . the Accuser fails. The world sees a saved person . . . the new creation! The old man is dead and unseen by anyone because we're wearing our garment of salvation!

By covering us with the robe of righteousness . . . we bear a close resemblance to the Righteous One himself, Jesus Christ! A covenant has been cut and an exchange has taken place . . . He took our sins, we received His righteousness.

The garments with which we have been clothed are durable clothing, able to withstand the fiery darts of the enemy, able to withstand any storm, able to protect us from the heat of the day and the cool of the evening . . . these garments will never, ever grow old or wear out!

This by itself should be enough to make us all greatly rejoice and to be joyful in Him . . . but as a further explanation of His love toward us, He affirms that He has prepared Himself as our Bridegroom, and we, His bride, are humbly adorned with the brilliant, magnificent jewels of God's amazing grace!

Oh Lord, I do rejoice . . . I am joyful! What more could I possibly want out of life than to be adorned with Your robe of righteousness and be clothed with the garments of salvation! What a privilege to wear the clothing of Heavenly Royalty! Father, help me to remember that the garments with which You have adorned me were paid for with an awesome price and given to me as a gift to be worn for all the world to see! I pray that my life would always point to You as . . .

King of all kings and Lord of all lords
The One and Only Most High God
Ruler of the Universe
The Only Door to Eternal Life
The Resurrected Victor
The Omnipotent Ruler Over All
The Eternal One!

Lord, I am so overwhelmed by You and Who You are . . . I rejoice that I am found worthy to be Your child! Lord, I love you more every day! Amen!

"Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness." (2 Chronicles 6:41)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved


 

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

His Sweet Fragrance

"I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys." (Song of Solomon 2:1)

The Rose of Sharon and Lily of the Valleys . . . to remind us of the beauty and sweetness we find in His relationship with us. The rose . . . fragrance sweeter than honey, chief of flowers. The lily . . . preferred by our Christ as clothing even above that of Solomon in all his glory.

Sharon is probably where the best roses grew and in most plenty . . . some have termed it the "rose of the field" depicting the gospel of salvation for all . . . a common salvation, that whosoever will may come and gather the rose-buds of privileges, comforts, sweetness, fragrance, that grow in the covenant of grace.

He is not a show rose, not one to be locked up in a garden, but one that all may come and find comfort in Him.

He is a lily for the whiteness, and a lily of the valleys for sweetness . . . for when we are walking through the valley of the shadow of death, His fragrance will linger and lead us to His protection, comfort and strength.

He is the lily of the valleys, or low places, in His humiliation and "crushing" experienced on the cross of Calvary.

As you walk through your valleys (notice the plural . . . we're promised there will be more than one), take heed of His fragrance . . . it will be there! As you hit the low points in your life, remember that He is a rose that has been bruised and crushed and His fragrance is become sweeter and stronger . . . look for Him there also! In the darkest of days and the longest of nights, you will find Him . . . The fragrance of His love will lead you through and remind you that He is in your midst regardless of where you are. He loves you, He yearns for you, He's bidding you to come into His chamber where He can lavish His love upon you . . . from now throughout eternity!

Dearest Lord, I am overwhelmed at the thought of your awesome love toward me . . . how you have presented Yourself to me as the lover of my soul! I can almost hear You say, "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away." (Song of Solomon 2:10) Lord, I will follow you wherever You lead . . . I will respond to Your passion for me with an ever-growing passion for You! May my heart melt at Your call . . . may my love for You draw me closer to You than ever before. Lord, I love you . . . and I will stop and seek out Your sweet fragrance in the flourishing fields as well as the dark valleys, and in whatever circumstance or situation I find myself I will know beyond a shadow of doubt that You, my precious Lord, have not left me but rather are in my midst. Amen!

"I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon." (Hosea 14:5-6)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Monday, May 26, 2008

Direct Opposites

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)

Turn on the television and what do you hear? Wars and rumors of wars! Fear, the enemy of our faith, is knocking on the door of your heart in its attempt to kill, steal, and destroy your confidence in Your protection!

Recently, I've had an opportunity to learn first-hand the difference between fear and faith. They are direct opposites . . . one cannot live in fear and in faith at the same time, just as it cannot be night and day at the same time. You either live and move and have your being in fear or in faith!

Fear erodes the foundation of faith, quickly and thoroughly if not soon recognized and dealt with. During these uncertain times, it would be so easy for us to fall prey to fear, causing our focus to turn from God to the uncertainty of the future. But . . . our future IS certain, whether in the flesh or in the spirit! We KNOW whom we have believed and are persuaded that He is able to keep us, in peace and in war, in sickness and in health, in plenty or in want. God is fully able!

So, it is easy to understand why the prophet Isaiah wrote as led by the Spirit of God in Isaiah 41:10-13, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."

Dear friends . . . don't allow the enemy to cause your heart to be filled with fear in the time of war. Let peace reign on the throne of your heart . . . the peace that passes all understanding, the peace that will tell of God's great goodness and tender mercy even in this hour of war. You are the bearers of peace . . . the Peacemaker has made His abode in you. Allow the peace that is found securely in the presence of the King to comfort you today and every day!

Father, many around me are fearing what tomorrow may bring. The threats of evil men have caused many to fear the unknown. Help me, Lord, to remain firm in faith, believing and knowing that You are indeed my help, my protector, my comfort, and my peace. Father, as I cling to the hope I have found in You, help me to share the Source of my hope with those whose hearts have been gripped with fear. Use me, Lord, to be an instrument of Your peace in the earth today. In Jesus' precious name, amen and amen!

"For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." (Isaiah 41:13)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Lingering Aroma

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."
(2 Corinthians 2:14-15)

If you look at today's verse, it is talking about incense. The original idea Paul is drawing from is the Altar of Incense in the Tabernacle or Temple . . . that we are an incense unto God.

A history lesson gives us a better understanding. In the days when Paul was writing, and certainly in the ancient history of man, it was a very common occurrence especially among Roman rulers, that when they had taken their army and had overcome the enemy, they would come back to their own village or community in a parade . . . a processional. The watchman on the wall could see them coming for miles. The commander in chief would be on a horse, a white horse specifically, and leading this processional in front of his army. Behind him would follow all the captives from the conquered city. His soldiers would gather beside them to keep them in line and several of them would roll huge vessels of incense that would be burning as the parade would go through town.

Finally on the other side of town they would put the captives in a prison or jail to keep them there and the soldiers would perhaps go home to their families to celebrate the victory. The parade was over. But, there was still a lingering scent in the air of the incense that had come through town along with the processional celebrating victory.

The reason why they rolled the huge vessels of incense was that they wanted a reminder to that people that there had been victory. That smell lingered in the air; it was a very thick aromatic and sweet smell. All day long through the street the reminder lingered that there had been victory. The incense represented the reminder that there has been victory.

We are to be the aroma of Christ, that's why we're here. The question is, is your life evidence of His victory? That's our calling! We are called to be the lingering fragrance of victory. Our scripture today tells us that He always leads us into triumphal procession, but the question is, "Do we always follow where He leads?" In other words, we are guaranteed victory if we follow Him. There is no other path that guarantees victory!

Regardless of what you are facing in your life, there is victory for you. It has been set aside for you. You do not have inevitable defeat in front of you. Defeat is not of God! He is incapable of leading you to defeat. Christ only marches in victory . . . He only marches where He wins because He is the Sovereign Victorious. It is our responsibility to find where He's marching and get in behind Him . . . we were created to be in His shadow!

Our lives are to be evidence that He has overcome the world . . . the lingering aroma of His victory!

Dear Father, so many times my life is more of a "stench" in your nostrils rather than a "sweet aroma". Forgive me! Oh, Lord . . . forgive me for not always following You as You lead me in triumphal procession! Forgive me for finding my own path which oftentimes leads to everything but victory! Forgive me for not reminding everyone of Your victory through my life. Help me, Oh Lord, to be the aroma of Your victory in the earth today. Help me, oh Lord, to reflect Your presence wherever I go and in whatever I do. Help me, oh Lord, to follow hard after You, to carefully follow You as You lead me down the path of triumphal procession! May Your victory be witnessed in my life bringing glory to You . . . always! In Jesus' Name and in His Victory I pray, Amen and Amen!

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
(1 Corinthians 15:57)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Friday, May 23, 2008

A Sing in the Night

"Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life." (Psalm 42:8)

His lovingkindness is evident everywhere we look, every time of the day! But so often we allow our circumstances to tell us otherwise! We go through situations where we don't "feel" His lovingkindness surrounding us and going with us, but that never changes the fact that it does.

Our vision of His love and work in our lives is so limited . . . we can't see beyond our own "world".

Because of His lovingkindness toward us all the day long, His song should be with us during the night. Not just the evening of the day, but when our circumstances hurl us into a time of darkness . . . a "night" so to speak.

We are in the midst of a "night" in this world today . . . wars, rumors of wars, terrorism, etc. But it is during this time . . . during the night . . . that His song remains a constant reminder of His love and great mercy toward us!

As we pray and seek His face during the day, during the night, in the good times and in the hard times, the evidence of His lovingkindness toward us will become remarkably visible and the song we sing to Him in the night will ring loud and clear!

Lord, teach me to be aware of Your lovingkindness in every area of my life, at all times, and in all things. As I fix my gaze on You, let your song be ever in my heart and my prayer continually offered to You, oh God of my life. Why You love me so, Lord, I shall never know, but I'm so thankful that You do for Your lovingkindness is greater than life itself! Amen and Amen!

"Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name." (Psalm 63:3-4)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Counting the Omer: Day 32

Let's Learn Together

    The next trial of the children of Israel was an all out war against them by the people of Amalek. We must remember that the children of Israel had been slaves in Egypt for at least eighty years, if not longer. They did not have fighting skills, and without the help of HaShem they would have been at the complete mercy of Amalek and his troops.

      "Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, 'Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.'"
(Ex. 17:8-9)

      As long as Moshe was able to hold the 'rod of God' with his hands raised to heaven, the men of Israel prevailed. However, when his arms became tired and he had to rest them, the army of Amalek prevailed. Therefore, Moshe, called on Aaron and Hur to help him by supporting his hands so that Israel could win the battle.

      "So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword."
(Ex. 17:13)

  • Lesson number five: Sometimes we need help to win our spiritual baffles. At those times we need to humble ourselves by asking our brothers and sisters to lift us up in prayer, that we might prevail over the attacks of the enemy.

… will continue tomorrow

COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 32

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-eight days, which is four weeks of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Counting the Omer: Day 31

Let's Learn Together

      The next trial on the journey to Mount Sinai is an old one revisited.

      "Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people contended with Moses, ... "
(Ex. 17:1-2a)

      Once again, Moshe had to go to HaShem for instruction on how to provide for the needs of the people. in this case, Moshe was called upon to strike a rock, out of which flowed the water that was so necessary for life.

  • Lesson number four: We need to have daily contact with our Father in heaven. We must continually drink of the 'living water' in order to live a Torah centered lifestyle amidst a world of sin.

    "Jesus answered and said to her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, Give Me a drink," you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.'" (John 4:10)

    "...For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ."
    (I Cor. 10:4)

… will continue tomorrow

COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 31

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-eight days, which is four weeks of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Counting the Omer: Day 30

Let's Learn Together

   Of course the story of the manna does not end where we left off yesterday. On the sixth day of the week the people were commanded to gather two omers of manna so they would not need to go out to gather on the Sabbath.

      "And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
      "Then he said to them, 'This is
what the LORD has said; "Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning,"'
      "So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it.
      "Then Moses said, 'Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day,
which is the Sabbath, there will be none.
      "Now it happened
that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. And the LORD said to Moses, 'How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.'
      "So the people rested on the seventh day."
(Ex. 16:22-30)

  • Lesson number three: Trust and obey the instructions of HaShem (YHVH). Living according to HaShem's instruction book (the Torah) requires faith. "But without faith it
    is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe
    that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Heb. 11:6) Without faith we could become frightened by the consequences of certain prescribed practices. Some of His instructions do seem a little peculiar to those of us who have been raised in the modern world. For this reason many of us try to rationalize our way out of observing them, because they might make us look or seem strange to our relatives and neighbors. "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special (KJV = peculiar) people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."
    (I Pet. 2:9-10)

… will continue tomorrow

COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 28

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-eight days, which is four weeks of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Counting the Omer: Day 29

Let's Learn Together

      Although the manna was sufficient to provide all of the nutritional needs for the children of Israel, because they complained about not being able to eat from the 'flesh pots' of Egypt, HaShem decided to also give them meat to eat in the form of quail.

      "And the LORD spoke to Moses saying, 'I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel Speak to them, saying, "At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled
with bread. And you shall know that I am the LORD your God."'
"So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance,
as fine as frost on the ground.
      "So when the children of Israel saw
it, they said to one another, 'What is it?' For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them 'This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: "Let every man gather it according to each one's need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent."'"
(Ex. 16:11-16)

      It is interesting to note that the amount of manna that the children of Israel were to gather was one omer for each person. Likewise on the sixth day of the week they were to gather two omers for each person. Also, no matter how much each person gathered, they all ended up with one omer apiece.

      Now comes what seems to be an unusual test:

      "And Moses said, 'Let no one leave any of it till morning'"
(Ex. 16:19)

      Of course that did not seem logical. After all, they had already experienced hunger on this trip, who was to say it would not happen again? So instead of obeying the direct command of HaShem, some decided to put aside a portion for the next day.

      "Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was very angry with them."
(Ex. 16:20)

… will continue tomorrow


COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 28

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-eight days, which is four weeks of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Counting the Omer: Day 28

Let's Learn Together

    The next event occurs on the fifteenth day of the month of Iyar, the second month of the sacred calendar. The children of Israel are now one full month removed from the beginning of the Exodus. It was on this day that they entered the Wilderness of Sin (in Hebrew the word is pronounced 'seen'). Once again problems arose. The food that the children of Israel brought with them from Egypt had run out. They were tired and hungry and complaining came easy.

      "And the children of Israel said to them, 'Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
(Ex. 16:3)

      As a result of their complaining, HaShem determined to give them food in a manner that would provide a daily test for them.

      "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.'
      "Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, 'At evening you shall know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt. And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your murmurings against the LORD. But what are we, that you murmur against us? ... Your murmurings are not against us but against the LORD.'"
(Ex. 16:4-8)

  • Lesson number two: HaShem tests His children to see if they will walk in His way on a daily basis. The purpose of these trials are:

    "..that the genuineness of your faith,
    being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ..."
    (I Pet. 1:7)

… will continue tomorrow


COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 28

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-eight days, which is four weeks of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Precious Memories

"So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will show forth thy praise to all generations." (Psalm 79:13)

The Lord has been good to us . . . so very good! All that we ever need, He's been there to supply. He washed our sins away . . . He turned our darkness into day . . . He has abundantly blessed us!

Many people have memories they hold dear to their hearts about their grandparent(s) holding them on their laps and telling them stories. These dear elders took every opportunity afforded them to pass on family history, telling of the days past. Very often they would include in their story line the rich heritage of God's love which abounded in their home as they were growing up. They would plant a seed of hunger for the things of God into the life of that precious youngster sitting in their lap. Now, however, many of us who were once that youngster have children and grandchildren of our own. It is so important that we take every opportunity afforded us to plant those same seeds into our children and grandchildren . . . the heritage of God's love and goodness is undoubtedly the most valuable gift you could ever give a child who is so eager to learn!

Make a point to spend some special time with those small children in your life and share with them the love of God. It will be seed planted in fertile soil and it will create special memories that will cling to them throughout their lives. You will be blessed by doing so . . . they will never, ever forget you . . . and you will have enriched their lives beyond measure!

Show forth His praise to all generations!

Dear Lord, my heart is overwhelmed with love and thanksgiving for all You have done for me, yet many times I forget to stop and say, "Thank You, Lord!" so I'm saying it right now! I pray, Lord, that my life will testify of your goodness even to the generations to come as I plant seeds in the lives of my children and grandchildren. Lord, as I plant these seeds, I pray that you water them and cause them to grow so they, too, will one day be able to sit down with their children and grandchildren and pass on the heritage of the goodness which You have shown! Lord, I will give thanks to You forever! May You be blessed by Your people . . . Your sheep . . . forever and ever! Amen!

"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." (1 Chronicles 16:29)

© Jan Ross 2008
All Rights Reserved

Friday, May 16, 2008

Counting the Omer: Day 27

Let's Learn Together

The Wilderness of Shur is said to mean 'envision,' so it is thought that they followed the 'pillar of cloud' because they wanted to 'envision another encounter such as they had experienced at the Reed Sea.

However, things were to be different now. Instead of experiencing another great event they ran out of water, one of several trials the children of Israel were to go through during their journey to Sinai. When they did arrive at Marah the water there turned out to be bitter and undrinkable. They complained to Moshe, who intervened on their behalf with HaShem, and the water was made sweet.

  • Lesson number one: Once we have been redeemed (bought with a price by the blood of the Lamb), and have passed through the waters of baptism, trials will be forthcoming. However, our Father in heaven can turn bitter trials into great blessings if we will only go to Him through our Mediator, Yeshua HaMashiach, and ask for help. For we are told to: "...count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4)

Following this trial, HaShem (YHVH) granted the children of Israel a brief time of peacefulness and plenty.

    "Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters."(Ex. 15:27)

According to tradition, there were twelve wells or springs of water at Elim so that each tribe could have one to itself. Also there were seventy palm trees so that each of the seventy elders could sit in shade while performing their judgment duties.

… will continue tomorrow


COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 27

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-seven days, which is three weeks and six days of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Audience of One

"Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified." (Psalm 40:16)

After they had gotten the ark situated and the tabernacle built, the Levites assumed their work was done and began to walk off. David immediately stopped them, telling them that their work had only just begun. You can hear the Levites complaining to David . . . "But, David! We just walked miles with the ark on our shoulders; we've prepared and sacrificed thousands of animals to the Lord. Aren't we done yet? And besides, there's no veil or Holy of Holies!"

David told them, "No. I didn't restore the Levitical office only to have the ark abandoned here like it was abandoned in Shiloh. Put your ephods back on. Get out your psalteries and harps again. Some of you can go eat lunch, but the rest of you are staying right here!" The Levites, stunned at his command responded, "Well, who are we staying here for, King David? Do you want to listen to us play again? You hear us play all the time! We're tired and we've done enough!"

David turned to them with a passion not understood by his Levites and said, "No, no, you're not playing for me - it's for God, an audience of One. He wants us to worship Him continually! There will never be a time when we've done it enough!"

David appointed psalmists to tend to the ark day and night with musical praise, worship, and celebration.

We are so used to coming into the presence of the Lord . . . we feel His presence, acknowledge it with a few tears and words of praise, and we simply say, "Gotta go!" and we're on our way! Too often we want just enough of God to make us feel good or to give us the tingles or chill bumps up our spine! But He is asking, "Will you stay . . . will you spend time with me?"

Worship . . . an audience of One! It's not about us, our time schedules, our distractions, our energy level! It's not even about whether we worship him 5 minutes or 5 hours without ceasing.

God's passion is to be with us . . . He desires for us to have that same passion to be with Him! He doesn't want temporary visitation rights! Use David as your example and pursue the same passion for worship that David had and don't settle for less!

Father, please forgive me for being in a hurry, for not taking the time to linger in Your presence, for not seeking Your face with a passionate desire! Lord, forgive me for taking You for granted and for forgetting that my praise and my worship is for none other than You! Lord, You are my audience . . . my "Audience of One"! Father, be blessed and exalted by my lifestyle of worship. In Jesus' name, Amen!

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." (Psalm 27:14)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Counting the Omer: Day 26

Let's Learn Together

The first stop in their 'Omer' journey, after their passage through the Reed Sea, was their arrival at Marah.

      "So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.
      "And the people murmured against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?'
      "So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree; and when he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them, and said, 'If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.'"
(Ex. 15:22-26)

If indeed the children of Israel crossed the Reed Sea on the first day of the week, and their journey to Marah took another three days, they would have arrived there on 21 Aviv, the Last Day of Unleavened Bread. However, Jewish tradition teaches that the children of Israel spent many days by the shore of the Reed Sea after their crossing, because of the spiritual high which they were experiencing from that event. But the decision to move did not rest upon the children of Israel, it was determined by HaShem (YHVH) who led them with the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.

… will continue tomorrow


COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 26

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-six days, which is three weeks and five days of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

 We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Counting the Omer: Day 25

Let's Learn Together

The symbolism of crossing the Reed Sea after three days of exposure to the darkness of Pharaoh's pursuit, corresponds with Yeshua's three days and nights in the heart of the earth before He fully conquered sin, thereby completing the redemption phase for our lives. The symbolism of baptism in the Reed Sea corresponds to our baptism. Yeshua's burial, and the Father's faithfulness in raising us up with Him makes it possible that we too might live a new life.

      "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."

(Col. 2:11-14)

      "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
      "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ... For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be
in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin....
      "Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, ..."
(Rom. 6:1-2, 5-6, 8)

Now the children of Israel can begin their Sifret HaOmer journey. Beginning tomorrow we will take that journey with them by examining the events that were recorded as they made their trek from the Reed Sea to Sinai.

… will continue tomorrow


COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 25

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-five days, which is three weeks and four days of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Obedience Called Worship

"If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)

Those of us who are parents may have a bit of insight into today's verse that may be helpful to those who don't yet have "little blessings"! There is hardly anything more pleasing than to tell a youngster to do something and to have them obey without question. Very often, if you ask the child why he did what he did, his answer would be, "Because I love you!"

Have you even given thought to how your obedience pleases the Father? Obedience is an act of love . . . it's an act of submission . . . it's an act of humility! An obedient child doesn't try to find the "easy way out", or attempt to "cut corners", or even to "procrastinate".

Abraham was given a task to do . . . his obedience was called "worship" (see Genesis 22:5) . . . "worship" is the purest expression of love. Do you love Him today? "If you love me, keep my commandments"!

Father, I love You, yet so often I fall short . . . not taking care to be obedient to Your commands. Help me, Father, to walk in Your ways, to follow in Your path, to obey Your Word! Help me to express my love to You through my obedience. You are worthy of all my love . . . You are worthy of my obedience! I love you, Lord! Amen!

"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." (John 14:21)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Shut Up!

"Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah." (Psalm 77:9)

We've all been there . . . perhaps you're there right now. You feel that God has removed Himself from you, that He has shut up His bowels of mercy toward you . . . or at the very least, just not responded to your pleas for help. Nothing can overwhelm us more than life's circumstances . . . family, job, friends, health, money, decisions, ministry . . . the list goes on!

Please be assured . . . God has NOT shut up His bowels of compassion toward you, He has not removed His presence from your life, AND He hears your cries for help! He has never left, He has never forgotten to be gracious! God's presence is with us always; He's omnipresent . . . present everywhere, every time, in everything!

There is a place of maturity each one of us needs to attain. On that road to maturity, there are times when we may feel all alone, when life's circumstances seem to overwhelm us. These times are given to us for a purpose . . . to allow His will for us to be perfected in us. We can't be on a spiritual "high" every day of our lives. We have to learn to "maintain" while walking through those dark areas on the road to maturity! We need to learn to trust Him when we "feel" Him and when we don't! It all boils down to FAITH . . . like Abraham, for instance. He went years and never saw the manifestation of God's promise in his life, yet He believed God . . . he believed His promise to him . . . and it was imputed to him for righteousness!

Exercise the arm of faith while in the midst of your difficult time. Trust God that He knows exactly what He's doing in your life and that it will bring about fruit that is mature and pleasing in His sight!

Father, help me to trust You even when You seem so far away . . . help me to hold on to You even when the doors of heaven seem shut as I pray. Lord, I thank You that Your mercies are never-ending, that Your love is steadfast and never ceases, and that Your faithfulness toward me is great! Amen!

"Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." (Deuteronomy 31:6)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Counting the Omer: Day 24

Let's Learn Together

Jewish tradition teaches that the Exodus began during the early morning hours of Aviv or Nisan 15 (while it was still dark), which in that year was the fifth day of the week (a Thursday morning).

Before moving on to Mount Sinai, the children of Israel had to find a way across the Sea of Reeds. Most Jewish tradition places this event on the Last Day of Unleavened Bread, seven days after the Exodus. However, another view has it on the third day of the Exodus. Three days would have brought them to the first day of the week (a Sunday) for the crossing of the sea.

The crossing of the Reed Sea marks the completion of the redemption phase of the journey, because up until that point there was still a danger that Pharaoh might be able to force the children of Israel to return to slavery. Once the crossing of the sea took place, Pharaoh and his army (representing HaSatan and his demons) no longer had any hold over the redeemed children of Israel. Thus, the Reed Sea crossing symbolized baptism and completed the redemption phase.

Now, the children of Israel had to journey on to Mount Sinai to receive HaShem's instruction (Torah). This journey would bring them to the fullness of their wedding with HaShem (YHVH), for He had redeemed them from slavery to their evil adoptive father, the Pharaoh of Egypt, who had held them in bondage. The Mount Sinai experience brought them into the fullness of being HaShem's people, by giving them the instruction (Torah) they needed to fulfill that role.

… will continue tomorrow


COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 24

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-four days, which is three weeks and three days of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him. 

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Monday, May 12, 2008

In Every Thing

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

It is ALWAYS the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us that we give thanks in every thing! We don't have to wait for Thanksgiving or any special holiday to make a way for us to "Give Thanks!"

We are so often reminded that we are "kings and priests" . . . "ambassadors" . . . "joint heirs" . . . and so on. These are all true and accurately assess the position of the believer. There is a balance, however, that is hard to maintain and yet so necessary. It is called "Humility"! Humility is a virtue that expresses itself in thankfulness, lowliness, and servitude! The will of God for us is to walk with the assurance of our position in Christ with humility of heart . . . a rare mixture that will produce a "peculiar" creature indeed! Perhaps that's why we're referred to as a "peculiar people"!

While maintaining your busy schedule, be sure to keep in mind that no gift will ever be received as well as that which is given with a humble, thankful heart. Remember that the greatest possible gift you could ever give is love. It is more costly than gold, more precious than diamonds, and more meaningful than anything money could buy!

Be a bearer of love, giving thanks in all things . . . this truly is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you! Give Thanks!

Lord, I have a song on my heart that expresses my prayer today . . . "Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One. Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son! I give thanks!" And, Lord, when I am weak, because of You I can be strong . . . when I am poor, because of You I am rich . . . all because of what You've done for me . . . and I give thanks to You! With a humble heart I bow before You and give thanks . . . not only because it's your will, but because it is my heart's cry today to let you know how grateful I am! Amen!

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever." (1 Chronicles 16:34)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

How’s Your Light?

"That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15)

If there ever was a crooked and perverse nation, we are living in one . . . no matter where you live! The times in which we are living attest to this day after day as mankind imposes its evil deeds on anyone and everyone without regret . . . without conscience!

If there was ever a time when our light should shine, it is now. Light shines the brightest in the midst of the greatest darkness. As darkness surrounds us, we must take care to nurture our relationship with the Lord as the children of God, being found blameless and harmless only because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ our Lord! But it is by His blood that we can shine as beacons in the darkest night!

How is your light . . . is it burning bright with fervent heat or is it a tender flicker that will go out with the slightest touch? Today is the day to make a commitment to yourself and to the Lord to allow your light to shine brightly so as to let the whole world know that Jesus is Lord and He's coming very, very soon to receive His Bride unto Himself!

Are you ready?

Father, being one of Your children is indeed a privilege that carries with it an awesome responsibility to let our light shine even in the midst of the darkest night. Lord, shine through me and let the world know that You are coming soon . . . very, very soon! Amen!

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Counting the Omer: Day 23

Let's Learn Together

Although the day of the 'Wave Sheaf Offering' is not a commanded assembly, and the day is not designated as a Holyday, it nevertheless was an extremely important event in ancient Israel. Since no harvesting of any spring grain could take place until this ceremony had been successfully completed, and since the Scripture also commands that one count' the days starting with this day, it truly is an important and pivotal day on the spring calendar.

The fact that we are commanded to specifically 'count' the fifty days of Sifret
HaOmer, leads us to the conclusion that each one of these days could have special significance. In Jewish thought, Sifret
HaOmer is not a countdown,' but rather a 'countup' to the next moed (appointed time or festival), The Feast of Pentecost or Shavu'ot.

In other words, it is leading us from one very important festival up to another. This same connection is made with Succoth (The Feast of Tabernacles) and Shemini
Atzeret (The Eighth Day) in the fall. Here the 'Eighth Day' is tacked on immediately following the conclusion of Succoth. It is said that HaShem (the Lord) intended Shemini
Atzeret to also fall some fifty days later, but in His mercy decided not to require the children of Israel to have to make a pilgrimage during the cold and rainy winter season.

Why do we need to count the days? What could possibly be the significance of such an exercise? Our Father has His reasons. It is our duty to try and determine what those reasons might be and what spiritual lessons we might learn from the exercise given to us.

… will continue tomorrow

COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 23

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-three days, which is three weeks and two days of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Counting the Omer: Day 22

Let's Learn Together

So it was, on the fiftieth day of the Omer count, that the spring moed or appointed time of Shavu'ot (Day of Pentecost) was observed. It too was called a day of 'firstfruits.' Thus the 'Counting of the Omer' both begins and ends with a day which, in some way, represents the 'firstfruits' of the harvest. During this entire time, not only was grain harvesting taking place, but late in the fifty days the early fruits also began to ripen. Thus, Shavu'ot marked the end of the spring grain harvest and also the beginning of the summer fruit harvest, the time when the 'firstfruits' of that harvest were brought to the Temple.

Another way of looking at these festivals is in the context of a marriage ceremony. Passover represents the acceptance by the bride (the children of Israel) with the betrothal cup presented to her by her prospective Husband, YHVH. By accepting the blood of the lamb, and placing it on the doorpost of their homes, the children of Israel were accepting the Ketuvah, their marriage contract or covenant. Then, at Mount Sinai, the actual wedding took place. The Bridegroom (YHVH) appeared, the Bride (the children of Israel) was present, the best man (Moshe) was there, and the wedding vows were exchanged by the Bride accepting the terms of the Ketuvah or covenant.

"So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words (the
Ketuvah) which the LORD commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, 'All that the LORD has spoken we will do.' So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD."
(Ex. 19:7-8)

It is interesting to note that in Jewish practice, the Sabbath before Shavu'ot is termed, Shabbat
Kalah,' which is the same name given to the Sabbath before any bride's wedding.  However one wishes to view this event, the simple fact is that Passover and Shavu'ot are definitely interconnected.

… will continue tomorrow


COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 22

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-two days, which is three weeks and one day of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

 We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Counting the Omer: Day 22

Let's Learn Together

So it was, on the fiftieth day of the Omer count, that the spring moed or appointed time of Shavu'ot (Day of Pentecost) was observed. It too was called a day of 'firstfruits.' Thus the 'Counting of the Omer' both begins and ends with a day which, in some way, represents the 'firstfruits' of the harvest. During this entire time, not only was grain harvesting taking place, but late in the fifty days the early fruits also began to ripen. Thus, Shavu'ot marked the end of the spring grain harvest and also the beginning of the summer fruit harvest, the time when the 'firstfruits' of that harvest were brought to the Temple.

Another way of looking at these festivals is in the context of a marriage ceremony. Passover represents the acceptance by the bride (the children of Israel) with the betrothal cup presented to her by her prospective Husband, YHVH. By accepting the blood of the lamb, and placing it on the doorpost of their homes, the children of Israel were accepting the Ketuvah, their marriage contract or covenant. Then, at Mount Sinai, the actual wedding took place. The Bridegroom (YHVH) appeared, the Bride (the children of Israel) was present, the best man (Moshe) was there, and the wedding vows were exchanged by the Bride accepting the terms of the Ketuvah or covenant.

"So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words (the
Ketuvah) which the LORD commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, 'All that the LORD has spoken we will do.' So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD."
(Ex. 19:7-8)

It is interesting to note that in Jewish practice, the Sabbath before Shavu'ot is termed, Shabbat
Kalah,' which is the same name given to the Sabbath before any bride's wedding.  However one wishes to view this event, the simple fact is that Passover and Shavu'ot are definitely interconnected.

… will continue tomorrow


COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 22

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-two days, which is three weeks and one day of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

 We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Counting the Omer: Day 21

Let's Learn Together

Passover (and the Days of Unleavened Bread), and Shavu'ot are tied together by a common thread known as Sifret HaOmer (See-fret Hah Ohmer = Counting the Omer). It is for this very reason that Jewish tradition teaches that Shavu'ot is the conclusion or culmination of the Passover season and not a 'stand alone' festival. The reason for this is apparent.

  • Passover is the celebration of redemption, freedom, liberty, and the release from slavery, fully accomplished at the Reed Sea.
  • Shavu'ot, on the other hand, is the celebration of revelation, when the children of Israel became a nation with its own set of laws, because that is the day on which the Lord revealed the Ten Words or Commandments to them.
  • Sifret
    HaOmer is the time period during which the children of Israel journeyed from the Reed Sea to Mount Sinai.

It is taught that Shavu'ot is part of the Passover experience and cannot be separated from it, because the children of Israel needed to have instruction (Torah) in order to function as a viable free nation under the authority of HaShem (the Lord). In other words, they could only experience true liberty if it were under the rule of law (Torah).

… will continue tomorrow



COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 21

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty-one days, which is three weeks of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Counting the Omer: Day 20

Let's Learn Together

In the time of the first and second Temple periods, the religious Hebrew calendar (which is a lunar calendar) was governed by actual observation. Each new moon had to be visually sited by at least two credible witnesses and then approved by the Sanhedrin. Because the calendar months were based on the cycles of the moon (each of which had either 29 or 30 days), the twelve month 'lunar' year always came up several days short of the 'solar' year (the year as determined by the rotation of the earth around the sun). Thus it was necessary to add a 'thirteenth' month every two or three years. Eventually, in a span of nineteen years, the 'solar' and 'lunar' years came back into perfect conjunction.

In the days when the Temple was in use and observation from Jerusalem was the key to the calendar, the Sanhedrin had to take several things into account before proclaiming the beginning of the month of Aviv* (also known as Nisan), the first month of that sacred calendar. For it was during the month of Aviv that the festivals of Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread were celebrated, Because the Omer had to be waved during this period, it was crucial that the barley grain be properly ripened so that the required offering could be performed. It was for this reason that the first month was named 'Aviv,' which literally means "a green ear." Thus, Aviv is "the month of green ears.

[*Many Christian sources and some Jewish ones spell the name of this month 'Abib.' This is because the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet bet or vet, can be pronounced either as a "b" or a "v." When the dot, or dog-ash, is present in the center of the letter it is pronounced "b," when it is missing it is pronounced "v." The first month of the sacred calendar is correctly pronounced Aviv (Ah-veev) rather than Abib (Ay-bib), as many English speakers are prone to do.]

As the end of the twelfth month (Adar) approached, representatives of the Sanhedrin would examine the barley fields around Jerusalem to see if the grain would be ready for harvesting during the upcoming Days of Unleavened Bread, a little over two weeks away. If it was apparent that the grain would not be ready, they would proclaim a thirteenth month (called Adar II) and everything would be postponed one month.

However, there were earlier signs that could also indicate whether the new year would need to be postponed or not. One of these signs was the appearance of the almond blossoms. Since they would appear well ahead of the 'green ears' of barley, the blossoms were early indicators as to when the new year would begin. Another factor was the weather conditions. If the rains lasted later than usual it would be highly unlikely that the almond blossoms and the barley crop would be ready as expected. In addition, late rains would make it well nigh impossible for the pilgrims to come to Jerusalem for Passover because the roads would be impassable. However, in the end the bottom line was that ripe barley grain had to be available in order for the Omer Wave Offering (Wave Sheaf Offering) to take place. Without the ripe barley there could be no Omer Wave Offering; without the Omer Wave Offering there could be no festival of Passover; and without the festival of Passover there could be no festival of Shavu'ot since there would be no new wheat flour available to make the two loaves of leavened bread that were central to the Temple offering for that day.

… will continue tomorrow

COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 20

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is twenty days, which is two weeks and six days of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.


 


 


 


 

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Counting the Omer: Day 19

Let's Learn Together

Since the 'Offering of the Omer' took place during the morning hours of the "morrow after the Sabbath;" and since there was considerable work that had to take place before the omer was properly prepared, the next question is, when did the cutting of the grain take place. Alfred Edersheim (a nineteenth century Messianic Jew), in his classic work; The Life arid Times of Jesus the Messiah, tells that part of the story in beautiful detail:

"It was probably about the same time, that a noisy throng prepared to follow delegates from the Sanhedrin to the ceremony of cutting the Passover-sheaf. ... This Passover-sheaf was reaped in public the evening before it was offered, and it was to witness this ceremony that the crowd had gathered around the elders. ... When the time for cutting the sheaf had arrived--that is, on the evening of the 15 Nisan (Edersheim holds to the Pharisaic view that the sheaf was always cut at the end of Nisan 15) even though it were a Sabbath, just as the sun went down, three men, each with a sickle and basket, set to work. Clearly to bring out what was distinctive in the ceremony, they first asked of the bystanders three times each of these questions: 'Has the sun gone down?' 'With this sickle?' 'into this basket?' 'On this Sabbath?'... and lastly, 'Shall I reap?' Having each time been answered in the affirmative, they cut down barley to the amount of one ephah,..." (Vol. 2; Book IV, p. 619).

Even though the sun had just gone down (the Sabbath did not officially end until three stars were visible and the ceremony of Havdalah had been performed), the cutting of the sheaf actually took place at the very end of the Sabbath day (whether it be the weekly Sabbath or 15 Aviv).

In summary this is what took place. At the end of the Sabbath as the sun was going down, but. before Havdalah had been performed, the barley grain was cut by members of the Sanhedrin (San-head-rin), the Jewish 'Supreme Court.' This cutting was witnessed by pilgrims who were in Jerusalem for the festival. The cut grain was then taken to the courtyard of the Temple that evening, where it was thrashed, parched with fire, and ground into flour. The flour was then put through thirteen different sieves so that what remained was both pure and very fine in texture. From this fine flour, the equivalent of two quarts (an omer) was taken. The next morning this omer was offered in the Temple in the manner of an ordinary meal offering with the exception that it was 'waved' before the Lord prior to it being offered, and prayers were said as preparation for the coming grain harvest.

At this point, the general grain harvest could begin. During the first part of the fifty day count, barley would be the chief grain to be harvested. However, as other grains became ripe they too could be harvested without any further ceremony. The other chief grains, in addition to barley, were wheat and spelt. Of the three grains, barley was the more common and of coarser texture. It was primarily used as food for animals (oats were not grown in ancient Israel). The preferred grain for bread was wheat, and only the common people of the land ate bread made from barley.

… will continue tomorrow


COUNT THE OMER:  DAY 19

BA-RUCH A-TAH ADO-NAI E-LO-HE-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHA-NU BE-MITZ-VO-TAV VETZI-VA-NU AL SEFI-RAT HA-OMER.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Today is nineteen days, which is two weeks and five days of the Omer.

For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. God be gracious to us and bless us; may You make Your countenance shine upon us forever; that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O God; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O God; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him.

 We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive. Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness. Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness. Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation. Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness. Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You who knows secret thoughts. Blessed be the name of the glory of Your kingdom forever and ever.

Master of the universe, You have commanded us through Moses Your servant to count the Omer, in order to purify us from our evil and uncleanness. As You have written in Your Torah, "You shall count for yourselves from the day following the day of rest, from the day on which you bring the Omer as a wave-offering; [the counting] shall be for seven full weeks. Until the day following the seventh week shall you count fifty days," so that the souls of Your people may be cleansed from their defilement. Therefore, may it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that Your people may be purified and sanctified with Your holiness.  Amen, selah.