The Other Seventh Day
It was a typical day, rising early and going to work as normal, or so I thought. On that Tuesday morning, October 5, 2004 CE, I did not realize my life would never be the same. That day I lost my mind, my career and almost lost my life. It’s been seven years since that day. I decided to look back with my calendar conversion program and see what day that Tuesday was on the Hebrew calendar. It just so happens that Tuesday, October 5, 2004, was the 21st day of the 7th month, Tishri 21, the 7th day of the Feast of Tabernacles. I was new to the Messianic movement back then and did not realize then that my life-changing event happened during the Feast of Tabernacles. Yahweh was jerking my arrogant life up short and changing the direction of my life. At the time, I just thought He was trying to kill me. Over the next couple years, Father revealed to me that I was on a Sabbatical, since I had not observed any Sabbatical years yet in my life. During these seven years, He has taught me to rest in Him and then work out of that rest. Well, those seven years are over now. Today, I rest in Him all the time and work for Him out of that rest (much of the time, anyway). Today, we are in the 10 days of awe, between the Feast of Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur, which we will celebrate later this week. This is a week to repent and get right with Yahweh and your fellow man.
The fall Feasts of Yahweh are prophetic shadows, especially since they have not seen their fulfillments yet. At Yom Teruah, the blowing of trumpets, we rehearse the return of our King Yeshua. By the way, Yeshua was born on Yom Teruah, the 1st day of the 7th month. Mary was delivered of her firstborn Son, while the Hebrews were blowing their trumpets, not realizing they were heralding the first coming of the King of Kings! Happy 2,013th birthday, Yeshua! During the first 10 days of the seventh month we pray, we repent, we lift up our nations and leaders and people to the throne of Yahweh. Yom Kippur signals atonement and redemption for the whole house of Israel. It represents judgment for the nations that hate Yahweh. This time of year we should see the restoration of Judah and Ephraim, when Christians and Jews will learn to love each other and walk together and stop harassing each other. The Feast of Tabernacles gives us a picture of the wedding celebration between the Lamb of Yahweh and His bride. We look forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb and to the day when Yahweh will dwell with us on this planet. We see His Kingdom coming and being established on earth as it is in heaven. Yahweh’s Feasts are simply shadows of the spiritual realities of His Kingdom, which will soon be manifest to the whole world.
My seventh day led to a seven year Sabbtical, which now I hope will lead to the 7th day of creation, the 7th Millennium, the one thousand year reign of Yeshua on earth. We are in a transition period in human history. The nations of the world will soon be destroyed and the restored nation of the whole house of Israel will be established before our eyes. Israel is the only nation in history destined to fall first and then rise to glory in the end of time. This world is upside down in comparison to Yahweh’s Kingdom. He is about to turn our world right side up. Yahweh will even resurrect David to sit on the throne of Israel again. Jeremiah 30:9, “But they shall serve Yahweh their Mighty One, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.” It is time to get ready to meet our Maker, and like it or not, that means repenting, even for Christians who are bought with the blood of Yeshua. We still sin, we still reside in sinful flesh. We must lay ourselves low and prepare the way for our true King of Kings. This is the time. We’re in the midst of the Fall Feasts of Yahweh, this is the best time; it may be our only time left. Now is the day of salvation.
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• Israel’s Coming Glory “For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Lk 2:30-32)
We thank you for your fasting and intercession for Israel at this very crucial time! If we ever needed to pray for Israel it is now.
God is faithful and is watching over his word, but we need to pray. We believe that God is answering all of our prayers and that he will help Israel through this very difficult time. He told us recently when we prayed for the upcoming UN vote, “You can never figure out how I will do it. Trust me!”
In order to encourage and strengthen your faith at this midnight hour of difficulty for Israel, we here send out an excerpt from the last chapter in our new book The Time of Jacob’s Trouble – Israel’s Struggle for Survival and Coming Glory. This book will be released in October. Please help us pray for a wide distribution of this urgent teaching!
The Falling and Rising of Israel
When Yeshua in accordance with the Torah was presented before the LORD in the Temple in Jerusalem by his parents, the old righteous man Simon took him up in his arms and prophesied,
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Lk 2:29-32)
For two thousand years now Yeshua has been a light for revelation to the Gentiles. Just as the first half of Simeon’s prophecy has been fulfilled, the second half will also come to pass. The time will come when Yeshua of Nazareth will also be for glory to his people Israel.
Simeon continued to explain: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel.” (Luke 2:34) The expression “many” is often used by the prophets to mean “in general.” Yeshua became the falling of Israel when he came the first time as it was written about him, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” (1 Pet 2:8)
At his second coming Yeshua will cause the rising of Israel. He is destined to be for glory to his people. Paul wrote about Israel in Romans, “But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!” (Rom 11:12)
William L. Shirer’s famous book about Nazi Germany is called The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Many mighty empires have risen throughout history. Sooner or later they have all fallen. The kingdoms of the world rise and fall. Israel’s destiny is to first fall and then rise through the Messiah. Daniel prophesied to King Nebuchadnezzar,
“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” (Dan 2:44, emphasis added)
In the last conversation between Yeshua and his disciples they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6) Before they posed this last question to their Master, he had just spent 40 days teaching them about the kingdom of God (v.3). They had received a very solid and thorough biblical education on the kingdom of God by the risen Messiah of Israel. They knew who he was and they knew what he had promised to do.
The disciples’ final question had to do with the timing of the coming restoration of the kingdom to Israel. Yeshua answered them accordingly,
“He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” (Acts 1:6-9)
The sacred text continues,
“They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’” (Acts 1:10-11)
Two chapters later, Peter explained to the Jews in the Temple in Jerusalem, about Yeshua,
“He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets…And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’” (Ac 3:21,25)
The apostles did not know the time or date, but they knew that he is coming back to restore the kingdom to Israel just as all the prophets have spoken. We are now living on the threshold to the fulfillment of this glorious restoration.
Yeshua did not come to take away the promises to Israel and give them to the Church. Instead he came to confirm them. Paul wrote, “For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs.” (Rom 15:8, emphasis added)
Yeshua will return to restore the kingdom to Israel. He will one day be for glory to his people Israel. God’s promises will not fail. They cannot fail and they cannot change. The blood of Messiah has sealed every promise made to the fathers.
God’s Faithful Love Promised To David
When the angel Gabriel announced Yeshua’s birth to his mother Miriam, he said, “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luk 1:31-33, emphasis)
King David never had a throne in heaven. His throne was in Jerusalem. God will one day give Yeshua the throne of his father David. It is his destiny to rule on that throne forever. In the very last words of Yeshua in the Bible, he says, “I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star…I am coming soon.” (Rev 22:16,20)
Yeshua wants us to know that he will return again as the Son of David, the King of Israel. God promised David that one of his descendants would one day sit on his throne and rule forever. Psalm 132 declares that God confirmed this promise to David with an oath. It is a sure oath that he will never revoke. “The LORD swore an oath to David, a sure oath that he will not revoke: ’One of your own descendants I will place on your throne.’” (Ps 132:11)
God says to Israel in Isaiah, “Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.” (Isa 55:3)
Here God calls his oath to David, “my faithful love promised to David.” God is faithful to keep his promises. He means what he says, and he says what he means. It is OK to spiritualize the promise made to David and apply it in different ways, but it is not OK to take away the plain literal meaning of the promise. That is a violation of God’s character.
Jerusalem will be restored just like the prophets of old have spoken. When Yeshua returns the city will become “the praise of the earth.” (Isa 62:7) It will be the glorious capitol of the world. “In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.” (Isa 11:10)
Yeshua’s “place of rest” is his throne in Jerusalem, the city of the Great King, where “he will rule over the house of Jacob forever.” (Lk 1:33) At that time the whole earth will be renewed (Mt 19:28). No wonder that the trees and the fields will sing for joy when Yeshua comes to judge the world in righteousness and restore the kingdom to Israel.
“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.” (Ps 96:11-13, emphasis added)
God tells all the nations to rejoice over Israel. “Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people.” (Deu 32:43)
The truth is that without the restoration of Israel through the Messiah at the renewal of all things, there is neither any future for our planet, nor for any of the people who dwell on it. That is why all nations are commanded to rejoice with God’s people Israel when they are restored.
“In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.” (Heb 1:10-12, emphasis added)
Kings Will Shut Their Mouths And Nations Will Tremble
God told Jacob, “Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper.” (Gen 32:9) Jacob still had to go through the life and death struggle with his brother, but the end was good. In the same way he has called the sons of Jacob back to their land in this generation in order to bless them even though they have to face a life and death struggle with their angry relatives in the Middle East. But the outcome will be glorious. The time of Jacob’s trouble will end in a glorious new day for the whole earth. Paul wrote in Romans 11:15, “For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”
All the nations and their rulers will want to come to Jerusalem to see the glory of Messiah, just like Queen of Sheba came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Yeshua said, “The Queen of the South…came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.” (Lk 11:31) “See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted…kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.” (Isa 52:13,15, emphasis added)
God has promised that he will bring such abundant glory and prosperity to Jerusalem that the nations will tremble when they see it.
“Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to [Jerusalem]; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.” (Jer 33:6-9, emphasis added)
What a glorious time this will be when Yeshua will rule from Jerusalem. Those who have been faithful to him will be his bride ruling with him on his throne in Jerusalem!
“To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—‘He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father…To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Rev 2;26-27;3:21-22)
Isaiah prophesied about Jerusalem,
“O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires. I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children’s peace. In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you.” (Isa 54:11-14) End of quote
Thank You for Your Support
We want to thank those of you who have responded with support for our TV ministry “On the Walls of Jerusalem” so that we can buy our own TV cameras! Half of the needed $4,565 has come in. If you want to help us with this project, please go tothewatchman.org/en/donate/ Specify your donation “TV Cameras”.
Doron Keidar will travel in the United States during the second half of November and in December to inform about the present situation in Israel and rally support for the Giedon Project, see http://projectgideon.org. If you are able to organize an Israel Awareness Night in your area please write to shieldofdavid7@gmail.com
We repeat below the prayer points for our 40-day fast for Israel, Aug 30-Oct 8. We also wish all of you Shanah Tova – A Blessed and Prosperous New Year 5772! May this be your best year ever!
• Pray for God’s mercy towards Israel and that he will remember his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! “But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. ‘LORD,’ he said, ‘why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’ …Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.’” (Ex 32:11-13,31-32)
• Pray that God will arise and help his people! “O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. ‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.’” (Ps 83:1-4)
• Proclaim God’s greatness! “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who can fathom the Spirit of the LORD, or instruct the LORD as his counselor? Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.” (Isa 40:12-16) • Pray that God will foil the plans of the nations! “Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” (Ps 33:8-11) • Praise God for his power to save his people and give them victory! “Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds. May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them — this is the glory of all his faithful people. Praise the LORD.” (Ps 149)
• Pray for the blessing and protection of the Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria and for the ministry of HaYovel mobilizing help to these farmers! “They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.” (Isa 61:4-5)
• Pray that God will send confusion into the enemy’s camp so that the terrorists begin to fight each other! “As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.” (2 Chr 20:22-23)
• Pray that God will scatter the terrorists! “Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said, ‘Let us take possession of the pasturelands of God.’ Make them like tumbleweed, my God, like chaff before the wind. As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze, so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your storm. Cover their faces with shame, LORD, so that they will seek your name.” (Ps 83:11-16)
• Pray that God will raise up strong prophetic voices to proclaim the truth and warn the leaders of the earth to not divide God’s land! “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. …Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” (Ps 2:1-2,10-12)
• Pray for a hedge of protection around Jerusalem! “’And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will be its glory within.’” (Zech 2:5)
• Pray for strength and wisdom to the leaders in Israel, especially Prime Minister Netanyahu! “I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.” (Isa 1:26)
• Pray that Israel will hope in the LORD! “No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you.” (Ps 33:16-22)
• Pray that the Spirit of God will be poured out so that Israel will look up and see the one that was pierced for them and repent! “On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” (Zech 12:9-10)
• Pray that God’s name will be glorified in all the earth through the restoration of Israel! “Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame; …You have enlarged the nation, O LORD; you have enlarged the nation. You have gained glory for yourself; you have extended all the borders of the land.” (Isa 26:11,15) • Pray for a mighty harvest into the kingdom of God in the Muslim world! “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” (Rom 15:12)
May God bless you as watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem!
Lars and Harriet Enarson”
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