The Straits
We are in the period known as "The Straits," a dangerous time in which we pray against a repeat of the many calamities that have befallen Israel historically. The Three Weeks known as "The Straits" begins in the Fourth Month, or the 17th of Tammuz. This year it was pushed off from the date it fell on, which was a Shabbat, July 16, to the next day, July 17. The weight of a Torah commandment to observe Shabbat outweighs a later practice, the observance of the Four Fasts. We remain in the three weeks of the "Straits" until the 9th of Av, or the Fast of the Fifth Month, which will fall on the 6th of August, and again be pushed off one day, the 7th of August, due to it falling on a Shabbat.
The Nine Days begin on the 1st of Av, or the Fifth Month (the 29th of July). It is part of the Three Weeks that began on the 17th of Tammuz, the 4th Month.
Don’t let your guard down immediately. Stay extremely sober until Tu B’av, or the 15th of Av. In Scripture, this period called The Straits has been one of difficult tests for Israel and those who love Jerusalem.
- Mishnah Taanit 4:6(6) Five events befell our ancestors on the seventeenth of Tammuz and five on the Ninth of Av. On the seventeenth of Tamuz, the Tablets were broken, the Tamid offering was ended, the city walls were breached, Apaustamous burned the Torah, an idol was placed in the temple courtyard. On the Ninth of Av, it was decreed upon our ancestors that they would not be allowed to enter the Land of Israel, the First and Second temples were destroyed, Beitar was captured, The city of Jerusalem was plowed over. From when the month of Av starts, we reduce joy.
Parashat Devarim always falls during the Nine Days of Tisha B’Av. The severe rebukes in Devarim are consistent with the period commemorating numerous historical calamities.
Parashat Va’etchanan will therefore always follow Tisha B’Av. There are strong connections in Va’etchanan to the calamities, and encouragingly, there is a prescription for remedying the behaviors and attitudes that preceded such calamities.
The prescription for these days in a nutshell is an unwavering belief contained in The Shema
“Hear, O Israel, the LORD your God is one.”
A faith in one God, YHVH. No other system or person.
In the opening portion of Devarim, Moses retraces the wilderness journey and re-tells the incident with the spies, the calamity that befell on the 9th of Av. (Dt 1:18-46) If we take Moses' advice, and we begin to love honesty and truth, then Zechariah's prophecy during this time is an encouragement:
- Zechariah 8:19 “Thus said the LORD of Hosts: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth month, the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month shall become occasions for joy and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Judah; but you must love honesty and integrity.”
In the Shabbat live stream, we will take a chapter from the 144,000 Harps to pull together the war between the Red Beast and the 144,000-strong army of Revelation. These calamities recorded in the Torah portions and in the judgments on Jerusalem will be avenged on the Beast!
Shabbat Shalom!
Join us for the YouTube live stream this Shabbat at 4:00 pm Eastern, AND we invite you to join us next Shabbat for the REVIVE Torah study.
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A Parent's Guide for Teaching the Feasts from Toddler to Early Childhood by Noelle Kelleher
The Appointed Times Legacy is designed with five different sections: Preparations, Setting the Stage, Active Engagement, Apply It, and Diamond in the Rough.
This study guide is designed to gradually become more challenging in order to reach a wider range of learners, so the first three sections are age appropriate for as young as a toddler and the last two may require more hands-on help from the parent/teacher. The last section is designed for independent study for older children who are developing Bible Study Skills of their own.
This resource guide is also friendly for your church friends who would like to introduce the feasts to a Sunday School class. Each section describes the supplies needed for the lesson.
Spiral Bound 8 1/2" x 11"
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LIVE STREAM THIS SHABBAT at 4:00 pm Eastern on YouTube, and WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US NEXT SHABBAT FOR THE TORAH STUDY AT REVIVE.
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Join us for Elul New Moon Aug. 26th- 28th.
Registration is now open online. We will be gathering at the beautiful Lake Junaluska Conference Center in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. This is a destination venue with a variety of great recreational opportunities. All five meals are included in the Women of Valor registration fee. Please follow the link on the website to reserve your hotel room accommodations with our group discount.
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Your continual prayers for the children of LaMalah and our brothers and sisters in Kenya are so much appreciated. Above is a photo of the solar panel installation for the solar water pump and security lights.
Our Israelnet.tv email has been down this week, so we are unable to pass on a status report. We hope re-installation will solve the email problem.
If you feel led to help with the operating expenses of LaMalah or would like to fund one additional greenhouse ($5000), you can always use the donate button below or send a check by snail mail to:
The Creation Gospel
PO Box 846
East Bernstadt, KY 40729
Creation Gospel Workbook sales go to the ministry, so take a moment and shop our webpage or Amazon. You can also sign up on Amazon Smile by selecting "The Olive Branch Messianic Congregation, Inc.," as your designated charity, which is the umbrella organization for The Creation Gospel.
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You can listen to the live streams of our podcasts on Podbean by clicking on the link below. Soon we'll be adding Torah portions.
We are transferring most of our YouTube videos to Odysee, which will eliminate those pesty ads. All this takes time and money, so it won't happen tomorrow, but it is something to look forward to soon. You can see what has been posted so far on The Creation Gospel at Odysee. The videos will remain on YouTube as well.
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Thursdays: 9-10 am & 10-11 p.m.
Mondays: 4-5 am & 2-3 p.m.
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"A LIGHT TO MY PATH"
November 28 – December 8, 2022
Leader: Dr. Hollisa Alewine
Tour Coordinator: Kisha Gallagher
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“Your Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light to my path” will be our guide in this limited mobility tour of Israel. A journey through the Land of Israel does not have to be at a lightning pace. In fact, when Esau urged Jacob to travel home with him, Jacob objected: “I will proceed at my leisure, at the pace of the cattle that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children.” The Word will light our way and illuminate our path on this more leisurely tour. If you ever thought you couldn’t keep up with a tour group, this might be the trip for you.
We will look to the Word for the significance of the locations on our itinerary, and because we’ve included more museums on this tour, we’ll be able to see into the past of Israel by viewing its remarkable artifacts. We’ll also come away with a greater understanding of why Israel’s geography, weather, and agriculture are emphasized in the Scriptures.
While our transportation will not have wheelchair lifts, there will be room to store walkers or wheelchairs beneath the bus. If you need assistance for boarding and deboarding the bus or personal care, your assistant will need to register and travel with you. While we can limit the challenges in a nation built on rocks, we can’t eliminate them entirely!
Click here to view the itinerary and register.
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