Shabbat

We delight in the Shabbat! (Isaiah 58:13) After the rains, it was wonderful to bask in some sunlight. Our morning started with breakfast with treasured friends of the community. Conversation centered around family, the greater family of Israel, and the heart. How thankful this German couple is for their 15 years in Israel. Plus…all of their five children and grandchildren are here…two of their children are Yehuda and Ephraim. They were born on the same day…3 years apart! (and they were given these Hebrew names at birth while living in Germany). The children endured much anti-Semitism just because of their names! He also spoke to us about Yeshua having two flocks (John 10:16). Those two flocks will be joined together under one Shepherd…our Messiah Yeshua! And the very picture our host spoke of is displayed in his own family! At the end of our breakfast, they gave me a special gift. It is an interlinear Brit Chadasha (New Testament) in Hebrew and in English! This is a treasure to me!

Later this morning we had a Shabbat service with the community. It was on the heart and I was especially touched by this verse:

Isaiah 62:6 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of YHWH, do not keep silent,

This is what we see here amongst these people. They are constantly interceding for His people and for Jerusalem. We have seen a picture of what "day and night" looks like.

Isaiah 62:1 For Zion's sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a lamp that burns.

The afternoon brought a bit of midrash for some of us visitors here. When Cal and I walked outside we were so touched by a boy (14 or so) sitting on a bench with his grandfather. He had his arm around the elder and he greeted us saying, "This is my grandfather." The elderly are so treasured here. They are given an elevated position. All have some sort of a job to keep the kibbutz running. Many of the elderly work on making down filled quilts and pillows, but their main job is to pray for the community and for Israel. Thus they live in what is called the "Priests house." The job of the priests, as you know, was to assist the people in coming near to the Almighty with their sacrifices. The elderly here are priests according to the order of Melchizedek (means King of Righteousness - Hebrews 5:6), as in the name of Yeshua our Messiah they lift us the needs of the community and the praises of the King of Righteousness.

We ended the day with a time of fellowship with the English speakers at the Kibbutz. Many testimonies and great singing. EVERYONE who lives here sings. And I mean with a beautiful voice. One of the young men here told us that it was only last year that he discovered that there were people who couldn't really sing! Well together we were all able to make a joyful noise.