The Shofar Newsletter
THE SHOFAR Newsletter of Bet Yeshurun Messianic Assembly
Good News for the Assembly of Bet Yeshurun
No. 1502 / April 28, 2023
2023 Schedule of Gatherings
4/29 Praise & Worship Services 1:30 pm
5/4 Praise & Worship Services 1:00 pm
5/6 Praise & Worship Services 1:30 pm
5/11 Praise & Worship Services 1:00 pm
5/12 Chag Shavuot (Celebrating the Feast of Weeks) * 1:00 pm
5/13 Praise & Worship Services 1:30 pm
5/18 Praise & Worship Services 1:00 pm
5/19 Chodesh (Celebrating the 3rd month of the Divine Year) * 1:00 pm
5/20 Praise & Worship Services 1:30 pm
5/25 Praise & Worship Services 1:00 pm
5/27 Praise & Worship Services 1:30 pm
* High Holy Day (Like Sabbaths, a day of no work)
2023 Schedule for Reading the Bible in One-Year
Torah; Bereshith (In the Beginning); Book of Genesis
Torah; Bemithbar (In the Wilderness); Book of Numbers
4/18 - Chapters 1 – 4 4/19 - Chapters 5 – 8 4/20 - Chapters 9 – 12
4/21 - Chapter 13 – 16 4/22 - Chapters 17 – 20 4/23 - Chapters 21 – 24
4/24 - Chapters 25 – 28 4/25 - Chapters 29 – 32 4/26 - Chapters 33 – 36
Torah; Devarim (Words); Book of Deuteronomy
4/27 - Chapters 1 – 4 4/28 - Chapters 5 – 8 4/29 - Chapters 9 – 12
4/30 - Chapters 13 – 16 5/1 - Chapters 17 – 20 5/2 - Chapters 21 – 24
5/3 - Chapters 25 – 27 5/4 - Chapters 28 – 30 5/5 - Chapters 31 – 34
Nevi’im; Yahoshuah (Yah is Salvation); Book of Joshua
5/6 - Chapters 1 – 4 5/7 - Chapters 5 – 8 5/8 - Chapters 9 – 12
5/9 - Chapters 13 – 16 5/10 - Chapters 17 – 20 5/11 - Chapters 21 – 24
Nevi’im; Shophetim (Judges) Book of Judges
5/12 - Chapters 1 – 4 5/13 - Chapters 5 – 8 5/14 - Chapters 9 – 12
5/15 - Chapters 13 – 16 5/16 - Chapters 17– 21
Nevi’im; Shemu’El 1 (Heard of El) First Book of Samuel
5/17 - Chapters 1 – 4 5/18 - Chapters 5 – 8 5/19 - Chapters 9 – 12
5/20 - Chapters 13 – 16 5/21 - Chapters 17 – 20 5/22 - Chapters 21 – 24
5/23 - Chapters 25 – 28 5/24 - Chapters 29 – 31
Nevi’im; Shemu’El 2 (Heard of El) Second Book of Samuel
5/25 - Chapters 1 – 4 5/26 - Chapters 5 – 8 5/27 - Chapters 9 – 12
5/28 - Chapters 13 – 16 5/29 - Chapters 17 – 20 5/30 - Chapters 21 – 24
Tabernacle Invitation
Interested in joining Bet Yeshurun Assembly? Please contact Pastor ObadiYah by email, telephone, mail, or in person at a gathering of Yahushuah’s Body.
A Church of Love
(Revelation 3:7-13) “To the angel of the Church in Philadelphia write; These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 'I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength and thou hast kept My Word, and thou hast not denied My Name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews (Yahudim) and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the Word of My Patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my Elohim, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the Name of My Elohim and the Name of the City of My Elohim, New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My Elohim: and My New Name.' He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit (Ruach) saith unto the Churches.”
That message from our Messiah Yahushuah was written over 2 millennia ago to a Church (Ekklesia) in Philadelphia. His words, however, are just as relevant today as back then. Indeed, He's speaking to all who seek understanding: (Isaiah 28:9-12) ”Whom will He teach knowledge? Whom will He make to understand the message? Those weaned from milk? Those drawn from breasts? For precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little. For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people to whom He said, 'This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest.'”
Biblical names can describe a city's character, authority and reputation. For example, the Greek name “Philadelphia” (G5361) means “fraternal love as brethren.” (Strong's Concordance) In Smith's Bible Dictionary, we also learn Pergamos' king Attalus II (220-138 BC) built Philadelphia ~25 miles SE of Sardis in western Asia Minor. Originally populated by Macedonians, it served as home to one of the seven Asian churches:(Revelation 1:11) "I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. What you see, write in a book and send to the seven churches in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
Smith's adds “the locality was subject to constant earthquakes making even the town walls unsafe. The expense of reparation was constant and hence perhaps the poverty of church members ('little strength'). Edward Gibbon (an 18th century Bible commentator) testifies this is true prophecy of it: 'because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee in the hour of temptation.' Distant from sea, forgotten by the (Greek) emperor, encompassed on all sides by Turks, her valiant citizens defended their religion and freedom above fourscore years.' Among Greek colonies and Asian churches, Philadelphia is still erect as a column of ruins that today is Allah-shehr (city of God) with mostly Turkish inhabitants.”
Being in a city of brotherly love sounds like a wonderful location to establish a Church of Yah! But was Scripture's prophecy fulfilled as Gibbon thought? Or, is the Word saying modern Ekklesia, such as Bet Yeshurun (BYA), are to follow Philadelphia's example of love? Scripture indicates the latter is the case: (1 Corinthians 10:11-12) “Now all these things happened to them as examples and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”
The “works” of Philadelphia's Church in obeying Yah's Way (“kept my Word”) opened Messiah's “door.” Metaphorically, that's a picture of an opportunity to do something. Here, that portrays the Kingdom of Heaven's door being opened to Believers (likened to sheep) that can go in and out by following the guidance of the Name that brings Salvation: (John 10:7-9) Yahushuah said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”
Also note Salvation became available to the brotherly love Church for “thou hast not denied My Name.” In other words, they accepted His character, authority, and reputation. As the holder of “the key of David” (denotes holding the key to Elohim's Kingdom) He was well acquainted with His Ekklesia. He will “know” ourworks as well, if we follow the example of those who followed the Son: (1 John 4:7-9) “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of Elohim; and everyone who loves is born of Elohim and knows Elohim. He who does not love does not know Elohim, for Elohim is love. In this the love of Elohim was manifested toward us, that Elohim has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”
Yahushuah's love shows the Way to YAHUAH Elohim is through acts of self-denial and sacrifice. Thus, having a relationship of love with our brothers and sisters is indeed the Will of Elohim. (1 John 4:11) “Beloved, if Elohim so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
By following the “fraternal love”example of Philadelphia's Church, we exemplify theircharacter and reputation. If they chose to work upon the well being of their society, we can do likewise by focusing on others rather than on our own private concerns (self). Strong's further explains that “phileō” means “to be a friend, to be fond of an individual, in other words, to have affection for another (denotes a personal attachment, sentiments, or feelings).” (Proverb 8:17) “I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me diligently will find Me.”
Elohim's Love was manifested within the “dynamis“ (“mighty works or power”) of the early (first century AD) Church and revealed in their miraculous healing and supernatural authority over evil: (Acts 1:8) “But you shall receive power (dynamis) when Ruach ha'Qodesh has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 4:33) With great dynamis the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Adonai Yahushuah, and great grace was upon them all. (Acts 6:8) Stephen, full of faith and dynamis, did great wonders and signs among the people.
But notice how the Philadelphia Church had”little strength.” Smith thought that was from earthquakes regularly hitting the city. Perhaps true physically, but that term (“mikros dynamis”) conveys a spiritual message. It foretells of an Ekklesia in the Last Days likewise having “little strength.” Hence, it's an Adversary, not the Church, that exhibits mighty power at the end of this age: Meditate upon this passage about watching for a wicked deceiver, a lawless one (non-Torah keeper), who wields the dynamis that can dupe even end time saints who are lacking in Scriptural knowledge. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10) The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all dynamis, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the Truth that they might be saved.”
Also consider this Promise to the Philadelphia Church: “I will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Several times within apostle John's Vision the phrase, “that dwell upon the earth,” describes the pagan world. Thus, Yah's “hour of temptation (trial), which shall come upon all the world” will not come upon His Ekklesia just like we're taught to pray in Matthew 6:13. (Revelation 6:10) They cried with a loud voice saying, “How long, O Adonai, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 11:10) “They that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.” (Revelation 13:8-10) “All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”
In the last verse, “the patience and the faith of saints,” alludes to how the Philadelphia Ekklesia was commended for keeping the “word of My Patience.” (Revelation 3:10) So, it behooves us to understand what they did and what we can do. That above passage reveals that Yah's patient and faithful saints during that period must not lead others into captivity, nor kill others in spite of what they may be doing or trying to do to us. If we truly LOVE others we won’t. Hence, this is the patience of the saints.Selah!
Let us also remember that Salvation is the reward for keeping Yah's commandments, and for enduring to the end. So, when thinking about the Philadelphia Church, think about Salvation, BYA! (Matthew 24:12-13) “Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” (Mark 13:13) "You will be hated by all for My name's sake, but he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
Having no faults meant the Philadelphia Church is a worthy role-model for other Ekklesia. May we likewise be known for having a spiritual family at BYA in the image of Elohim, no matter what the cost: (John 15:19) “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before you. If you were of the world, the world would phileō its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
May the brotherly love of the Philadelphia Church serve to inspire and encourage BYA along the Way! (Titus 3:15) “All who are with me greet you! Greet those who phileo-love us in the faith. Grace be with you all, Amen.”
Announcements
See Schedule above.
Thoughts for Meditation
“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” Abraham Lincoln