I have not gone up to the Temple as often since I have gotten older, but today I just had to go. There was a sound inside of me as clear as a shofar calling to worship. Even though it was shoulder to shoulder because of children’s dedication day, the Holy Spirit compelled me to go today.
I am trembling with joy and can hardly see through my tears to write down what happened. For so long I have waited to see the Messiah as we all have, but God had spoken so clearly that I would live to see Messiah myself. It was really exciting for me as a young man when He spoke that promise to me. I believed Him with all my heart.
But I must admit I sometimes doubted that promise I heard from Yehovah many years ago, especially with my advancing age, but I could not give up on it. It was so clear. He spoke to my heart that I would live to see the promised Messiah of Israel with my own eyes! After nearly four thousand years it was nearly impossible to believe that one of such minor value as me would have such an extraordinary privilege.
There had to be several hundred dedications there today, but when I came up it was like the Red Sea parted and the Holy Spirit led me right to one particular mother holding her child. They were not different from the others; I just knew they were the ones I was supposed to see. She did not know me, but somehow trusted me to hold Him in my arms.
As soon as I did, my heart was on fire. It was from the inside, but even my body was shaking as I realized instantly that we had all been wrong expecting the Messiah to be a grown man, a conquering King. This child was the Messiah! My head was spinning, but my heart was sure. This little one is the Promise! My theology fell away. It doesn’t matter how to explain it. I know.
Immediately, words came out of my mouth like I was Elijah, or Isaiah, or Zechariah. I have never known anything like I know this. I had to write this down, now, before I forget a single word. I spoke the words, but the Ruach HaKodesh, the Spirit of the Holy One, was revealing everything to me as I declared the truth! This is what I said to her and her husband, but especially to her.
“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace (shalom), according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32
I really am ready to die now in perfect shalom. God kept His word to me! Yehovah’s salvation has come in human form! I saw Him! I don’t understand how, but He is the Messiah. He is going to be seen somehow by the whole world, not only Israel. How can it happen? I don’t know; but He will be revealed as Savior to everyone in the world and yet will glorify Israel more than ever. I stopped speaking for a moment as we sort of took it all in. The father, Joseph, and his wife, Mary, were as astounded as I was at the words I had spoken.
Then I felt led to speak a blessing over them and Mary specifically. Yet, it turned out to be more than a blessing, it was a prophecy. I am not sure I understand. But it was clearly supernatural, and I don’t question it. The Spirt seemed to indicate that unlike most nations that rise and fall and then disappear, Israel is soon to fall but will then rise again later! We were all so amazed! Also, the Child will be a sign that will create strong opposition that will personally bring pain to Mary. It is a mystery to me, but I know what I heard. There was a third effect as well. The coming revelation of this Child will expose the secret thoughts of people’s hearts! The Messiah will break through everyone’s hard heart so that nothing will be hidden from Yehovah. Here are the exact words He gave me.
“Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:34-35
I don’t know if anyone will ever read this, but I just had to get it recorded for a testimony to the truth I saw and heard today. The Messiah has come!
Signed as my true witness,
SIMEON of Jerusalem (This is my interpretation of how Simeon must have felt. L.L.)
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
Les Lawrence, a voice of Christian Zionists (Read more)
Indispensable Hope for 2022
2 01 2022Did you know there are only two kinds of hope? One type is superficial, nothing more than wishful thinking. It is a false hope which includes delusion, fantasy, mistaken belief, and self-deception. It is believing or imagining something that you desire, but with the very slim probability that it will ever happen. Winning the lottery is the classic example. Millions of people hope to win but the odds are astronomical. The real kicker is that most winners find their lives ruined by the sudden influx that overwhelms and confuses their real priorities of life. This is the wrong hope, completely undependable. It is based on nothing sure. All hope that is not based on something immovable, unchangeable, is just wishful thinking.
But there is a solid hope available to live by. It involves investing your belief, your faith, into the Person who cannot ever let you down. This hope is described as an anchor for the soul.
Notice that the anchor is for our soul, not our body or our spirit. Our body will age and die. And our spirit is already in the Presence of God, the inner sanctuary through eternal life granted by the blood of the Lamb, the Messiah Yeshua. It is our soul that waffles and fails and falls into hopelessness. We need to grab the anchor. So what exactly is this hope? Hebrews 6 is a worthwhile read. It explains that eternal hope is not based on any of our desires, but on the faithful God who gave promises that cannot fail.
His promises are sure because His very nature is truth. He literally cannot lie. Therefore His words are true because His character is true. Our hope is based on these two facts of His spoken promises which issue from His true character. There is a saying that has gone out of vogue lately that “a man’s word is his bond.” Yet man lies and breaks his word. Only the living God Yehovah perfectly and perpetually keeps His word. This is the the anchor for our soul.
As we embark on this new year, let this hope guide us. 2022 will be blessed whatever happens if we put our hope and trust in God. Shalom! Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and than God for the rainy season.
Les Lawrence, a voice of Christian Zionists (Read more)
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Tags: Hope, Hope for 2022, Hope is an anchor, Jerusalem, Messiah, Promises, Yeshua
Categories : Israel Commentary