1. THE "FOURTH" MONTH, THE MONTH OF TAMUZ.

"We have a strong city; God makes Salvation its walls and ramparts. Open the gates that the righteous may enter, the nation that keeps faith" (Isaiah 26:1-2).

"There will be no breaching of walls, no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets" (Psalm 144:11 NIV).

"But Zion said, 'The LORD has forsaken me, the LORD has forgotten me.' Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me" (Isaiah 49:14-16).

"Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; but you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise" (Isaiah 60:18).

Today (June 23) is the first day of the Hebrew Month of Tamuz. Although never mentioned by name in the Bible, this is the "fourth month" alluded to in Zechariah 8:19 because of an annual "fast" which takes place on the 17th of the month. This fast commemorates the breaching of the wall of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC (2 Kings 25:3-4; Jer 39;2; 52:6-7) and initiates a three-week period in which many dire events have taken place through history against the Jewish people. The Scriptures speak of a day when Jerusalem will be as "towns without walls" (Zechariah 2:4)-yet, when the Remnant returned in the time of Nehemiah, the first attention was to repairing of the walls. In recent years, sadly, Jerusalem has been forced to build a new wall around portions of the city in order to try to stem the violence flowing into it from the Muslim-controlled territories.

PLEASE PRAY:
*The Scriptures listed above-that Praise and Worship will rise more and more in Jerusalem to the extent that it actually serves to be a wall against the forces of darkness coming against her.

*Against 'breaches' in our defense. A "Gay Pride Parade" is scheduled to take place in our streets on Thursday, the 3rd of Tamuz (June 25th). "Pride comes before a fall"-"God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Pray that God would bring revelation of self worth and purity in His Son to the thousands of Israelis bound in homosexuality. Pray the blood of Yeshua to break the curse desired by the enemy to weaken the defenses of the Holy City by a flaunting of that which is unclean in her midst.

*This month--for the believing remnant in Jerusalem-that it will grow quickly and spread the Truth of the LORD's "Yeshuah"-Salvation, into the heart of the city.

*Zechariah 2:5: that the LORD will be a "wall of fire around Jerusalem"-and that "He will be her Glory within."

This week's Torah Portion:

From ancient times there has been a weekly portion from the first five books of Moses (The Torah) and from the prophets (Haftarah) read on the Sabbath in synagogues around the world. This portion is given a Hebrew name taken from the opening words of the passage. An illustration of this practice appears to have been recorded in Luke 4:16 where Yeshua (Jesus) arrived in the synagogue in Nazareth and was asked to read the portion (Isaiah 61) from the Prophets. We have found that in perusing these weekly readings, not only are we provided opportunity to identify in the context of God's Word with millions of Jewish people around the world, but very often the Holy Spirit will illumine specific passages pertinent that week in our intercession for the Land and people of Israel. All texts are those of English translations of the Scriptures.

The readings in Israel for 21-27 JUNE 2009 are called "Chukat" -"Ordinance" of the Law.

NOTICE: It has been brought to our attention that readers living outside of Israel are finding references to the Torah Portion in their area to be one week behind those listed here. This is because in Israel (and the Hebrew Bible) the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost) lasts for only one day, while in the Diaspora (Communities of Jews living outside of Israel) it is celebrated for two days-an old custom to insure that the day falls within the correct time frame all over the world. Shavuot this year fell on a Friday, so the following day (Shabbat/Saturday) Israel continued with the next Torah Portion as usual. But in the Diaspora, because that Shabbat was considered still to be Shavuot, a different reading was used-putting the regular readings a week off from Jerusalem. All will be resolved the week of July 4th when those living outside Israel will have a "double reading" to catch up.

Torah: Numbers 19:1-22:1 (Outside of Israel: Numbers 16:1-18:32)
Haftarah: Judges 11:1-33 (Outside of Israel: I Samuel 11:14-12:22)

Because of the dead who would be constantly in their midst as an entire generation passed away, Chapter 19 deals with a special 'decontamination' for those coming in contact with death. Then 38 years pass silently and in Chapter 20, with the death of Miriam, they are already drawing near their close. In this reading Moses and Aaron themselves are betrayed by their flesh into a rebellion which will bar them from entering the Promised Land; then a further remnant of the complaining generation are killed by serpents, and at last the new generation begins to rise to a warfare from which their parents had shrunk back--and to prevail over the giants barring the way into their inheritance.

*Numbers 19: Ordinance of the Red Heifer. With the death of those offering incense in Korah's rebellion, the 14,700 who died by plague in the uprising shortly thereafter-and the pronouncement of God that hundreds of thousands would be dying in the wilderness wanderings ahead, "Death" hung over the camp continuously. There was need for an especial cleansing from death. A 'cow' the color of blood was, perfect and never yoked, was burned in its totality outside the camp; cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet (all related by color or ritual usage to blood) were fed into the burning. Then the ashes were stored in a receptacle outside the camp. When needed, they were mixed with "living water" (vs17, Hebrew: mayim haim) and used as a decontaminant (literally, "water kept apart, for sin", vs 9) for those who had come into contact with death .

PLEASE PRAY: For divine revelation when this is read in Israel this weekend (and around the world, next)-which will lead to discovery of the Truth written in a special letter written to First Century Jews: "For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?" (Hebrews 9:13-14).

*Numbers 20:10, 24: Moses: 'Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" Elohim: "Because you (both: Moses and Aaron) rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah."

A great leader filled with courage, compassion and humility, Moses nevertheless appears to have had a 'blind spot' regarding anger. One finds it quietly mentioned or alluded to throughout his life (Exodus 2:12, 11:8, 32:19, Lev 10:16, Numbers 11:10, 16:15). Although there is a place for anger, when released in the flesh or outside of God's timing, it will "not produce the righteousness of God" (James 1:19). In the end, it triggered within Moses the very rebellion against God's command which he accused the people of committing when he spoke to them rather than to the Rock. Titus 1:7 speaks of the necessity that God's stewards be "not quick-tempered".

PLEASE PRAY: For leaders in the Body of Messiah in Israel to always continue being trained by the Holy Spirit in self control. Pray that we will deal with issues which the Spirit discloses, which otherwise in critical moments of decision might result in our responding out of our emotions or woundings-and not hallowing God in the eyes of those who are looking up to us.

*Numbers 21:9: "So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived."

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (John 3:14-15/II Corinthians 5;21).

*Numbers 21:34-35/Deuteronomy 3:11 "Do not fear him (i.e. Og, King of Bashan), for I have delivered him into your hand, with all his people and his land.So they defeated him, his sons, and all his people, until there was no survivor left him; and they took possession of his land."."For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants." (Emphases ours).

When Israel arrives 38 years late at the border of Canaan, only one of the fabled "giants" which had terrified their fathers remains. God gives them exactly the same directive he'd given their fathers.and this time they take Him at His word and destroy him. The significance of defeating this Og was huge-and he is mentioned many times in Deuteronomy, Joshua, I Kings, Nehemiah and the Psalms.

The territory which this text says God Himself "delivered into Israel's hand" is that area taken from Syria in the 1967 War-the present- day Golan Heights. That area became part of the territory allotted to the tribe of Manasseh. The territory southward to the Arnon River was taken from King Sihon of the Amorites and eventually became territory of the tribes Reuben and Gad. This area is presently occupied by the north-western part of the Kingdom of Jordan. PLEASE PRAY: That the "different spirit" of Caleb and Joshua which motivated this younger generation of Israelites would awaken again in Israel; That we would not listen to the cynical voices which lament that the Land of modern-day Israel devours its inhabitants-but that we would believe in the SAME GOD as did Caleb and Joshua to defeat the giants which have arisen again in the land to which we have returned. Pray that Israel's leaders will realize it was God who delivered the Golan Heights into Israel's hands-both in ancient times (see Scripture heading this prayer point)-and also in 1967! Returning the Heights or any part of them to Syria would indeed be a pitiful attempt at "land for peace", since Israel is presently in total control of this territory-nor is it filled with hostile inhabitants as is the case in Judea and Samaria. There is no reason to believe that peace would come-it was years of continual harassment from Syria which brought about Israel's driving her out in the first place-and she has been continually co-operating with Iran in arming our enemies on the Lebanon Border. Pray that God's Kingdom come and His Will be done in all of these territories. "You have set all the borders of the earth; You have made summer and winter" (Psalm 75:17); "He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children within you. He makes peace in your borders, and fills you with the finest wheat" (Psalm 147:13-14).

*Judges 11:23-24: "And now YHVH Elohei-Yisrael (The LORD, the Israel God) has dispossessed the Amorites from before His people Israel; should you then possess it? Will you not possess whatever Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the LORD our God takes possession of before us, we will possess!"

Jephthah (Hebrew: Yiphtakh) has come amongst many to be remembered negatively because of an unfortunate vow he made-but this has not always been so. This man, who was born of a harlot and dispossessed, rose nevertheless to be a mighty heroic warrior (gibor-hayil) who commanded the respect of both friends and enemies and who trusted in the LORD for victory (vs 9)-and who made his agreements and pacts in the Presence of the LORD (vs 12). He was also intimately acquainted with the history of his land (vss. 14-29), acknowledged the LORD's hand in that history, and brought it to bear in reasoning with his enemies to avoid conflict if possible. To him, judgment rested with the LORD. So highly respected was this man before both God and man, that he is included in the chapter of heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11. PLEASE PRAY: For warriors like Jephthah to be raised up in Israel in the Last Days. Pray for God's oversight of those from broken families (there are so many)-that seeds of grace and faith will be sown which will catch and germinate in fertile soil! Pray for God's Kingdom to come in that section of land (A western portion of the present-day Kingdom of Jordan) where the action in this chapter took place-the land of Gilead. It was from this land that the Prophet Elijah "who is coming first and will restore all things" (Malachi 4:5; Matthew 17:11) came forth-and where he was taken up into Heaven. And Zechariah prophesied in Zech. 10:10 that that territory would someday be one of the areas in which the houses of Judah and Joseph would be returned.

Martin and Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem