I’m a Gentile Believer, a devoted mother of five wonderful children, and the wife of an amazing husband. Nature, gardening, and dance bring joy and inspiration to my life. In my spare time, I play the piano, care for my garden, or study the Bible in Hebrew. And I’ll drop just about anything for a game of cards.
My unwavering quest for a genuine relationship with the God of the Bible has driven me to delve deeply into His Word, which guides my journey and shapes my life's path. This exploration, combined with dedication to living out my faith, is at the heart of my writing. I seek to share my insights and discoveries with readers, encouraging them to embark on their own spiritual journeys.
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As many Christians grow in their faith, they begin to pursue the Biblical roots of their faith. They incorporate the Biblical Holy Days, the study of the Hebrew language, and maybe even some Jewish traditions into the practice of their Christian faith.
But how specifically is this different from traditional Christianity? We’ll get to that in a minute. First, let’s look at one way we’re the same to avoid confusion.
Salvation by Grace
Just as traditional Christianity holds to the doctrine of grace (Romans 11:6; Ephesians 2:8–9, and more), so do Hebraic Believers. Unfortunately, this is the biggest misunderstanding and most common objection to the Hebraic faith from their Christian brothers and sisters. Many assume that we’ve shifted from the belief that we’re saved through the sacrifice of Jesus to the belief that we’re saved instead by adherence to the Law. This isn’t true.
Sadly, in some cases, this misunderstanding has led to a wide divide between traditional Christianity and Christians who practice in the ways of their Biblical roots. Instead of being a divider, the concept of grace should be one thing that unites these two faiths!
Where We Differ
Although we have many similarities and agree on many of the concepts in the Bible, the main thing we differ on is how to live out our faith.
Applying the commands in the Torah to the life of a Christian is by far the most common objection traditional Christians have with our faith. You may be surprised to hear, though, that most Christians already observe much of the Law. The 10 Commandments (Ex. 20), the ideal setup for marriage (Gen. 2:24), and the command to love your neighbor (Lev. 19:8) are all parts of the Law. The difference is that we observe a few more of the laws found in the Old Testament than traditional Christians do.
But because we make an effort to follow the Law doesn’t mean we think that’s what saves us. I’ve heard countless Christian arguments of this sort, and this is a result of a misunderstanding of what Hebraic Christians believe.
The main objection is that we teach against grace. They incorrectly assume that, because we teach that Believers should observe the Law, we consider it to be what saves, instead of the blood of Jesus. I’ve heard it said that we even “preach a gospel contrary to what Paul preached” (Gal. 1:8-9).
But what they don’t understand is that we don’t believe that at all. We do not believe or preach that we’re not saved by grace. As a part of multiple communities in the Hebraic and Messianic Christian faiths, I will tell you that I’ve never heard from someone who believes we’re not under grace. I haven’t heard from any group or individual in this faith that has replaced grace with the Law.
A lot of the disagreement comes from our differing interpretation of Pauline Scripture. If you’re interested in pursuing the Hebraic position vs. that of traditional Christianity on this, 119 Ministries has an in depth video series explanation as well as a short book and blog post, all entitled “The Pauline Paradox”.
In the quest to get back to our Biblical roots, many choose to learn Biblical Hebrew. There are many benefits to learning Hebrew but the most common is to bring clarity when studying the Bible.
While only some traditional Christians choose to learn Hebrew, most Hebraic Believers are at some level of knowledge of Hebrew. Some just know basic greetings or names of people and places in the Bible and some are full-blown Hebraists!
Church Replaces Israel
Most Hebraic Believers don’t believe in what’s known as Replacement Theology. This is the concept that the Christian church has replaced the nation (or people) of Israel. Replacement Theology says that the Jewish people are no longer God’s people because the Christian church has taken that place. This idea is not only antisemitic, it’s anti-Biblical!
We believe instead that we’re grafted in to the promises God gave to Israel. We’re adopted into this family of God’s people through our faith in the Messiah but we don’t replace the natural-born children of that family. For more on the relationship between the church and Israel, read Wild Olive Branches: The Blessing of Being Grafted In.
Christians Don’t Become Jews
Another problem Christians see with Hebraic Believers is that they think we’re trying to become Jewish. They argue that one cannot just follow the Law and observe the Holy Days and then be changed into a Jew in the same way you can become Baptist by becoming a member of a Baptist church.
They’re correct. We do not become Jews. This is just another misunderstanding I’ve heard often about Hebraic Believers. We do not believe we are changing into Jews by practicing our faith this way. Our goal is to practice our faith in the way God wants us to. We base these practices on what we find in the Bible and we incorporate some valuable Jewish traditions as we see their relevance to our faith Biblically.
Acceptance of Jewish Traditions
While we’re on the subject of Jewish traditions, this is another objection Christians have to the Hebraic faith. Some say we shouldn’t have practices common to the Jewish people, as we’re not Jewish.
I have two responses to this. First, we follow a Jewish rabbi. Jesus did Jewish things, not just because he just happened to be born into a Jewish family but because that was the faith he was bringing others into. If you struggle with the idea of our Savior being Jewish, I encourage you to think and pray about this: When Jesus returns, will he be Jewish? Did he come to earth to start a new religion? Jesus’s Biblical Jewishness isn’t something he renounced and we shouldn’t either.
Second, many Jewish traditions are deeply rich in the ways they highlight aspects of our faith. Hanukkah is a celebration of God’s faithfulness to His people, as is Purim. Bar Mitzvahs are an important transition where our youth takes responsibility for their own faith. Lighting candles on Shabbat (the Sabbath) helps us fulfill the command to remember the Sabbath and sets it apart from the other days of the week.
These and other Jewish traditions bring our focus back to God and His Word in a way traditional Christianity does not. We learn from them and there are even some Jewish organizations, such as The Chabad, Rabbi Lapin, and Dennis Prager, that direct their ministries partly toward including Christians in their faith.
Different Bible Versions
Christians of all kinds have preferences to certain versions of the Bible. It’s wonderful to live in a time, where we not only have access to God’s Word, we can even choose our favorite way to study it because we have so many resources available to us!
Hebraic Believers tend to prefer more literal Bible translations. We also attempt to replace some of the “Jewishness” and ancient Middle Eastern culture that has been removed from some traditional translations.
My intent in writing this post is to clarify these differences for those seeking answers in this area. Although we do have differences, believers in Christ from all backgrounds are parts of the same body, and we should function as such:
For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
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In addition to the seven biblically commanded feasts in Leviticus 23, some Christians observe Purim and Hanukkah. While these celebrations have been primarily Jewish throughout history, they offer a rich supplement to the faith of a Christian. They also serve to pass traditions on to the next generation that increase biblical understanding and, ultimately, understanding of God Himself!
Purim
The back story of Purim is the book of Esther. It’s an exciting story with plotting, scheming, suspense, and an unlikely hero. To summarize, God saved the Jewish people from destruction through Queen Esther, a young Jewish orphan, and Mordecai, the cousin who raised her. In Esther 9:20-22, Mordecai instituted Purim as an annual celebration to commemorate the deliverance of the Jews from the evil Haman who had plotted to destroy them. He said it would be a day of feasting, rejoicing, sending food gifts to one another, and giving gifts to the poor.
Purim doesn’t seem to have changed much since then. Lasting two days, it is still a joyful time of feasting. Gifts are still given to others, and charity is given to the poor. One of the most memorable Purim traditions is dressing up like characters from the story or wearing masks. Our Messianic Synagogue once had an Esther costume contest, and all the young women put on their best Queen Esther costume.
Another Purim tradition is reading the Megillah or the book of Esther. This reading is often done dramatically or theatrically, including omitting Haman’s name or booing each time his name is read.
Hamantachen are a traditional Purim dessert. They’re tri-cornered pastries with a sweet filling and are a tasty addition to the celebration. There are many different explanations for Hamantaschen being the official dessert of Purim, and the most common is that they’re made to represent Haman’s hat, ear, or pockets.
Aside from being fun to celebrate, why would a Christian be interested in celebrating Purim? What message does the book of Esther and, thus, Purim have for Gentiles? The simple answer is two-fold.
Having been grafted into God’s kingdom (Rom. 11:11-24), Christians are the Gentile version of God’s people, the Jews. The importance of the Jewish people to God cannot be overlooked when studying the Old Testament. It was God’s clear intention to send the Messiah to them (Rom. 1:16). Because many Jews rejected him as the Messiah, Gentiles, whose faith was in Jesus as Messiah, were then included in the Kingdom of God as well. This inclusion means that God’s promises, protection, and provision given to the Jewish people also apply to Christians. We celebrate His deliverance of the Jews in Esther’s time as our deliverance as God’s people.
The second reason Christians celebrate Purim is that it celebrates God’s faithfulness. As Christians, we are the living testimony to God’s eternal faithfulness, and that’s the hope we have to offer the Godless world. The story of Esther is just one of an endless list of examples of God’s protection and provision at a time that seemed hopeless for His people.
With many different spellings in English, Hanukkah is also called the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights. It celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple following a miraculous victory by a small number of Jews against a large army determined to extinguish them. Jewish traditions were outlawed under the Hellenistic Syrian rule of Antiochus IV (Antiochus Epiphanes). The Temple scrolls were confiscated, and Sabbath observation, adherence to a Kosher diet, and circumcision were punishable by death!
When forced to eat pork or offer sacrifices to foreign gods, many Jews were tortured and put to death. Idols were placed in the Temple. In the writings of Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, it’s recorded that pigs were sacrificed on the Temple altar. Some Jews protected themselves by simply assimilating with the Hellenistic culture. A few hid from the Syrians in caves in the hills of Judea.
A few Jews led by Judah called Maccabee decided to fight for the Torah and their God. Of course, Antiochus sent men to defeat them, but they were instead victorious! Antiochus sent another group, again defeated, and then organized a larger war effort of 40,000 men. Judah and his men were again victorious over a series of battles, though the odds were against them.
Upon their return to Jerusalem, they removed the idols from the Temple. The story goes that they found the Temple menorah gone and had to make another one. There was only one day’s worth of oil to light the menorah, and it would take eight days to make more. Since the menorah is supposed to stay lit, this posed a problem. They lit the menorah with the oil they had, and it stayed lit for the eight days it took to make more oil – a miracle.
Hanukkah’s most noticeable symbol today is the Hanukkiah, a modified menorah with nine lights. One more light is lit each night of Hanukkah until all lights are lit on the last night of Hanukkah. The ninth light is used to light the other candles. Traditional foods during Hanukkah are cooked in oil (in reference to the Temple Menorah story). Latkes, a fried potato pancake, and jelly doughnuts called sufganiyot are popular during Hanukkah. Another common symbol for this festival – the dreidel – represents the dreidel game played during the eight-day celebration.
The story behind Hanukkah is not in the Protestant bible. It’s found in the first and second books of the Maccabees and combined with Jewish legend. Observing an occasion found in an extrabiblical source makes many Christians uncomfortable, but the historical story’s main conclusion is one Christians can fully embrace. Like the time of Esther, the Jewish people were again faced with extinction and seemingly impossible circumstances. And yet again, God preserved them through His own means, by His own plan, to show His glory.
Another reason Hanukkah holds meaning for Christians is that we, as God’s people, also face persecution. American Christians are comfortable now due to our freedom to worship, but it may not always be that way, and that isn’t the case currently for Christians elsewhere in the world. God’s people have been and will be persecuted throughout history, but the faithful of us will stand for our God despite even horrific circumstances.
Hanukkah celebrates the cleansing and rededication of the Temple. It was cleansed of idols and desecration and rededicated to God as it was meant to be. This concept should cause a Christian to look inward. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19, our bodies are temples. As Christians, we should live our entire lives as a Hanukkah celebration – lives that celebrate our cleansing from sin through Jesus and our rededication to God as we accept him as our Savior and His Spirit lives in us! The Hanukkah story is a beautiful picture of the change that’s taken place in the souls of each Christian!
Furthermore, John 10:22-33 records Jesus celebrating the Feast of Dedication. If it was important enough to be observed by our Savior, it should also be important to us! On the Temple porch, he chooses this day to announce that he is the Messiah.
These two Jewish celebrations have much to offer when integrated into the Christian faith. Since Christians share a place with Jews in the Kingdom of God, Jewish religious festivals can also be meaningful to our faith. The messages of God’s sovereignty, deliverance, faithfulness, cleansing, and rededication are portrayed through stories and the celebrations they’re based upon. Observing Hanukkah and Purim has grown my family spiritually, and I believe it will benefit yours as well!
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The traditionally Jewish celebration of Purim commemorates God’s
deliverance of the Jewish people as recounted in the historical book of Esther
in the Bible’s Old Testament. It’s an
exciting story but more than that, it has an important message for Christians. It tells of God’s faithfulness and His love
for His people and of His plan for their deliverance through the courage and faith
of a young woman.
The Story of Esther
The celebration of Purim doesn’t mean much if you’re not familiar
with the story of Esther, found in the book of Esther. The themes of this holiday tie very directly
into this exciting story with queens and kings, an evil villain, and an
unexpected hero. The paraphrased story
follows but don’t neglect to read the real version! There’s no substitute for the Word of God!
The Bash of the Century
The story begins with a party.
A big one. It was thrown by King
Ahashverosh. That’s his Persian name but
he’s called King Xerxes or Artaxerxes
depending on which Bible translation you read.
For 6 months, King Ahashverosh
of the Medes and Persians, who ruled 127
provinces total, partied with his army and the leaders of surrounding
provinces. The afterparty was a smaller
party, but this time with more drinking.
And this one lasted 7 days!
It was during this afterparty that a very inebriated King
Ahashverosh called for his queen, Vashti, to “display her beauty” at the
party. He also asked her to wear her
crown, which some interpret to mean that he wanted her to appear wearing only
her crown!
Queen Vashti refused, which greatly angered her husband. It also raised the eyebrows of the men close to him. They convened, deciding that Vashti’s punishment must be severe lest other wives follow suit, disobeying their husbands as well.
Queen Vashti was dethroned and prohibited from being in the
presence of the king. It wasn’t long
before King Ahashverosh
decided to replace her. It’s here that
we meet Esther, winner of a 127 province-wide beauty pageant, thrown by the
king. He
chose and married Esther after seeing her magnificent beauty.
Orphaned at a young age, Esther was being raised by her uncle, a
Jewish man named Mordecai. He’d advised
her to keep Jewish heritage a secret from her new royal acquaintances, so they
didn’t know she was Jewish and she carried on with her new royal life, Mordecai
looking on during his daily walks in front of the harem courts.
Mordecai Saves the King
In his usual position at the king’s gate, Mordecai overheard a
plot between two guards to assassinate King Ahashverosh and reported them through Queen Esther. The guards’ plan was discovered, and they
were hanged for their crime. Hailed as a hero, Mordecai’s actions won him
a place in the king’s Book of Chronicles, a historical account of the kingdom.
Enter the Villain
King Ahashverosh chose Haman of Amalekite decent, as his second
in command. Historically, the Amalekites
hated the Jewish people. Descendants of
Esau (and subsequently Amalek), these are the same people who went out of their
way to attack the Hebrew people in the desert after their Exodus from Egypt.
Because of his position, all were to bow before Haman when in his presence. Mordecai, knowing Haman’s background, refused to bow before him which drew intense animosity toward Mordecai. Haman not only wanted to kill Mordecai but also the Jewish people as a whole.
Haman’s Plot
Haman convinced King
Ahashverosh that it was in his best interest to get rid of the Jewish
people. At the time of this
conversation, neither man knew the true identity of their queen. The king granted Haman the authority to
extinguish the Jewish people and the decree was sent out to all provinces.
The Jewish community grieved deeply upon hearing the news and
word of the decision eventually reached Queen Esther. She sought out Mordecai and he encouraged her
to approach the king and plead for her people.
Knowing her appearance before the king without being summoned may be a
death sentence for her, she told him to have all Jews fast and pray for 3 days,
along with Esther and her maidens. Then
she courageously said that she’d go before the king, even though it was against
the law and, quote, “if I perish, I perish”.
Esther’s Invitation
When Esther appeared before King Ahashverosh, he not only spared her life, he said she could
have whatever she wanted – even up to half the kingdom! We can conclude he likes her a whole
lot! She
then invited the king and Haman to a banquet.
When they attended, King
Ahashverosh again asked her what she requested, offering her up to half the
kingdom and she invited them to a second banquet.
That evening, when Mordecai again had refused to bow before
Haman, the villain went home and vented his frustration with Mordecai to his
wife. Haman’s wife suggested he have gallows
constructed and hang Mordecai on it before the banquet the following evening.
That night, the king had a bout of insomnia and ordered that the
Book of Chronicles be read to him. Miraculously,
the part about Mordecai thwarting the assassination plan against King Ahashverosh was read. The king asked his servants what had been
done to reward Mordecai for his allegiance and they replied that nothing had
been done.
King Ahashverosh
had Haman brought in and asked him his opinion of what should be done for a man
the king wants to honor. Not-so-humbly
thinking it was himself, Haman suggested the honored man should be paraded
around the kingdom, riding the king’s horse and wearing royal robes and a
crown.
Just imagine the horrified look on Haman’s face when King Ahashverosh told him it was
actually Mordecai he intended to honor in this way. It was Haman himself that had to lead the
horse around with Mordecai on it!
Esther Accuses Haman
Then the time arrived for Esther’s second banquet. It was at this event that the tables turned. Esther revealed two pivotable bits of information that changed history. The first was that she was Jewish. The second was Haman’s plan to extinguish her people.
The king was angry at Haman and hanged
him on the very gallows Haman had intended to hang Mordecai on. King
Ahashverosh then promoted Mordecai to the position once held by Haman
and learned of the relationship between Mordecai and Esther.
At the request of Queen Esther, King Ahashverosh allowed Esther and
Mordecai to write letters in his name that revoked the previous decree for the
destruction of the Jews. It said that
they could defend themselves and even avenge themselves against their enemies. Haman’s 10 sons were hung and many of those
who had intended to destroy the Jews were killed as well.
Purim Established
There was great joy among the Jewish people because the king’s
decree had been lifted. They feasted and
celebrated, and Mordecai established Purim as the day that the Jewish people
would forever commemorate their preservation in the face of destruction.
The End. And God’s people
lived happily ever after. Well, we will
eventually. But that’s another story.
While it makes for a very entertaining story, how does the book
of Esther apply to us as Christians?
Does God have a message in this story and in the celebration centered
upon it?
Themes of Purim
On Purim, we celebrate the sovereignty of God’s plan over
man’s. Just like when Joseph told his
brothers “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20), God
took this seemingly tragic situation and turned it into a victory for His
people.
We also see that it was as Israel united that they were able to
overcome their enemies. If Esther had
accepted the king’s offer of half the kingdom (it would be tempting, no?)
instead of courageously pleading for her people, it appears that they would
have been destroyed!
Faith and Courage
Like Esther, we should have the faith and courage to do the work
God has for us. If we’re listening
closely in His Word, in prayer, and among His people, the Holy Spirit will make
what God has for us to do on Earth clear to each of us. He has uniquely gifted each of us for the job
he has for us. What a blessing that He
allows us to participate in His plans!
One thing that makes the book of Esther unique from others in the
Bible is that it doesn’t mention the name of God at all. Not once.
It shows that God was glorified through the actions of His people. When we step out in faith, God works through
us to show His power and glory to a watching world!
God’s Faithfulness
God’s faithfulness to and deliverance of His people is clearly
shown in the story of Esther. He not
only preserved the Jewish people through Esther, but He was with them before
this story and has been with them ever since.
Despite great persecution throughout history, the Jewish people don’t just
merely exist but are thriving!
As Christians, we’re grafted in to the promises God gave to His people in the Old Testament through Jesus, our Messiah, and we’re God’s people as well! He has been, is now, and will forever be faithful to us, just as He was to the Jews in the book of Esther. We know this because it’s shown in His word, in our own lives, and in the lives of those around us!
How Christians Celebrate Purim
Christians can celebrate Purim in much the same way the Jewish people have for thousands of years. While not one of the Biblical Feasts, Purim holds great significance for Christians also. The only difference is that we can also celebrate the deliverance from sin God has provided in Jesus as our savior. God’s always faithful, even when we’re not! Below are a few ways Purim can be celebrated in a Christian home and here’s a calendar of future Purim dates.
Read the book of Esther
This relatively short, yet fun to read book in the Old Testament
will bring to light the reasons for celebration on Purim. Many make this fun by booing or shaking an
unpleasant-sounding instrument called a “gragger” whenever Haman’s name is read
in the story or by cheering for Esther and Mordecai. These things also help keep children
entertained throughout the story.
Make
hamantaschen
This is not only the traditional dessert served on Purim, it’s a great gift to give on that day as well (see below). It’s a lot like a cookie or small pastry with fruit filling inside. Its three-cornered shape is supposed to represent Haman’s hat or even his ears! Tori Avey’s hamantaschen recipe is not only delicious, it also includes folding instructions and hints for success that other recipes don’t.
Give
gifts
Giving gifts was one of the ways Mordecai from the story of
Esther recommended we celebrate. These
are often edible gifts, with hamantaschen
topping the list of possibilities.
Give
to charity
Another of Mordecai’s suggestions, a gift to charity is a great idea any day but on Purim, it shows we’re grateful for the faithfulness of our God!
It’s not what you serve at this meal that’s Purim-specific. It just needs to be a joyful meal! This is not the time to be health-conscious
or anything. Make something everyone
loves and plenty of it – with hamantaschen for dessert!
Act
it out
A favorite of both children and adults, this is also a great way
to learn the story! Kids are suckers for
any dress-up game and this one is no exception.
You’ll need a Queen Esther, an evil Haman, a King Ahashverosh, a
Mordecai, and maybe even a Queen Vashti!
Fast
on Purim Eve
Also called the Fast of Esther, many fast the day before Purim in
remembrance of Queen Esther asking her people to fast and pray for three days
before she appeared before the king.
This is a great time to both praise God for what He’s done as well as
petition for His people. And don’t
worry! You can make up for those lost
calories with hamantaschen the next day!
*wink*
Greet
with Happy Purim!
While you could also say “Happy Purim”, you could kick it up a
notch with “Chag Purim Sameach”
(pronounced khog pur-im suh-may-ach).
That means “happy Purim festival”.
It’s literally festival Purim happy, but you get the idea!
Praise
God!
This is another thing you could do any day of the year but on
Purim, we praise Him specifically for His faithfulness, deliverance, and His never-ending
love for His people.
If you’d like to learn more about how Esther’s story relates to
the Gospel or to yourself, as a woman in this century, below are two books for
further study.
Enjoy your Purim celebration and give all the glory to God! Chag Purim Sameach!
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Below are a few Hebrew words that can be better understood in their original language and context. Not nearly an exhaustive list, these few words, better understood from a Hebrew perspective, will illuminate some familiar Christian concepts and bring us closer to the God of the Bible.
1. Shalom שָׁלוֹם (pronounced sha-lōm)
This is a common greeting in Hebrew. Upon meeting someone, you’d say “Shalom,” and they’d respond with the same. Many Hebrew speakers say, “Shalom Aleichem” (peace be with you) instead. On the Sabbath, we wish each other “Shabbat shalom” (Peaceful Sabbath).
The word shalom is often translated simply as peace. While this is partly what shalom means, it only partially conveys its meaning. The concept of shalom goes deeper than that and brings us to realize the perfection in our holy God!
Shalom is a noun with many meanings. Its definition includes completeness, soundness, and welfare, along with harmony, prosperity, and tranquility. We’re left without an English word to convey all these, but searching the Bible for the word shalom can illuminate its more profound significance. Believe it or not, understanding shalom can help us better understand our God’s character!
A Name for God
Shalom is part of one of the names for God in Judges 6:24. Having met God himself and seen firsthand His supernatural power, Gideon built an altar and named it “Jehovah Shalom” or “The LORD is peace” to let everyone know that our God is shalom. He is peace and wholeness, completeness and perfection, harmony and prosperity – all of it!
The Way Things Ought to Be
In his book, Not the Way it’s Supposed to Be, Cornelius Plantinga of Calvin Theological Seminary says the following about shalom:
“The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. We call it peace, but it means far more than mere peace of mind or a cease-fire between enemies. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight – a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.”
CORNELIUS PLANTINGA
Jesus and Shalom
By examining the word shalom, we can also better know Jesus, our Messiah. Isaiah calls Jesus the “Prince of shalom” in verse 9:6. Of all the terms above that are used to define shalom, Jesus has those qualities and is the Prince of them!
We can also use other words from the same root word to better understand what Jesus is Prince of. “Whole,” “it was worth it,” “perfect,” “was paid for,” and “paid for in advance” are meanings of words that come from the same root as shalom. It’s no coincidence that those concepts are part of our story as well. The perfect Prince of Shalom found us worth it and paid for our sin, making us whole!
You already know this one. It’s a word we use in song and otherwise to praise God all the time! Hallelujah is made up of halal and Jah. Halal means “to praise,” “to shine,” “to be boastful,” “to act foolish,” and other similar terms. Jah or Yah is short for the name of God in the Bible, Yahweh. So, hallelujah is to praise God, make Him shine, boast in Him, or even go crazy worshiping Him!
Crazy Worship?!
Is that too much? Well, that depends. Are we just saying words when we praise God, or are we approaching the Creator of the universe to tell Him just how amazing we think He is? Those in heaven know more than we do about God’s awesomeness, and this is the word they use to worship Him!
“After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God…’ And a second time they said, ‘Hallelujah! …’ And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, ‘Amen. Hallelujah!’ …Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.’”
I don’t know about you, but reading these verses always gives me chills. Sometimes, we subconsciously fit God into our itty-bitty human box and forget that He’s the most awesome supernatural God ever. Try to picture this scene. God, on His heavenly throne, in His holy throne room, surrounded by heavenly elders and frightening creatures, is being worshiped by them. All the glory is His. The awe of the scene and God Himself is not lost on them, and they burst out with nothing other than repeated hallelujahs!
The powerful meaning behind hallelujah in our hearts when we worship might show Him at least a tiny shred of the praise He’s worthy of. What could we possibly say? It’s one of the best words our mortal mouths can offer. Hallelujah!
3. Yeshua יֵשׁוּעַ(pronounced yeh-shoo-uh)
This word is often translated as “Joshua” in the Hebrew Old Testament. It’s also the name of Jesus, our Savior! So, wait. If his name is actually Yeshua, why do we call him Jesus? Where did that come from?
Why Do We Call Him Jesus?
Where Yeshua is found in the Hebrew Old Testament, it is translated into English as Joshua. It was a male name in Bible times, and there are a few different Joshuas or Yeshuas in the Bible. When translated from Greek to English in the New Testament, it underwent a couple of transitions and then became Jesus.
Many now argue that the name Jesus is incorrect and, therefore, should not be used, but we should be careful not to get sidetracked by this. Jesus lived in a multilingual area, and he would have also been. He probably taught and conversed in different languages as necessary. What’s important here and in Jesus’s teachings is to preserve the word’s meaning.
More Than Just a Name
Beyond being a name, the word Yeshua is used throughout the Hebrew scriptures, meaning “salvation.” It was derived from the Hebrew word yasha, which means “to deliver” or “to rescue.” There are many well-known examples of where it’s used in the Old Testament, but here are a couple of my favorites:
“The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation [yeshua];
This is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will extol Him.” Exodus 15:2
“He only is my rock and my salvation [yeshua],
My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.” Psalm 62:2
Isn’t it wonderful that Jesus’s name was the very thing he would do for us? Others with this same name in the Bible were also saviors of some type. Joshua led the Israelites during a time of numerous victories while conquering the land of Canaan. Yeshua, the High Priest, was the first High Priest in the rebuilt Temple following its destruction by the Babylonians. Isn’t it amazing that this important High Priest, the bridge from the Israelites to God, shares a name with our High Priest (Heb. 4:14) and way to God (John 14:6)?
4. Chesedחֶסֶד(pronounced che-sed, with the “ch” sound coming from the throat, as in Bach)
Known for its difficulty translating into English, this word contains a “chet,” a letter with a sound called a guttural. Since we don’t have true gutturals in English, it can be difficult to say this word correctly. Go ahead and practice. Say “Bach” – like the composer. Say it out loud. Listen for the sound at the end of the word, then say it at the beginning of chesed.
Chesed’s Meaning
Now that we know how it sounds, what does it mean? It’s commonly translated as mercy, kindness, lovingkindness, and goodness. It’s often used to convey God’s love toward His people, but, somewhat like God, it is much more complex than our first impression shows. Here are some very different examples of chesed’s use in the Bible.
“Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness [chesed] and truth; who keeps lovingkindness [chesed] for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.'” Exodus 34:6-7
“If there is a man who takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace [chesed]; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he bears his guilt.” Leviticus 20:17
Which is it?
In the above verse from Exodus, chesed is commonly translated as “lovingkindness .” God declares chesed an attribute of Himself. But then, the very same word is used to describe incestuous behavior, translated into English as “disgrace.” The contexts of both verses suggest two meanings for the same word, but this is not so.
Chesed translated as lovingkindness, mercy, charity, or even disgrace, doesn’t do justice to its whole meaning. This complex word conveys instead an attitude or behavior that shows an overflow of zeal or a lack of boundaries. Chesed comes from the Hebrew root meaning “eager and ardent desire .” It can mean both God-sized lovingkindness and disgrace worthy of great punishment because it is not a specific action but the passion or motivation behind it.
God’s
Infinite Love
When God describes His love for us using the word chesed, He’s telling us that He has a boundless, overflowing love for us! Inside His love for us is His infinite grace, immeasurable love, inexhaustible forgiveness, and unlimited charity. And seriously, Guys? None of us deserve that. I don’t care how great you think you are. We’re nothing but selfish, disobedient specks in this universe. What an awesome God we have that He would extend His chesed to us!
5. Shema שְׁמַע (pronounced shuh-ma)
This word is the first one in The Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, which is recited regularly by Orthodox Jews and by many Christians. It’s also the verse Jesus refers to when asked what the greatest commandment is.
“Hear [Shema], O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9
To Hear?
Shema is generally translated as “hear .” But right now, I can hear birds singing out the window, my daughter’s TV show in the background, and the keystrokes on my laptop. If the word shema is used to call the attention of the people of Israel and is followed by informing them that their lives should be a walking testament to God Himself, the word “hear” doesn’t quite convey what’s being said. In addition to “hear,”shema is also translated elsewhere in the Old Testament as “report,” “fame,” “tidings, “loud,” and “speech.”
It Requires Action
If you take the word with its context, however, it means more than the culmination of these words. In Deuteronomy 6, Shema is a command to not only hear God’s words but to act on them. I think of it in the same way as when I tell my children to listen. I don’t only mean for them to stop what they’re doing and hear what I say. I mean for them to hear and internalize what I say so that they remember and obey it.
This meaning is the same as shema can have. We need to pay attention—always studying God’s Word and spending time in prayer with Him so we can hear His words in the first place. Then, we need to internalize what He says, not just read or hear it and forget it. We need to remember it and, when required, obey it and apply it to our lives.
6. Amen אָמֵן (pronounced ah-meyn)
I know, I know – everyone knows this one. But did you know that it was a Hebrew word? Also, look at the above pronunciation. We can argue all day whether or not it’s pronounced ah-men or ay-men or when to use either, but for those who want to be purists about it, it’s neither!
The Deeper Meaning
This Biblical Hebrew word is unique because its primary meaning has not been lost in translation and cultural differences. “So be it” is the usual translation for amen. Amen is used correctly when we use it to affirm something someone says or after a prayer. Its root is aman, meaning “to confirm or support .” A related word is amanah, which means truthfulness, confirmation, credence, or belief. By saying amen, we’re stating that we confirm what has been said, believe in it, and find it true.
We say it to conclude our prayers and signify when we pray in unison with other people. We also use it in song to affirm the words and the message of our worship. Some even yell it out in church when a pastor says something that resounds with them.
The Conclusion of God’s Word
Our entire Bible concludes with this word. The last verse in the Bible sums up the whole Word, then affirms this message of truth with the “so be it” we know so well:
“The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” Revelation 22:21
Amen is also translated as “truth,” as in the following verse.
“Because he who is blessed in the earth
Will be blessed by the God of truth [amen];
And he who swears in the earth
Will swear by the God of truth [amen];
Because the former troubles are forgotten,
And because they are hidden from My sight!” Isaiah 65:16
Each word “truth” in this verse comes from amen in Hebrew. It says twice here that God is the “God of amen,” so this is one of God’s attributes or characteristics. He is the God of truth but also of confirmation, faithfulness, support, and affirmation of that truth. How privileged are we to have someone like this as our God?!
7. Mashiach מָשִׁיחַ (pronounced ma-shee-ach)
This word can be translated as “messiah,” but more literally means “anointed one.” In most places in the Bible, the English is “anointed one .” Only two verses translate it as “Messiah .” When used to refer to Jesus as the Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiach is used. Yeshua HaMashiach means “Jesus the Messiah” or “Jesus the Anointed One.”
Why Anoint?
The process of anointing someone with oil served to set that individual apart for service to God. It was used in the Old Testament to appoint priests (Ex. 29:7) and to establish kings over God’s people. Saul and David were appointed in this way (1 Sam. 10:1 and 2 Sam. 16:12-13), and prophecy in the Old Testament speaks of Jesus as Mashiach, “anointed one.”
“So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah [Mashiach] the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.” Daniel 9:25
In this verse, Mashiach is usually translated as “Messiah” instead of “Anointed One,” but the Hebrew word is the same. Jesus is truly our Mashiach! He has been anointed by God, chosen, and appointed to be our king and high priest!
8. Davar דָּבָר (pronounced duh-var)
The most basic translation of davar is that it means “word .” It can also mean “speak,” “pronounce,” “formalize,” “thing,” or “establish .” Here are some examples of its use in the Old Testament.
“And the Lord spoke [davar] to Moses, saying, “Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the sons of Israel go out of his land.” Exodus 6:10-11
“‘ Is anything [davar] too difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.'” Genesis 18:14
“Then behold, the word [davar] of the Lord came to him…” Genesis 15:4
Although davar is translated as three different English words in the verses above, it means all of them. The context of each is used to derive the word’s meaning in each situation in which it’s used so that the essence of the scripture is not lost.
Its Use in the New Testament
But things get exciting when davar is translated from Hebrew into Greek in the New Testament. This word is translated into two different Greek words: logos, which refers to a written word, and rhema, which refers to the utterance or the thing that was said.
Jesus, Our Written Word
At the beginning of the book of John, Jesus is referred to as “the Word .” Logos is the Greek word used here, so we can conclude that Jesus is a type of written word. He was here on earth in a physical form and could be “read” as people could watch him and listen to him teach about God and himself. Some of these people recorded the events of his life on earth so we, too, can “read” him.
“In the beginning was the Word [Logos], and the Word [Logos] was with God, and the Word [Logos] was God.” John 1:1
The Power of God’s Word
Later in the New Testament, Hebrews 11:3 tells us that God’s word created something out of nothing.
“By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word [rhema] of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” Hebrews 11:3
In this verse, the Greek rhema is used in place of “davar,” which is translated into English as “word .” But the implication of this verse is to show us just what kind of power there is in God’s spoken words! God spoke davar into nothingness and created order, an entire universe, and even us!
Davar teaches us that we can “read” Jesus, our “written” Word. He has been there all along, from before creation, but came to earth so we could learn from him and rescue ourselves from certain destruction. It also shows the power of God’s very utterances. He’s so awesome that things that previously didn’t exist spring into existence, just at His word!
It’s unsurprising when these two concepts come together further into the New Testament. 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 calls Jesus “the power and the wisdom of God .” The Word, God’s davar, IS His very power and wisdom! Our Savior is the magnificent power and the infinite wisdom of God!
9. Ra’ רַע (pronounced rah)
There are many different words for sin in the Bible, but ra’ is used more than 600 times! It comes from another Hebrew word, ra’a, meaning evil or bad. When you remove the “a” sound at the end, its meaning encompasses “evil,” “harm,” “displeasure,” or “misery,” but it also conveys an aspect of brokenness. It can mean “broken into pieces,” like when something’s completely ruined, or “blemished,” like things unfit for presentation to God, such as for sacrifice.
Use in Scripture
The ugly, gaunt cows from Pharaoh’s dream in Genesis 41 are described using this word, as is the wild beast that Joseph’s brothers claimed devoured him in Genesis 37. It’s also translated into “evil” in describing the tree in the Garden of Eden. It was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Ra’.
Brokenness
While we know that sin is disobedience to God, without the aspect of brokenness, we have no reason to turn to our Savior. Everyone knows there’s sin in their life, but not everyone realizes their brokenness in it. We all know someone who says, “Sure, I’ve done bad things, but I’m a good person overall.” They imply that sin is just part of who we are, but God will compare us to one another and forgive the good people for being less evil than the really evil ones.
It sounds great, but that’s just not how it works. The Bible says that we ALL have fallen short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23). He’s just too glorious, too perfect, and too holy for us – even the good ones – to ever measure up to Him. HE is what we’ll be compared to in judgment, so we all need Jesus, the only person to have kept all of the Law perfectly, as our substitute.
Without realizing that the ra’ in our hearts has left us blemished, unacceptable, and broken before God, we cannot see our need to accept the gift of Jesus. When we get to the point of being devastated by our ra’, we can then humbly approach God, genuinely repentant, and be made unblemished, acceptable, and perfect in the eyes of our Creator, fit for communion with Him!
These are just a few Hebrew words that can enrich our faith by understanding them in their original form. Imagine what can come to light while learning even more of the Hebrew language! As lifelong students of the Bible, learning its primary original language will deepen our faith and our relationship with the God of the universe!
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How would you like to read the Psalms in the original Hebrew? Wouldn’t it be fantastic to hear the Psalms the way Jesus heard them? Here’s a way you can – even if you don’t know Hebrew!
Israel365 publishes the Israel Bible Book of Psalms. They’re an organization that partners with Christians to connect those who know God’s heart for Israel with a practical way to support this precious Nation. As we watch prophecy unfold in the Jewish peoples’ return to Israel, we unfortunately also see them experience hardship in their return to the Land.
Violence and persecution mark what should be a joyous reunion, but Israel365 is helping to make the return to Israel easier for the Jewish people. Holocaust survivors and their families, children, widows, and others are the recipients of aid provided by Israel365. Israel365 also provides a dependable source for Israeli news and other ways for Christians to support Israel.
The Book of Psalms
I love the Hebrew language and feel strongly that Christians should strive to study it, but it can be difficult and time-consuming to learn a new language. We are so blessed to live in a time when we have access to technology that makes it easier to understand the Bible’s original languages, such as Blue Letter Bible and Bible Hub.
The Book of Psalms is another resource that allows you to read the Bible in its original language – without knowing Hebrew! It’s a unique book that contains the Hebrew, English translation, and English pronunciation of the Hebrew for the entire Book of Psalms. The pronunciation (transliteration) will have you reading the Psalms in Hebrew immediately, even if you don’t know any Hebrew at all!
Like others published by Israel365, this book is of high quality, with clear fonts and Hebrew vowel pointing, so it’s also valuable to those new to Hebrew. The chapter divisions are clear, with chapter numbers in both English and Hebrew. There’s also a chart of the Hebrew alphabet at the front of the book so the reader can learn as they read through the Psalms.
This book makes a remarkable gift to anyone who loves the Bible, a Hebrew student, or even a fluent Hebrew speaker! It would be an excellent devotional, an aid to verse memorization, or a way to practice reading in Hebrew.
I have many books on the Bible and many that contain Hebrew, but this is on my list of favorites! What a beautiful way to study the poetry of the Psalms!
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When you really want to delve into your studies of the Bible, a knowledge of its original languages is indispensable! Aside from the obvious biblical advantages, there are other benefits to a Believer’s faith when learning Hebrew.
If you’re just starting out, welcome! I encourage you to first become familiar with the Hebrew alphabet, as well as the vowels as a starting point.
The Hebrew language is written from right to left. This may be difficult to get used to but you can train your brain to immediately recognize this in no time! Because of this, books written in Hebrew will be opposite of those in English, with the spine on the right instead of the left and they’ll open toward the right instead of the left as well.
A Hebrew word is read by saying the consonant first, then the vowel that accompanies it, then the next consonant, and so on. You can easily sound the words out, similar to the Phonics method of learning to read English.
Note on pronunciation: I use the letters “ch” to indicate not the English “ch” sound as in “chew” but the Hebrew guttural sound as in the name “Bach”.
אָב (father)
This word means “father” and is pronounced “ahv”. אַבָּא, pronounced abbah, is a more familiar term for “father”, similar to the use of “dad” in English.
נַעַר (young man)
The word for “young man” is pronounced “nah-ar”. Related to this is the word for “young woman”, נַעֲרָה, pronounced “nah-ah-rah”.
אַבְרָהָם (Abraham)
One of the most significant names in the Bible, Abraham, is pronounced “av-rah-hahm”.
דַּוִד (David)
Another of the people we know in the Bible, David, is pronounced “dah-veed”.
שַׁמָע (hear)
Pronounced “sha-mah”, this is the word for “to hear” or “he heard”. Conjugation of Hebrew verbs is gender-dependent, so “she heard” would be שָׁמְעָה, pronounced “sham-ah”. They heard, if you’re talking about a group of males, would be שָׁמְעוּ, pronounced “sham-oo”.
Nouns have masculine or feminine gender in Hebrew. For example, the word for table, שֻׁלְחָן (“shul-chan”) is masculine, while the word for family, מִשְׁפָחָה (“meesh-pa-chah”) is feminine.
“Hoo” is how you pronounce the word for “it” (הוּא above) when you’re describing a masculine noun. For feminine nouns, הִיא pronounced “hee”, is used. So, “he” is “she” and “who” is “he”. That’s how my children remember it!
מִצְוָה (commandment)
Pronounced “meetz-vah”, this is the word for “commandment”. A mitzvah can also be a good deed or act of obedience to God’s Law. Plural, mitzvah would become mitzvot (מִצְוֺת).
יְרוּשָׁלַםִ (Jerusalem)
Jerusalem is pronounced “yuh-roo-sha-la-eeem”. This is one case where a vowel sound precedes a letter it’s under. The chiriq under the final mem at the end of the word is said before the mem, making the sound “eem” rather than “mee”.
Another case where the vowel sound precedes its letter is when Chet is found at the end of a word and accompanied by the vowel patach (חַ). In this case, instead of being pronounced “cha”, it’s pronounced “ach”. An example is the word רוּחַ, which means “spirit”. It’s pronounced “roo-ach”.
מִצְרַיִם (Eqypt)
Here’s another familiar place in the Bible. Meaning “Egypt”, Mitzrayim is pronounced “meetz-ra-yeem”.
בְּהֵמָה (animal)
Pronounced “buh-hey-mah”, this is the Hebrew word for “animal”. It can also mean “cattle”. Plural, בְּהֵמָה would be בְּהֵמוֹת, pronounced “buh-hey-moat”.
זַכַר (to remember)
This verb means “to remember” or “he remembered”. It’s pronounced “za-char” and is conjugated depending on the subject. “She remembered” would be זָכְרָה, pronounced “zach-rah” and “they remembered” would be זָכְרוּ, pronounced “zach-roo”.
לִפְנֵי (before)
Pronounced “leef-nay”, this is the word for “before” as in “he appeared before the king”.
עַמַד (to stand)
Here’s another verb. This one means “to stand” and is pronounced “ah-mahd”. It’s conjugation is similar to other Hebrew verbs, so “she stood” would be עָמְדָה (“am-dah”) and “they stood” would be עָמְדוּ (“ahm-doo”).
עִיר (city)
“City” in Hebrew is pronounced “eer”. “Cities” would then be עָרִים, pronounced “ah-reem”.
עֶבֶד (servant)
“Eh-ved” is the word for “servant” or “slave”. Plural, it’s עֲבָדִים, pronounced “ah-vah-deem”.
אָח (brother)
The word for “brother” is pronounced “ach”. Plural, it’s אַחִים (“ach-eem”) and the word for “sister” is אָחוֹת and is pronounced “ach-oat”.
“Le-chem” means “bread”. As Christians, we’re familiar with the name of the place of Jesus’s birth, Bethlehem. Bethlehem is a Hebrew word (בֵּית לֶחֶם), meaning “house of bread” or “beit-le-chem” (more commonly pronounced “beth-le-chem”).
מַיִם (water)
“Water” in Hebrew is pronounced “mah-yeem”. The ending of the word mayim indicates that it’s plural, so it’s more literally translated “waters”, such as in Genesis 1, when God’s Spirit hovered over the waters.
לֵב (heart)
The word for “heart” is pronounced “layve”. It can also appear as לֵבָב, which would be pronounced “lay-vave”.
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This time of year, it seems everyone’s thinking about resolutions – losing weight, quitting smoking, reading their bible more, etc. But we’ve also heard that statistics show these resolutions often don’t last long. People stick to them for the first few weeks or months of the New Year and then return to their previous ways.
But what if there was more than one New Year’s Eve? What if there were a few more times in the year marked for a reassessment of our lives and the making of resolutions with the overall goal of bettering ourselves? Just think of who we’d be and what we could accomplish if we routinely adjusted the direction of our lives.
A GPS navigation system recalculates our route if we get off track. If we take a wrong turn or go straight instead of turning left, the system recalculates the course, ensuring that we still reach our destination despite deferring from the path we should be on.
Fortunately, we can do the same with our lives! Though we may be dedicated to God and genuinely want to follow His plan, we all veer off the route He has for us. It takes repeated examination, re-dedication, and re-adjustment to stay where God wants us.
Enter the Holy Days
Recalculating the route is what I love about celebrating the Biblical Holy Days. That’s one purpose of them – introspection and examination of our lives, re-aligning them with God’s plan. Each of these set-aside times also points us back to Jesus! This re-alignment is done many times yearly, and celebrating these days helps my family and I continually recalculate the routes our lives are on. Here are some of those times.
God commands us to “remember” the Sabbath and keep it holy. But what exactly are we to remember? Ezekiel chapter 20 (verses 12 and 20) tells us that the Sabbath is a sign that we belong to God. Keeping the Sabbath is our acknowledgment of the covenant God made with us.
Our activities on the Sabbath should then point us to Him and remind us of Him and His goodness. The Sabbath, combined with Bible study and attending services, should encourage us to look at our lives weekly and see where we need to make changes to adhere more closely to the will of God.
The Sabbath also provides a time to rest before the next busy week. It gives us time to plan the days ahead and make the necessary changes to help us be more effective weekly.
The themes of Passover will also encourage close examination of our lives. That we are no longer slaves to Egyptian captors or to sin causes us to recall all God has done for His people. We could never have obtained this freedom for ourselves. Just as the blood of the lamb freed the Hebrew people from Egypt, Jesus, our Passover Lamb, freed us from the sin that enslaved us.
Think of God’s faithfulness to all His people. In the most challenging times, God can free you from what afflicts you, often working a miracle in your life as he did throughout Exodus. Nothing is too hard for God, and there is no limit to how good your life can be when following Him.
Passover brings a question of identity to mind. Who are we? Or, instead – whose are we? The answer for Christians is that we belong to God. He is the one who rescued us and the one who provided a way to Him despite our sinfulness. As His people, we mature in our faith and begin to learn to look at ourselves through His eyes. While He loves, accepts, and forgives us with our flaws, our desire to obey Him grows as our love for Him does.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is seven days where leaven (yeast) is not only not eaten but also cleaned out of homes altogether. The Bible often uses leaven as a symbol of sin or wickedness. Cleaning leaven out of your home and diet for seven days is difficult! Think of all the crumbs in your pantry or even under your fridge!
The cleanout of leaven causes us to look closer at the sin in our lives. If we’re honest, it’s there on the surface but also in the dark pantry-type corners of our lives! We must constantly be on the lookout for the crumbs of sin in our lives and get rid of them before we end up with a filthy mess. We must also do the more unpleasant cleaning in the parts of our life we’d rather ignore – like that mess under the fridge. During this period, we should sincerely evaluate our lives and identify where sin has been festering, then work to make ourselves more pleasing to God.
Cleaning sin out of our lives should also awaken us to the grace we’ve received. Isn’t it amazing that God knows we aren’t capable of a flawless cleanout and has provided us with a perfectly leaven-free Savior – a gift so indescribably good it makes even a clean home seem like chopped liver!
First Fruits is a Spring festival that celebrates the fertility of the land as a blessing from God. Part of this new growth (a lamb without defect along with wine and bread) is given back to God as an offering and show of gratitude for His blessings. In the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 explains that Jesus is the first fruits.
Just like the Holy Day of First Fruits, which is to recognize ahead of time the blessings that God will give, Paul shows in Corinthians that Jesus’s resurrection assures us of the blessing we’ll receive in the harvest at the end of time. We look ahead to when we’ll commune with God, and Jesus will rule.
Looking forward to this time in the future should prompt us to be grateful and prepare ourselves as offerings. We need to do all we can to align our lives with what God wants of us and be continually and earnestly hunting for what that looks like.
This celebration commemorates the Law God gave to the Hebrew people on Mount Sinai. Also known as The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, this is what the apostles were celebrating when the Holy Spirit was given in Acts 2. Shavuot is a reminder that God gave us His Law as a blessing and that the Holy Spirit is the Law written on our hearts that was prophesied by Jeremiah (31:33).
But do we see God’s Laws as a blessing? Or do we compromise, justify our disobedience, and declare that certain ancient Laws don’t apply to us? Shavuot is a time to thank God for His Law and to delight in it as the Psalmist does in chapter 1, verse 2. It’s a time to take a close look at our actions and see whether there’s truth in saying that we aim to obey them and delight in them. We should reflect on how God’s Law has improved our lives and its blessing for all his people. How can we better please God by following his commands?
Shavuot is also when we thank God for the gift of His Spirit. Having the Holy Spirit dwelling in us serves many functions, confirmation of our salvation being just one of many. He’s also our guide and convicts us when we need to change the course of our lives. As we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit, we pay special attention to whether we’re listening to this conviction and guidance and adjust our hearts, minds, and actions accordingly.
Also known as Rosh Hashanah, this Feast gives many reasons for introspection and re-calculation of the routes of our lives. Celebrating our names being written in the Book of Life, remembering the story of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac (Gen. 22), casting off sin, and calling attention to trumpet blasts are all themes of this celebration.
These themes should make us want to audit our behavior and encourage us to make adjustments. The Bible says the names of the righteous are written in the Book of Life. Sin in all our lives prevents us from being wholly righteous, which is why we can celebrate the gift we have in Jesus, who stands in our place just as God provided a ram to stand in Isaac’s place.
But just because we have Jesus as our substitute does not mean we don’t try our best to obey. It’s not to earn our salvation that we obey but out of love for God. Focusing on repentance provokes change. I always tell my children when they say apologize that sorry people change. If they’re genuinely sorry, I’ll see it in their actions, not just their words. It’s the same with us and God. Being genuinely sorry will change us noticeably.
We also focus on trumpet blasts at this time. The original command for this celebration includes the blowing of trumpets. This trumpet blowing is not just for musical enjoyment or celebratory noise. This type of trumpet blowing, using a ram’s horn or shofar, is Biblically an indication that God’s about to do something big! Other times trumpet blasts of this type are used is when the wall of Jericho was brought down or when Jesus returns (Joshua 6:20 and 1 Thess. 4:16-17, respectively)!
We often forget the supernatural aspects of God, and the trumpet blasts remind us that the miraculous events in the bible are REAL and not just stories. If we believe that, we should look forward to Jesus’s return and listen for the accompanying trumpet blasts, for real! If this doesn’t motivate us to ponder our lives and make necessary adjustments, I don’t know what will!
Yom Kippur is also known as the Day of Atonement because it’s on this day that confession of and atonement for sin is to be made. This atonement is as a people, not necessarily an individual level. We’re apologizing for the things we’ve done to turn away from God as His people, not just for the individual disobedience in our own lives.
There are two things a Christian can focus on during Yom Kippur. The first is the honest and humble confession of sin. Yes, we can do this on any day of the year, but this day, set aside for confession, reminds us to do so when we may otherwise forget. Some pray and fast on Yom Kippur because it’s a time when we’re genuinely sorry and commit to change.
The other focus is that Jesus has eternally atoned for our sins! While we’re repentant, we’re also grateful for the undeserved grace we’ve been given. Even if we were to maintain a “good” life, we cannot earn our salvation and deserve condemnation. But that’s not our destiny if we’ve received Jesus as our Savior, and that’s something we should be humbly grateful for.
If we take even a glance at our lives, we’ll see that God has richly blessed us. This day is to celebrate what God has given us – food, shelter, and everything we need. He not only meets our needs; He goes above and beyond to provide for His people. In our culture, we often take these things for granted, and his graciousness is difficult to see, but Sukkot encourages us to see it for what it is – lavish blessings on His people!
He not only meets our physical needs but, more importantly, our spiritual needs. Among all other provisions, He’s also provided Jesus as a way for our sin debt to be paid. A theme of Sukkot is that God tabernacled with His people in the desert. He didn’t just observe them from Heaven; he was with them on their travels, guiding them. This guidance is the same thing Jesus does for us! He came from Heaven to Earth to live among us and become the provision for our sin.
Sukkot prompts us to look around again and see what God has done. He’s met and continues to meet our needs, especially the most desperate – the need for a Savior. Acknowledging this should alter the way we live. If we’re grateful, we will grumble and complain less about what we don’t have. We’ll show our gratitude for forgiveness by extending it to others, as well as repenting for sin and striving to live obedient lives.
While not one of the seven appointed times in the book of Leviticus, Hanukkah is also an excellent time for resolutions. This celebration is all about re-dedication – both of God’s Temple and ourselves. Hanukkah celebrates the amazing things God has done for His people and our re-dedication to Him of what was His in the first place.
Hanukkah is a time to consider what or who we stand for. Having to state what we stand for seems optional when we live in a time and place that’s one of comfort and little persecution. But Christians everywhere don’t enjoy this type of comfort now, and we probably won’t experience it forever, either. Even our daily actions will show what we stand for, though. An honest review of our lives will show who we serve and where we need to get back on track.
So, go ahead and make that resolution for the New Year. But revisit it soon! If you don’t already celebrate the Biblical Holy Days, getting started is easier than you think! Visit the pages linked above to read more about each Holy Day on this website. Happy New Year!
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Understand more about the Bible with Israel365’s newest book. In celebration of 75 years as a country, this beautiful book contains 75 Hebrew words that reveal concepts in God’s word.
Use coupon code HEBREWROOTSMOM to receive a 10% discount on 75 Hebrew Words!
The creators of this book, Israel365, have a passion for the people and land of Israel. They connect the people of Israel to those who desire to support the Holy Land. Israel365 is a dependable source of news concerning Israel, which can be difficult to find otherwise. They provide Biblical resources to help Bible students understand the Bible, as well as Biblical Hebrew.
The latest book by Israel365 is focused on Hebrew words throughout the Hebrew Bible. Understanding the Hebrew language can boost your understanding of the entire Bible. Read why I encourage all Believers to study Hebrew here: 7 Ways Learning Hebrew Benefits Your Christian Faith.
In 75 Hebrew Words, Rabbi Akiva Gersh has chosen words that increase your understanding of Biblical concepts. Here are a few of the words he explains in the book.
Soul
Hebrew: Neshamah, נְשָׁמָה
The rabbi teaches the connection between the soul and breath when describing the meaning of neshamah. Neshamah is the word used in Genesis 2:7 when God breathed His breath into the nostrils of the human. Understanding the full meaning of the word neshamah shows us that God not only gave us breath, He also breathed our souls into us!
Hymn
Hebrew: Zemer, זֶמֶר
The word “hymn” is used throughout the Psalms as a way we can connect with God, just as King David did. We know God hears our hymns, just as He heard King David’s. Why does the Hebrew text in Psalms sometimes say “Of David, a hymn,” but other times, “A hymn, of David”? Rabbi Gersh explains the difference and the significance in this book!
Holiness
Hebrew: Kedushah, קֶדֻשָּׁה
We may think we understand the concept of holiness, but the Hebrew provides even more clarity. Kedushah means holiness, but its root word, kadosh, indicates separation. This aspect of separation shows us that holiness includes a complete separation from things that are not holy. The rabbi expands on this idea of separation even more in his explanation of this word.
Use coupon code HEBREWROOTSMOM to receive a 10% discount on 75 Hebrew Words!
75 Hebrew Words not only has intriguing explanations of Hebrew words from the Bible. It also features beautiful pictures from the Holy Land. It’s a well-made book that would make a great gift or even supplement your Biblical Hebrew studies. Click here for more information or to purchase yours!
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Like most of you, before a holiday, I always plan activities, crafts, special meals, etc. Hanukkah’s no exception. Traditions are wonderful for teaching and bringing everyone together but they do take more time and effort, which can be difficult during a time when more our schedules are full.
I used this recipe for our Hanukkah latkes one year when finding the time to shred potatoes and make latkes from scratch seemed overwhelming. But my family loved it so much that it’s become the one we use every year! No judgement to those of you making your latkes the old fashioned way but here’s a recipe for those of us who welcome a shortcut!
This recipe feeds a crowd! It makes about 30-ish medium latkes. I have a crowd to feed at my house but you’ll have to cut this recipe down if you have only a few people.
I’ve heard these can be made in the air fryer too. If you try it, let me know in the comments how they come out!
Bonus: Here’s a hilarious song to listen to while you cook your latkes!
30 c shredded potatoes (3 30 oz bags shredded hash brown potatoes)
2-1/2 c diced onions
2 c (or so) oil
Directions
Mix all ingredients well except the oil.
Shape into pancakes 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick and 6 inches diameter (that’s about 2 cm thick and 15 cm diameter for you scientific types or those outside the US 🙂 ).
Fry in about 1 inch of oil until crispy.
Place on a paper-towel lined plate and serve with applesauce or sour cream.
