God gave Israel the Feasts to remember historical events, and He explained how to commemorate them before Him. Jewish people say a blessing that honors and thanks God for new things or when they do something for the first time in a new year.

They bless God for their waking in the morning and again at night for Him seeing them through the day. And, they have a day set aside to intentionally celebrate God’s Word.

 Simchat Torah (SIM-khat TOR-ah) means “Joy of the Torah.” Speaking precisely, the Torah is the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These books, written by Moses, are also known as the Pentateuch. 

The word Torah means “instruction,” and Jewish people also use it in reference to the remainder of Holy Scriptures in the Tanakh (TAH-nahk) or Old Covenant. Messianic Jews understand that God’s instruction encompasses the New Covenant Scriptures as well, and is personified in Yeshua (Jesus) Himself (Hebrews 1:1‒2), who is the Word made flesh (John 1:14).

Each week throughout the year, Jewish people around the world read a weekly Scripture portion from the Torah. This parasha (par-a-SHAH) unites them together as they each read the selected passages, week-by-week, from Genesis through Deuteronomy. 

Simchat Torah marks the completion of these annual Torah readings. During the morning service of Simchat Torah, worshipers read the last parasha of the year in Deuteronomy. In the evening, the yearly cycle begins again with the first reading from Genesis. Synagogue services on Simchat Torah include festive dancing and singing while as many people as possible take turns carrying the Torah scroll around the synagogue or public squares. 

A Torah scroll is a literal scroll. To make one, a scribe writes out the five books – using all kosher elements – on between 62 and 84 large sheets of parchment that then get stitched together horizontally into a continuous scroll.  Each end is attached to a spindle and rolled toward the center until they meet. By rolling and unrolling one side or the other, we can read the entire Torah. 

A Torah scroll is a cherished possession of synagogues and families. In 1949, the fledgling State of Israel rescued about 50,000 Jewish people from violent persecution in Yemen. The secret mission, called Operation Magic Carpet, transported Yemenite Jews to Israel by way of 380 airlifts. The people had to travel, mostly on foot, from their rural homes to central camps where they waited for flights. They could take from their homes only what they could carry. Many of them sacrificed other possessions to bring their Torah scrolls. 

God’s Word is a precious gift to us. Through it, the God of the universe speaks to us. He reveals who He is and reaches out to offer a relationship with Him. His Word teaches and corrects us. It restores, trains and equips us.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for restoration, and for training in righteousness, so that the person belonging to God may be capable, fully equipped for every good deed.”

―2 Timothy 3:16–17

God’s Word shows us His holiness and love. It is alive with His Spirit and able to interact with our hearts and minds to shape us into the image of His Son. 

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword – piercing right through to a separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

―Hebrews 4:12

Simchat Torah celebrates this fantastic, life-giving communication of God to us. Take some time on this special holiday to rejoice in the gift of God’s Word. 

Rabbis teach that at Sukkot, we recount four things: that God is a God of remembrance, deliverance, holiness and provision. There are three more that, as Messianic Jewish Believers, we find appropriate to celebrate during the Feast of Sukkot: God’s protection, His presence, and our relationship with Him. Join us each day of Sukkot for another devotion focusing on one of these remembrances.

Our God of Remembrance

God knows us. He knows how forgetful we are. Thus, He established certain Feasts as remembrances to ensure that we would not forget what He has brought us out of and the things He has done for us. Sukkot is one of those Feasts.

Sukkot is a time to remember with joy – God actually commands it (Deuteronomy 16:14). This joy springs from the intentional act of remembering. The Psalmists often practiced this spiritual discipline, recounting Israel’s history and the many ways God intervened on their behalf. They took the time to write and recite the God-stories of Passover, the Exodus and the wilderness. In revisiting the miracles God performed and past examples of His power and faithfulness, these writers found comfort and peace for what they faced in their present circumstances. And they passed on the encouragement to generations after them.

“I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds.”  ––Psalm77:11–12 (NKJV)

The practice of remembrance blesses us. It imparts strength and inspires us to share with others about our great God. We receive comfort, and God receives glory, drawing others to Him.

What are some of the God-stories in your life that you need to remember today? Thank Him for them, and consider sharing His wonders with others so they too will be uplifted by God’s goodness. 

He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. ––Psalm 111:4 (NKVJ)

Have you ever gone camping – the kind where you sleep in a tent and go without electricity and running water? Close quarters, hard ground, no kitchen – the experience makes everyday tasks a little more difficult. Life while camping is a bit less comfortable, but it’s worth it, right? 

Getting away from our usual routine and customary conveniences can refresh us. The simplified living can help us return to important thoughts that our regular lives tend to crowd out. We engage around the campfire at night, telling stories, laughing and drawing close to one another in ways that our fast-paced lives don’t offer. 

This sort of pared-down living is part of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, called Sukkot (Soo-KOTE) in Hebrew. Sukkot means “booths” or tents. When God instituted the Feast of Booths, He required that Israel build temporary structures and live in them for the seven-day festival. He called Israel to remember and rejoice while living like their wilderness-ancestors. 

Rabbinic tradition says that a sukkah (SOUH-kah) be constructed of any material, with 3 sides walled in. The roof, however, must be made with organic matter, such as leafy branches. 

Sukkot was one of three annual pilgrimage Feasts for which all physically able Jewish males were required to travel to Jerusalem. They lived in temporary structures while they were away from home, doing without the conveniences they’d grown accustomed to having. 

Today, Jewish people around the world build sukkot in their backyards or on balconies, taking their evening meals, relaxing, entertaining guests, and even sleeping there. Sukkot are often decorated by hanging fresh fruit from the ceiling or along the edges as a symbol of God’s provision and care. 

The booths remind us that the people of Israel dwelled in booths and tents upon the deliverance from Egypt. As we spend time in our sukkot, we can shed some of the bustle of everyday life and rejoice in God’s presence and provision. Through the loosely woven roof, we can look up and see the night sky. We remember God’s promise to make Abraham’s descendants as numerous as the stars and rejoice in His faithfulness. 

During synagogue services, special ceremonies and prayers are performed including waving a lulav (LOO-lahv) bouquet, a gathering of leafy branches made from the four specific species outlined in Leviticus 23:40. The grouping includes a citrus-like fruit called the etrog (ET-trog), lulav (palm branches), willows called aravot (AR-a-vote), and myrtle.

This year, Sukkot begins at sundown on Sunday, October 13 and ends at sunset on Sunday, October 20. This Sukkot, take time to remember the various ways God has provided for you in the last year. Give Him thanks, and rejoice in His presence.

As I shared with you in recent weeks, Israeli intelligence in Syria uncovered stockpiles of military equipment, Iranian missiles and drones with the capability of carrying several kilograms of explosives.

And while Israel’s preemptive airstrike to destroy these weapons was successful, Iran’s devastating attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities last month has placed Israel on high alert for an attack that has every indication of being more sophisticated and deadlier than expected.

An initial evaluation of the massive damage on the oil facilities shows that the Iranians managed to bypass the radar of the Saudi’s American-made Patriot missile batteries in a sophisticated, highly coordinated attack, using a combination of drones and Iranian-built cruise missiles.

Israel prepares for war

Early this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urgently made a move to supplement Israel’s budget to improve their missile defense system in identifying incoming cruise missiles.

But even as the world watches, knowing Iran’s devastating threat against Israel, the U.N. continues to stick its head in the sand – ignoring Iran’s aggressive actions.

Just last week, Iranian President Hassan Rohani was welcomed with open arms at the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

This royal welcome in New York took place even as Russian, Iranian and Syrian government forces launched their first joint exercise in Syria’s Deir ez-Zour region. In fact, it’s their first combined drill anywhere else in the Middle East.

And its significance isn’t lost. For the first time ever, the Russian military is openly revealing their involvement with Iranian forces: both directly and by proxy.

Russia joins the threat against Israel

It’s also been reported that Moscow has begun making use of the Al Qaim-Abu Kamal border crossing between Iraq and Syria, which was only reopened less than a week ago after eight years of war.

Heavy Russian military vehicles from Black Sea bases have been rolling into Syria through the newly opened crossing – cementing their presence on this route. Russia’s shared presence on this route will make it hard for Israel to attack the land corridor forged by Iran when it uses the same border crossing and route as the Russians.

These are the various developments behind Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent statements on the worsening of the Iranian threat and the change in the security situation. It’s also the basis upon which Netanyahu says makes the establishment of a unity government – headed by him – so essential.

“We are facing an enormous security challenge that is growing and worsening from week to week,” the Prime Minister said last week.

While I believe peace is always the answer, Israel has every right to defend herself against the aggression of any enemy that seeks to wipe away her very existence.

The truth is, tensions within the region have never been higher. And we need to trust God to move in hearts now …

The only answer, and the greatest thing any of us can do, is to commit our lives, hearts and prayers to supporting Israel and the Jewish people.

Please pray with us on behalf of Israel and her people. Pray for God to:

1. Move in our hearts – to stir us with a new, fresh resolve and concern to stand with and support His people

2. Remember His promise in Zechariah 12 to protect His people from the enemies that surround them on all sides – whose hatred burns deep and hot, simply because Israel exists

3. Give Israeli leaders wisdom, insight and discernment as they take moves and lead initiatives to defend themselves
4. Change the hearts of Israel’s enemies – to move them away from hatred and animosity
5. Open eyes and hearts of the Jewish people and their neighbors, to experience and encounter Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah, the “Prince of Peace”

Give a generous gift to stand with Israel and support the Jewish people

Praying for Israel seems to be either wholly on or completely off the radar of Believers. Here are five reasons we should be praying for Israel and Jerusalem, especially this October 6. 

1. It’s “The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem” (DPPJ)

The purpose of the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ) is to draw Believers together to focus on supporting and praying for peace in the Land of God’s Chosen People. According to the organization’s website, their call is for “sustained, fervent, informed global intercession for the plans and purposes of God for Jerusalem and all her people.”

This unifying event is observed the first Sunday of every October near the season of Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.  Local congregations can participate by focusing their worship services around the theme and hosting prayer events. There are also larger gatherings in various regions of the U.S., in Washington, D.C. and Jerusalem that individuals can attend. Personal prayer of individuals is vital as well.

Why else should we pray for Jerusalem?

2. God tells us to

The most compelling reason to pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem is that God tells us to. Psalm 122:6 instructs, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem – ‘May those who love you be at peace!’” 

It’s as simple as that.

3. The Nation of Israel remains God’s Chosen People

In Genesis 12:3, God makes a powerful statement revealing His favor toward Israel. He told Abraham, “My desire is to bless those who bless you, but whoever curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” He reaffirmed through Moses that Israel was destined to be His people when He said He would bring His people out of Egypt (Exodus 6:7). God does not break His promises, and nothing in the New Covenant indicates that He has cast Israel aside. Yeshua (Jesus) said He was sent to the lost house of Israel (Matthew 15:24). Romans 1:16 teaches that the Gospel is for “the Jew first.” If God continues to make the Jewish people a priority, we should too.

4. The Land of Israel belongs to God for His people and purposes

Throughout Scripture, God has made statements about the Land of Israel that He has not revoked. He declares Israel His Land (Leviticus 25:23), Land that He has given to the Nation of His people (Genesis 15:18). Though at various times God chastised them by moving them out of the Land, He always promised to bring them back (Amos 9:14–15, Zechariah 8:7–8, Jeremiah 31:7–9). In 1948, He – just as He said – gathered Jewish people from the four corners of the globe back to Israel with the overnight rebirth of Israel as a nation-state (Isaiah 43:5–6, 66:8, Ezekiel 36:24–26). 

Israel and, specifically, Jerusalem, remain a central element in Last Days’ events. The Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem (Revelation 11:1), and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem will recognize Yeshua as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10). The final battle against Israel will take place in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2–3), and Yeshua will return to Earth there (Zechariah 14:4). When God makes all things new, He will bring down from Heaven the New Jerusalem from which Yeshua will rule and reign (Revelation 21:2–3).

Israel occupies a special place in God’s Kingdom. It behooves us to support His people in the Land and pray about all that concerns them.

5. In today’s age, it’s even more appropriate to pray for Israel and the Jewish people

Historically, the Church has been responsible for much persecution against Jewish people. Today’s Church cannot undo or make up for past crimes – done in the Messiah’s name though not in His Spirit. But this shameful history makes it even more appropriate for the universal body of Believers to pray for Israel and her people.

If you’d like some specific ways to pray for Israel on the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem – and all year – we have some resources for you.

For specific prayer points to help guide you through your Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem, see 10 Ways to Pray for Israel Today.

For more ways to pray for Israel, visit our website where you’ll find helpful resources for praying the Scriptures for Israel and Jewish people everywhere. 

For more information about how you can join in prayer and encourage your congregation to participate, visit www.daytopray.com.

It is amazing how much depth we can see when we understand the Jewish foundation upon which the New Covenant is built. God is One; He is cohesive and intentional. He communicates it throughout the Scriptures as He ties Old and New Covenants together with His single purpose: the redemption of Israel and all of humanity.

When God instituted the Jewish Feast of Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), He knew that thousands of years later, His Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus), would perform the duties of a High Priest to perfection and completion. Just like Yeshua did not abolish the Law, but fulfilled it – filled it full – for us, so too He did not abolish the Day of Atonement. He makes its meaning and imagery full. 

In Yom Kippur, God placed prophetic pictures of events He would bring to pass with Yeshua’s first and second comings. Yeshua's sacrificial death filled full the first of these parallels. The writer of Hebrews wanted the Jewish people to know that Yeshua is the Messiah and our High Priest forever.

Yeshua is a priest according to the order of Melchizedek 

Jesus is not from the tribe of Levi, the family of Israel’s priests. He is not a priest according to the line of Aaron. There was another priest who was outside the expected lineage: Melchizedek. This King of Salem seems to have come from nowhere, yet Abraham gave him a tenth of all that he had, indicating he was the greater of the two. 

Psalm 110:4 proclaims that the Messiah would be a priest according to the order of Melchizedek. The book of Hebrews compares Yeshua to Melchizedek who had “no beginning of days nor end of life, but, made like Ben-Elohim [the Son of God], he remains a kohen [priest] for all time” (Hebrews 7:3). Because Yeshua lives eternally, His priesthood never ends; He is a priest forever. (See Genesis 14:18–20, Hebrews chapter 7.)

Yeshua was appointed High Priest

The High Priests of Israel did not take upon themselves the mantel of this important position. They were appointed from their father; Aaron was appointed by the Lord Himself through Moses. Yeshua was appointed by God through the Messianic prophetic words of the Psalms and are quoted in Hebrews as the author begins to reveal Jesus’ role as our High Priest. (See Psalm 2:7, Psalm 110:4 and Hebrews 5:5.)

Yeshua is our mediator 

The priest was a mediator, one who goes before God representing the people. He made the sacrifices and prayed for Israel. First Timothy 2:5 proclaims that there is one mediator between God and man: Yeshua. The book of Hebrews explains that Jesus sits in Heaven at the right hand of the Father’s thrown as a minister of the “true tabernacle,” erected by God, not man (Hebrews 8:2). He mediates for us and has become the guarantee of a “better covenant,” and He lives eternally to intercede for us. (See Hebrews 7:22, 25b, 8:1–6.)

Yeshua entered the Holy of Holies

One day each year – on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement – the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle or Temple. It was the most sacred place of the Temple; it was where God’s presence dwelled. The priest had to ceremonially bathe and offer sacrifices for his own sins before he was considered pure enough to enter behind the thick curtain into this holy, inner chamber. 

Yeshua was perfectly pure, undefiled and separate from sinners. He did not need to make sacrifices for Himself before offering His blood for our sins. As our High Priest, He entered into the heavenly Holy of Holies once to make atonement for all. (See Hebrews 7:26–28, 9:11–12.)

Yeshua brought the blood of a sacrifice

On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest brought the blood of bulls and goats into the Temple, sprinkling it on the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies to cover Israel’s sin. Yeshua brought His own blood. Through His sacrifice, offering Himself without blemish, He obtained eternal redemption for us. He did this once and for all. (See Hebrews 7:27, 9:12–13, 26-28, 10:2, 10.) 

Yeshua is our sympathetic High Priest

The High Priest could sympathize with Israel because he too sinned. Yeshua is a fitting High Priest because, though He was without sin, He was tempted in every way like we are. Therefore, He understands our weaknesses and offers His compassion. Those who have placed their trust in Him may approach His holiness and receive grace and mercy in times of need. (See Hebrews 4:15–16 and 7:26–28.)

Yeshua’s sacrifice made complete atonement for our sin

Yom Kippur sacrifices covered sin, but they did not remove it. Scripture tells us that the blood of bulls and goats can atone for sins, but Yeshua’s blood utterly “puts away sin.” As our High Priest, Yeshua does not need to bring His blood year after year the way the priests of old brought sacrifices. He offered His blood once, for all, and “He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him (Hebrews 7:25).” We have been made holy through the offering of the Messiah’s blood. (See Hebrews 9:26–10:11.)

Yeshua inaugurated the new covenant

When He entered into the heavenly Holy of Holies with His own blood, Yeshua brought about the new covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31–33. He enabled God’s Law to be placed in our hearts and His Holy Spirit to dwell inside us. God dwells in those who have placed their faith in Yeshua, and we have been made in the likeness of the Temple of God. We can enter His presence boldly without fear of condemnation. (See Hebrews 8:7–12, Ephesians 1:13, 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, Hebrews 4:16, Romans 8:1, 15.)

As you spend time with God on Yom Kippur, reflect on His holiness and the redemption Jesus bought for you with His blood. Which aspect of Yeshua’s High Priesthood touches your heart the most? Why? Thank Him for it, and worship Him for all He has done for you. 

On Yom Kippur, may you be filled with awe at God’s glory and holiness as well as the complete assurance that He invites you to come boldly into His presence because of His great love for you.