Shalom, my friends from here in Israel. Israel just went on the highest alert and the highest preparedness regarding war with Iran. There’s actually more military equipment here in the Middle East than there has been since 9/11. America and all of the people in the Free World are gearing up to make sure, either through diplomacy or any other means, that Iran and the evil government won’t be able to threaten, attack, and kill the people anymore. And it’s very interesting, what might I say. And I don’t think by chance that this is all happening today.
Today, in Hebrew, is called Rosh Chodesh Adar. That means it’s the first day of the Hebrew month of Adar. And do you know what happened in the month of Adar? Do you know what miracle happened in month of Adar? Do you know what holiday we celebrate in the Hebrew month of Adar? We celebrate the holiday of Purim. And the whole story of Purim is eerily similar to what we’re seeing happening exactly right now, exactly today. The story of Purim even took place in Persia, which is modern day Iran, and what happened in the story of Purim, God was very hidden, and there was evil, wicked Haman who wanted to destroy the Jewish people and got a decree from the king that all the Jewish people will be killed on a certain day in Adar, in this month. And God turned everything around miraculously, working through us, through people, working through Queen Esther, working through Mordecai in order to turn around the decree.
And so right now, that all of this is happening with Iran, that in Iran today there is an evil leader that wants to destroy Israel, destroy the Judeo-Christian values that America stands for, that the West stands for. And that now, on the first day of this month of Adar when we are celebrating the holiday of Purim, that now this is happening. This is God in motion. There’s definitely a feeling here of being scared. I just had a talk with my children –if the alarms go off, where we’re going to go to, where we’re going to be safe, everyone’s listening for the sirens. Everyone’s waiting for updates from the homefront command, what to do, people are definitely nervous here because we don’t know what will be. But we trust, and especially now in this month of Adar, we trust that God is with us. Hineh lo yanum ve’elo yishan shomer Yisrael; the guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.
And as the story of Purim tells us, God always protects his people. God always protects what’s right. God always protects his children, and God will always protect this Holy Land. We know it in the scriptures, and so as we enter this month of Adar, where we are commanded to be happy, mitzvah g’dola lihiyot besimcha tamid. That’s the whole point of this month, this Hebrew month of Adar. It’s a mitzvah, a positive commandment from the Torah, to be happy even when things look bleak. Even when you’re getting ready to run to your bomb shelters, even when you don’t know what the future holds, even when there are threats from evil, wicked powers calling out exactly where you are and threatening you.Mitzvah g’dola lihiyot besimcha tamid. It’s a positive commandment to be joyous, to be happy, and to know that God will watch over us.
So here in Israel, we have the opportunity, my friends, you have the opportunity as well. To be that Esther, to be that Mordecai, brought for such a time as this. And what is demanded of us right now? Do you remember what all the Jewish people did before Esther went into the king, which was the time that ultimately turned around that evil decree? She asked all the people to partake in the prayer that she will be protected, that her words will come out right, and that God will save the nation. And she asked the entire nation to fast for three days, to fast and to pray. And so right now, I encourage you in this month of Adar, say it with me, Adar. That’s the Hebrew month of Adar. I encourage you to pray, pray. Pray that God’s glory, that God’s justice, that God’s blessings will rain down. And as we say about Purim, shkel yithapech letuva, everything should turn around for the best.
So, pray with us now that everything will turn around, that God will come through, that there’ll be safety, that there’ll be goodness and that peace will reign. I was just talking to my son about this, and he said, “Mommy, when is Mashiach coming? When’s Messiah coming? When’s there going to be peace? When’s the day where the lion dwells with the lamb? When’s the day when there won’t be war anymore? When’s the day when I don’t need to run to my bomb shelter? When’s the day that I don’t need to worry about sirens?” And I said, “It could come in a second, God could bring that in a second. We just have to pray for it.” And he said, “Maybe he’s giving us the opportunity just to do good, more good deeds, and to pray to Him more and to do more good things for one another. Maybe he’s giving us that opportunity.” And I agree completely.
So, I believe hineh lo yanum ve’elo yishan shomer Yisrael, the guardian of Israel, neither slumbers nor sleeps. And you, my friend, maybe you were brought for such a moment as this right now. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray for a hedge of protection and pray that God’s glory will be revealed.
Shalom
