At the Blowing of the Shofar

by HaShomer Staff
The Jewish holiday season is quickly approaching. It is a special time for us, personally and as a nation, to reflect on our lives over the previous year and take account of ourselves, our relationships, and most importantly, our relationship with Adonai. I don’t know about you, but I find it more physically and mentally challenging to focus these days. People are angry and hurting. We all see what’s happening around the world; death, grief, confusion, misinformation, anarchy, tyranny, and the list goes on!
“In Yiddish, this feeling is encapsulated by the word tsuris—variously defined as troubles, worries, aggravation, woes, suffering, grief or heartache.” [https://momentmag.com/jewish-word-tsuris/]
In all of this, I have to remember what is really important in these times of “tsuris”. Our Jewish people, along with other nations of the world are in spiritual darkness without hope. We definitely need to continue to “Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem”, but we need to pray more than ever for Messiah Yeshua to reveal Himself to those who do not know His “peace that passes all understanding”.
As I was praying, I was drawn to Isaiah 29, which reveals a period of time when Adonai will open up the understanding of Jacob, and they will sanctify the Holy One of Israel. Envision this promise by Adonai through the prophet Isaiah coming into fruition as you hear the sound of the shofar”. Let’s lift up our hearts together in agreement, crying out for Israel and for our Jewish people around the world for their eyes and ears to be opened at such a time as this!
“Wait, and be astonished! Blind yourselves, and be blind! Drunk, but not with wine, Stagger, but not with strong drink. For Adonai has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has shut your eyes-the prophets, and covered your heads-the seers.
So this entire vision is for you like words of a sealed scroll, which they gave to one who knows books, saying, “Read this, please” but he says, “I can’t, because it’s sealed.” Then the scroll is given to one who does not know books, saying, “Read this, please,” but he says, I don’t know books.”
So Adonai says, “Since these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, yet their hearts are far from Me, and their fear of Me is a mitzvah taught by men.
Therefore, behold, once more I will do a marvelous work among this people – a marvel and a wonder – so the wisdom of their wise will perish, and the discernment of their discerning will be concealed.”
Oy, those who go to great depths to hide their plans from Adonai! Their works are in the dark. They say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?” Your perversity! Should the potter be regarded the same as the clay? Should the thing made say to its maker, “You did not make me”? Or the thing formed say of its former, “You have no understanding?” Will it not be just a very little while before Lebanon turns into a garden, and a garden will seem like a forest? In that day the deaf will hear words of a book, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. The meek will add to their joy in Adonai, and the needy of humanity will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. For the ruthless will come to an end and the scorner will be finished, and all watching to do evil cut off. Those who make a man out to be guilty with a word, and trap him who reproves at the gate, and deny justice with meaninglessness.
Therefore, thus says Adonai, Redeemer of Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: “Jacob will no longer be ashamed, no longer will his face grow pale; for when he sees his children, the work of My hands in his midst, they will sanctify My Name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and stand in awe of the God of Israel.
Those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur will learn instruction.” (Isaiah 29:9-24 TLV)