Jesus our Shepherd

Shepherds lead their sheep along narrow paths and say this is the way to go - Follow me. There are not green pastures in Israel - they have sparse tufts of grass on rocky landscapes. From one moment to the next the sheep depend on the leading of the shepherd and the sufficiency of the grazing he provides. The path the shepherd selects are the only ones that are safe and secure. No matter how difficult, how narrow, or how treacherous the path, I walked it first says Jesus. I always go before My sheep. All we have is what's sufficient for this moment. With that knowledge we can relax, relying on the effectiveness of our Shepherd to provide whatever we need in the future. We need to keep our eyes on Him because the green pastures 10 minutes from now or tomorrow or next week are only available if we follow Him. Without Him we starve. We'll lose our way - we need to trust and depend on God whatever lies ahead.

Rosh Chodesh -The new moon

Rosh Chodesh, the head of a new month, begins with the new moon. In ancient times, Rosh Chodesh was celebrated for 3 days, as soon as the new moon was sighted.

Actually, the new moon is not a moon at all. For two days, the night sky is black and moonless, usually on the third night the moon appears at dusk as a dark disc in the western sky. It has just the slightest haze around it. This is when it begins to reflect the light of the sun.

The new moon is referred to as the "birth". After two days of darkness the moon is seen as being "born again". This expression, "born again" used by Jesus, was not a new term in His day. It was already used and understood in Israel. When Gentiles from the surrounding nations came up to Jerusalem seeking God,they came out of the darkness of paganism into the light of God and were "born again," just as the new moon emerges from darkness and is also "born again."

Like the moon which has no light of its own,but reflects the sun's light, the one who comes to the God of Israel begins to reflect God's light. Through Jesus, Jews and non-Jews may emerge from spiritual darkness and be "born again," and reflect the Son's light,just like the new moon.

Why the World is against Israel

In Acts it says that Jesus cannot come back until the words of the prophets were fulfilled and knowing the return of Jesus spells Satan's doom, he has contrived a plan to prevent the return of Jesus.

The prophets spoke about the Jewish people being regathered to Israel, satan sought to kill the entire Jewish race or force them to lose their national identity and distinctiveness by assimilation or conversion.

If the Jews would cease to exist as a nation the words of the prophets would fail to be fulfilled and Jesus would be prevented from returning.

But God spoke clearly that Israel wold never be destroyed, or lose their national distinctiveness. Jer. 31:35-37.

Satan believes he can succeed and he can prevent Jesus from returning. This is why anti-Semitism is so widespread and so deeply evil. Anti-Semitism is a demonic spirit that hates the Jewish people - not because they are Jewish but because of their prophetic destiny in the fullfillment of Gods eternal purposes. Anti-Semitism is a demonic spirit actually attempting to prevent the return of the Messiah by destroying the Jewish people. the demonic spirit in Islam is part of this.

In Matt 23:39 says Jesus will not return till the Jewish people call for Him to return - In Judges it talks about whenever the Jewish people were facing potential destruction they called to the Lord who raised up a deliver to save them - at the end of the age when Israel is looking at certain destruction and calls upon Jesus to return and deliver them is the ultimate fulfillment of the pattern revealed to us in Judges.