Shalom amidst Strife
Seeking Peace (and Joy) During War
Timing is everything. That’s what my father has always said. And during a very difficult season in my life, my good friend—Steve Allen, the author of The Psalm 119 Journey—once said to me, “God is seldom early…but He’s never late.”
These words pierced deeply into my struggling heart and sprouted forth another mustard seed of faith to trust in a good God, even (and especially) when times are hard.
Brothers and sisters, this is a hard time. As I’m sure you are aware, war has broken out in the Middle East again. The events of the last two days have been like nothing we’ve seen in 50 years. Strife is escalating.
I want to contend for peace. Let’s pray and trust God for deeper shalom, even as the enemy of our souls is stirring up strife. Evil is getting easier to see, isn’t it? Let’s contend for peace—in our hearts and in our world.
God Time: Simchat Torah and Sh’mini Atzeret
The timing of these past two days are significant so I want to briefly orient you to two holidays and how things work a little differently within the Promised Land and in the Diaspora (meaning “dispersion”) which includes the rest of the land on earth.
These two holidays arise from Leviticus 23.
The EIGHTH DAY will be a holy convocation to you… (Leviticus 23:36)
So on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you are to keep the Feast of ADONAI for seven days [Sukkot/Tabernacles]. The first day is to be a Shabbat rest, and the EIGHTH DAY will also be a Shabbat rest. (Leviticus 23:39)
These two holidays are Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.
Sh’mini Atzeret means “Eighth Day Assembly” and comes immediately after the 7th day of Sukkot (a.k.a., Feast of Tabernacles).
Simchat Torah means “Joy of the Torah” and marks the completion of the Annual Reading Cycle when we complete Deuteronomy and roll the scroll back to Genesis.
Here’s where the calendar confusion comes in. In Israel, both of these holidays are celebrated on the same day—which was yesterday (Saturday). The war, therefore, started on these holy days.
Outside of Israel, however, these two holidays are spread out over two days. Thus, outside of Israel we are slated to celebrate Simchat Torah and rejoice in the Word of God—today (Sunday).
So, if you hear of either of these holy days described in reference to the war, I wanted to help clarify the different ways time is reckoned—inside versus outside of Israel.
Let me define my terms.
ISRAEL: Biblically defined, Israel is both a land and a people (the Church is a people only, not a building). As a modern nation, Israel includes both Jews and non-Jews. Gentiles are therefore, by definition, non-Jews. (The majority of Christians are Gentiles. Christians who define themselves as no longer Gentiles are mistaken. Following Jesus does not erase Jewish-ness any more than it erases Gentile-ness. God loves Jews and Gentiles equally.)
DIASPORA: This comes from a Greek word meaning “scattering” and refers to Jews living outside of the Promised Land. I am a Jew living in the Diaspora who follows Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah.
God’s timing is perfect but His ways are mysterious. This war started yesterday in Israel during Simchat Torah while today is Simchat Torah in the diaspora. But joy seems elusive in times like this.
May the Prince of Peace guard your heart and mind to help you in these troubling times.
Behold, the Keeper of Israel (Shomer Yisrael)
neither slumbers nor sleeps.
Psalm 121:4
As evil rises, let’s be be agents of righteousness. As the darkness gets darker, we can shine brighter. Let’s keep our eyes on the One Who keeps His covenant promises.
Shalom,
Thomas