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Worthy Brief - 5/20/2016

Friend, enjoy your Shabbat!

Hebrews 4:4-6 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

The Hebrew word "Shabbat", what we call "the Sabbath" in English, means: "to rest". The ancient Hebrew word picture unfolds its meaning profoundly and even "prophetically". Shabbat is spelled "sheen"-"beit"-"tav".

Yesterday, we looked at the word, "repent", which also means to "return". This word in modern Hebrew, "shoov", contains the same letters that begin the word "shabbat".  As we analyzed the word "repent" yesterday, we learned that it means "to acknowledge that your old house is destroyed", and to go forth (without looking back).

Now today's word, "shabbat", ends with the letter "tav" which, you remember, represents a cross, and means, "covenant". So, a literal rendering of the letters in the word "shabbat" could read, "return to a covenant" – or "repent toward the cross"!

Friend, isn't it amazing that the word for "rest", in ancient Hebrew, "Shabbat", the day which all Jews love, wait for, and look forward to as a picture of the days of Messiah, -- also points by its very letters, to "repentance toward the cross", the cross which gives us (and them) eternal rest?! Is this "coincidence" or "providence"? We see the Lord's Hand in it; His "writing on the wall", as it were. We pray you are enjoying these studies on the ancient Hebrew alphabet; enjoy your weekend – your "Shabbat", remembering the One who gave His rest to you through His finished work on the cross!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Negev Desert, Israel

Editor's Note: Watch George's message: Which voice will you listen to in the last days?

Today's Breaking News
Around the World
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Europe, US open path to business with Iran
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Foreign banks and businesses should not hold back from conducting legal business with Iran, Western powers said Friday.
U.S. Special Forces take the fight to ISIS in Libya
U.S. Special Forces and surveillance flights are operating on the ground and over Libya as the West moves to boost security operations in the country to bolster Libya's increasingly desperate fight against ISIS.
Chinese intercept U.S. military plane over South China Sea
A pair of Chinese fighter jets buzzed a U.S. military reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea Tuesday, military officials said.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
White House Launched ‘Venomous Whisper Campaign’ Against Netanyahu to Sell Iran Nuclear Deal
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Ya'alon resigns as defense minister, MK
Minister of Defense Moshe Ya'alon announced on Friday morning on his Facebook and Twitter feeds that he has resigned from his ministerial position and from the Knesset. He further announced a break from political life.

Inside the United States
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Top ICE official: Obama's policies contributed to decreased deportation
A top U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official admitted before the Senate Immigration Subcommittee on Thursday the Obama administration's reforms to deportation policies have caused the decrease in removals of people in the U.S. illegally.
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Chaos in House after GOP votes down LGBT measure
The House floor devolved into chaos and shouting on Thursday as a measure to ensure protections for members of the LGBT community narrowly failed to pass, after Republican leaders urged their members to change their votes.

Christian News
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