Worthy Brief - 10/13/2016
Friend, enter His presence, you're completely covered!
Hebrews 9:24-28 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another-- He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
Yom Kippur, which literally means Day of Coverings, can be a day of deep reflection on what the Lord has done for us. As Yeshua (Jesus) died on the cross 2000 years ago, the Gospel describes how the veil in the Temple was torn in two. This profound spiritual event reveals that the Lord gave all whose sins are covered by His blood access to the Holy of Holies, as He had become our High Priest in addition to being, Himself, the perfect sacrifice for sin.
Although the Temple was not finally destroyed until 70 AD, Orthodox Judaism recounts in the Talmud that, beginning in 30 AD, God no longer accepted the animal sacrifices commanded in the Torah for the Day of Atonement, [Tract Yoma 39b]. Throughout the ages, while the Temple stood, the High Priest would cast lots for the two goats which were to be offered as sacrifices on Yom Kippur. One lot was for the goat to be sacrificed on the altar, for YHVH -- and the other, called "Azazel", the goat cast out into the wilderness for the removal of sins [Leviticus 16:7-10].
Traditionally, as the Priest cast the lot, finding it in his right hand was a good omen, indicating that God had accepted the sacrifice. However, if the High Priest drew it in his left hand, this indicated the Lord's displeasure and even rejection of the sacrifice. For the 40 years after the sacrifice of Yeshua, the Talmud records that the lot was taken in the left hand of the High Priest. The same result for 40 years, a lot cast into the left hand, carries a statistical probability of 1 in 1,099,511,627,776 -- or one in a trillion chance!
There were also other significant miraculous signs described in this tract, that something of major significance had taken place related to the most critical sacrifice in the Temple order. It is clear to both Jews and Messianic believers that God was saying something important to the Jewish people in 30AD; something important enough to be recorded in the Talmud and something which demanded an explanation.
We believe that the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, 40 years after the sacrifice of Yeshua, followed a period of testimony and testing for the Jewish people concerning the fact that the sacrificial system had been consummated by Yeshua's death on the cross. 40 is a typical number of testing throughout the Bible.
While animal sacrifices continued to be offered in the Temple while it stood, and many believing Jews continued to participate in them, it was clear that something new and definitive had opened the way for all people to enter the Holiest place and to know the Lord intimately and personally. Without intending to, the Talmud offers historical support for the significance and reality of the events in 30 AD which consummated the sacrificial system given in the Torah; i.e. the death and resurrection of the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua of Nazareth, who died for the sins of the whole world.
Friend, so enter into His presence boldly today with the full knowledge that the veil was torn -- the sacrifice was provided -- and the work was completed 2000 years ago in our Messiah Yeshua!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Negev Desert, Israel
Editor's Note: We are hoping to come to the United States this upcoming January-March for a cross country speaking/music tour. If you want to hear timely word from Worthy News Founder and Director, George Whitten and powerful Israeli Worship Music from Baht Rivka Whitten, Lazman Hazeh Music, as well as testimony of life and ministry in the Land, make sure to book soon for your Congregation, Conference, Church, Home Fellowship or Israel focused Event. We hope to hug you! Please send an email to george [ @ ] worthyemail.com for more information.
Editor's Note: Watch George's message: Which voice will you listen to in the last days?
Around the World
Navy launches Tomahawk missiles at rebel sites in Yemen after attacks on U.S. ships
The U.S. Navy launched Tomahawk missiles early Thursday from the Red Sea at three coastal radar sites in Yemen, destroying targets associated with missile attacks on U.S. ships this week.
Missiles fired at U.S. warship of coast of Yemen for second time this week
A U.S. Naval destroyer off the coast of Yemen was targeted by missiles for the second time in a week, and military commanders are now threatening retaliation as it becomes apparent rebel forces in the country are responsible for the attacks.
Russia tests ballistic missiles amid tensions with West
Russia's military conducted a series of intercontinental ballistic missile tests on Wednesday, the latest flexing of its muscles as tensions with the US spike over Syria.
Bermuda Braces for Hit From 'Nicole,' a Cat 4 Hurricane
Heavy wind and rain began battering Bermuda late Wednesday as the British territory braced itself for Hurricane Nicole, which became a major Category 4 storm as it tracked toward the tiny island in the northern Atlantic Ocean.
Russia & US will engage in 'global war', unless 'proxy' Syria conflict resolved - Turkey's deputy PM
The Syrian conflict has now become a 'proxy war' between the two Cold War superpowers, believes Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey, Numan Kurtulmus, who warned that that the conflict could escalate beyond the Middle East.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Riots erupt in east Jerusalem on Yom Kippur, Silwan man killed in clash with police
A 20-year-old Arab man who threw firebombs at border police during a riot in southeast Jerusalem’s Silwan neighborhood was shot dead shortly after Yom Kippur commenced on Tuesday night, as police responded to two other riots in Arab areas in the capital.
Gaza Strip population said to reach 2 million
he two millionth person has been born in Gaza, the Strip's Hamas rulers claimed Wednesday, with the birth of a baby boy named Waleed officially recognized as reaching the milestone in the densely populated Palestinian territory.
PM: Israel is a strong country that is becoming stronger
The prime minister said that the country was in the midst of the High Holidays, known as a time when 'those who incite and fan the flames of terrorism' continually try to provoke violence and clashes.
Inside the United States
Satanic Temple asks city council for OK to give invocation
Satanists want to give their blessings to city leaders in Boston.
More than half of U.S. adults want to legalize marijuana: Survey
A new survey finds U.S. adults increasingly supportive of marijuana legalization, with 57 percent saying that the drug should be made legal.
North Carolina's record floods could have unexpected environmental consequences
Hurricane Matthew swept across the southeastern seaboard of the United States this weekend, bringing intense rainfall to North Carolina and triggering record flooding across much of the state. Over the weekend, Hurricane Matthew -- which had been downgraded to a tropical cyclone by Sunday -- brought as much as 18 inches of rainfall to parts of North Carolina, causing rivers across the state to reach dangerously high levels.
U.S. Politics
Leaked Email Suggests Clinton Camp Got Heads-Up on CNN Town Hall Question
Leaked emails are now revealing the Clinton campaign's communications with the media and TV personalities, including interim DNC chair and former CNN commentator Donna Brazile.
In leaked email, Clinton claims Saudi and Qatari governments fund ISIS
The Clinton campaign today tried to tamp down a mounting controversy over a newly disclosed, and potentially explosive, email in which the former secretary of state appeared to accuse the Saudi and Qatari governments of secretly funding the Islamic State.
'This is war': Trump drafting lawsuit against NY Times
Donald Trump's campaign was drafting a defamation lawsuit against the New York Times late Wednesday night, hours after the news organization published a story in which two women accused the Republican presidential nominee of sexual assault, sources confirmed to the Washington Examiner.
How Evangelical Women Are Responding to Trump's Lewd Comments
Evangelical women are perhaps most conflicted about the election in the wake of the 2005 recording released this past weekend showing GOP nominee Donald Trump bragging about groping women.
Miss USA Contestant Details Unwanted Encounters With Trump
As a flood of new allegations against Donald Trump emerged Wednesday, one of the women who says he approached her inappropriately told NBC News about two encounters similar to the behavior Trump boasted about in a now-notorious 2005 hot-microphone video.
Christian News
Another state tells churches to shut up about transgenders
For a second time in just weeks, a state finds itself on defense in a legal action triggered by its attempt to dictate what ministers and others say inside their churches.