Hebrews 2:14-15 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve begun a series of devotions based on the Exodus wanderings of the Children of Israel, and their tragic mistakes which we can learn from and avoid. One powerful influence common to their failures was fear.
Fear is a terrible motivator and a true slave-master. And it’s a source of incalculable sin. Yet, the Lord has not given us the spirit of fear, but of love, of power, and a sound mind! [2 Timothy 1:7]
The first test came when the Israelites feared death at the hands of Pharaoh and the Egyptians [Exodus 14:9-14] The Lord heard their cry, opened the Red Sea and made a way of escape. Nevertheless, time and again the children of Israel became fearful of death, and this is why they failed miserably in the wilderness.
But this bondage to the fear of death can be broken. Yeshua (Jesus) has said that He holds the keys of hell and death. [Rev. 1:18] Because He Himself was resurrected from the dead, in Him we are no longer in bondage to this fear.
If the Egyptian Pharaoh is a type of the antichrist spoken of in John’s Revelation, then we may also find there the examples of those who are overcomers, as were Joshua and Caleb in the time of the Exodus. And there they are: “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” [Rev. 12:11] The martyrs throughout all of history testify to this faith in the Resurrection.
The fear of death must not have its hold upon us. Identifying with Yeshua in His death will enable us to live a fear-free life, for there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. [1 John 4:18] Life enters a realm of freedom with this realization: “If you’re willing to die for Yeshua (Jesus), then it becomes easy to live for Him!” So instead of wandering fearfully in the wilderness, make it your place of victory over the fear of death.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
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This evening will begin the Biblical feast of Yom Kippur. 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.
As we celebrated Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) and are in the midst of “Yamin Noraim” or the days of awe, the days between the Feast of Trumpets and Yom Kippur, it is the season of repentance.
This is the season that the shofar (rams horn) is blown to heed the call of warning to repent from our sins and be clean. The shofar’s unique sounding blast is a wake-up call to all who will hear.
As we find ourselves in the midst of the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe), our hearts are centered this week on repentance as we prepare for Yom Kippur, which is approaching this Friday. In this spirit, I want to share something I discovered while studying the Jewish roots of many of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) parables. I came across an insightful teaching from a Jewish Rabbi, which I believe holds a valuable lesson for us today.
After our very small wedding in Jerusalem, my wife and I planned to have the big ceremony she’d always dreamed of, in Havre De Grace, Maryland. Rivka had it planned it to the tee. It was an outdoor wedding next to the longest standing lighthouse on the east coast. We were going to wow our guests with an entrance by way of sailboat. Ten dancers with candles in glasses were to proceed my beautiful bride as I awaited her under our hand-crafted chuppa, lit by the sunset on the bay.
Between Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur are ten days. These days are known as “Yamim Noraim”, “the Days of Awe” — or also translated, the “Awesome days”. In Judaism it has been long believed that these days seal your fate for the upcoming year — and also allude to your final destiny, concerning whether your name continues to be written in the Book of Life.
One of the major themes of Rosh Hashana is called Akedat Yitzchak, which means the Binding of Isaac. According to Jewish tradition, God told Abraham that the ram’s horn – otherwise known as a shofar – should be blown on Rosh Hashana to remind people of the sacrifice that God provided Himself when Abraham was about to offer Isaac on Mount Moriah.
Rosh Hashanah traditionally marks the Jewish New Year. “Shanah” is a unique Hebrew word meaning “to repeat, revise, or go over again”. As we begin the new year, with fall, then winter, spring, and summer, we remember the cyclical pattern of time in God’s creation. The nature of life is to repeat itself — to continue in a cycle, marked by Rosh HaShannah — a New Year. Although time is moving in a direction toward a definite destiny determined by the Creator, it does so in cycles … truly, “what goes around comes around”.