The Word for 5782

29th of Elul, 5781
Monday, September 6

Yesterday, I had planned on a down day. When I have had a busy season, or am entering one, I often plan a day where I don't have to go anywhere or do anything. I get dressed when I want to and I just sit and relax. Those were my plans for Sunday. But even before I was home from a very busy, very challenging but rewarding Sabbath day, I heard the gentle voice inside me say, "you are going to church in the morning."

So Sunday morning I got up, got my coffee, sat in my robe and took a breath. Can't I just stay home? I'm tired, my body hurts, the cumulative effect of all I have been doing was hitting. Sundays are my down days. But this Sunday. - So I dressed, and grabbed my Bible bag and my worship weapons and went to church.

Somewhere in the middle of the service I heard - Elizabeth – would you share about “the year of the Lord's favor” – the new year and what it means.

Well. That I had not planned on. But – I have been seeing a lot of things about the new year – and so it wasn't that hard to get up and share what I have been seeing.

This morning, I woke up with, “write it down.” What? But --- ok. So here I am. Struggling to type out all that has been going through my head about this Rosh Hashanah and this year and the season (decade even) that we are in.

So – here it is, with some background added to support what I spoke extemporaneously.

When the calendar was turning to the year 5780, I remember recognizing that this is the decade of the MOUTH --- And that we need to watch what is coming out of our mouths in this season.

How did I get that? Well, 5780 is the Hebraic reckoning of the years – SO, look at how that number is written - in fact – here is what I wrote in that years “new year letter”

5780 in Hebrew it looks like this: תש״פ The number 80 is represented by the letter פ Pey, which is a picture of mouth. It is from the mouth of God, that that which will be is spoken. And it is out of the heart that the mouth speaks. I do believe that this is going to be a season where we need to pay attention to what is being spoken, and to what we are speaking in this coming year, and in the next decade.

– Let me break it down by the Hebrew letters.

Tav - Truth – Life or death (tov means good)

Shin - three lines – three columns, three in ONE (a picture of teeth) Shaddai, Shomer, Shalom

SHEMA --- listen

Pey - the MOUTH - the OPEN MOUTH – word, expression, speech, breath This letter consists of a “hidden” bet, a yod and kaf, bet (house or son), yod (reaching hand), kaf (palm of hand)

So 5780 was shown to be a year of truth and of life and death – Where we were to listen (Shama) to Shaddai (Provider) and Shomer (shepherd) for our Shalom (peace.) AND, we were to watch what comes out of the MOUTH!! Because that which comes out of the mouth will impact the house – it will be a reaching out and a holding on. (remember Covid-19 actually began near the beginning of that year in China – with the first reported case Dec. 1st , but many believe there were unreported earlier cases)

From our spring letter that year I wrote -

For weeks now, God has been directing me to go back and review what was released at the beginning of this year, not the 2020 year, but the Jewish New Year at Rosh Hashanah. ף"תש'ה (5780) ף- Pei Hebrew for 80 represents a mouth, and all that comes out of our mouths. It is now understood that the primary method of transmission for COVID-19 is through the droplets that come out of our mouths as we cough, speak, and sing. Look at how the enemy has used what comes out of our mouths to attack and destroy our vision (2020) for the future.

I also remarked on how much we as a culture seemed to be fighting the guarding of our mouths even then, by our constant arguing and fighting over the use of masks.

Now – we come to 5781 and 5782.

We add the Aleph for 5781 - Aleph is the picture of an OX, the strong one, the ONE, God.

5780 – He said - watch the mouth, and what comes out of it.
Guard our mouths even - and we are still arguing/fighting over this.

5781 He said watch what comes from the mouth of the ONE, God.
     The FATHER (our Strong One) is speaking truth.
– The Father is speaking life or death. We need to shema (hear) the Father!

Honestly, I wonder if most have been listening to the wrong father. I see division, and half-truth (lies) and manipulation all over the place. Even among believers.
We have seen people thought of as “great fathers in the modern church” fall without repentance.
We have seen supposed prophets be WRONG – and yet not acknowledge it.
We have seen people who are supposed to protect and care for the flock, fight over protecting what they see as individual rights, but ignoring corporate responsibility for the protection of the weak.

Arguing, criticism, and flat out REBELLION has overtaken too many of us.

This is not good. I believe we need to reassess who we are listening to. The fruit of this prior year does NOT look like the fruit of the Spirit. It looks a lot more like the work of the enemy.

5782 The first part is the same.
Truth, and Life or Death, comes from Shaddai, so Shema – the mouth (Pey) of Bet.
Bet - it a picture of a House (technically a tent or tabernacle, a sukka)
Ben means son. When we add the Bet to Aleph we get Av (father) or Abba (daddy)
Bara means to create. The “son” creates the family, and The Son is creator (Jn 1:3)
and - The Son dwelt (tabernacled) among us, and we beheld His Glory (Jn 1:14)

This coming year, I believe we need to take a long hard look, and a listening ear (Shema) for the truth, the life and death – that is coming from the mouth of the SON. The One who came and dwelt with us.

With that in mind --- As a ministry we are making a shift.

At the end of this Torah Reading Cycle – we are shifting to a Reading Schedule based on the Gospels – and the Book of Acts.

– We will still have references from the Tanach: the Torah, Prophets, Writings (Psalms etc.) but they will be supporting and helping us understand the Words of Messiah.
– Our Focus is on the Truth – the GOOD. Our verse card ---”Focus on the Beauty”
– When we look at the picture we easily see the dead grass, and there is a lot of dead grass in our lives and in the world around us. What we need to do is shift our focus to the beauty. Focus on the rose. In Song of Solomon 2:1, the Beloved (Messiah) says He is the Rose of Sharon. He is the flower in the field, so this year, we will look to that flower.
We will look to the One who is True, the One who is lovely, the One who is good.

– Like the verse says -

"Whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there are any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8 . . .

All of this is found in Jesus --- so we look to Him.

Another aspect to this particular new year, is that it is a Shmita Year - a Seventh, or Shabbat year. We read about that in Torah.

Leviticus 25:2-7 Let the land rest. No sowing, or pruning or harvesting. Whatever the land produces on its own is to feed you and your neighbors. Pluck and eat as needed, but not for sale or storage.

Exodus 23:10-12 Let the poor take what they want and the animals have the rest.

Deuteronomy 15:1-11 Cancel all debts owed to you by a brother or a neighbor. And don't let the nearing shmitta year keep you from lending to one in need. Help the poor, even when you know they will not, or can not pay you back. And at the seventh year just let it go. And if someone is serving you for a debt, let them go free with generous provision for their needs.

“During shmita, the land is left to lie fallow and all agricultural activity, including plowing, planting, pruning and harvesting, is forbidden. Other cultivation techniques (such as watering, fertilizing, weeding, spraying, trimming and mowing) may be performed as a preventive measure only, not to improve the growth of trees or other plants. Additionally, any fruits or herbs which grow of their own accord and where no watch is kept over them are deemed hefker (ownerless) and may be picked by anyone. A variety of laws also apply to the sale, consumption and disposal of shmita produce. All debts, except those of foreigners, were to be remitted.” (from wikipedia)

Basically ---we are not to WORK at work --- planting, harvesting, selling produce is forbidden. We are to trust GOD for our provision. We are to share from what we have grown or planted in the past. And we are to take only what we need for today, allowing others to benefit from our work as well -- AND we trust that God will supply enough.

Application to today: Quit stressing so much about your job? Do your best but don't push? Honestly, I do not know how this applies to a non-agricultural environment. We muse each ask God what about this applies to us.

The next part is easier to understand and to apply - All debts owed to us by family OR by neighbors are to be forgiven. Bond servants were to be set free (with a bonus).

Application: Aside from the monetary We can let go of what we think others owe to us,

Do they owe you an apology – let it go.
If they have wronged you - let it go.
If they have made promises that they didn't or couldn't keep – let it go.
Do you think they owe you their approval? Let that go too.
Quit seeking the approval of man. Let your yes be yes and your no be no, and quit trying to get others to affirm your choices. They don't owe you that, and you don't owe them the explanations, that they don't usually care about anyway.

This is part of what we need to do to live in peace with each other.

Release others from any debts, and share from your fields willingly and freely this year. And while you are at it – release yourself as well. Receive God's forgiveness and Forgive yourself for all the things you are forgiving others for. It is a year to rest, To rest in the GRACE of our God who has set YOU free. I came to Christ in debt because of my sin. But HE has set me free from that sin. And NOW, I choose to stay and serve Him because I know how much He loves and cares for me – and I love Him.

And a tidbit: sheviit” – שבעית – is the Hebrew word for seventh. When we add the numerical value of the letters of sheviit – the sheen ש is 300, beit ב is 2, ayin ע is 70, yud י is 10, and tav ת is 400 we ge 782. This year is 5'782.