| A Time to be Born and a Time to Die |
A Time to Plant and a Time to Pluck |
A Time to Weep and a Time to Laugh |
A Time to Kill and a Time to Heal |
A Time to Break Down and a Time to Build Up |
A Time of War |
A Time to Be Born and a Time to Die
Birth is a miraculous event. In humans birth usually takes place after forty weeks of gestation. Forty is a number signifying transition in the Scriptures. It rained for forty days and engulfed the world in water during Noach's time. Moses stayed on the Mountain for forty days and returned with the Torah. Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years and then entered the Promised Land. Each of these periods of forty brought about great change. The forty weeks of pregnancy also result in a great change. A new life is brought into the world. Those around this new life feel new responsibilities and new joys. It becomes obvious that things will change.
There are many births recorded in Scripture. The first two were those of Cain and Abel:
Gen 4:1-2These births set the stage for the first murder.
1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from YHWH."
2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Later, we read of the birth of Moshe:
Exod 2:1-2This birth was timed so that the baby might grow up to be the deliverer of Israel from Egypt. It was time for Moshe to be born so that the captivity might end, as YHWH had promised Avraham.
1 And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi.
2 So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months.
We see the birth of Shimshon (Samson) when it was time for a judge:
Judg 13:24We read of the birth of Shlomo when it was time for the next King of Israel:
24 So the woman bore a son and called his name Shimshon; and the child grew, and YHWH blessed him.
2 Sam 12:24-25This pattern continues in the Scriptures until we come to the most important, and most recalled, birth in history:
24 Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Shlomo. Now YHWH loved him,
25 and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So he called his name Yedidiyah, because of YHWH.
Luke 2:6-7This is, of course, the birth of the Messiah Yahshua, and this birth was definitely at the right time to be a delight unto Heaven. If we do the math, we learn that Yahshua was born during the festival of Sukkot, the Season of our Joy. Sukkot is a firstfruits festival, and so the firstfruits of YHWH came into the world. Sukkot is called the Festival of the Ingathering and is seen as a time for the Nations to come to YHWH. Yahshua came during Sukkot and became the Hope of the Nations. Sukkot is also called the Festival of Lights, and it was during Sukkot, possibly on His birthday, that Yahshua made a famous proclamation:
6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
John 8:12If Yahshua was born during Sukkot, then it was forty weeks earlier that He was conceived, during the season of Chanukah, or Dedication, which, like Sukkot, is also known as the Festival of Lights. It was during this season, over a hundred years earlier, that the Hasmoneans cleansed and rededicated the Temple, which had been defiled by the Greeks and the Hellenistic Jews. They then set up a Kingdom in which a Hasmonean was both King and High Priest. This was not the right thing for them to do, as only Messiah can be both King and High Priest, and so their kingdom was removed from them. Yahshua, however came shortly thereafter and brought a tikkun, or repair, of the mistake of the Hasmoneans. He dedicated His body, the Spiritual Temple, and prepared to become the King and High Priest of the Heavenlies. He accomplished these things because He was born in the right time and in the right season, and because He died in the right time and in the right season.
12 Then Yahshua spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
Matt 26:18We can see from this passage that there was a specific time that was right for Yahshua to die, and that His time was during Passover. Dying during Passover identified Yahshua with the lamp eaten by every family. It connected His death to the "coming out" of Egypt, a picture of being removed from the bondage of sin. It was during Passover that His mission could most clearly be understood and so it was the proper season.
18 And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"
There are many other examples of death taking place at the right time in the Scriptures. Pharaoh died just as the Israelites, his slaves, left Egypt, thereby having no right to them. Moshe, as well as the Israelites sixty and older, died so that the Children could enter the Land. Sha'ul and Yonaton died so that David could become King. And when a High Priest died, it was the time for all of the people in a City of Refuge to go free:
Num 35:25So there is an appointed season and time for birth and death to be a delight unto Heaven. We must believe that our births were at the appointed time, and that it is up to us to make our deaths be something that is in season. This can only be done by entering the Times and Seasons of YHWH. This is of the utmost importance, because it is only through His Times and Seasons that we can answer the question of Mordechai, "Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
25 'So the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and he shall remain there until the death of the High Priest who was anointed with the holy oil.
A Time to Plant, and a time to Pluck
Eccl 3:2The Hebrew word for plant is nata. It means “to plant, to fasten, to fix, to establish”. The Hebrew word for pluck is aqar. It means “to pluck up, to root up, to cut (the hamstring)”. So we can also read this passage as “a time to establish, and a time to uproot what is established.”
2 ... a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted.
Gen 2:8We see that YHWH did the first planting mentioned in the Scriptures. He planted Gan Eden and has never plucked it up, but instead He has temporarily removed Adam from it. So it was Adam that was established and then uprooted. In the Scriptures plants are always seen as pictures of people. Wheat, barley, fig trees, vines, etc. are used to describe people. Some examples:
8 YHWH Elohim planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
Ps 80:8We now see that there is a time for people to be established and a time for people to uprooted from what they are established in. YHWH planted all of Israel:
8 You have brought a vine out of Egypt; you have cast out the nations, and planted it.Isa 40:7
7 The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of YHWH blows upon it; surely the people are grass.
2 Sam 7:10He then plucked up Ephraim and Judah. He appointed a time for dispersion and will once again replant all of Israel.
10 "Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously.
Jer 45:4Ephraim was plucked because of idolatry, and Judah was plucked because of disobedience. YHWH plucked them up in order to teach a lesson, and when the lesson is learned, they will all be returned. The planting and the plucking must take place in the proper season and at the proper time. Israel was planted in Egypt in order to preserve their lives. When they were plucked, they were to leave Egypt physically and spiritually. Likewise, YHWH plants us and plucks us. He establishes us and then plucks us from where we were established. He has, at times, established us in Xianity (Egypt), and then plucked us out. He has established us in Judaism (Babylon), and then plucked us out. He has planted and plucked always in the proper season and time. It is noteworthy that aqar, the word translated “pluck”, can also mean “ to cut the hamstring”. When the hamstring is cut, it is very hard to walk. When YHWH plucks us, He changes our walk, moving us on toward the Kingdom. Once again, the challenge is to move in His season and time. First, we must realize that there is always a plucking, or tearing down, before a planting, or rebuilding:
4 "Thus you shall say to him, `Thus says YHWH: "Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land."'"Amos 9:14-15
14 I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
15 I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them," says YHWH your Elohim.
Jer 1:10We must also be rehearsing His seasons, learning from them, in order to move in the proper season. And we must study His Word and listen to the Ruach HaQodesh in order to move in the proper time. In planting and plucking plants, the season and the time are important. If we pluck immature plants, we will not receive the full benefit of them, or no benefit at all. If we wait too long to harvest, the plants will rot. Seasons are broad, but times are very specific. If our planting and plucking are to be a pleasure unto Heaven, we must discern both the season and the time for establishing and for uprooting what is established.
10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant."
A Time to Weep and a Time to Laugh
Eccl 3:4We will study this verse in a slightly different way. "A time to mourn" will be covered in "a time to weep", and "a time to dance" will be covered in "a time to laugh".
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
The Hebrew word translated as “weep” is bakah, and it means,” to weep, to bemoan”. The word translated as “mourn” is safad, and it means "to tear the hair and beat the breasts; to lament; to wail". It is obvious that the words carry similar connotations, and mourning is an appropriate time to weep.
The mourning that we are most familiar with is for the loss of someone we love. We are actually allowed to be “selfish” for a while when we lose someone. The Jewish sages teach that a mourner has a special place before YHWH, and this is why the mourner says the “Mourner’s Kaddish”, a blessing upon all of Israel.
There are many instances of mourning with weeping in the Scriptures. Avraham mourned and wept for Sarah:
Gen 23:2Yacov wept for Yosef when he thought his son was dead:
2 So Sarah died in Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Avraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
Gen 37:35All of Israel mourned and wept for Aaron and Moshe:
35 And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, "For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning." Thus his father wept for him.
Num 20:29The above passages show us that thirty days is a set aside time for mourning, when the mourner is recognized in Heaven as a mourner. Although we may continue to feel loss for a long time, we are stop concentrated on that loss and turn our attentions fully back to the Kingdom after thirty days.
29 Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.Deut 34:8
8 And the children of Israel wept for Moshe in the plains of Moab thirty days. So the days of weeping and mourning for Moshe ended.
Another time of mourning and weeping is upon leaving Jerusalem and upon hearing of bad news concerning Jerusalem:
2 Sam 15:23Yet another time of weeping and mourning is when confessing sin and seeking direction:
23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness.2 Sam 15:30
30 So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up.Neh 1:3-4
3 And they said to me, "The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire."
4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the Elohim of heaven.
Judg 2:2-5There is also a time when there should be no mourning and weeping:
2 'And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.' But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this?
3 "Therefore I also said, 'I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.'"
4 So it was, when the Malach YHWH spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voices and wept.
5 Then they called the name of that place Bochim (weepings); and they sacrificed there to YHWH.Judg 20:23
23 Then the children of Israel went up and wept before YHWH until evening, and asked counsel of YHWH, saying, "Shall I again draw near for battle against the children of my brother Benjamin?" And YHWH said, "Go up against him."Judg 20:26-28
26 Then all the children of Israel, that is, all the people, went up and came to the house of Elohim and wept. They sat there before YHWH and fasted that day until evening; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before YHWH.
27 So the children of Israel inquired of YHWH (the ark of the covenant of Elohim was there in those days,
28 and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, "Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of my brother Benjamin, or shall I cease?" And YHWH said, "Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand."Ezra 10:1-2
1 Now while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, weeping, and bowing down before the House of Elohim, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept very bitterly.
2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, "We have trespassed against our Elohim, and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this.Joel 2:15-17
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly;
16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes; let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room.
17 Let the priests, who minister to YHWH, weep between the porch and the altar; let them say, "Spare Your people, YHWH, and do not give Your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their Elohim?'"
Neh 8:1Upon realizing that it was Sukkot, mourning and weeping were forbidden. This took place after “all the people gathered together as one man”. The people were acting out a picture of the Kingdom, when all will be gathered as “the Body of Messiah”, one Man. This one man, Yahshuah, is our Heavenly High Priest, and the High Priest is not allowed to mourn, as He must always have His heart and mind occupied with bringing the people of Israel into right relationship with YHWH.
1 Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which YHWH had commanded Israel.Neh 8:9-14
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to YHWH your Elohim; do not mourn nor weep." For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.
10 Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Master. Do not sorrow, for the joy of YHWH is your strength."
11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved."
12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.
13 Now on the second day the heads of the fathers' houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law.
14 And they found written in the Law, which YHWH had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month.
Lev 21:10-12There should be no mourning and weeping during Sukkoth, because it is a picture of the World to Come, and in the World to Come will be no more tears.
10 'He who is the High Priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes;
11 'nor shall he go near any dead body, nor defile himself for his father or his mother;
12 'nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his Elohim; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am YHWH.
Isa 25:6-9Mourning helps us to deal with our loss. Weeping gives us an emotional release. The tears help to cleanse us. They are like an immersion, after which we are to move on and upward, growing closer to YHWH and putting away our “selves”. Morning and weeping help us to move on to laughing and dancing.
6 And in this mountain YHWH Tzavaot will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of well-refined wines on the lees.
7 And He will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death forever, and YHWH Elohim will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people he will take away from all the earth; for YHWH has spoken.
9 And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our Elohim; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is YHWH; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."
Ps 30:4-5This Psalm hints to a lesson that Job teaches:
4 Sing praise to YHWH, You saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His Holiness.
5 For His anger is but for a moment, his favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.Ps 30:11-12
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. YHWH my Elohim, I will give thanks to You forever.
Job 5:17-22This shows us that if we accept the judgments and chastening of YHWH, believing that He is completely in control and that He is working all things for our benefit, we will be able to laugh at what seems like calamity.
17 "Behold, joyous is the man whom Elohim corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
18 For He bruises, but He binds up; he wounds, but His hands make whole.
19 He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.
20 In famine He shall redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22 You shall laugh at destruction and famine, and you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
There are more times given to laugh and dance. The word translated as “dance” is ragad. It means “to dance; to leap about”. We saw that Sukkot is a time for playing and dancing, as are all Festivals of YHWH. The Festivals are called Chagim, from the word chagag, which means’ “to move in a circle”, something that you do when you are dancing.
The Hebrew word translated as “laugh” is sachaq. It means, “to laugh, to play, to play music”. It is the physical side of rejoicing. This word is used in the following passages speaking of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem:
2 Sam 6:4-5The lame man healed by Peter danced and sang unto YHWH:
4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of Elohim; and Ahio went before the ark.
5 Then David and all the house of Israel played music before YHWH on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.2 Sam 6:21-22
21 So David said to Michal, "It was before YHWH, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of YHWH, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before YHWH.
22 "And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor."
Acts 3:6-9Laughing and dancing are for celebrating the things of YHWH; His Feasts, His Temple, His promises, His provision, His Kingship, and even His correction. We are given times for laughing and dancing and times for mourning and weeping. Knowing the time and the season for each will help us to see what YHWH wants us to understand from these things.
6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Yahshua HaMashiach of Nazareth, rise up and walk."
7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the Temple with them-- walking, leaping, and praising YHWH.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising YHWH.
A Time to Kill and a Time to Heal
Ecclesiastes 3:There are many times in the Scriptures that killing was a delight unto Heaven. Most are connected to idolatry. The Levites killed their idolatrous brothers after the golden calf incident. Pinchas killed Zimri for trying to introduce idolatrous sexual practices into the worship of YHWH. Yehoshua (Joshua) and the Israelites slew the occupants of the Promised Land so that their idolatry would not spread to Israel. Many people of both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms were slain by conquering armies because of their pagan practices. And there was one killing that may have more to do with idolatry than we first realize.
1 Everything is given an appointed season and a time to be a pleasure unto Heaven
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal...
Exod 2:11-12We can see that this killing was in a specific time. Note the beginning of the passage, "now it came to pass in those days, when Moshe was grown". It was a time to kill, but there is more going on in this passage than meets the eye. Moshe was raised as part of the royal family of Egypt. He knew the ways of the Egyptians, but because he was raised in part by his Hebrew mother, he knew that he was a Hebrew. From one point of view we can see that Moshe acted as his brother’s keeper, defending him from the Egyptian. But there is something else happening here. The Scripture says that “he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one”. We could take this to mean that there really were no other people there, but that the Egyptian and the Hebrew were the two minds of Moshe. Moshe rejected, or killed, his Egyptian side, left Egypt, and became a shepherd, unwittingly entering training for the awesome tasks that awaited him.
11 Now it came to pass in those days, when Moshe was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
12 So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
I believe that this act of Moshe reveals the following teaching of Sha’ul (Paul):
Rom 8:13Moshe put to death the deeds of the body (the Egyptian) and took up the deeds of the Spirit (the Hebrew).
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Rom 6:4-7In the above passage, Sha’ul teaches us that death frees us from sin, but in the next passage Yacov (James) teaches us that it is sin that brings death:
4 Therefore we were buried (like the Egyptian) with Him through baptism into death, that just as Messiah was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (like the Hebrew).
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
James 1:14-15Isn’t it interesting that he said “when it is fully grown”. This is when Moshe confronted the Egyptian in himself, “when Moshe was grown”. This shows us that there is a season and a time for death. The season is when our selfish desires come, and the time is when sin is fully-grown from our desires. This is when our time of reckoning comes and we must choose which death we will partake of. The question is, will we bury the Egyptian in the sand or bury our heads in the sand and allow sin to take hold. Will we kill the Egyptian, hear from the Spirit, put off our selfishness, take up the death of Messiah and be freed from sin?. Or will we kill the Hebrew by surrendering to our desires and to the ways of the flesh, bringing forth death in the Spirit? There is only one remedy for death, and that is dying. In order for killing to be “a pleasure unto Heaven”, we must die to ourselves by killing our selfish Egyptian side whenever it seeks to bring forth sin and death. This is a time to kill.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
And a time to heal. The time for healing is when the Tree of Life bears fruit:
Rev 22:1-5The Tree of Life is related to wisdom and knowledge:
1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of YHWH and of the Lamb.
2 In the middle of its broad, and on either side of the river, was the Tree of Life, which bore twelve fruits, and yielded its fruit every new moon. The offshoots of the tree were for the healing of the nations (ethnos = race or tribe).
3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of YHWH and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
4 They shall see His face, and His Name shall be on their foreheads.
5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for YHWH Elohim gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Prov 3:13-29Wisdom and knowledge are found in YHWH’s commandments:
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.
Rev 22:14Now let’s consider this passage:
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city
Acts 3:1-11Those who do the commandments belong to the right season, as the commandments include keeping the moedim of YHWH. It was being in the right place at the right time that brought about the healing of the man at the gate. It is being in the right place at the right time, in the right season, which will bring our healing. The season for healing is when we are seeking wisdom and understanding. The time for healing is Rosh Chodesh (the New Moon), as this is the time that the Tree of Life bears its twelve fruits, which bring our healings.
1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful (harayos = belonging to the right hour or season), to ask alms from those who entered the temple;
3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us."
5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Yeshua HaMashiach of Nazareth, rise up and walk."
7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them-- walking, leaping, and praising YHWH.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising YHWH.
10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed.
A Time to Break Down and a time to Build Up
Eccl 3:1,3bThe word translated as "break down" is parats. It means "to break or burst out (from the womb or an enclosure)". This hints to the idea that the "breaking down" is not to be externally accomplished, but must come from within, hence a "breaking out", a destroying from the inside.
1. Everything is given an appointed season and a time to be a pleasure unto Heaven
3. ... a time to break down, and a time to build up.
The word translated as "build up" is banah, which means "to build or to rebuild". This clearly puts the parallel "a time to break down, and a time to build up" in the context of a building. It is the internal tearing down of a building that we will examine. This building is the Beit HaMikdash, the Temple.
The Temple built by Shlomo (Solomon) was physically destroyed on the Ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av. The Babylonians destroyed it. But there is more to it than that. The question is, "Why was the Temple destroyed?"
Jer 19:14-15Jeremiah had been sent to warn Judah to repent from their pagan practices and return to YHWH, but they "stiffened their necks". They stubbornly refused to believe that YHWH was speaking to them. Instead of heeding the prophet, they did what they saw fit.
14 Then Jeremiah came from Tophet, where YHWH had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of YHWH's house and said to all the people,
15 "Thus says YHWH Tzavaot, the Elohim of Israel: 'Behold, I will bring on this city and on all her towns all the doom that I have pronounced against it, because they have stiffened their necks that they might not hear My words.'"
Jer 18:18There is much to be seen in the above verse, "We will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart." Each did as he individually saw fit. Each person made his own plans and each person did what his evil heart told him was right. This is selfishness, and it is a very big problem. Paul admonished us:
18 Then they said, "Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us attack him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words."Jer 18:12
12 And they said, "That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart."
1 Cor 10:24It is this seeking of their own way that brought about the destruction of the Temple. The Jewish sages said that the Temple was destroyed because of unjust hatred of one another and because nobody cared enough about each other to rebuke one another. Everyone wanted his own way and despised being told what to do, especially by the prophet. So, while Nebuchadnezzar and his army tore down the Temple, it was actually destroyed from within by the very people for whom it was built. They "broke out" of the Temple and ended up as captives in Babylon.
24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being.
The Second Temple was also destroyed on the Ninth of Av, for the same reasons. They were judged because they did not heed the prophets. Yochanan (John) came preaching repentance and Yahshua came proclaiming the Kingdom, yet each one continued to do what was right in his own eyes. They had no unity. The Temple is called the Beit HaMikdash in Hebrew. This translates as "House of the Holy Place." It is very important that all those of a house be of the same mind in order to avoid destruction. As Yahshua warned us:
Luke 11:17This becomes very clear when we understand that the Beit HaMikdash is us.
17 "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls."
1 Cor 3:16-17We must be in one accord, not seeking what we want, but "one another's well being". If we do otherwise, we will break forth, destroying the House from within. The season for destruction is Tammuz 17 through Av 9. Tammuz 17 is when the Babylonians breached the wall of Jerusalem and the Ninth of Av is when they physically accomplished what Judah had already brought to past spiritually, the destruction of the Temple. How is the destruction of the Temple a pleasure unto Heaven? First, it brings Justice, but it also brings an opportunity for repentance. It removes the deteriorated materials and gives us the choice of building it right this time. This brings us to "a time to build".
16 Do you not know that you are the Temple of YHWH and that the Spirit of YHWH dwells in you?
17 If anyone defiles the Temple of YHWH, YHWH will destroy him. For the Temple of YHWH is holy, which Temple you are.
The Hebrew word banah is translated as "build up" in Ecclesiastes 3:3. Banah is defined as, "to build or rebuild". It is the same building that was destroyed from within that must be rebuilt from within. YHWH commanded the Tabernacle, the predecessor of the Temple, for a specific purpose:
Exod 25:8The Tabernacle and Temples were not so that YHWH could have a beautiful physical house on the earth, but so that we might learn, from the structures, how to become a House for the dwelling of YHWH. It is incumbent upon the People of YHWH to build this House. It starts with studying the blueprints, the previous physical Houses and learning their spiritual lessons. But there are other preparations necessary.
8 "And let them make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell in them."
The building of the Altar always preceded the building of the Temple. The gathering of rounded, uncut river stones was the first order of business. These stones are a picture of people who have either never been shaped by the doctrines of men, or have had their corners worn away by the water of the Word. When these stones are joined together, the offerings, and therefore the teachings, may begin.
Another preparation for the rebuilding is the divorcing of foreign wives. We can see this as Ezra prepares to rebuild the Temple:
Ezra 10:10-12We must divorce ourselves from everything pagan. This is a tall order and must be undertaken with diligence. We can see that the women in question were "people of the land". They lived in the land of Israel, but they were not Israel. There are many things that have become attached, or married, to the worship of YHWH that are of pagan origin. They are in the People of YHWH, but they are not of YHWH. These things must be sought out and sent away so that the Temple can be rebuilt.
10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have transgressed and have taken pagan wives, adding to the guilt of Israel.
11 "Now therefore, make confession to YHWH Elohim of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the pagan wives."
12 Then all the assembly answered and said with a loud voice, "Yes! As you have said, so we must do."
Judgment is also necessary for the rebuilding:
Zech 4:9-10Zerubbabel means, "sown in Babylon." This represents both Judah in captivity anciently and all of Yisrael in captivity to the Babylonian system now. Notice that the Menorah rejoices to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. This plumb line represents two things. It shows that the one sown in Babylon is at work on the Temple. But the plumb line is used to determine how straight or level something is, and is therefore a picture of judgment. They rejoice to see that those leaving Babylon have taken up judgment!
9 "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this Temple; his hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that YHWH Tzavaot has sent Me to you.
10 "For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of YHWH, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth."
1 Pet 4:17-19We must be willing to judge ourselves and our House as a whole. Our plumb line is Torah as lived by Yahshua.
17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the House of YHWH; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of YHWH?
18 Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of YHWH commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
Finally, stones must be fashioned for the Temple building:
1 Pet 2:4-5The rounded stones of the Altar, having been joined together by the mortar of Truth, must begin to shape other stones, teaching people Truth, so that they may be built up into a Spiritual House in which YHWH may dwell. The stones of the Temple were cut and shaped away from the site of the Temple. They were joined together for fit off site and then transported and refit on the Temple Mount. Likewise, we must quarry, shape, and fit together, or receive, teach, and set in unified order, outside of Jerusalem. So that when the time comes, we may be reassembled into an eternal dwelling place.
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by YHWH and precious,
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a Spiritual House, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to YHWH through Yahshua HaMashiach.
The command to build a dwelling place for YHWH is always in force. The time for building is the first opportunity. The time is now. It is the rebuilding that makes the breaking down a pleasure unto Heaven.
A Time of War
Eccl 3:1,8The Hebrew word translated as “war” is milchamah. It means “a battle; generally, war”. It is from the word lacham, which means “ to fight, to do battle, to make war: to eat, to use as food”. This is the same word, pronounced lechem, that is generally translated as “bread”. So war and bread are not only connected, they are practically the same thing.
1 Everything is given an appointed season and a time to be a pleasure unto Heaven.
8 ... a time of war, and a time of peace.
If we break down the word milchama into mi l’chama, we can read it as “who is bread”, as well as “who will devour” or “who will make war”. Being “The Bread” means being one who will make war.
Who is The Bread?
Matt 26:26The Bread is the Body of Messiah. This means that he “who will war” is the body of Messiah. What a departure from the normal perspective of the body! But doesn’t this make sense? Consider the Scriptures.
26 And as they were eating, Yahshua took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."1 Cor 10:16-17
16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the community of the blood of Messiah? The bread which we break, is it not the community of the body of Messiah?
17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
Paul describes the desired attributes of the believer as “ the whole armor of YHWH”:
Eph 6:13-17Yahshua is seen as a fierce warrior in Revelation:
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of YHWH, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of YHWH;
Rev 19:11-15And consider this:
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of YHWH.
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty Judge.
Exod 15:3Even YHWH is called a man of war! He is identified over and over in the Scriptures as YHWH Tzavaot, YHWH of the armies. So, having established the “who” of war, we will examine the “when”, so that we may know the appointed season and a time for war to be a pleasure unto Heaven. We will start with Abram.
3 YHWH is a man of war (ish milchamah); YHWH is His name.
Gen 14:5-14Abram went to war when he “heard that his brother was taken captive”. It is also interesting to note Abram’s companions, “three hundred and eighteen trained (servants) who were born in his own house”. The word for “servant” is not in the Hebrew text. He had with him “three hundred and eighteen trained who were born in his own house”. The Hebrew word translated as “trained” is chanik. It means “ trained, instructed, or disciplined”. These people were Abram’s students, his fellow believers. So how does this apply to us?
5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
6 and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness.
7 Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar.
8 And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim
9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar-- four kings against five.
10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains.
11 Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way.
12 They also took Lot, Abram's brother's son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram.
14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
2 Tim 2:24-26When our brethren are taken captive by HaSatan’s lies, it is a time for us to go to war. We are to war by patiently teaching and humbly correcting them. This helps us to understand these passages:
24 And a servant of the Master must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if YHWH perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
Eph 6:10-12Not only are we to go to war on behalf of our brethren, we are go to war alongside our brethren:
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in YHWH and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of Elohim, that you may be able to stand against the deceit of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.2 Cor 10:3-6
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in YHWH for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of YHWH, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Messiah,
6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Num 32:5-7We are not to stand idly by while our brethren are at war. We must stand with them and encourage them. To do anything else is a sin against YHWH:
5 Therefore they said, "If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan."
6 And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: "Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here?
7 "Now why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which YHWH has given them?
Num 32:20-23Of course it is always the season to battle Amalek, the filthy spirit that seeks to destroy Israel:
20 Then Moses said to them: "If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before YHWH for the war,
21 "and all your armed men cross over the Jordan before YHWH until He has driven out His enemies from before Him,
22 "and the land is subdued before YHWH, then afterward you may return and be blameless before YHWH and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before YHWH.
23 "But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against YHWH; and be sure your sin will find you out.
Exod 17:16Now we will refine our question of ‘when?”. When should the individual go to battle?
16 for he said, "Because YHWH has sworn: YHWH will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."
Deut 20:1-9The person of war is one who is not afraid and whose heart is not somewhere else. In short, it is someone who is fully committed. No one wants to depend on a half-hearted soldier to cover his back. Fear and lack of commitment are contagious. Only those with the resolve to fight and win should go into battle. If we go into battle at a time in which we are not fully committed, it will not be a pleasure unto Heaven.
1 "When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for YHWH your Elohim is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
2 "So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people.
3 "And he shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them;
4 'for YHWH your Elohim is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.'
5 "Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying: 'What man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.
6 'And what man is there who has planted a vineyard and has not yet eaten of it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man eat of it.
7 'And what man is there who is betrothed to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man marry her.'
8 "The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, 'What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.'
9 "And so it shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
The proper timing is everything in war. Consider this passage:
Deut 1:40-46The men of Israel had to wander in the wilderness until all that had not gone to war when commanded, and that went to war when told not to, had died. This took forty years. It is noteworthy that the word milchama appears forty times in the Torah. Forty is the number of transition, ie: forty days of rain during the flood leading to a new earth, forty days of fasting before Yahshua began His public ministry, etc. This teaches us that war is a time of transition. We must fight to ascend to higher levels of separateness, to regain what was lost, and to take what was promised. We must experience times of war in order to experience times of peace. We must be one “who will fight” in order to become one “who is The Bread”.
40 'But as for you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.'
41 "Then you answered and said to me, 'We have sinned against YHWH; we will go up and fight, just as YHWH our Elohim commanded us.' And when everyone of you had girded on his weapons of war, you were ready to go up into the mountain.
42 "And YHWH said to me, 'Tell them, "Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; lest you be defeated before your enemies."'
43 "So I spoke to you; yet you would not listen, but rebelled against the command of YHWH, and presumptuously went up into the mountain.
44 "And the Amorites who dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do, and drove you back from Seir to Hormah.
45 "Then you returned and wept before YHWH, but YHWH would not listen to your voice nor give ear to you.
46 "So you remained in Kadesh many days, according to the days that you spent there.