Episode Transcript
[00:00:10] Speaker A: All right, well, I wanted to thank Rabbi for allowing me to speak today while he's out of town. And I just want to also thank Lance and Travis, and I don't know if you guys watched the Torah service this morning, but Steve got up here at the Bema today for the first time in a year and a half, Baruch Hashem.
So I've got a lot I want to say today, so let's just go ahead and get into it. All right, so today is a very special day on the Jewish calendar. It is Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat of consolation, which comes after the 9th of AV, and the three weeks of mourning, which begins the seven weeks of consolation before Rosh Hashanah. And today is also Tuba AV, the 15th of AV, which is a minor holiday, but with much significance that I hope to touch on a little bit today. So today's haftara begins with the famous line, nachamu, Nachamu ami. Comfort, comfort my people. And then continues on to even more familiar verse. A voice cries out in the wilderness, prepare the way of Hashem. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. And we saw the clear connection in our Gospel portion with John the Baptist calling out for repentance because the kingdom of heaven was near.
So how are we to do that, to prepare the way of Hashem? Let's begin. Looking back at the book of the Torah that we started last week, Devarim. So the entire book of Deuteronomy, Moses is telling the second generation, the generation that will enter into the promised Land, what has happened, and he is preparing the way for them to enter.
Before we move forward, though, I want us to look at the difference between these two generations, the generation that exited Egypt and the generation that entered into the land of Israel.
I believe we will see striking similarities between those two generations and the two generations that are here now, today, present in our synagogue and also present in the larger Messianic Jewish movement to those older than, let's just say, 35 in here. Okay.
I would like you to raise your hand if there is anyone who is raised and stayed in the Messianic Jewish movement that is in here today.
That's what I thought. Okay. No one. All right. So it's safe to say, and this is also for you online as well. You need to participate. So it's safe to say that the older generation of Messianic Judaism is a generation who had to leave Egypt, so to speak, to get here where you are today.
Whether that was leaving various sects of Judaism or Christianity or maybe secularism or who knows what. There are tons of paths you all have had to travel. You had to leave what you were raised in to get to this beautiful place on this journey. But you, much like the first generation and much like Moses himself, have to understand that the generation after you, their souls are different.
While you had to uproot yourself from what was normal and how you were raised, they need to be grounded in what they have been brought up in. While you knew the backbreaking labor of Egypt, the empty promises it conveys, and the miracles it took to get out, they may only know of the wilderness protection of the clouds of glory.
So you younger generation in here, we'll just say under 35, I guess, or somewhere in there, you represent the second generation who did not really know anything other than what their parents had taught them. Like the second generation, many of them were not at Sinai for the revelation of the Torah. Many of them did not cross the Sea of Reeds. And you have not had to pioneer the unchartered paths of faith. Rather, as stated, you have been insulated, never knowing the full depths of Egypt and its enticements.
So now to our Torah portion Va Echanan and I pleaded.
Moses pleads with Hashem to let him enter into the land. We know that Hashem says no, but that he will show Moses the land and strengthen Joshua to lead the next generation of Israelites. So first, let's look at the generational differences that Moses had encountered and how that connects with us today.
So back in Torah portion Hukkat a few weeks ago, our story is found in Numbers, chapter 20. It picks up nearing the end of the 40 year wilderness journey.
Most of the first generation of Israelites had died out and the second generation was now on the scene. If you remember, earlier in the Torah, about 38 years prior, while the first generation had just come out of Egypt, they thirsted for water and Hashem commanded Moses to strike the rock and water came out. However, this time, 38 years later, things have changed. A new generation has emerged and the people are begging for water. But. But this time, Hashem commands Moses not to strike the rock, but to speak to it. However, what does Moses do? He strikes the rock twice.
And this is where Moses ultimately forfeits his ability to go into the land. But why? Why was this such a huge issue?
I want to suggest that there was a qualitative difference between the souls of the first generation and the souls of the second generation.
This is an article from Chabad. Listen Closely. As good intentioned as Moses was, he was mistaken in striking the rock. This was not the same generation had come out of Egypt. These were their children. The Jews who were ready to enter into Israel after 40 years in the wilderness did not experience the Sinai revelation or the miracles in Egypt. If their parents were cold or indifferent to holiness after witnessing firsthand all of the great miracles God had done, it could only have been from a rebellious spirit or a resistance to holiness. But if there was a hardness in the hearts of this, the second generation, it could easily be traced to a simple lack of awareness. They did not possess a hardened heart that needed to be broken with harshness to extract the pure waters of godliness from their hearts. They merely needed to be spoken to, to be educated. They needed to be shown how lofty their potential was, something that they might have have been totally and innocently unaware of.
All too often we hear of the older generation speak negatively about the younger generation. Us millennials and Gen Z and Gen Alpha as soft and sensitive, right? Maybe that's true on some level though. But have we ever considered that maybe that's how Hashem created the souls of those generations to be not soft in the sense of weakness, but soft in the sense of soft hearted? In stark contrast to the hard heartedness of the first generation. Not sensitive as in a frail flower, but sensitive in the ability to sense the subtle shifts of the spiritual forces at play in the world. The sages actually state that the loftiest souls are those who are most sensitive because their souls can perceive so much spirituality.
So I must address the older generation in the room. As I just read, it must be noted that this next generation is not the same as you. Their experience of faith and their souls are inherently different than yours. And we must recognize that we cannot make the same mistake as Moses who with good intentions was too harsh on the generation that would fulfill the promise of entering the land. It is also important that you recognize the world is changing. We cannot continue to do things the way we have always done. And we cannot expect to solve the problems of today, we with the solutions of yesterday. We have to be compassionate and possess the ability to change how we view the world and the next generation. We can't continue to view the good old days those behind us.
Excuse me. We can't continue to view the good old days as those behind us, fantasizing about the glory of what was and being prideful about how tough we were back in our day.
Is that not the same mistake that that the first generation made? Continuously looking Back to Egypt. We must look and move forward. While maybe you did need the rod, they only need to be spoken to, to be educated. They need you to speak in to their latent potential, to encourage them, to affirm them, to teach them, to correct them, but not with harshness.
Now, older generation sitting in the room, you may feel, well, Derek, didn't that older generation die out in the wilderness? They didn't enter the land.
So what is your message for us?
I see that we can help the next generation. But are we doomed? Well, you're right, they didn't enter into the land. But let's look a bit deeper into this and see what's going on. So when the sin of the spies occurred, the the generation, that generation believed the bad report, which was they could not enter into the land. With the exception of Joshua and Caleb, we know about them, there was something in that generation that did not yearn for the land enough.
And maybe we could say that there's something in us that doesn't yearn for the redemption enough.
However, older generation, that doesn't have to be you. You can be the Joshua and Calebs that lead the younger generation.
But honestly, you can make the correction entirely. You can choose to believe the good report. You can choose to believe that you as well can hasten and bring the redemption. You do not have to believe the lie. But you can't look back. You must look forward.
And I want to mention the midrash that I actually talked about in that tuba video the other day. It's a midrash. You can take it literally. You don't have to take it literally. That's up to you. But it's in the introduction to Echa Rabba. And what would happen, or what it said, is that on the 9th of AV, when the sin of the spies occurred and the decree was that that entire generation was going to die out, the children of Israel would dig their graves every year on the 9th of AV. And 15,000 of the men would die every single year on the 9th of AV. So we get to the 40th year, there's 15,000 left. They all know they're done after the 9th of Avenue. And what happens? They dig their graves. They go thinking they're going to die. They go to sleep that night, they wake up the next morning, it happens again on the 10th, it happens again on the 11th, they think that there's a calendar error they've made. And so anyways, it gets to the 15th of AV, they see it's the full moon, they Know we can't make it. This is not a calendar error, and so Hashem must have rescinded the decree.
So whether that's true or not, I think what it does is it paints a picture. And by the way, that happened on Tuba avoid today, okay?
It paints a picture that there is hope for a remnant of the older generation.
But even more important to note that first generation, they are considered by the sages the greatest generation, the generation of knowledge. They experienced and saw the greatest of Hashem's miracles. The splitting of the sea, the revelation at Sinai, the ten plagues of Egypt. They knew the harsh physical and psychological labor of Egypt. And while they made mistakes, their fortitude and resolve was unmatched. And likewise the same for the entire older generation who sits here today and listening online.
You have the spiritual prowess of Joshua and Caleb, and while many of your peers were lost in the wilderness, you have kept the faith. And you do not see yourself as grasshoppers and the redemption as a giant.
So, younger generation, do not look down on those boomers, because while they may have a hardness to them, that hardness has been fortified by constant faithfulness and determination.
You do not know what it's like to leave what you were raised in. You do not know the sacrifice and alienation. You do not know that journey. And for those reasons, you should honor this generation that that has set such a strong foundation for you. You should not view them as outdated or incapable, but rather giants that you stand on the shoulders of.
And that just leads me to a commandment in the Torah to stand up for your elders. When Rabbi Damien walks in the door, we should be standing up. When Dr. And Ms. Eisner walk through the door, the founders of this place, we should be rising. When the elders of this congregation walk in the door, we should all be rising in respect to them.
So to all of you, though, there is something else needed here. The younger generation doesn't know the older generation's experience, but they need to.
So I'm challenging everyone today. Older generation, share your story, your faith journey with this younger generation, with your children and younger generation, seek out to listen, ask to hear how the people who forged this path got to this place, and truly desire to learn from these incredible people and internalize their stories and sacrifice and let that help fuel you to complete your mission.
Older generation, be bold and courageous and flexible and help this younger generation with gentleness in fulfilling their destiny. And what is that destiny?
That destiny is that we have been encircling this mountain long enough, and it's Time to go up and take the land. It's time to hasten and bring forth the redemption. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. But this time it's not just inwardly and spiritually, but outwardly and physically as well.
We are living at the edge of history.
I would like to state unequivocally that today we sit on the precipice of the redemption and that our younger generation, that second generation, so to speak, has a chance to seize the redemption. It is in their hands. Now you may say, Derek, every generation since Yeshua has believed that they were at the end. And you are absolutely correct.
However, I want to share with you some things about Jewish prophecy and timekeeping that maybe you are unaware of.
In Isaiah 60, verse 22, speaking on the redemption, it states states, I will hasten it in its time, meaning if Israel is worthy, I will hasten it hasten the redemption. That is, if not, it will come in its due time. Well, the rabbis ask, well, what does it mean in its due time? Well, there is a Jewish understanding that the world we know it will exist for 6,000 years corresponding to the six cosmic days of creation, and that one day is likened to a thousand years.
And that at the end of the 6,000 years we will enter into the seventh millennium, that cosmic Shabbat.
So the first 1,000 years represents the first day of the week, Sunday, the second day of the week, Monday and so forth.
So what year are we in on the Jewish calendar?
5785.
So 5785 on a cosmic scale puts us a little over 3/4 through the 6th millennium, which means we are 3/4 of the way through the 6th day of the week. And we know that the day begins at dusk as the sun sets. So putting us almost at 1pm on the cosmic preparation day, Friday afternoon, with Shabbat coming in just a few hours.
Now the question is, do we have to wait for the rest of the afternoon? Do we have to wait until the year 6000 and another 214 plus years for the redemption? And the answer is no. We can hasten and bring the redemption now. We can bring in the Shabbat early. We don't have to wait for the set time.
This is the incredible thing about Jewish prophecy, is that it depends upon us.
This is why Yeshua did not know the day or the hour because it was dependent upon humanity and how we would respond. And unfortunately, we, like the children of Israel, have taken the long circuitous route, but we still can merit to bring it in a few Hours early.
But there's something even more fascinating that we'll further point out about the times we are living in. There is something very interesting about noontime on Friday.
We know that Adam and Chava were created on the sixth day of the week. And there are many midrashes that say that give detailed hour by hour accounts of what happened on the sixth day of the week of creation. And so it says it was on noon of the sixth day of the week of creation when Chava was left alone and the serpent approached her while unsure of the day of the week. It was noon on the day when the Israelites believed Moses had died and demanded the construction of the golden calf.
And it was the sixth day of the week at noon, when Yeshua was on the cross and darkness and confusion came over the land.
So we see noontime, especially the sixth day of the week, is a great time of testing. Once entered, we enter into that afternoon period.
So, as I stated, a thousand years is a day. So according to that reckoning, when did noon on the 6th day occur?
To save you the math, I was going to see if y' all actually were going to try to think about it. Noon on the sixth millennium was the year 1990.
So I want you to think about the shifts and tests in the world since 1990.
I believe this older generation would agree with me. Doesn't it seem like a different world before 1990?
It seems that things are accelerating at an alarming rate and there is no slowing it down.
From a bit more of a mystical perspective, our sages state that when noon on Friday occurs, the spiritual worlds begin to elevate.
And it's as if the holiness of Shabbat just sort of begins to suck you in, whether you recognize it or not.
I'm sure many of you know what it's like to prepare for Shabbat. You're hosting a really nice Shabbat dinner at your house. You. You have guests coming. And when Friday afternoon hits, everyone begins running around like a chicken with their head cut off. Okay, it's chaotic. Everyone's rushing. Time seems to be moving at the speed of light. Well, the same with the cosmic Shabbat. Friday afternoon is here. The world is chaotic and everything is accelerating exponentially. And there is no way to slow it down.
This is because, whether we are conscious of it or not, we are all headed toward the end, that great Shabbat, that final redemption.
So I want us to consider other things that are occurring just over the past few years or decade that have never occurred in the history of mankind and show that we are living at the edge of the redemption.
First, the creation of the Internet, which I'll return to in a moment. And more recently, political upheaval like we've never seen. Covid, the pandemic and all that it brought. Wars in Europe and threats of wars in the Far east. The tragedy of October 7th and the hostages that are still being held.
Antisemitism on levels that we have not seen since the Holocaust. Which rabbi is doing a valiant job teaching on, which really that anti Semitism is veiled, anti Judaism.
And it's coming from the people who we thought were our friends.
But there's good things that are happening. Greater Israeli sovereignty over the land of Israel, the providing for of the red heifers which they, by the way, they just ran through a practice run. I don't know if you know that.
The burning of the red heifer and getting its ashes they used. They ran through a practice run on one that had become impure, or not impure, but ineligible.
And Israel, I don't know if you know this, but Israel, Israel just acquired the tomb of the patriarchs overnight, okay. Which from the Jewish tradition is the gateway to gaan. Aiden, you should look into that.
Even more than that, there's a greater fervor than ever before to rebuild the temple. We are cutting the stones of the third holy Temple and we have the sacred vestments and various articles ready. They're training the priests. And in addition, the restoration of the good news of Yeshua in its proper Jewish context.
Disciples of Yeshua, both Jew and Gentile, worshiping as one in synagogues, ever growing in our observance and demanding more Torah and Judaism as we walk out our faith.
These are things that we have never seen in history, all converging simultaneously. And so I must talk about technology.
So there's a prophecy found in the Zohar. And just hear it, and then I'm going to explain it. Here it is.
In the 600th year of the sixth millennium, the gates of supernal wisdom above, together with the wellsprings of wisdom below, will be opened and the world will prepare to usher in the seventh millennium. This is symbolized by a man who begins preparations for ushering in the Shabbat on the afternoon of the sixth day. The same dynamic is operative here as well. Toward the end of the sixth millennium, preparations are made for entering the seventh. The sign for this is the verse in the 600th year of Noah's life and all the wellsprings of the great deep burst Forth and the floodgates of heaven were open.
This teaches us that in the 600th year of the sixth millennium, year 5600, which corresponds to the year 1840, the wellsprings of the Great Deep will burst forth, meaning secular knowledge and technology would increase from below, represented by the wellsprings of the Great Deep. However, corresponding to this increase in secular knowledge and wisdom coming from below, so too heaven would open its floodgates and rain down.
That is understood to be deeper and more concealed levels of Torah being revealed.
So let's look at what happened in 1840.
This was the dawning of the industrial revolution, and life on this planet has not been the same since.
We were a primarily agrarian society for five and a half millennia. And then overnight, the world changed the same with Torah wisdom. The secrets of the Torah sowed began to be taught more openly amongst Jewish circles around this time. Since then, teachings like this are not kept for private small groups of elites, but rather are taught in safe and careful ways for the entire populace to understand.
In addition, since then there's been Torah revolutions. Teaching Torah to women beyond the normal scope that used to be taught, and then more recently, teaching Torah, including the secrets of Torah to Gentiles. These last two revolutions have occurred recently within this span and have an incredible impact upon us. Hashem has opened the gates of heaven to the depths of his Torah and to the world. World.
We, as disciples of Yeshua, more than anyone else, should be pursuing these deep levels of Torah. So what can we say? What's the takeaway here? As the access to advanced technology exponentially increases, so does the access to the breadth and depth of Torah increases.
In fact, the technology is the vehicle for the Torah. Without the Internet, how many of you would be here and know the things you know today? I. I know no one online would be here.
But seriously, how many of you would be here? If we have progressed so far to artificial intelligence, where should we be with Torah knowledge?
This screams that we are knocking on the door of the redemption here on Friday afternoon.
There is something else about this noon hour of the sixth day that is considered very holy and special.
The Talmud states that during the times of the holy temple and at noon, the priests would sound trumpets to signify to those who were working in the fields that it was time to cease their weekly mundane work and return from the fields in preparation for Shabbat.
And from that point forward, the only work that could be done was specifically work to prepare for the Shabbat.
So when was noon again?
1990.
This means those of us born after 1990, things have shifted. Your souls were sent forth from heaven during this specific time in history because your mission is no longer anything mundane, but rather our work is solely for the purpose for preparing for and ushering in the cosmic Shabbat, the final redemption.
So I would like to suggest that our younger generation is poised to be the generation that brings forth the redemption. I speak to all of you younger generation.
You will see the in gathering of the exiles. You will see the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel. You will witness the building of the third Holy Temple. And you will continue to preach the good news of the Kingdom in its proper Jewish context and make both Jewish and Gentile the disciples of Yeshua. You will be Torah scholars and Hasidim, holy ones who go above and beyond the letter of the law to love their Creator. You will overcome and be faithful to the end. And you will see the coming of Yeshua upon the clouds of heaven and the resurrection of the dead. It is in your hands.
The potential is within you. Just as the second generation of those who came out of Egypt had souls uniquely designed for their task within that redemption, so too you have unique souls to be the generation who brings forth the Kingdom.
However, it is not guaranteed. Although it is in your hand, you can fumble it. You can choose to go the easy route, pushing the redemption down the road, to not make your faith your own, to not walk in holiness, and to not fulfill your divine purpose.
But I believe in the DNA of your souls. Latent within you is the greatest potential that has ever existed in a generation.
You were born for greatness. You were born for such a time as this. But there is a lot of work to do.
Your souls are uniquely equipped to handle this ever changing, exponentially increasing technological world. But you are also equipped to handle how fast things are moving. You were made for this moment. The choice is yours. And we believe in you.
So I've now shown you how close we are to in its due time. But what about hastening the redemption, causing it to come closer? That we humanity can actually change the course of history and cause Yeshua to return immediately, that we do not have to wait for anything.
This is a concept that many in Judaism already understand. And we also see it in the apostolic scriptures.
In second Peter 3, 11 and 12. He says, therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, anticipating and hastening the coming day of God?
So Peter himself teaches that we are to eagerly anticipate and that we can Hasten the redemption.
So how do we hasten the redemption? What does that look like? And how can we accelerate the coming of our Master upon the clouds of heaven beyond, walking in holiness and piety, going above and beyond the letter of the law. The sages have given some practical ways in which we can hasten and bring the redemption.
The first, teaching your children Torah.
Those who hold fast to the Torah, who serve Hashem with all of their heart and soul and teach their children Torah, teaching them not to slacken in their faith of Hashem and Messiah on this Tuba Av, which is when the pious of Israel go above and beyond by beginning Teshuvah, not waiting for Elul. Our sages teach that those who sacrifice in order to educate their children in the ways of Torah is one of the highest forms of repentance.
And it just makes me think about all of the people in here and watching online who have literally moved to this place for their kids.
And likewise, though younger generation, due to the distractions of the world, when you go above and beyond to guard the Torah, this is also considered a great form of repentance, which hastens the redemption.
The second point, longing to build the Temple and studying its laws.
We know that Yeshua's zeal for his father's house consumed him, so it should consume us.
We should be eagerly yearning for God's house to be rebuilt and studying the laws about the Temple and its offerings.
What if when Yeshua returns and all of his disciples are in Jerusalem and he says, gentile disciples, I want you to go up to the Temple and offer whole burnt offerings and Jewish disciples, I want you to go up and offer Thanksgiving offerings.
Do any of us have a clue on where to begin?
No.
So that means we aren't ready.
We are not ready. So how do we get ready? We have to study these laws because one day you may be asked to do so and we would be delaying in fulfilling the Master's command.
This is why we must start to take this seriously. Even us as Gentiles, we should do our best to become as proficient in understanding the Temple and its offerings as possible.
And in addition to that, another thing that will hasten the redemption is treating this synagogue with respect.
This sanctuary right here, the synagogue is viewed as a mini temple, but this sanctuary, especially right here, Yeshua would not allow a shortcut through the Temple quarters, right? We should never use this sanctuary as a shortcut for convenience. Ever. Okay? We should be very mindful of when we are in this room. This place is holy. Okay? And we have to Treat it like it's holy.
We didn't come, none of us came from a background that treats a sanctuary as holy. At least many of us growing up now don't. Okay? It's treated as common, not this place.
The third thing that they say, studying the depths of the Torah, as we have taught before beginning to learn the deeper levels of Torah, can hasten the redemption, specifically the level of sod or the secrets of the Torah. But one must do this in a healthy and balanced way.
That is why those of us whom Hashem has given the desire to be Torah scholars and teachers, we must step up and be able to teach these beautiful insights in a stable manner.
As technology increases, so does the depths of Torah. And we must be prepared to handle not only incredible secular wisdom, but also incredible godly wisdom. Remember, Yeshua stated to his disciples that they were given to the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.
And the fourth and final thing that will hasten the redemption, which is the most powerful of all, is having a deep yearning for the redemption and the return of Messiah.
Being in distress and our hearts breaking over the exile, the destruction of the temple, the fact that Yeshua has yet to return, the sages say that that is tantamount to doing complete repentance.
We are to seek out the redemption and not ask, but to plead and to demand to Hashem that we want to see the restoration of the kingdom, the rebuilding of the Temple, and the return of the Davidic King, Messiah. Yeshua, we must ask with a great sense of urgency, with genuine desire and a deep longing for Yeshua. We must actively hope and believe that Yeshua could return in the blink of an eye and and that not only could happen, but probably will happen today.
A lot of times we think that all these things have to happen, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Like no Jewish prophecy works this way. Good prophecies happen automatically, will happen.
Negative prophecies do not have to happen if we repent. Look at the story of Jonah. We don't have to wait.
I want to share with you, though, a few verses from the apostolic scriptures about yearning and anticipating the redemption. Philippians 3:20. Paul writes, for our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly anticipate the Savior, the Master, Yeshua, the Messiah. Hebrews 9:28 says, so Messiah will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Luke 23:50, 51 Joseph of Arimathea, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.
Luke 2:36 and 38 Anna a prophetess who did not depart from the temple. Coming in that instant, she gave thanks to Hashem and spoke of him, the newborn Yeshua, to all those who awaited the redemption in Jerusalem.
And Luke 2:25 Simeon, this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel.
They were all expecting and awaiting the redemption. And that is the call for this final generation.
So it truly does come down to what is inside of us. Are we yearning for the redemption? Our sages say that this is one of the questions we will be asked on Judgment Day. Did you yearn for salvation?
Tzipisa le Yeshua, yearning for salvation in the Amidah, the daily Amidah, we pray, we hope for your salvation all day, and we are looking forward to your salvation.
That prayer cannot be lip service, but we must yearn daily as often as we can, living as if the redemption is at hand.
And this is beautiful.
Just as Hashem kept vigil and eagerly waited the night of Pesach to redeem Israel, so too he yearns and keeps vigil, anticipating the final redemption. He's waiting and yearning for us to wait and yearn for him.
So, in conclusion, the sages teach that the generations are like the body of a human and that this last generation in which we are in are called the hills of the Messiah.
And we, being the hills, are callous and hard and dirty.
The world is a callous and hardened place.
We're the lowest and dirtiest place of the body, and the least spiritual, so to speak.
I told you, young generation, that you stand on the shoulders of great generations of the past. And honestly, we are much more inferior than those previous generations.
Truly, we are dwarves compared to them.
So why should we be the ones who get to bring in the redemption?
What separates us from everybody else?
The answer to that question is the immense darkness that we have to overcome.
Immodesty and decency and promiscuity have reached unheard levels. Impurity is readily accessible at the click of a button.
Spiritual ruination can come about with little to no effort in a matter of moments.
You used to have to search it out, it now searches you out.
We are mired in a swamp of strange doctrines, with difficulty discerning truth from falsehood. The evil inclination surrounds us on all sides, and temptations are everywhere. The trials of earning a livelihood are difficult.
It's difficult to set time for set prayers, for learning Torah to curb. One desires, to control one's eyes, to control one's tongue.
However, one act of self control, one mitzvah performed, is equivalent to thousands performed in previous generations.
That's what the sages teach about our generation today.
We face insurmountable challenges being incessantly bombarded with trials and temptations of extreme nature. By continuing though to serve Hashem and growing in that service, we are special indeed and we can merit the return of Messiah more than any generation before us.
And those challenges that we face, overcoming them, they render us giants, the tallest of giants, not dwarfs. And we are the tallest of giants standing on the shoulders of other giants. And Hashem has left the redemption up to us and trusts that we are fully capable to rising up to the challenge.
So the fig tree is blossoming and summer is near.
You, the younger generation, will do this.
It is in our hands.
Jewish and Gentile disciples of Yeshua, you will courageously stand against all that is evil in the world, standing up for our Jewish king, our Jewish brothers and sisters, and the ways of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, not the ways of the Church fathers. And you will passionately bring the redemption while walking in holiness and purity.
It will be fulfilled in you the saying I I believe with complete faith in the coming of Messiah. And though he may tarry, nevertheless I will yearn every day for his coming.
You are giants and that video at the beginning older generation was not only to show that we cannot bring the redemption without your help, but we want to do it with you, not apart from you. So as we stretch out our hands, take hold and get up. And in doing so, the hearts of the fathers will be turned to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers, and we will become the generation of Redemption. May there no longer be any mourning in Zion and may we see with our own eyes the consolation of Israel. Shabbat Nachamu Shalom I'm Darren with Shalom Macon.
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[00:40:29] Speaker A: Sam.
