It is amazing how we have used Your word to twist it and make it say what 'tickles our ears'. Of course, twisting the truth always comes with a price and it is often after a very long spell of wasted time that we recognize the damage it has caused. One need not look far to see how so-called "teachers of Your word" have advocated a "gospel" totally out of sync with the truth. They preach blessing while being silent on obedience. They talk of ease while sidestepping the teaching that we are not of this world but rather need to live as a separate people who proclaim the excellencies of our Master while setting our eyes on the tings that are above. They are eloquent while speaking of grace but are deliberately quiet while preaching on repentance (returning to love and the Lord with a fervent devotion), righteousness (walking in such a way that the Messiah is seen in them) and humility (knowing that God opposes, even turns against, the proud). Such teachers will receive a just recompense for leading many astray.
But what makes things worse is when these very "Bible scholars" in the ease of their compromised lives, scoff and hurl contempt at the ones who walk after Your ways. They can see the difference in the lives of Thy bond-servants but harden their hearts to the truth holding tight to what gives them that 'ease'. O Adonai, often this scoffing and contempt makes me wonder in lonely retrospect, "Who will understand?" Yet I rejoice because like You told Elijah when he thought that he alone was left, You said, "I have reserved 7000 in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal."
Song of Ascents comprises of a collection of 15 psalms from Psalm 120 to 134. While there are a number of suggestions as to what the phrase, “Song of Ascents” could mean, one thought is that these psalms were sung by Israel as they went up to Jerusalem to celebrate the three annual feasts that the Lord had commanded (Lev. 23; Ex. 23:14).
We have concluded the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread which started on the 15th day of the first month of the Biblical calendar (or on the evening of March 30, 2018). During this seven day feast, Israel went up to Jerusalem singing these Songs of Ascent.
From the day of First-fruits, which was the day our Lord rose from the dead, we have now completed 28 days of counting up to the fifty days to Shavuot (Lev. 23:15-16), the next feast day of the Lord. This counting is also a good reminder of the fact that after our Lord Yeshua rose again, He revealed Himself to His disciples and to many others for 40 days. This means that even as we have counted 28 days to Shavuot, our risen Lord showed Himself with convincing evidence on each of these days—walking with them and eating with them—to help them understand that He truly is alive. Ten days after His ascension, on Shavuot, the Holy Spirit was poured out from heaven and filled men and women, clothing them with power from on high.
My purpose of posting a verse from these psalms each day (during these days between the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) which in Greek is called Pentecost) is so that we too—if you are a son (or daughter) of Israel, even though you once may have been a Gentile but now through the great grace shown to us by the Father and through the blood of the Messiah Yeshua—can pilgrim into the presence of the Most High God (for we are the temple of God and the Holy Spirit dwells in us) singing these psalms to Him who sits on the throne (in heaven and in our hearts).
Join with me then O son of Israel and let us exalt the name of our God together as we pilgrim on His appointed feast days just as He commanded.
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