Not only do the nations stand up and take note that You do great things for Israel, Thy chosen people; but we too testify, "The Lord does great things for us. Yes! Our hearts are overwhelmed with gladness." I think of what Paul wrote when he said, "Praised be Adonai, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who in the Messiah has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven."
If I just sit and meditate on the phrase "every spiritual blessing", I could draw up a list of blessings, O God of all grace. For were it not for favour, wisdom, godly instruction, power and help, protection, mercy, loving kindness and gracious provisions that You have so graciously lavished upon me, my life would have been a struggle, fearful and possibly a mess filled with mistakes. Each day I can reflect and proclaim with gladness, "The Lord has truly done and continues to do great things. Blessed be His name."
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. The next feast is Shavuot (or Pentecost) which is 50 days from First-fruits. (This year it falls on May 20, 2018.)
From the day of First-fruits, which was the day our Lord rose from the dead, we have now completed 46 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 many others for 40 days before pouring out the Holy Spirit upon them and clothing them with power from on high. Having now seen the Lord ascend into heaven the disciples tarried in Jerusalem just as He instructed them. The Feast of Weeks was only ten days away when all Israel was to gather in Jerusalem according to the command of God. While Yeshua told them that they would receive the Holy Spirit “not many days from now”, could they have imagined that this glorious promise of the Father would be granted to them on the day of the Feast of Weeks? I wonder if they knew that God was to fulfil one more of His promises on His appointed ‘Moedim’, just as He did on His other three appointed days of Passover (in Yeshua’s death); the Feast of Unleavened Bread (in Yeshua’s burial) and in First-fruits (Yeshua’s resurrection).
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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