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Introduction 2. Jewish Calendar / Bible Calendar

Faith and Doctrine 4. FEASTS AND HOLIDAYS OF ISRAEL

History and Plain Facts 6. The 1973 Yom Kippur War

The Destruction of the First Holy Temple Questions And Answer (FAQ) 11.

Commentary and Opinion 14.

News &Views 15.

LOVE IS Slow to suspect - quick to trust.

Slow to condemn - quick to justify

Slow to offend - quick to defend

Slow to expose - quick to shield.

Slow to reprimand - quick to forbear

Slow to belit tle - quick to appreciate.

Slow to demand - quick to give.

Slow to provoke - quick to concil iate.

Slow to hinder - quick help

Slow to resent - quick to forgive .

OUR BANNER

Genuine Inspiration

We have girded on the armor,

And our banner is unfurled—

It's the standard of Mt. Zion,

And we'll face a frowning world.

We have on the only breastplate,

It's the shield of truth and right;

And the sword which we are using

Is mighty in the fight!

We are told to hold out faithful,-

By the grace of Elohim we stand,

And we'll work beneath this banner

Till we reach the promised land.

Our Captain — Judea's Lion;

Our weary hearts doth cheer,

He's the Holy One of Zion, And tells

us not to fear.

Yea!

Every thing we can do through Him

Who strength us.

A faithful messenger Is Like the cold of snow in time of harvest to those who send him,

For he refreshes the soul of his Masters. Prov 25:13

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F or many Decades, the

calendar has been a recur-

ring source of doctrinal contro-

versy in the Church of Elohim.

Many articles and papers have

proposed different methods of

calculating the dates of the an-

nual festivals, and at least a

half-dozen different calendars

and calculation methods have

been offered.

This has troubled many sincere

brethren who want to do what

pleases Elohim. With all the

controversy, they are unsure.

But does Elohim really expect

each individual Church mem-

ber to become an expert on cal-

endar matters? We can under-

stand the “calendar issue” by

practicing a prayerful study.

T he Jewish calendar is

based on three astronom-

ical phenomena: the rotation of the

Earth about its axis (a day); the

revolution of the moon about the

Earth (a month); and the revolu-

tion of the Earth about the sun (a

year). These three phenomena are

independent of each other, so there

is no direct correlation between

them. On average, the moon re-

volves around the Earth in about

29½ days. The Earth revolves

around the sun in about 365¼

days, that is, about 12.4 lunar

months.

The civil calendar used by

most of the world has abandoned

any correlation between the moon

cycles and the month, arbitrarily

setting the length of months to 28,

30 or 31 days.

The Jewish calendar, however,

coordinates all three of these astro-

nomical phenomena. Months are

either 29 or 30 days, correspond-

ing to the 29½-day lunar cycle.

Years are either 12 or 13 months,

corresponding to the 12.4 month

solar cycle.

The lunar month on the Jewish

calendar begins when the first sliv-

er of moon becomes visible after

the dark of the moon. In ancient

times, the new months used to be

determined by observation. When

people observed the new moon,

they would notify the Sanhedrin.

The problem with strictly lu-

nar calendars is that there are ap-

proximately 12.4 lunar months in

every solar year, so a 12-month

lunar calendar is about 11 days

shorter than a solar year and a 13-

month lunar is about 19 longer

than a solar year. The months drift

around the seasons on such a cal-

endar: on a 12-month lunar calen-

dar, the month of Nissan, which is

supposed to occur in the Spring,

would occur 11 days earlier in the

season each year, eventually oc-

curring in the Winter, the Fall, the

Summer, and then the Spring

again. On a 13-month lunar calen-

dar, the same thing would happen

in the other direction, and faster.

To compensate for this drift,

the Jewish calendar uses a 12-

month lunar calendar with an extra

month occasionally added. The

Jewish Calendar / Bible Calendar

2013 – 2018 Bible Feasts

Introduction

Roman

year

1st day of

sacred year

LORD’S SUPPER PENTECOST FEAST OF TAB-

ERNACLES

LAST

GREAT

DAY PASSOVER UNLEAVENED

BREAD

2013 MAR.12

(Tu)

MAR.25

(Mon)

MAR.26-APR.1(Tu-

Mon)

MAY.15

(Wed)

SEP.19-25(Thu) SEP.26

(Thu)

2014 APR.1(Tu) APR.14 (Mon) APR.15-21 (Tu-Mon) JUN.04(Wed) OCT.9-15(Thu) OCT.16

(Thu)

2015 MAR.21

(Sat)

APR.3 (Fri) APR.4-10 (Sat-Fri) MAY.24

(Sun)

SEP.28-OCT.4

(Mon)

OCT.5

(Mon

2016 APR.9 APR.22 APR.23-29 JUN.12(Sun) OCT.17-23 OCT.24

2017 MAR.28 APR.10 APR.11-17 MAY.31

(Wed)

OCT.5-11 OCT.12

2018 MAR.17 MAR.30 MAR.31-APR.6 MAY.20

(Sun)

SEP.24-30 OCT.1

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month of Nissan occurs 11 days earlier each year for

two or three years, and then jumps forward 30 days,

balancing out the drift. In ancient times, this month

was added by observation: the Sanhedrin observed

the conditions of the weather, the crops and the live-

stock, and if these were not sufficiently advanced to

be considered "spring," then the Sanhedrin inserted

an additional month into the calendar to make sure

that Pesach (Passover) would occur in the spring (it

is, after all, referred to in the Torah as Chag he-Aviv,

the Festival of Spring!).

Numbering of Jewish Years The year number on the Jewish calendar repre-

sents the number of years since creation, calculated

by adding up the ages of people in the Bible back to

the time of creation. However, this does not neces-

sarily mean that the universe has existed for only

5700 years as we understand years. Many Orthodox

Jews will readily acknowledge that the first six

"days" of creation are not necessarily 24-hour days

(indeed, a 24-hour day would be meaningless until

the creation of the sun on the fourth "day").

Jews do not generally use the words "A.D." and

"B.C." to refer to the years on the civil calendar.

Instead, we use the abbreviations C.E. (Common

Era) and B.C.E. (Before the Common Era), which

are commonly used by scholars today.

The "first month" of the Jewish calendar is the

month of Nissan, in the spring, when Passover oc-

curs.

The names of the months of the Jewish calendar

were adopted during the time of Ezra, after the return

from the Babylonian exile. The names are actually

Babylonian month names, brought back to Israel by

the returning exiles. Note that most of the Bible re-

fers to months by number, not by name.

Months in the Jewish Calendar English Number Length Civil Equivalent

Nissan 1 30 days March-April

Iyar 2 29 days April-May

Sivan 3 30 days May-June

Tammuz 4 29 days June-July

Av 5 30 days July-August

Elul 6 29 days August-September

Tishri 7 30 days September-October

Cheshvan 8 29 or 30 days October-November

Kislev 9 30 or 29 days November-December

Tevet 10 29 days December-January

Shevat 11 30 days January-February

Adar I (leap years only) 12 30 days February-March

Adar

(called Adar Beit in leap

years)

12

(13 in leap years) 29 days February-March

Days of the Jewish Week Other than Shabbat, the name of the seventh day of the week, the Jewish calendar doesn't have names for the days of

the week. The days of the week are simply known as first day, second day, third day, etc. Sometimes they are referred

to more fully as First Day of the Sabbath, etc.

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FEASTS AND HOLIDAYS PASSOVER

In memory of the deliverance of the chil-

dren of Israel from Egypt. See exodus 12,

34; Lev. 23; Deut. 16. Passover is celebrated

on 14th of Nisan (Ex. 12:1, 13:4) and is

usually combined with the Feast of unleav-

ened Bread which lasts seven days, from the

15th to the 21st of Nisan.

NEW TESTAMENT ORDER:

Passover observed as the Lord's Sup-

per in which day our savior died repre-

senting the lamb slain for thousands of

years for the people of Israel. The blood of Yahshuah

represents the salvation of Elohim to the world. John

1:29; Matt. 1:21. Bread and the liquid of grapes sym-

bolically represent the body and the blood of Yahshuah.

Luke 22:16 -20. Done yearly on the date the lamb was

slain and eaten on 14th Nisan to recall and pronounce

the death of the son of Elohim. I Cor. 11:23-31.

FEAST OF TABERNACLES –

A seven day Festival commemorating the Sukkot, or

booths in which the children of Israel dwelt in the wil-

derness after leaving Egypt to the promised land. Build-

ing up booths was a sign of deliverance and miracles

performed by the Father in the wilderness. Among oth-

er miracles, they were provided with food which they

were to share in happiness.

NEW TESTAMENT ORDER - We get happiness in

the Spiritual manner: blessings are revealed and not

like that of manna from heaven and water from the

Rock. John 6:31-33. The spiritual bread is the word of

life from Messiah. John 1:1-2 and water as spiritual

blessings of Messiah 1 Cor. 10:3-4; John 7; Rev. 7: 13-

17. The commemoration of building up of booths is now

indicative to how our souls are built so that we grow in

Grace at levels of faith until we reach perfection - 2

Cor. 5:1-9; Rom. 1:17; 2 Cor. 4:16.

PENTECOST

– The day of the First fruits. The feast

was commemorated in the an-

cient times, where customary, the

priest was required to bless the

First fruits of the land - Lev.

23:10

NEW TESTAMENT ORDER –

Celebrated yearly at its fixed

date, Sivan, 6 - Acts 1:4; Acts 2:1

-2 where we are regarded as

First Fruits in the Spirit - James

1:18; Eph. 1:13-14 and is repeated yearly in or-

der that the fruits of repentance should be blessed

as that of our Lord, where one hundred and twen-

ty souls were blessed to produce much fruit which

resulted in 3000 souls being saved in one day af-

ter Messiah was given power like that of Melkize-

dek and is at the right hand of the Father, contin-

uing to offer spiritual sacrifices Heb 7:17; John

15:1-5; Rom. 8:23, 26; Acts 1:4, 4:4; I Cor. 3:9.

DAY OF ATONEMENT - In the bible

this is a day which Elohim commanded the

Hebrew people to observe with a total fast,

during which day the High Priest offered pre-

scribed sacrifices for the expiation of sin and

guilt (Le. 16:29; 23:27; Num. 29:7-11). Fire

sacrifices were required.

NEW TESTAMENT ORDER - Our

Messiah being the High Priest forever, the order

has changed over spiritually, such that one is

required to pray for forgiveness of sins ANY-

TIME to the Lord and not to wait until the day of

atonement - Rom. 12:1; 1 Pe. 2:1-5; John 1:7-

10; Heb 7; Heb. 9:13-15.

Faith and Doctrine

Second Temple Period After their conquest, the Babylonians

left Yerusalem in piles of rubble and

led thousands and thousands of Jude-

ans back to Babylonia. In Babylonia,

the Jews, with the help of leaders and

prophets, acquired a strengthened faith

and national determination. A few

thousand Jews, after about 50 years in

exile, came back to Yerusalem, began

to clear the debris and rebuild the

Temple. During this 600 year period (530 BCE

-130 CE), different empires took con-

trol of Yerusalem: Persians, Macedo-

nian Greeks (Alexander the Great),

Egyptian Greeks, Syrian Greeks,

Hasmoneans (nature Judeans) and

Romans. Under the Romans, Herod came into

power; he ruled from 37- 4 BCE.

While Herod was considered a cruel

ruler, he was a brilliant builder. Herod

built palaces, fortresses and monu-

ments, but his crowning achievement

was the reconstruction of the Temple.

Herod's building campaign and Ro-

man technology made Yerusalem a

beautiful city. The rabbis of the period

wrote, "Ten measures of beauty de-

scended on the world; nine of them

were alloted to Yerusalem." Despite the city's beauty, relations

between the city's Jewish residents

and the Roman troops deteriorated

over time. In Herod's time, the popula-

tion of Yerusalem grew to 60,000

people. The city's Jews were greatly

disturbed by many religious insensi-

tivities, such as the Roman edict to

decorate the city with statues of the

Roman emperor. Over time, Jewish

discontent led to revolt which eventu-

ally led to a bloodbath. The Romans

destroyed the city, including the Se-

cond Temple, and banished the Jews.

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Jewish Holidays as Observed in Israel

Passover

March 26 - April 2, 2013

Attain the keys to personal

liberation and fulfillment!

Hundreds of insights on the

Haggadah, family activities

and games, gourmet cooking

site, essays by leading Jewish

educators, greeting cards and

more.

Counting the Omer

March 27 - May 14, 2013

Count 50 days until the Torah

was given at Mount Sinai, pre-

paring for the big event with a

program of introspection and

self-improvement.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

April 8, 2013

Holocaust Remembrance Day

-- Israel honors the memory of

the Six Million by learning

about their heroism in the face

of inhumanity and exploring

the roots of anti-Semitism.

Israel Memorial Day

April 15, 2013

Israel Memorial Day -- giving

one's life in defense of the

Jewish people is a mitzvah of

the highest order.

Israel Independence Day

April 16,2013

Israel Independence Day -- the

historic return of the Jewish

people to the Land of Israel is

a modern miracle.

Yom Yerushalayim

May 8, 2013

On the anniversary of the reu-

nification of Yerusalem, we

remember the special signifi-

cance of the Holy City, and

why it is the capital of the Jew-

ish nation.

Shavuot

May 15 - 16, 2013

The Day the Torah was given -

- celebrating the monumental

encounter between Elohim and

the Israelites at Mount Sinai,

an event which changed man-

kind forever.

Tisha B'Av and the 3 Weeks

June 25 - July 16, 2013

A Major Fast Day -- remem-

bering the day when the Tem-

ple in Yerusalem was de-

stroyed, not once but twice.

Rosh Hashanah

September 5 - 6, 2013

Rosh Hashanah marks the start

of the Jewish near year. It is

both a day of judgment for

mankind, as well as an exhila-

rating time of closeness and

reconciliation with Elohim.

The High Holidays

September 5 - 14, 2013

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kip-

pur -- a day of sweetness and a

day of atonement are the cul-

mination of a month-long pro-

cess of coming back to Elo-

him.

Yom Kippur

September 14, 2013

Yom Kippur, the Day of

Atonement, is a day of fasting

and repentance, affording man

the opportunity to cleanse him-

self of his sins and renew his

relationship with Elohim.

Sukkot

September 19 - 27, 2013

The Festival of Booths - with

Lulav and Etrog in hand, we

camp out under the stars seven

days and remember that Elo-

him is our ultimate protection.

Chanukah

November 28 - December 5, 2013

Hanukkah, The Holiday of

Lights -- celebrating the mira-

cle of a little oil that lasted

eight days, and continues to

illuminate our lives to this day.

Tenth of Tevet

December 13, 2013

A Fast Day -- commemorating

the day the Babylonians first

laid siege on Yerusalem, set-

ting in motion a long series of

tragedies for the Jewish peo-

ple.

Tu B'Shvat

January 16, 2014

New Year for the Trees – how

to celebrate our connection to

the environment and appreci-

ate the fruits of the Land of

Israel.

Purim

Purim: The Holiday of Joy -- dress up, drink and be merry while remember-

ing how the Jews of Persia narrowly

escaped annihilation thanks to the bravery of Queen Esther.

All Jewish holidays begin at sunset

prior to the date listed.

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History and Plain Facts

The 1973 Yom Kippur War On October 6, 1973, Yom Kippur (the Day of

Atonement), the holiest day on the Jewish religious

calendar, Egypt and Syria took advantage of optimal

circumstances to launch attacks that took Israel by

surprise. So complete was the element of surprise

that when war erupted, Israel was only beginning to

mobilize the reserve forces which form the bulk of

the IDF. The thin forces stationed along the two

fronts had to contain the invading armies until the

IDF was prepared to meet them in force. The IAF

was hampered by the dense anti-aircraft missile sys-

tem which the enemy had deployed close to the

front. Egyptian forces succeeded in crossing the Canal and

establishing beachheads on the Israeli-held east

bank. On the Golan Heights, the Syrians pushed past

the cease-fire lines and occupied a large area. They

also seized the key Israeli intelligence- gathering

position high on Mt. Hermon.

Within two days, the IDF, now fully deployed,

blocked the Egyptian and Syrian advances and took

the offensive. Because of the huge quantitative su-

periority of the Syrian forces, a situation compound-

ed by the proximity of Jewish settlements on the

Syrians' path of advance, it was decided to give pri-

ority to the northern front. By October 10, the Syri-

ans had been pushed back and the entire Golan was

again in Israeli hands, except for the Hermon posi-

tion, which was only recaptured toward the end of

the war. Between October 11 and October 14, the

IDF pushed the Syrian forces across the cease-fire

lines and penetrated Syrian territory. An Iraqi expe-

ditionary force dispatched to reinforce the Syrians

was also successfully blocked.

On the southern front, an early Israeli counter-

offensive failed. But Israeli units managed to over-

come an attack by Egyptian tank forces, destroying

200 enemy tanks in the process. Shortly afterward,

on 15 October, the IDF renewed the counter-

offensive. The main thrust of the fighting now was

to push across the Canal and strike at Egyptian forc-

es on the other side.

A gap between the Egyptian 2nd and 3rd Armies

was chosen as the crossing point. It was a difficult

operation, preceded by heavy fighting to clear the

approach lines. The Engineering Corps constructed

a bridge across the Canal in the face of concerted

Egyptian resistance. By October 19, Israeli troops

were well established on the west bank. Until the

first scheduled cease-fire on October 22, the IDF

enlarged the territory under its control. Although the

Egyptians had agreed to the cease-fire, it did not

take effect at the designated time. By the time an

effective cease-fire was actually implemented, on

October 24, the IDF had completely surrounded the

Egyptian 3rd Army.

On the northern front, the IDF regained control of

the Hermon by October 22, removing the last Syrian

forces from the area they had seized at the start of

the war. The war ended on October 24 in a decisive

victory for the Israeli Army. In the north, the Syri-

ans failed to achieve any territorial gain, while the

IDF had crossed the old cease-fire lines into Syrian

territory, acquiring new vantage points on the Go-

lan. The Syrian Army suffered major losses of man-

power and equipment.

Lessons of the War In the first months after the war, Egyptian and Syri-

an forces renewed the War of Attrition along the

cease-fire lines. The IDF focused on building its

force on an unprecedented scale. The enemy at-

tempted to prevent the IDF from conducting a war

of movement dominated by tank and air power. Ar-

ab armies made extensive use of infantry equipped

with anti-tank weapons, exploiting their inherent

numerical superiority. In response, the IDF took

steps to upgrade and increase its manpower utiliza-

tion. Extensive and intensive training programs

were initiated, focusing on the doctrine of combined

operations in which the various branches of the IDF

were integrated in a harmonious whole. A special central training base was established to

advance this doctrine. Another lesson of the war

was a renewed awareness of the importance of the

Infantry. Rearmament continued apace, including

the purchase of ground-to-ground and ground-to-air

missile systems.

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The Bible reports that the First Temple

was built in 957 BCE[1] by King Solo-

mon (reigned c. 970-c. 930 BCE).[2]

As the sole place of Jewish sacrifice,

the Temple replaced the portable sanc-

tuary constructed in the Sinai Desert

under the auspices of Moses, as well

as local sanctuaries, and altars in the

hills.[3] This temple was however

sacked a few decades later by

Sheshonk I, Pharaoh of Egypt. Alt-

hough efforts were made at partial re-

construction, it was only in 835 BCE

when Jehoash, King of Judah in the

second year of his reign invested con-

siderable sums in reconstruction, only

to have it stripped again for Sennach-

erib, King of Assyria c. 700 BCE. The

First Temple was totally destroyed by

the Babylonians in 586 BCE when

they sacked the city.[4]

Two Temples stood in succession on the Temple

Mount in Yerusalem.

The First Temple was constructed by King Solomon,

based on detailed plans that Elohim had given to his

father, King David through the prophet Nathan.

King David had wanted to build it himself, but was

told that his son would be the one to do it.

In the fourth year of his reign,

833 BCE, King Solomon found

himself at peace with his neigh

bors and began the construction

of the Temple. The site chosen

by King David was the top of

Mount Moriah, where Abraham

had once proved his readiness to

offer up his dearly beloved son

in obedience to Elohim's com-

mand.

It was the archetype of the "dwelling for Elohim in

the physical world" that is the purpose of crea-

tion.Tens of thousands of men were needed to per-

form the many tasks required for the gigantic under-

taking. Men were sent to Lebanon to cut down cedar

trees. Stones were hewn near the quarries, and then

brought up to Moriah, there to be fitted together. In

the valley of the Jordan the bronze was cast. Crafts-

men were brought in from Tyre to help perfect the

work. Ships set sail eastward and westward to bring

the choicest materials for the adornment of the

House of Elohim.

It took seven years to complete the Temple. In the

twelfth year of his reign, in 827 BCE, King Solomon

dedicated the Temple and all its contents. The Ark

of the Covenant was brought into the Temple amidst

inaugural celebrations that lasted for seven days.

For the next 410 years, the Jewish people would

bring daily offerings in this magnificent edifice, and

here the nation would gather

three times a year to "see

and to be seen by the face of

Elohim." Here the Divine

Presence was manifest. Ten

daily miracles – such as the

wind never extinguishing

the fire on the altar – attest-

ed to Elohim's presence in

the Temple. This was the

archetype of the "dwelling for Elohim in the physi-

cal world" that is the purpose of creation.

Solomon's reign was a golden era. His capital be-

came the center of wisdom, riches, and splendor.

Monarchs as well as ordinary people came to gaze

on all the marvels to be seen there, and left wide-

eyed with amazement and awe. The Land of Israel

developed into a great center of commerce. The

Jews lived in peace and happiness, "every man un-

der his vine and under his fig tree."

c. 536 BCE Jews return to Judea from Babylonian exile

c. 515 BCE Second Temple is built

c. 444 BCE Nehemiah rebuilds walls of Yerusalem

332 BCE Alexander the Great conquers Yerusalem

320 BCE Ptolemies conquer Yerusalem

200 BCE Seleucids conquer Yerusalem

c. 164 BCE Judah Maccabee retakes Yerusalem and cleanses the Temple

c. 63 BCE Romans gain control of Yerusalem

c. 33 CE Yahshuah is crucified in Yerusalem

70 CE Romans conquer Yerusalem and destroy the Second Temple

132-35 CE Bar Kochba revolt

The Destruction of the First Holy Temple

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8

Second Temple period

The accession of Cyrus the Great of Persia in 538

BCE made the re-establishment of the city of Ye-

rusalem and the rebuilding of the Temple possible.[1]

According to the Bible, when the Jewish exiles re-

turned to Yerusalem following a decree from Cyrus

the Great (Ezra 1:1-4, 2 Chron 36:22-23), construc-

tion started at the original site of Solomon's Temple,

which had remained a devastated heap during the

approximately 70 years of captivity (Dan. 9:1-2).

After a relatively brief halt due to opposition from

peoples who had filled the vacuum during the Jewish

captivity (Ezra 4), work resumed c. 521 BCE under

the Persian King Darius the Great (Ezra 5) and was

completed during the sixth year of his reign (c.

518/517 BCE), with the temple dedication taking

place the following year.

Flavius Josephus records that Herod the Great com-

pletely rebuilt the Temple, even going so far as to

replace the foundation stones and to smooth off the

surface of the Temple Mount. This Temple became

known as Herod's Temple.

The Romans destroyed Yerusalem and its Temple in

70 CE under Titus, decisively ending the Great Jew-

ish Revolt that had begun four years earlier. The

lower levels of the Western Wall form part of the

few surviving remains of Herod's complex.[2]

Traditional rabbinic sources state that the Second

Temple stood for 420 years and based on the 2nd-

century work Seder Olam Rabbah, place construc-

tion in 350 BCE (3408 AM), 166 years later than

secular estimates, and destruction in 70 CE (3829

AM).[3]

Rebuilding the Temple

A stone with Hebrew inscription "To the Trumpeting

Place" excavated by Benjamin Mazar at the southern

foot of the Temple Mount is believed to be a part of

the Second Temple

Based on the biblical account, after the return from

Babylonian captivity arrangements were immediate-

ly made to reorganize the desolated Yehud Province

after the demise of the Kingdom of Judah seventy

years earlier. The body of pilgrims, forming a band

of 42,360,[4] having completed the long and dreary

journey of some four months, from the banks of the

Euphrates to Yerusalem, were animated in all their

proceedings by a strong religious impulse, and there-

fore one of their first concerns was to restore their

ancient house of worship by rebuilding their de-

stroyed Temple and reinstituting the sacrificial ritu-

als known as the korbanot.

On the invitation of Zerubbabel, the governor, who

showed them a remarkable example of liberality by

contributing personally 1,000 golden darics, besides

other gifts, the people poured their gifts into the sa-

cred treasury with great enthusiasm.[5] First they

erected and dedicated the altar of Elohim on the ex-

act spot where it had formerly stood, and they then

cleared away the charred heaps of debris which oc-

cupied the site of the old temple; and in the second

month of the second year (535 BCE), amid great

public excitement and rejoicing, the foundations of

the Second Temple were laid. A wide interest was

felt in this great movement, although it was regarded

with mixed feelings by the spectators.[6][7]

The Samaritans made proposals for co-operation in

the work. Zerubbabel and the elders, however, de-

clined all such cooperation, feeling that the Jews

must build the Temple without help. Immediately

evil reports were spread regarding the Jews. Accord-

ing to Ezra 4:5, the Samaritans sought to "frustrate

their purpose" and sent messengers to Ecbatana and

Susa, with the result that the work was suspended.

Seven years later, Cyrus the Great, who allowed the

Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the

Temple, died,[8] and was succeeded by his son Cam-

byses. On his death, the "false Smerdis," an impost-

er, occupied the throne for some seven or eight

months, and then Darius I of Persia became king

(522 BCE). In the second year of this monarch the

work of rebuilding the temple was resumed and car-

ried forward to its completion,[9] under the stimulus

of the earnest counsels and admonitions of the

prophets Haggai and Zechariah. It was ready for

consecration in the spring of 516 BCE, more than

twenty years after the return from captivity. The

Temple was completed on the third day of the month

Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius,

amid great rejoicings on the part of all the people[10]

although it was evident that the Jews were no longer

an independent people, but were subject to a foreign

power. The Book of Haggai includes a prediction

that the glory of the second temple would be greater

than that of the first.[11]

Roman triumphal procession with spoils from the

Temple, depicted on the inside wall of the Arch of

Titus in Rome

Since some of the original artifacts were, according

to the biblical account, lost after the destruction of

the First Temple, the Second Temple lacked the fol-

lowing holy articles:[12]

kenesiyahmessenger

9

1. The Ark of the Covenant, containing the Tablets

of Stone, the pot of manna, and Aaron's rod

The Urim and Thummim (divination objects

contained in the Hoshen)

The holy oil

The sacred fire.

In the Second Temple, the Kodesh Hakodashim

(Holy of Holies) was separated by curtains rather

than a wall as in the First Temple. Still, as in the

Tabernacle, the Second Temple included:

The Menorah (golden lamp) for the Hekhal

The Table of Showbread

The golden altar of incense, with golden censers.

The Second Temple also included many of the origi-

nal vessels of gold that had been taken by the Baby-

lonians but restored by Cyrus the Great.[13] Accord-

ing to Jewish tradition, however, the Temple lacked

the Shekinah/Ruach HaKodesh, the dwelling or set-

tling divine presence of Elohim, present in the first.

Rededication by the Maccabees Following the conquest of Judea by Alexander the

Great, it became part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of

Egypt until 200 BCE,

when King Antiochus III

the Great of Syria de-

feated King Ptolemy V

Epiphanes of Egypt at

the Battle of Panion.[14]

Judea became at that

moment part of the Se-

leucid empire of Syria. When the Second Temple in

Yerusalem was looted and its religious services

stopped, Judaism was effectively outlawed. In 167

BCE, Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus erected in

the Temple. He also banned circumcision and or-

dered pigs to be sacrificed at the altar of the Temple.[15]

Following the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleu-

cid empire, the Second Temple was rededicated and

became the religious pillar of the Jewish Hasmonean

kingdom, as well as culturally associated with the

Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

Herod's Temple Model of Herod's Temple at the Israel Museum

Reconstruction of the temple under Herod began

with a massive expansion of the Temple Mount. Re-

ligious worship and temple rituals continued during

the construction process.[16] Following the Great Re-

volt of the Province of Iudaea, the Temple was de-

stroyed by Roman troops under Titus during the

Siege of Yerusalem in 70 CE. The most complete

ancient account of this event is The Jewish War by

Flavius Josephus. Later Roman governors used the

remains to build palaces and a Temple of Jupiter,

and the Byzantines a Church. It was not until the

Dome of the Rock was built between 687 and 691

that the last remnants of the Temple were taken

down. In addition to the platform, some remnants of

the Temple remain above ground, including a step

leading to the

Dome of the Rock

that is actually the

capstone of the pre

-Herodian wall of

the Temple Mount

platform.[17]

The Temple itself

was located on the

site of what today

is the Dome of the Rock. The gates let out close to

Al-Aqsa.[16]

Construction

James Tissot - Reconstruction of Yerusalem and the

Temple of Herod - Brooklyn Museum

A model of the Southern wall and Royal Colonnade

Herod's Temple was one of the larger construction

projects of the 1st century BCE. Herod was interest-

ed in perpetuating his name for all eternity through

building projects, and his construction program was

extensive. He had magnificent palaces in Masada,

Caesarea and Tiberias. Herod built temples for vari-

ous pagan gods to serve the gentile populations,

which were paid for by heavy taxes on the local Jew-

ish population.[18] But his masterpiece was the Tem-

ple of Yerusalem. The old temple built by Zerubba-

bel was replaced by a magnificent edifice. An agree-

ment was made between Herod and the Jewish reli-

gious authorities: the sacrificial rituals, called offer-

ings, were to be continued unabated for the entire

time of construction, and the Temple itself would be

constructed by the priests. Later the Exodus 30:13

sanctuary shekel was reinstituted to support the tem-

ple as the temple tax.

Platform Mt. Moriah had a plateau at the northern end, and

steeply declined on the southern slope. It was

Herod's plan that the entire mountain be turned into a

giant square platform. The Temple Mount was origi-

kenesiyahmessenger

10

nally intended to be 1600

feet wide by 900 feet deep

by 9 stories high, with

walls up to 16 feet deep,

but had never been fin-

ished. To complete it, a

trench was dug around the

mountain, and huge stone

"bricks" were laid. Some

of these weighed well over

100 tons, the largest meas-

uring 44.6 feet by 11 feet

by 16.5 feet and weighing

approximately 567 to 628

tons,[19][20] while most were

in the range of 2.5 by 3.5

by 15 feet (approximately

28 tons). King Herod had

architects from Greece,

Rome and Egypt plan the

construction. The blocks

were presumably quarried

by using pickaxes to create

channels. Then they ham-

mered in wooden beams

and flushed them with wa-

ter to force them out. Once

they were removed, they

were carved into precise

squares and numbered at

the quarry to show where

they would be installed.

The final carving would

have been done by using

harder stones to grind or

chisel them to create pre-

cise joints. They would

have been transported us-

ing oxen and specialized

carts. Since the quarry was

uphill from the temple they

had gravity on their side

but care needed to be taken

to control the descent. Fi-

nal installation would have

been done using pulleys or

cranes. Roman pulleys and

cranes weren't strong

enough to lift the blocks

alone so they may have

used multiple cranes and

levers to position them.[21]

As the mountainside began

to rise, the western side

was carved away to a verti-

cal wall and bricks were

carved to create a virtual

continuation of the brick

face, which was continued

for a while until the north-

ern slope reached ground

level. Part of the Antonian

hill to the north of Moriah

was annexed to the com-

plex and the area between

was filled up with landfill.

The project began with the

building of giant under-

ground vaults upon which

the temple would be built

so it could be larger than

the small flat area on top of

Mount Moriah. Ground

level at the time was at

least 20 ft. (6m) below the

current level, as can be

seen by walking the West-

ern Wall tunnels. Legend

has it that the construction

of the entire complex last-

ed only three years, but

other sources such as Jose-

phus say that it took far

longer, although the Tem-

ple itself may have taken

that long. During a Passo-

ver visit by Yahshuah the

Jews replied that it had

been under construction for

46 years.[22] It is possible

that the complex was only

a few years completed

when the future Emperor

Titus burnt the place to the

ground in 70 CE.

Pilgrimages to

Yerusalem A Jew from distant parts of

the Roman Empire would

arrive by boat at the port of

Jaffa (now part of Tel

Aviv), where he or she

would join a caravan for

the three day trek to the

Holy City (a trip which

only takes about an hour

by automobile today), and

The Book of Lamentations Beginning in 463 BCE, Jeremiah prophesized about the Bab-

ylonian threat and warned the Jews of the terrible devastation

they would incur if they did not stop worshipping idols and

mistreating each other. But his melancholic prophecies, rec-

orded in the Book of Jeremiah, went largely unheeded by the

Jews, who mocked and persecuted him.

Some eighteen years before the destruction of the Temple,

Jeremiah was imprisoned by King Jehoiakim (apparently due

to his persistent prophecies foretelling the fall of Yerusalem).

Elohim then spoke to Jeremiah (Jeremiah ch. 36):

Children starving; cannibalism on the part of hunger-crazed

mothers, the city abandoned..."Take for yourself a scroll and

write upon it all the words that I have spoken to you concern-

ing Israel and concerning Judah. . . . Perhaps the house of

Judah will hear all the evil that I plan to do to them, in order

that they should repent, each man of his evil way, and I will

forgive their iniquity and their sin."

Jeremiah summoned his devoted disciple, Baruch ben Neriah,

and dictated to him a heart-rending and graphic warning of

the coming doom; this prophecy eventually became known as

the Book of Lamentations ("Eichah").

In this scroll, Jeremiah described and mourned the devasta-

tion that Elohim would wreak upon Yerusalem and the Holy

Land: children starving; cannibalism on the part of hunger-

crazed mothers, the city abandoned.

Baruch ben Neriah followed Jeremiah's instructions. He pub-

licly read the scroll in the Holy Temple.

When the king was informed of this event, he asked that the

scroll be read to him. After hearing but a few verses, the king

grabbed the scroll and callously threw it into the fireplace.

When Jeremiah was informed of the king's actions, he sat and

composed another chapter that he added to the book. This

Book of Lamentations is read in the synagogue every year on

the eve of the Ninth of Av.

The Babylonians Are Coming The Assyrians had long dominated the Middle East, but their

power was waning. Even with the help of the Egyptians, who

were getting stronger, they were not able to fight off the Bab-

ylonians. These three empires were engaged in a power strug-

gle, and the Kingdom of Judah was caught in the middle.

In 434 BCE, the Kingdom of Judah tried to form an alliance

with Egypt. The Jews thought, despite Jeremiah's prophecies,

that this would keep them safe. But instead, the Babylonian

king, Nebuchadnezzar, marched on Judah. He pillaged Ye-

rusalem and deported tens of thousands of Jews to his capital

in Babylon; all the deportees were drawn from the upper clas-

ses, the wealthy, and craftsmen. Ordinary people were al-

lowed to stay in Judah, and Nebuchadnezzar appointed a pup-

pet king over Judah, Zedekiah.

But Zedekiah, though Elohim fearing and righteous, was fool-

ishly courageous, and (despite Jeremiah's repeated admoni-

tions not to) he tried to break free from the Babylonians. So

Nebuchadnezzar marched on Yerusalem again. This time he

would not be content with making Judah into a vassal state.

On the tenth of Tevet, 425 BCE, Nebuchadnezzar began the

siege of Yerusalem.

kenesiyahmessenger

11

would then find lodgings in one of

the many hotels or hostelries.

Once lodging was secured and

money changed, the pilgrim would

purchase a sacrificial animal, usu-

ally a pigeon or a lamb, in prepa-

ration for the following day's

events.

The gleaming white marble of the

edifice was visible from well out-

side the walls of the city. The

scale of the building was designed

to impress, and it dominated the

landscape, effectively becoming

the focal point of Yerusalem. Even

the three great towers near Herod's

palace seemed small in compari-

son.

The first thing a pilgrim would do

would be to approach the public

entrance on the south side of the

Temple Mount complex. He

would check his animal, then visit

a mikveh, where he would ritually

cleanse and purify himself. The

pilgrim would then retrieve his

sacrificial animal, and head to the

Huldah gates. After ascending a

staircase three stories in height,

and passing through the gate, the

pilgrim would find himself in the

"Court of the Gentiles."

The Destruction "Zechariah, Zechariah! I have

slain the best of them; do you want

all of them destroyed?" Thirty

months later, in the month of Tam-

muz, after a long siege during

which hunger and epidemics rav-

aged the city, the city walls were

breached. King Zedekiah tried to

escape through an eighteen-mile

long tunnel, but he was captured in

the plains of Jericho by enemy

soldiers who, while chasing a deer,

saw him emerging. He was

brought before Nebuchadnezzar in

Riblah. There Zedekiah's sons and

many other Jewish personages

were slain before his eyes; then his

eyes were put out, and he was led

in chains to Babylon.

On the seventh day of Av, the

chief of Nebuchadnezzar's army,

Nebuzaradan, began the destruc-

tion of Yerusalem. The walls of

the city were torn down, and the

royal palace and other structures in

the city were set on fire.

Our Sages say that when

Nebuzaradan entered the Temple

he found the blood of Zechariah

seething. He asked the Jews

what this phenomenon meant,

and they attempted to conceal

the scandal, but he threatened

to comb their flesh with iron

combs. So they told him the

truth: "There was a prophet

among us who chastised us, and

we killed him. For many years

now his blood has not rested." Nebuzaradan said, "I will appease

him." He then killed the members

of the Great and Small Sanhedrins,

then he killed youths and maidens,

and then school-children. Alto-

gether, he killed 940,000 people.

Still the blood continued to boil,

whereupon Nebuzaradan cried:

"Zechariah, Zechariah! I have

slain the best of them; do you want

all of them destroyed?" At last the

blood sank into the ground

(Talmud, Gittin 57b).1

On the ninth day of Av, toward

evening, the Holy Temple was

set on fire and destroyed. The

fire burned for 24 hours. Our Sages taught: When the first

Holy Temple was destroyed,

groups of young priests gathered

with the keys to the Sanctuary in

their hands. They ascended the

roof and declared: "Master of the

World! Since we have not merited

to be trustworthy custodians, let

the keys be given back to You."

They then threw the keys toward

Heaven. A hand emerged and re-

ceived them, and the priests threw

themselves into the fire (Talmud,

Ta'anit 29b).

Everything of gold and silver that

still remained was carried off as

loot by the Babylonian soldiers.

All the beautiful works of art with

which King Solomon had once

decorated and ornamented the ho-

ly edifice were destroyed or taken

away. The holy vessels of the

Temple that could be found were

brought to Babylon. The high

priest Seraiah and many other high

officials and priests were execut-

ed. In addition to the 940,000 peo-

ple killed in the aforementioned

incident, millions more were killed

inside and outside of the city.

Many thousands of the people that

had escaped the sword were taken

prisoner and led into captivity in

Babylon, where some of their best

had already preceded them. Only

the poorest of the residents of Ye-

rusalem were permitted to stay on

to plant the vineyards and work in

the fields.

All this had been predicted in the

Torah, and it came to pass with all

the horror of which Moses had

warnedThus ended the empire of

David and Solomon; thus the mag-

nificent city and Holy Temple

were destroyed. Thus Elohim pun-

ished His people for deserting Him

and His laws. All this had been

predicted in the Torah, and it truly

came to pass with all the horror of

which Moses had warned.

Jeremiah also promised that the

Jewish people would return to

Yerusalem and rebuild the

Temple. That would come to

pass seventy years later. For this our heart has become

faint, for these things our eyes

have grown dim.

For Mount Zion, which has be-

come desolate; foxes prowl over it.

But You, O G‑d, remain forever;

Your throne endures throughout

the generations.

Why do You forget us forever, for-

sake us so long?

Restore us to You, O G‑d, that we

may be restored! Renew our days

as of old.

—Lamentations 5:17-21

kenesiyahmessenger

12

Questions And Answers (FAQ) QUESTIONS;- Does the Creator Have many dif-

ferent names?

Has He one for every language,

or has He just one name?

ANSWERS It is certain that the Mighty Creator does not

have these hundred different names? As are as-cribed to Him among all of the various languages of the world. The word "God" is only a title like the word "Father", The scriptures tell us that there are "Lord's many, and „Gods‟ many.

We all know that the word "father" is not the name of our earthly father, but He has a name. Just so has our heavenly Father Has a name, which is known in Israel, but considered too sacred to speak or write or print, only on special occasions. The children from the early grades all know His "name”. "For Elohim will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah that they dwell there and have it in possession. The seed also of His servants shall inherit it, and they that love His name shall dwell therein Psalms 69: 35, 36.

"His name is great in Israel. Psalms. 76: I. "Holy and reverend is His name." —

Psalms111: 9 What is His name, and what is His Son's

name? If you can tell? —Proverb‟s 30: 4. If the Creator did not have a name surely this

would be a strange scripture to be found in His inspired Word. In the prayer of Da-vid he said, blessed be His name forever". — Psalms 72:9, 20.

The prophet Isaiah in speaking of this very time when the Cre-ator is bring-ing again Zi-on and re-storing the waste places about Yerusa-lem, He says, “There fore

The victory came at a very high

cost. In storming the Golan Heights,

Israel suffered 115 dead-roughly the

number of Americans killed during

Operation Desert Storm. Altogether,

Israel lost twice as many men — 777

dead and 2,586 wounded-in propor-

tion to her total population as the U.S.

lost in eight years of fighting in Vi-

etnam.(23) Also, despite the incredible

success of the air campaign, the Israe-

li Air Force lost 46 of its 200 fighters.(24) The death toll on the Arab side

was 15,000 Egyptians, 2,500 Syrians,

and 800 Jordanians.

By the end of the

war, Israel had conquered

enough territory to more

than triple the size of the

area it controlled, from

8,000 to 26,000 square

miles. The victory enabled

Israel to unify Yerusalem.

Israeli forces had also cap-

tured the Sinai, Golan

Heights, Gaza Strip and

West Bank.Israel now ruled

more than three-quarters of

a million Palestinians —

most of whom were hostile

to the government. Never-

theless, more than 9,000

Palestinian families were

reunited in 1967. Ultimate-

ly, more than 60,000 Pal-

estinians were allowed to

return.(25)

The 1967 Six-Day War

THE MASTER'S METHOD OF INCREASE. What we give to the Lord becomes doubly ours for i t i s ours to g ive to Him, and then He gives i t back to us mul t ipl ied and f i l led with ble ss ing . There i s a lways an over f low in the things of Elohim.

When we s top g i v i n g — we cease to mult i ply ! I t i s not only the way we give but the wi l l ing-ness , the cont inuousness . the in tensi ty wi th which we g ive — our l i fe , our t ime, our ta lents , our a l l — to our ble ssed Lord and Master , and soon coming king of k ings 11 : 15 -18 –By Edi tor

kenesiyahmessenger

13

QUESTIONS;- Is it really true that the Savior was born on December the 25th, and is this really His Birthday? Would the Shepherds have been out with their sheep at this season of the year?

ANSWER. — The 25th of December

was celebrated by - the hea-thens over 600 years before the time of Our Savior. It was the birthday of a son to the queen of Babylon, the heir to the throne which brought great rejoicing, be-coming a general world holiday. Then later when Con-stantine, the Emperor of Rome desiring to establish a uniform world religion in 321 A.D., christened this heathen festival as the birthday of the Savior to further "weld Rome with Babylon together in a common faith.

The practice of decorat-ing the Christmas tree, etc., was condemned by Jeremi-ah in 607 B.C. (Jeremiah 10:1-4); where we are told to "learn not the way of the heathen."

The weather here is of-ten very cold and stormy, during December with cold rains, but very seldom snow. The shepherds would hardly be out with their sheep at night in this sea-son.

Joseph and Mary came from Nazareth, about 100 miles, by donkey or camel to pay their taxes (Luke 3:1-4). The paying of taxes was in the early fall, about Oc-tober, when the people were harvesting their crops, and had money and never as late as December.

Furthermore it would have been practically im-possible for Joseph to have brought Mary, his wife, over the muddy roads and the donkey paths, soaked with rain, and deep with very sticky mud at this sea-son. Furthermore no man would have undertaken such a risk with his wife so far advanced in pregnancy. It would have required around five to six days to make this trip, being on the road day and night, exposed to the seasons cold rainy weather for this long a pe-riod. Joseph would not have run such a hazardous risk as this in December, but in September and Octo-ber the weather is always warm and dry, with good roads. The birth of our Messiah evidently took place on or near Atonement Day, the 10th of Ethanim, which are a few days before the Feast of Tabernacles.

Extract from Mt. Zion reporter 1975

Questions And Answers (FAQ) QUESTION -

WHERE ARE THE TRUE PEOPLE?

There are more than thir ty d if fe rent church organizat ions now known by the name "Church of God ' in the Engl i sh . About ha lf of thi s number accept the scr iptura l c reed (Rev. 1 2 : 1 1 ) and keep the Sabba th day according to these com-mandments . Then the ques t ion ar i se s , which of these groups i s the r ight one . Again the - searcher for tru th , a f te r hav-ing found the people wi th the sc r iptura l name and creed i s bewi ldered - He cannot d iscover enough d if fe rence be tween them for separa t ion , the lack of -brother ly love shown by one for the other i s d i shear tening and d i scourag ing . Satan uses th is in some cases to turn the man back into the wor ld .

Where is the man or woman capable of judg ing whether or not a per son hold ing to another group bes ides h is own isn ' t the ir brother or si s te r in the fa i th? Jus t because of some l i t t le doc tr ina l d i f fer -ence , which to be l ieve one way or the other i s no s in , then why be a t var iance? Var iance i s one of the s ins tha t separa te s us f rom the k ingdom (Gal . 5 : 20 , 2 1 ) and c la ssed with murder . Beware Brother or S i ste r , of f a i l ing to fol low the Master who forbids judg ing and condemning one another .

Al l of the var ious groups, whom the Spir i t has le t in to the truth of th is Bib le creed (Rev . 12: 17, and Eph. 3 : 14 , 1 5 ) , should fe l lowship one another and con-s ider members of a l l of these groups the ir own brother s and s i s ters . 1 h is i s scr iptura l and i t must come about to eve-ryone who wi l l without d isappointment en ter the k ingdom so near a t hand .

Our adv ice to the seeker af ter the true church is to connect h imse lf up with the group near e st to him, and labor with them in love . Be a peace maker , and try to add other s to the fold , and suppor t your min is ter ing bre thren, with a fa i thfu l t i the . — Ed itor .

Extract from Mt. Zion reporter 1975 Ezek 3:27

But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth and you

shall say to the people,

Thus says the Lord Elohim; he who hears, let

him hear, and he who refuses to hear, let

him refuse;

for they are a rebellious house.

kenesiyahmessenger

14

There were different groups of

the Father’s children

(Church of Elohim) two

thousand years ago, accord-

ing to the records of the

Gospel, just as there are

today.

The apostle John came

across one of these group,

according to the following

text;-

John answered to him

(YAHSHUA) saying ,

―Master, we saw someone

casting out devil in your

name, and HE DOES NOT

FOLLOW US.‖ And we

forbade him because ―HE

DOES NOT FOLLOW

US.‖

How similar is this

to today’s conditions where

one condemned and forbid

another because he

―FOLLOW NOT US‖ /

FOLLOW NOT THEM.

Dear reader, what

the MASTER said is exact-

ly what He would say today

- and certainly this is what

He is saying : ― Do not

forbade them, for there no

man can do a miracle in my

Name that can speak evil of

Me. For he that is not

against us is on our part.

For who will give you a

cup of water to drink in my

name, be-

cause ―YOU

BELONG TO THE

MESSIAH, surely I said to you , HE

SHALL NOT LOSE HIS REWARD.‖

Mark 9: 38—41

When Speaking of this carnal

conditions where Apostle Paul

mentioned The Apollo's Cepha’s

and other groups, just as it is to-

day. He said in verse 8;- ― For we

are laborers together with Elohim .

You are Elohim’s husbandry , you

are Elohim Building ―For other foundation no

man can lay than that which is laid,

which is MESSIAH YAHSHUA.‖ 1

Cor.3:9

Commentary and Opinion The history of Yerusalem from the time of

Joshua to its destruction by Titus-a period of fifteen

centuries-is a succession of changes, revolutions, sieg-

es, surrenders, and famines. Each is followed by resto-

ration and rebuilding. The city's greatest glory was

reached under the reign of King Solomon, who built the

Temple and a royal palace besides greatly enlarging

and strengthening the walls of the city. Yerusalem's

possibly greatest humiliation was reached under the

reign of Antiochus Ephiphanes, 175 BC - 165 BC,

when the most violent and cruel efforts were made to

destroy the Jews and their religion.

Ps 137:5-6 If I forget you, O Yerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill! If I do not re-member you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—If I do not exalt Yerusalem Above my chief joy.

NKJV

If any man think him-

self to be …

spiritual,

let him acknowledge that the things that I write … are of

the Lord. But if any man is ignorant, let him

be ignorant. 1 Cor14:37-38

5 Things that we

Must

"… We must through many tribu-

lations enter the

kingdom of the

LORD." Acts 14:22

“… We Must (therefore) serve the

LORD until we

arrive there." Exo-

dus 10:26

“…We Must, therefore, give the

more earnest heed to

the things we have

heard, lest we drift

away. Hebrews 2:1

“…We Must…"Yes! As you

have said, so we

must do. Ezra 10:12

Because

“… We Must all appear before the

judgment seat of

Messiah, that each

one may receive the

things done in the

body, according to

what he has done,

whether good or bad.

2 Corinthians 5:10

By Chareokey

There are others besides Ours

Have Your inspiring comments Published here!

E– mail us at kenesiyahmessenger@gmail.com

kenesiyahmessenger

15

Iran rejects Western

pressure on revolu-

tion anniversary By REUTERS

02/10/2013 13:13

DUBAI - Iranian President

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said

on Sunday Tehran would not

negotiate about its disputed

nuclear program under pres-

sure, but would talk to its ad-

versaries if they stopped

"pointing the gun."

In a speech to mark the 34th

anniversary of the Islamic rev-

olution, Ahmadinejad struck a

more conciliatory tone than

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali

Khamenei, who on February 7

rebuffed a US call for direct

negotiations on disputes be-

tween the two countries.

Ahmadinejad does not have

the authority to authorize ne-

gotiations over the nuclear

program, which lies with

Khamenei.

"You cannot point a gun at the

Iranian nation and then expect

them to have negotiations with

you," Ahmadinejad said,

speaking to a crowd gathered

in Tehran's Azadi (Freedom)

Square.

News &Views

Shalom One and All,

Contention and Strife in

Israel & Middle East 'Iran building militias in Syr-

ia in case Assad falls' 02/11/2013 00:40

'Washington Post' quotes US,

Arab officials as saying 50,000

militiamen backed by Iran and

Hezbollah fighting for Assad. Iran is preparing to preserve its influ-

ence in Syria in the event that its ally

President Bashar Assad should be

removed from power by building a network of militias in

the country along with Hezbollah, The Washington Post

reported on Sunday, citing US and Middle East officials.

According to the officials, the militias are currently

fighting alongside Assad's forces

to keep the embattled leader in

power. They believe, howev-

er, that the militias are actu-

ally in place to serve Teh-

ran's long-term goal of main-

taining operatives in the

country to act in Iran's inter-

est in Syria if the opposition

forces should succeed in

unseating Assad. Related:

The Post quoted a senior

Obama administration offi-

cial as saying that Iran was

backing as many as 50,000

militiamen. ―The immediate

intention seems to be to sup-

port the Syrian regime. But

it’s important for Iran to

have a force in Syria that is

reliable and can be counted

on,‖ the official stated.

The Post quoted a senior

Arab official as saying that

Iran was putting the militia-

men in place in order to

"support Assad to the hilt,"

and "to

set the

stage for

major

mischief

if he col-

lapses.‖

Syria's uprising, which started as peaceful protests

against four decades of autocratic rule by Assad and his

late father, has turned into a violent sectarian conflict.

The war is pitting Assad's minority Alawite sect, an off-

shoot of Shi'ite Islam that has dominated Syria since

1960s, against the Sunni majority that had led the protest

movement.

The Local Coordination Committees, a network of grass-

roots activists, said clashes broke out on Sunday in the al

-Afif neighbourhood of Damascus, which is adjacent to a

presidential complex.

The organization said 77 people were killed in Syria on

Sunday, including 16 people who it said had been exe-

cuted by Assad's forces in the eastern city of Deir al-Zor.

Such reports are impossible to verify as Syria severely

restricts access for independent media.

Syrian National Coalition leader Moaz Alkhatib said on

Sunday he was willing to hold talks with Assad's repre-

sentatives in rebel-held areas in northern Syria.

The talks' objective would be to find a way for Assad to

leave power with the "minimum of bloodshed and de-

struction", Alkhatib said in a statement published on his

Facebook page.

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… a faithful messenger is health. Prov

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"Iran is continuing its nuclear program uninterrupted. It is enriching uranium to levels higher than 20 percent, in bla-tant disregard to the demands of the international communi-ty," Israeli Prime Minister Net-anyahu’s statement said.

A Dying Church

"A church that is doing noth-ing for the public is on its way to the cemetery.

All its members who are doing nothing are acting as pall-bearers.

All who are so busy with their own affairs that they have not time to devote to the Lord's cause are making the mourn-ing wreath.

The brother who says nothing at all is driving the hearse.

The ones who are constantly drawing back when advance moves are to be made are throwing flowers on the grave.

The brother who is continual-ly talking of the hard times in the church is preaching the funeral sermon, and singing the burial hymns.

And thus lies the church bur-ied, free from all cares,

Brother, which of these acts are you performing?"