DAY TEN OF THE OMER

“Today is ten days which are one week and three days of the Omer.”

·       Theme of the week: Gevurah – Severity and Strength

·       Theme of the day:  Tefreit -  Beauty

·       Overall Theme: “The Beauty of His Severity and Strength.”

·       Psalm 119:73-80

Yesterday we saw a future example of ADONAI’s Raw Severity and Strength. Today let us view the same and similar passages and see the beauty in such severity.

Rev. 20:1,14 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

This final act of judgment upon evil will bring the 2^nd most beautiful act in all eternity besides the death burial and resurrection of God’s Son.

Rev. 21:1-4 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.


Imagine, the LORD of all creation and judgment, bending down like a loving Father and comfortingly wipe the tears from His Children’s eyes.

The Traditional text to read is Psalm 119:73-80:

73     ¶ JOD. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.

“God You know me inside and out, You hold the blueprint to my physical, mental and spiritual makeup, so teach me in the way I can learn, absorb, and keep the commandments best.

74     ¶ They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

As believers we are all in the same boat and therefore we pray for and encourage one another and we are glad when we see the other succeed, because we know our success will come soon by the same Divine Source.

75     ¶ I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

Rom. 8:28, all things work for the good, and we know whether success or punishment comes by the hand of God we know He is just and fair and right in doing so. And as a loving Father he disciplines us because He wants us to do right and see us succeed.

76     ¶ Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
77     Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.

David desires God to see the desire of his heart to please Him and to keep His Torah and therefore asks for patience and encouragement as he continues to try to do the right thing.

78     ¶ Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

David knows that the victories of the wicked are short lived and are actually granted as a mercy unto them by God. David knows that God will uphold him and see him through. God will settle all accounts and the righteous will eventually prevail.

79     Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.

David wants all Torah Observant believers to rally around him the King for he promised God that he will lead them as a nation in the ways of Torah for the Glory of God.

80     ¶ Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.

David wants to know the Torah fully so he can keep the Torah fully and therefore be without the shame of sin.

“Precious Loving Heavenly Father, I am practically moved to tears as I meditate upon the awesome fact that the You, All Powerful God will one day, as my Loving Father, wipe all tears from our eyes. I give thanks in the Name of Messiah Yeshua, Ameyn.”

DAY NINE OF THE OMER

“Today is nine days, which are one week and two days of the Omer.”

·       Theme of the week: Gevurah – Severity and Strength

·       Theme of the day:  Gevurah – Severity and Strength

·       Overall Theme: “The Severity and Strength of His Severity and Strength.”

·       Psalm 119:65-72

We saw yesterday His Love manifested in His Severity. Today let us see the Totality of His severity with a total absence of Love that brings to full circle yesterdays theme.

Rev. 20:1,14 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

The Traditional text to read is Psalm 119:65-72:

65     ¶ TETH. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.

G-d is fair and just, all the time, always whether we can understand it or not.

            

66     Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

It’s as if David is saying, “Teach me, Teach me, Teach me about every aspect of Your Torah God, even if my little brain can’t fully comprehend it! I want to know about it all!”

67     ¶ Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

Obeying Torah promotes healing and wellness body mind and spirit. Disobeying causes the opposite to occur.

68 ¶ Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

As the modern saying goes, “God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.” This being fact, this means His Torah, every part of it is good too. So why wouldn’t we want to know and obey it!?

69     ¶ The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.

Torah keepers WILL be persecuted; regardless David will not budge from his Torah Obedience. Sounds like something the Messiah Himself said in Matthew 5:10-12.

70     Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.

David knows because of fear, ignorance and rebellion most people are def and numb to the Torah, but it is everything to David.

71     ¶ It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

Ah, finally, a clue, a possible ray of light on the part of God’s Torah that God gave us without any logical explanation, He just told us to do it because He is God. Even when David is being punished for disobeying God’s Torah, any lesson derived from Torah no matter positive or negative is a worthy lesson learned. See I Pet. 1:6-7, James 1:2

72     ¶ The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

He acknowledges that the Torah is not made up by man, but they are the very Words of God Himself and deserved to be heeded, followed, and obeyed.  That The Torah is far more precious and far more valuable than precious metals.

“I Thank You Abba ADONAI God that You love us enough that one day our enemies will be utterly and irreparably vanquished! All because of your Gevurah expressed through Your Holiness. In Messiah Yeshua’s Name I pray, Ameyn.”

DAY EIGHT OF THE OMER

“Today is eight days, which is one week and one day of the Omer.”

·       Theme of the week: Gevurah – Severity and Strength

·       Theme of the day: Chesed – Loving kindness

·       Overall Theme: “The Loving-kindness of His Severity and Strength.”

·       Psalm 119:57-64

Gen. 3:22-24 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Getting booted out of Paradise for breaking one measly rule! Ouch! That’s Harsh!
Well, if you read and meditate on the text carefully, you will witness the Love in God’s severity. Yes, expulsion from Eden and death upon all mankind was sever, no doubt; but EXTREMELY Loving. If ADONAI cared nothing for us, He would have allowed us to stay in the Garden, eat of the Tree of Life in our sinful state and forever be separated from Him, now that would truly be an eternal living hell, and eternal separation from God is currently what makes hell, hell.

The Traditional text to read is Psalm 119:57-64:

57     ¶ CHETH. Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.

Land, Kingdom, Wealth, Women…. Heck, it’s nothing compared to God and His Torah. That is enough “portion” for David.

58     ¶ I entreated thy favor with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

Torah is not just a hap-hazard thing to David it’s all or nothing!

59     ¶ I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

“Turn my feet” implies teshuvah, repentance, a 180 after wrong doing is realized; a turning away from sin and a turning to the Source, a turning to God. David is turning to God and His Righteousness.

60     I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

David didn’t make an excuse NOT to keep the Commandments; HE wasted no time in keeping them!

61     ¶ The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.

Come hell or high water, come persecution or loss David will keep the Torah no matter what!

62     ¶ At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

God and His Torah is so awesome, sometimes David can’t even sleep he is so giddy about it and he can’t help but give praise to ADONAI. Or even if something is on his mind and keeping him up all night he will end up praising God because of His Torah. He knows if he follows it that God has his back and it all will be okay.

63     ¶ I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

David admits that there is a brotherhood, a family quality among those who keep His commandments, and indeed I can testify this for my self that it is so true.

64     ¶ The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.

Though we cannot understand the Chukim with out finite minds this verse hints that God gave them to us and that is why the earth is full with His mercy.

“Abba ADONAI God, if it were not for Your Loving-kindness coupled with Your Severity, I would not be talking to You right now. HalleluYah! Praise, Glory and Honor be unto You in the Holy Name of Yeshua I pray, Ameyn!”

DAY SEVEN OF THE OMER

“Today is seven days, which is one week of the Omer.”

·       Theme of the week: Chesed – Loving kindness

·       Theme of the day: Malchut - Majesty

·       Overall Theme: “The Majesty of His loving-kindness.”

·       Psalm 119:49-56

Today commemorates the 12 wells of water, one for each tribe of Israel and 70 palm trees for the 70 elders led by Moses to sit under and judge and provide for the 70 nations of the earth.

Exodus 15:27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

This also is the day that if the Temple were standing we would offer specified sacrifices to ADONAI.

Lev. 23:4-8 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

Even as early as Exodus we see the formation of a Holy Nation, a Holy Kingdom, with a Holy King (YHWH) who rules by a Holy Law (Torah). Already He is setting His people up to rightfully and majestically reign with Him in the World to Come.

Rev. 4:1-11 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Rev. 5:8-10 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Rev. 7:9-17 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Rev. 21:1-6 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Rev. 21:24-27 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.


The Traditional text to read is Psalm 119:49-56:

49     ¶ ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

The Torah is David’s hope, in other places he says it’s his salvation, his Yeshua. And remember what I said that Yeshua is nothing more than the Living Manifestation of the Written Torah?

50     ¶ This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

The Torah is also His Comfort, and what do we call the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) which comes from God? The Comforter. In passages in the Brit Chadshah (Renewed Covenant) it says that the Ruach will guide us in all Truth (John 16:13), and David already said that the Torah is Truth.

51     ¶ The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.

David says that he will stick to his guns and no matter what pressures from others may come, he will not budge nor compromise in regards to the Torah.

52     ¶ I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.

David is comforted by God judicial rulings of the Torah because he knows that they are fair, good and holy.

53     ¶ Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

David hates to think about those who don’t get it, who don’t understand the awesomeness of God’s Torah and therefore doesn’t obey it. He know where Torah-less-ness leads.

54     ¶ Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

Before David sung and wrote the Psalms, he but the Torah to music and praised God that way. Specifically the Commandments in which God gave no logical explanation for at that!

55     ¶ I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.

He even wants God’s Torah to rule his unconscious dream life! He wants to be holy through and through. David goes to sleep thinking about the Torah.

56     This I had, because I kept thy precepts.

He knows that his night life can only be pure because of God’s Word, His Torah and because he lives to obey it, he can have a holy night life.

“Abba ADONAI God, not only did You love us enough to save us and give us victory too and taste Your Glory, but have also allowed us to share in Your majesty! Thank You Father! HalleluYah! In the Name of Yeshua Messiah I pray and praise, Ameyn!”

DAY SIX OF THE OMER

“Today is six days of the Omer.”

·       Theme of the week: Chesed – Loving kindness

·       Theme of the day: Yesod – Intimacy/Foundation

·       Overall Theme: “The Intimacy of His loving-kindness.”

·       Psalm 119:41-48

Today commemorates the events found in Exodus 15:22-26 regarding the bitter waters made sweet.

Exodus 15:22-26 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

James 1:2-8  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.


Faithfully obeying Torah gives us the confidence to pray for necessities in faith and actually receive them. Faith is not just believing, but acting upon ones beliefs. My belief in my wedding vows cause me to act faithfully toward my wife and thus receiving the benefits of such a union. Seeing Torah as our wedding vows to ADONAI causes us to be faithful Him by obeying Torah via the example of His Son Yeshua; hence our themes of love and intimacy which are the foundation of our Faith.

The Traditional text to read is Psalm 119:41-48:

41     ¶ VAU. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.

David knew that the Torah led to salvation. Don’t the Scriptures say that Salvation comes from the Jews (John 4:22)? The Written Torah tells what the Living Torah (The Messiah) was to be like.

42     So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.

The Torah is the final word in what God considers righteous conduct, and when one is living by the Torah, no one can say anything legitimate against you in the realm of wrong doing.

43     ¶ And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.

Here David clearly says that the Torah is Truth. This is the answer to Pilates question to Yeshua, “What is Truth? (John 18:38).

44     So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.

Notice there isn’t an italics or parentheses in the ancient text that disclaims this verse by saying “until the Messiah come.” No, he says the Torah is to be obeyed forever. If David knew about the coming of the Messiah and that the Torah told about him (even Yeshua said the Torah speaks of him (Luke 24:13-49) then he would have known if the Torah would be changed by the Messiah. Instead He affirms that the Torah stands for ever.

45     ¶ And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

Liberty!? Is David saying that there is a freedom in keeping the Commandments? Absolutely! This doesn’t sound like the “bondage of the Law” that the Christians are always talking about.

46     I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

David will tell all other nations and kings about G-d and His dealings with Israel, and no matter how they respond, he will not be ashamed because he KNOWS that all the stories are absolutely 100% true!

47     And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

Torah makes David happy! What more can I say on this verse?

48     My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

He says he will DO the Torah, because it is all he can think about. It is so deep he can never come to an end of thinking about God’s Torah! He is especially fascinated with the commandments that have seemingly no logical purpose.

“Abba ADONAI God, Your Word calls us the Bride of Messiah, help and enable us to be faithful to You by keeping the Wedding Vows of Torah. In Yeshua’s Name I pray, Ameyn.”

DAY FIVE OF THE OMER

“Today is five days of the Omer.”

·       Theme of the week: Chesed – Loving kindness

·       Theme of the day: Hod - Glory

·       Overall Theme: “The Glory of His loving-kindness.”

·       Psalm 119:33-40

The full realization and fruition of the Love of ADONAI for us is when we see the Son coming for us in all His Glory and we in turn will be glorified at His appearing.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Luke 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

Col. 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

II Thess. 1:7-12 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I Thess. 4:17-18 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

I Cor. 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Glory is likened unto light and to glorify brings the connotation to shed light upon or to praise. So until Messiah returns we are to be tantalizing hints and reflections of such Glory.

Matt. 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The Traditional text to read is Psalm 119:33-40:

33     ¶ HE. Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.

Boy, David really wants to know God’s Chukim, even if he doesn’t understand it he says he wants to keep them. I have heard many well-meaning people say they will not follow Torah until they understand it, and that is noble, you certainly want to understand why they are doing what they are doing. But this can be a devil’s cop-out too. If it was a matter of truly understanding all of God’s 613 Mitzvot, I would never begin to obey one. All of them are so deep and multi-faceted that no one can truly understand them fully because they come from the mind of an infinite God to a finite creation.

34     Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

He says that he will keep Gods Laws even if he doesn’t understand them, but here he is praying for that understanding anyway. Because to understand is to fulfill with a full, joyous and fully engaged heart. 

35     ¶ Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

Clearly keeping the Torah wasn’t some laborious, burdensome task to David. He loved it, he enjoyed it, and in a way he is saying that even in the rare times that, “I don’t wanna”, he says make me “wanna”.

36     Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

And with bounty come that temptation of greed and covetousness for more. David is saying, “Let my motive always be pure and true, don’t let me glory in the tools that You give me to fulfill Your Commands.” If he covets, he wants to covet the true life stories of His Word. He is asking God to tune his ear to understand these true life, historical stories of God’s actions on behalf of His people Israel.

37     ¶ Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

Basically as his son Solomon would say in Ecclesiastes that all is vain but His Torah. David says; enliven me to be able to keep Your Torah.

38     ¶ Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

David is T-totally submitted to ADONAI, He says, “Go ahead God lay down the Law to me and I will follow it, Your wish is my command.”

39     ¶ Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.

David knows how bad he can really be and that scares him, he knows that adhering to God’s Torah can change all that when he submits to them.

40     ¶ Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

David desires all of God’s Torah, especially the commandments he doesn’t fully understand, he is asking God to give him the strength to keep His Torah, for it is the Righteousness of God. You see as James said that faith (belief in God and His Word) without works (doing the Torah) is dead. There is Faith Righteousness, that is believing in God and His Word, and Works Righteousness (Keeping the Commandments) and you cannot have one without the other, like the yin and the yang, like peanut butter and chocolate, like peanut butter and jelly…. Well, you get the picture.

ADONAI God, You not only saved us because of Your love for us, but also You allow us to share in Your Glory. We are humbly silent in praise and adoration before Your throne when we remember this fact. In Yeshua’s Glorious Name we pray, Ameyn.”

DAY FOUR OF THE OMER

“Today is four days of the Omer.”

·       Theme of the week: Chesed – Loving kindness

·       Theme of the day: Netzach - Victory

·       Overall Theme: “The Victory of His loving-kindness.”

·       Psalm 119:25-32

The sacrifice and resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah that we just commemorated during this Passover season was an act of Love that gave us Victory over sin and death if we but receive it freely and willingly.

Hosea 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

I Cor. 15:55-56 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Isa. 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

Heb. 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Rev. 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Rev. 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Rev. 20:3-14 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev. 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

All these verses speak of our victory over death because of the Chesed of our God displayed through Messiah Yeshua.

The Traditional text to read is Psalm 119:25-32

25     ¶ DALETH. My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

Only God’s Word gives him life and power.

26     ¶ I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.

It’s no secret David is a Torah Keeper, It is obvious everyone knows it. He doesn’t hide that fact. He again cries out to God, he wants to know His more Mysterious Commandments.

27     Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

He is asking God what are the reasons for, the cause and effects, the benefits of keeping the everyday things of the Torah, just so he can tell others and compel them to keep them. So he can tell others how great and wise His God is.

28     ¶ My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

Here David is saying that the Torah is a Living Supernatural Document able to give peace and strength when needed. He can have true confidence because he keeps God’s Torah out of zeal and love and therefore knows that God is on his side.

29     Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.

Seeing the Torah is Truth, David pleads to be led down that road, the road opposite and far from the road of the way of lying.

30     ¶ I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.

Love this verse too. Basically being Torah Obedient is 100% a choice; no one can convince you, or make you keep it, not even God Himself. Only you can decide to do so out of a genuine love and desire to please and obey God.

He is saying that the Torah is True, the only way to live and the only way in which to have dealings with others because it is fair.

31     I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame.

Again, David says he believes every word of Torah, every victory, every triumph of God in his dealings with Israel. And since he believes, he trusts that God will act in the same way on his behalf. David knows that everyone knows what he believes and who he serves and therefore it is God’s reputation that is at stake, so he says “put me not to shame” because people will see it and put the failing not on David, but on his God.

32     I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

He says, “Make my heart big enough, more able to take in and understand all your Torah so I can keep it and run with it for the honor and glory of Your Name!”

“Abba ADONAI God, Help and enable me to fully realize the reality of the daily victory I have through Your Great Love. In Messiah Yeshua I pray, Ameyn.”

DAY THREE OF THE OMER

 “Today is three days of the Omer.”

·       Theme of the week: Chesed – Loving kindness

·       Theme of the day: Tefreit - Beauty

·       Overall Theme: “The beauty of His loving-kindness.”

·       Psalm 119:17-24

I Chron. 16:29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

II Chron. 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psa. 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Psa. 96:9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

Psa. 110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

Psa. 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

Have you ever seen a majestic lion at rest? Calm and serenity are in his eyes. He blinks slowly as the rising sun bathes him in a soft glow as he greets the morning. Maybe yesterday he was seen in all his severity and strength as he took down and antelope. But now as he lays on the prairie in the sun we see beauty in such raw power.
Yeshua is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah who is seen in severity beat out money changers from the Holy Temple, but a week later we see the beauty of the Father in Him through the act of sacrificial love of that cruel Roman cross.

Luke 23:34a Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Like a comrade who jumps on a grenade in order to save his buddies, there is a strange beauty in such an act.

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Thus we see the robust beauty of ADONAI’s Loving-kindness.

The Traditional text to read is Psalm 119:17-24:

17     ¶ GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

He is saying in a way that if he had much bounty there would be many more ways that he could keep God’s Torah.

18     ¶ Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Here David is saying that the Torah is so deep, he is asking that God opens his eyes to understand it and to see it in all its depth and glory, for the soul reason of keeping them and thus praising God by doing so.

19     ¶ I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

The Torah is David’s road map, He can’t survive without them, they are his life and security.

20     ¶ My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

The Torah is like a love affair, he can’t get her (Torah) off his mind, it’s all he can think about, it’s wonderful, and it’s perfect. In short he is lovesick for the Torah.

21     ¶ Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.

He is implying that he is humble, because he knows that the prideful are self reliant and does not allow God to lead and guide them. He knows that it is inevitable that they will one day crash and burn without rescue. He saying he can’t make it without God and His Instructions, His Torah.

22     ¶ Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.

David has been faithful, and has been encouraged and believed the miracles recorded in the Torah and therefore has seen miracles in his own life because he has trusted Him fully through thick and thin. We see the Torah is David’s constant companion and guide and comforter.

23     ¶ Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.

David knows that his vindication lies in the Torah, the Words of the Living God. The Torah is what David turns to; to ease his mind and to get his mind off things when political life gets cumbersome.

24     ¶ Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

David learns from the mistakes and the triumphs of the past Patriarchs. He trusts Moshe (Moses), Aharon (Aaron), and Yehoshuah (Joshua) more than his royal advisers!

“Abba ADONAI God, today I worship You in the beauty of Your Holiness as I thankfully remember the beauty of love displayed for me in the sacrifice of Your Son. In Yeshua’s Name I pray, Ameyn.”

DAY TWO OF THE OMER

“Today is two days of the Omer.”

·       Theme of the week: Chesed – Loving kindness

·       Theme of the day: Gevurah – Strength and Severity

·       Overall Theme: “The strength and severity of His Loving-kindness.”

·       Psalm 119:9-16

ADONAI the Father loves us madly and with a fierce passion, so much so that our hairs on our head are numbered, our tears are collected and precious as if black gold, and our names are engraved on his hands (Matt. 10:30, Psa. 56:8, Isa. 49:16). In fact, he couldn’t bear eternity without is and sent His Son to die in our place (John 3:16) for our crimes against the Torah (I John 3:4). Our God has done everything in His power, He did what He didn’t have to do, all in order to save us and have intimate fellowship with us (Num. 11:23, Isa. 50:2, 59:1).
The Traditional text to read is Psalm 119:9-16:

9     ¶ BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

In other words, what can the Torah do? It has the power to give one a “squeaky clean” reputation. It’s simple, it’s all in black and white in His Torah, all we got to do is read and heed. It can’t be mechanical either; it’s got to be from the heart as you will see. 

10     ¶ With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

David knew that to know the Commandments was to know God. David also knew that the Commandments are life (Deut. 32:47), so to wander from the Torah is to wander from the path of Life.

11     ¶ Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

I have heard this verse in what is known as the “Pledge to the Bible”. There is a pledge to the American flag, and the Christian flag and to the Bible. David knew that it was important to memorize His Torah if he was to combat and conquer temptation and sin.

12     ¶ Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

David is saying that even though he as a finite human may not understand why an infinite God might have commanded certain things, he nonetheless wants to know them. He wants God Himself to teach them to him because he is so zealous to love and please God.

13     ¶ With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

As king, he is saying he will rule fairly by the Torah as his guide.

14     I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

 David knows the Torah is the true treasure, not money and possessions. He is probably alluding to his personal hand scribed Torah is his greatest possession.

15     I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

Even though we may not understand why God commands certain things, David said he would try to wrap his brain around it anyway. And even when he concludes that he still doesn’t get it, he will nonetheless keep these “Chukim”.

16     I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

He’s saying that he will keep the commandments that rule and guide our daily lives with joy, that he will make the Torah apart of him so he won’t forget His Torah.

“Abba ADONAI God, Thank you that because of Your sever love for us that you exerted Your Power and Strength through Your Son in order to save us. In Yeshua’s Name I pray, Ameyn.”