The Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.
1 Samuel 15:29 ESV
God is incapable of regret/repentance because he always knows exactly what he is doing and why, but God is grieved by some necessities. When Scripture says that he regrets or repents of something, the literal meaning of the Hebrew is that he turns away from something or changes course, not that he decided what he was doing before was wrong.
Why then did you not obey the voice of YHWH? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of YHWH?”
1 Samuel 15:19
Service to the Kingdom of God has many rewards, but not every opportunity for gain should be taken. Some opportunities for material gain are actually opportunities to refine your character.
Yom Hakippurym - “Day of Atonement”
It is known simply as “The Fast” and is the most sacred day of the Hebrew year. Kept as a solemn fast from sunset to sunset, the command for this day is to “afflict your souls”. No work or normal activity of any kind is permitted.
All of Yisrael is to meet in a set-apart convocation to pray, both individually and corporately, for pardon of sins. More than just a day of repentance, it is the time of “teshuvah” – a return to YHWH and His ways.
The Hebrew name for the day, “Kippurym”, is in the plural form, and this is explained in the Zohar, “because it represents two streams of love. As soon as the desire for reconciliation has awakened in the sinner’s soul, and wings its way heavenward, Elohym’s grace comes down to meet it, calming the breast with assurance of divine pardon and forgiveness.” In Malaki, the prophet affirms this, as it says, “Return to Me, and I will return to you, saith YHWH Tzava’oth.”
In Temple times, at the end of this day, the shofar was sounded one last time, then the gates were finally, and meaningfully, closed. (Mattithyahu 25:1-13)
The scripture readings are: Vayyiq’ra chapters 16 and 18; B’midbar 29:7-11; Yeshayahu 57:14-58:14; Mikah 7:18-20 and the book of Yonah.
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.”
Psalms 122:6 NKJV
“Let all those who hate Zion Be put to shame and turned back.”
Psalms 129:5 NKJV
Contrast: loving Zion brings a blessing, hating Zion brings shame. Why? Because Jerusalem is better than other cities?
Nope. Because it's chosen by God as you were chosen by God despite our unworthiness.
Easy, long lasting, winter hardy bulbs pop up every spring to cheer us up with bright colors. Beloved for a reason: flowering bulbs have been part of people attempt to recreate, if you will, the garden of Eden here on earth for centuries. ?
Today I want to talk about 7 of the best garden bulbs here?
https://beansforlunch.com/2024..../09/13/7-best-fall-p
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.
1 Samuel 15:9 ESV
When God requires something of man, it's important to give it in the way in which God specifies, not how we would rather do it. The means of righteousness are an integral part of the end.
My son and his wife stopped by with their heir newborn earlier. I’ll see them church on Shabbat. My youngest is visiting her sister at MU this weekend. Got to give the glory to Yahweh for this intact family. We put God first, we homeschooled, and we did without. Now we get to enjoy these blessings watching them mature.
Then Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
1 Samuel 15:6 ESV
Saul didn't always do the wrong thing. He wasn't a completely evil man. He gave up significant military advantage by warning the Kenites, a tribe of Midianites, of what was about to happen.
This evening, at 8:30pm CDT, is the PREMIERE of our new Shabbat Virtual Gathering over on our YouTube channel! We are excited to fellowship with you! https://www.youtube.com/@Trium....phInTruthMedia/video