Holiday Blessings in Yeshua,
Time
As we come to the close of a secular year, “TIME” is on my mind. God is the Creator of time. He is above time. He controls time. God is Lord of time. My mind went back in time to 1965 when, as a freshman in college, I wrote a poem on TIME for an English class at Ohio Wesleyan University. The poem: “Time is constantly escaping to eternity above. Let us love every moment. Every moment let us love.” Not bad theology for a rebellious girl who met her Messiah eight years later.
Time is a gift from God. It is a precious commodity. There are various Hebrew words for time. Et עת (AYT), means “time” or “season.” Zeman, זמן (zeh-MAHN), is a common Hebrew term. Sha’ah, שעה (shah-AH), is used for “hour” and specifically for telling time. Rega, רגע (REH-gah), means “minute” or “moment.”
Going back in time, I discovered that I wrote a Jewish Jewels newsletter one other time on the topic of Time—in January 2005—20 years ago! I read the letter and realized that much has changed in our world since 2005, but some things never change. Mostly God! Time does not change Him. He remains the same—yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8).
The Set Time
Each year, during the Feasts of the Lord, we contemplate this type of time, also called “God’s time.” In Hebrew it is moed מועד (moh-EHD), and means an appointed time, referring to specific moments ordained by God for events to happen (e.g., biblical festivals). Moadim (plural) are special times when God desires to meet with His people. (See Leviticus 23:4.) At Sukkot this year, I explained to my elderly neighbors (many Jewish) that we are involved almost daily with “appointments” and keeping them. But God has appointments with us as well. Do we keep them? Are they important to us? Do we even know about them? The God of the Holy Scriptures should have greater priority than our dentists or doctors.
When the Lord proclaims a “set time,” it is a significant time. For example: the time of Isaac’s birth and the covenant that God would establish with him (Gen. 17:21), and the “set time” in Egypt when the Lord made a difference between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt (Ex. 9:5). Then there was Job, who beseeched God to appoint a “set time” to remember him (Job. 14:13). At this moment in history, we are in the midst of one of God’s moadim (set times), as expressed in Psalm 102:13, “You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come.”
At the close of 2025, we see the world rapidly turning against Zion. Antisemitism is at an all-time high. But Yeshua’s bride knows the truth: The Jews—Israel—are still the beloved of God and have an end time purpose. “Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers” (Rom. 11:28). Yeshua is returning to the Land of Israel. He will be welcomed by Jewish believers who say, “Baruch haba b’shem Adonai,” “‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'” (Matt. 23:39). It is God’s set time to take a stand for Israel and the Jewish people. Bless and be blessed (Genesis 12:3). And ask the Lord for wisdom and discernment concerning “peace.” Real peace vs. false peace. There will be those saying, “‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace” (Jer. 6:14). The only true peace is found in the Prince of Peace, Yeshua HaMashiach.
A Time to Be Born
“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born…” (Eccl. 3:1-2). Since God knew us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:15-16), He knew when each of us would be born. In my case, He knew that I would enter the world on December 21, 1947, during the big snowstorm of the season (also the official first day of winter). I will be 78 this year. When I was growing up, my birthday was celebrated in the midst of lavish December 25th activities. While I no longer celebrate the incarnation at Christmas (but at Sukkot), I respect the right of my brothers and sisters in the Lord to worship the Messiah and observe His birth in December. I actually like the fact that the entire world stops for one day a year to acknowledge a Jewish baby born in a manger.
Yeshua came—as prophesied in the Tanakh. He was born in the little town of Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2). No Messiah could be born there today since it is a Palestinian city. Few Jews, if any, live there. The time of Messiah’s birth was prophesied in Daniel chapter 9 with its Seventy-Week Prophecy. Daniel taught that 483 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem had been issued, Messiah would appear on the earth. He did. Yeshua came at the appointed time, before the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D.
Yeshua came—sent by His Father to identify with and die for sinful humanity. The New Covenant expresses the timing of Yeshua’s birth as follows: “But when the FULLNESS OF THE TIME had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Gal. 4:4-5, emphasis mine).
A Time to Speak
Ecclesiastes chapter 3 mentions a time for many activities, including speech, e.g., “…a time to speak” (3:7). When Sheryl, our faithful, highly gifted Jewish Jewels administrator, travels with me—anywhere—it is always a time to speak. Even if I want to remain silent, Sheryl pushes upon doors. When she graciously agreed to accompany me to New York for my nephew’s wedding, I knew there would be opportunities to speak for Yeshua. A big one came when we had the day off before the wedding. Sheryl’s birthday was the day after the wedding and her desire for her 75th was to go horseback riding. I love horses so I agreed; however, it was not easy to find a trail ride in the Poughkeepsie, NY area (fear of lawsuits). Sheryl persevered, and we found a “cowboy” an hour away. Long story short: The owner “just happened to be” at the University of Missouri when I was there studying for my Master’s Degree. We shared lots of stories. He told us that all his other rides had been cancelled that day, and that had never happened before. So, Sheryl and I had a private, extra long ride with the owner’s son and an opportunity to begin speaking about the Lord.
After our delightful trail ride, we chatted with father and son. I shared the Gospel with them, and, as we all held hands, they both prayed to receive the Lord—and were delighted to receive their sea-shell messages. (It felt as if Sheryl and I were old-time circuit riders.)
Wherever we are, in these times, we must be ready to speak… “holding fast the word of life…” (Phil. 2:16). “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Col. 4:6). “…Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2).
At the end of October, I was in New York again, in Brooklyn this time. I found myself alone at breakfast, about four feet away from a single man wearing a huge Star of David around his neck. I had three seashells with me on this trip—one Jewish. It said, “God loves Israel. God loves YOU” with a big Star of David. I knew the message was for him. I wrestled with the decision. Do I begin a conversation with a strange man in New York City? Then I sensed the Holy Spirit saying, “No fear. Go for it!” I did. He is a tour guide, specializing in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn. I shared with him about Messiah, gave him the shell, and the information about our Jewish Jewels YouTube channel. He promised to watch.
By the time you receive this letter, I will, Lord willing, have a date set to speak at one of the largest secular clubs of Kings Point, whose members are predominantly older, Jewish women. I was invited, even though they know that I am the president of the “Know the Bible Club,” since two of my pre-believing Jewish neighbors recommended me. They told the ladies that I am an “interesting speaker,” based on my presentations at our building during Sukkot. An amazing open door! I am not looking for opportunities to speak. They seem to find me. Prayers appreciated for wisdom and strength.
Time to Rededicate
The Hebrew word for dedication is hanukkah חנכה. Hanukkah is also the name of the holiday celebrated this year from December 14–December 22, 2025, and is known as the “Feast of Dedication” or the “Feast of Lights.” Interestingly, the only mention of Hanukkah in the Bible is in the Brit Hadasha, the New Covenant Scriptures. “Now it was the Feast of Dedication [Hanukkah] in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus [Yeshua] walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch” (Jn. 10:22-23).
Hanukkah is based on a historical event. The story is found in the Apocryphal Books of I and II Maccabees. In the 2nd century B.C. Israel was under the rule of the Syrian/Greeks. While Greek influence pervaded Israeli society, there was a righteous remnant of God’s people who were passion-ate for the Torah and the God of the Torah. One family stood out for their stand for righteousness and their unwillingness to bow down to the Greek ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes, and his Greek idols. They were called the Maccabees. Mattathias and his sons led a miraculous, successful revolt against the entire Greek army who were even equipped with fighting elephants! In three years, with God’s help, the Israeli guerilla fighters were victorious. The rallying cry of the Maccabees was: “Let all who are zealous for the Torah follow me.”
After their victory over Antiochus and his soldiers in 165 B.C., the Maccabees went to cleanse the holy temple in Jerusalem, which had been desecrated and defiled with idols set up in the House of God. They rededicated the temple to the worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, lighting the Ner Tamid (eternal light) with new, holy oil. Not only was there still a Jewish temple, there remained a Jewish people. If Antiochus had had his way, Jews and Judaism would have been totally eradicated.
Consider the temple rededication. The word Hanukkah comes from khanakh, חנך (kha-NAKH), which means to narrow, initiate, discipline, and train up. There is no holy temple in Jerusalem today. But we, Yeshua’s disciples, are temples of His Spirit (I Cor. 6:19-20); we follow a narrow way (Matt. 7:13-14) and are called to be like the righteous Maccabees who stood up for God and were dedicated to follow His ways. Dedicated people are different. Messianic believers today rededicate our temples to the service of the living God at Hanukkah.
Let’s pray together: “Abba, I re-dedicate myself to You at this Feast of Dedication. I am not my own; I belong to You. You bought me with the precious blood of Your Son Yeshua. Help me to stay on the narrow path that leads to life, to seek, find, and do Your will, and to walk faithfully in the good works that You have prepared for me. ‘My times are in Your hand…’ (Ps. 31:15). I trust You, in Yeshua’s name, Amen.”
Time of the End
I sense that we are living in the time of the end. Look at Israel—God’s time clock. The prophet Zechariah proclaimed truth about end-time Jerusalem, “And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it” (Zech. 12:3). Every day some new occurrence of anti-Israel rhetoric surfaces. An interesting verse in Daniel relates to our day: “‘But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase'” (Dan. 12:4). (God’s timing is amazing. Just as I was looking at some verses in the Book of Daniel, I received a phone call from an author who has just finished writing a book on Daniel and was very excited about the revelations that the Lord gave him.)
Knowledge shall increase. Yes. Absolutely. You can find out almost anything on the internet. I find AI a bit troubling and am reserving judgment, approaching it cautiously. We need to ask the Lord to make us like “…the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do…” (I Chron. 12:32).
One more thought about the time of the end. The Bible calls these “perilous times.” “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Tim. 3:1-5). (Just one example: It is estimated that about 34% of college students believe that some level of violence is justified to stop a campus speech.) “Abba, help us not to be included in the list of 2 Timothy 3, in Yeshua’s name.”
High Time
The clock is ticking, but do we hear it? Is the bride of Messiah asleep or awake? Do we recognize the signs of the time in which we live? Are we preparing ourselves for the soon return of our King? Have we “put on love”? It is time to heed the exhortation found in Colossians 3:14, “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” As the elect of God, holy and beloved, we are told to “put on” other qualities, as if they are decisions to be made. Tender mercies. Kindness. Humility. Meekness. Longsuffering. Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another. Thankfulness. (Colossians 3:12-15). All extensions of love.
The choice is ours, but the power is God’s. We can become Yeshua’s spotless bride by choosing to yield to His pruning, direction, and empowerment. “…’Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 4:6).
We have arrived at the “high time” spoken of in Romans 13:10-11, “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”
How Much Time Do You Have?
I found the following article in my files which I wrote in September 1977. Time has only intensified its timeless truth: “Each of us, rich or poor, young or old, is given the same daily gift from God: 24 hours! And each day’s gift could be our last. Consider your time today. If this was the last day of your life, would you use your time to please God? Would you spend your time the way God requires in His Word?
The Scriptures tell us that NOW is the TIME …to redeem the TIME because the days are evil (Eph. 5:16); …to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you (Hosea 10:12); …to keep on the alert because you don’t know the day or the hour when the Messiah Yeshua will return (Mat. 25:13); …to believe that Yeshua is the Messiah or else we will die in our sins (Jn. 8:24); …to keep on meeting together with believers for Bible study and fellowship (Heb. 10:25); …to accept Yeshua as Lord NOW—Today is the day of salvation from the wrath we deserve (II Cor. 6:2).
If you have not yet accepted Yeshua as your Messiah do it NOW while there is still TIME. Every day your life is slipping away into eternity. Make your TIME count in the eternal memory of God like a dying criminal did 2,000 years ago. Hanging next to Yeshua, he admitted he was a sinner deserving death. He confessed Yeshua as Messiah before men. He asked Yeshua to remember him when the Lord returns to rule God’s Kingdom. That day a dying criminal made Time count for eternity. We must take TODAY and do likewise.”
Redeeming the time, by the grace of God,
P.S. This letter was written on November 4, 2025, the birthday of one of my oldest and dearest friends, Michelle. I decided to call her to wish her a happy birthday as soon as I finished writing. At around noon, I called, and her caregiver answered, crying. She had just arrived to take Michelle out for a birthday lunch and found her DEAD.
I was shocked and speechless, given what I had just finished writing.
What about YOU? Please make sure you are right with God! He is speaking. It is TIME to receive the Messiah Yeshua, the One who loves you and gave His life for you. Today could be your last day.
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