In my last blog entry, I posed the question, “What is the purpose of the tribes coming together?”

As we learned, the common reason is God! Jerusalem would be the place where the people of God would come together – to meet Him, remember Him, worship Him and give back to Him. God was the reason, and Jerusalem was the place where the tribes of Israel would come together to honor Him.

There were 12 tribes in Israel; 12 tribes from different places with different roles and responsibilities. Yet they were to come together to Jerusalem to connect to God first, and to each other. The people as a whole were called Israel.

Today, when one walks in the streets of Jerusalem, one can see people from every tribe, tongue, and nation who have come to worship the God of Israel in His city. These people come from many different places, with many different roles and responsibilities, yet they are still coming today, thousands of years later to worship the God of Israel!

When I think about what used to be here, the fact that the people from the different tribes came to Jerusalem, to join together to worship God, and that all of those people were part of “Israel”, I can’t help but think of us today.

Today, I am part of Israel. Israel is comprised of people from many different places who are living here. Many of them come to Jerusalem for many different reasons – its beauty, the history, their faith, to work, etc. I can’t help but look forward the day when, once again, I will see my flow countrymen whom I love, joining together in one accord worshiping together the God of our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and His Son, Yeshua the Messiah, in His city of Jerusalem.

Today, I am also part of the Body of Messiah, which is a beautiful blend of both Jew and Gentile alike. To say that I look forward to the day when Yeshua’s Bride will remove the walls which divide us – walls which He broke with His death & resurrection – and join together with the Children of Israel in worshiping in His city while together proclaiming, “Baruch Aba BeShem Adonai!” “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” is an understatement; this will be the most glorious day and I cannot wait for it!

Until that day, my challenge for us this week ahead is to reflect on our relationship with our Lord, and ask ourselves if our relationships with one another reflect that relationship with Lord.

Shabbat Shalom,

Moran