Life with God is all about learning how to live in His ways.
He teaches us a little at a time; like children learning about how to best live out life on earth.
We don’t always get it right. Most of us can’t even remember enough to go seven days without huge mistakes, and lots of prayer and confession; much less seven years. This is the curse of humanity that we all have had to live with for millions of years.
THE CURSE OF HUMANITY
It is hard to accept the humility of our own humanity sometimes; and the fact remains that we need to be alert and watching and forever learning how to overcome.
Recently; I’ve made a huge mistake in overcoming and all I can do is throw myself at the mercy of God and ask His forgiveness and his help to keep on going.
Have you ever found yourself in such a place?
It is not a desirable position to be living in when you know that end-times are fast approaching.
GRATITUDE FOR SUCH A PERFECT SAVIOR
The task of all Christianity in end-times situations is to learn to rise above the ways of humanity and to live in the holiness that God makes available to all of us. That is part of what I (and I suspect a whole lot of others) have failed to do.
Jesus knew that humans would fail this test; thank God He came to save us!
Even in the assurance of Salvation; we still know that our sins have consequences on this earth. All we can do once we turn away from God’s holy ways is to repent, and try our best to turn back to God as fast as possible.
Sometimes, through neglect and sins of omission; we hit a hard bump in the road and we sit there wondering whether to go around this bump or just drive right through it in the usual way and pray that not much damage is done to the mechanics of our car.
ARRIVING AS A CHRISTIAN IN THE SHEMITA YEAR
As we turned the Hebraic Calendar page on The Feast of Trumpets; we started into the first day of a Shemita year on the Hebraic calendar of 5782.
Do Christians today have a good concept of what should be done in a Shemita year?
Further; do Christians today even have an understanding of how the Shemita year works for God’s people?
If, like me you have failed in all or part of this; don’t feel alone. So many of us just haven’t heard the message, or haven’t felt the urgency to follow it, or are not prepared to make such a huge life-shifting change this very year.
TECHNICALITIES FIRST
Let’s get the technicalities out of the way first.
This Shemita year “technically” only applies to those living in The Holy Land. It originated from God to those who are of Jewish descent. It is all part of the Covenant God made to bless Abraham’s descendants in the land of promise.
Some of us (Gentiles) do not live in that physical land; but does that let us off the hook?
I tend to disagree with only looking at the technicalities. This is because some of us ARE descendants of Abraham, and we don’t even know or understand that fact because of ancient waves of assimilation.
Going even further; I always think of the fact that God’s ways never change. What was good for The Israelites and the land around Jerusalem is just as good for us today. The basic principles of obedience and blessing and disobedience and cursing work in any place on the earth; because God set these things into motion long ago. He maintains them for all of mankind.
So; if you want to get technical; be sure you pray hard about the truth first; then proceed.
THE UNTECHNICAL THOUGHTS
The Hebraic calendar runs in seven year cycles.
The Shemita is the 7th year.
The general idea is to lay aside the cares of the world once every seven years; even growing food and tending to agriculture, and concentrate strictly on whatever God is speaking about to you in your life.
It is a time for coming into a Sabbatical rest with God.
This year in your life should be compared to a year-long Sabbath.
This Seventh Sabbath year is a sacred time in which you rest from your labors and look strictly to God for your provision.
ARE YOU A SABBATH KEEPER?
Most people who are aware of such a concept, prepare in the years before the Shemita begins. Diligently they store away the things they will need for the coming year (as much as they can) so their Shemita year will not be full of hardship and shortages.
I have several things that flash through my mind when I think of this in terms of being an American Gentile Christian living in the South. My thoughts go to photos of my grandparents canning vegetables from their garden to last through the winter. I can remember the old “smoke houses” where meat was hung to dry and salted down to keep it from spoiling.
Most people about three generations back from mine dug wells and had an abundant water supply. They never worried about having problems with the city’s supply running dry; and they stored water away in case the well pump ever went out; or the well went dry for some reason. The pump house was big enough to store enough water to get them through in an emergency situation.
Of course, there are thoughts that can go back much further than my great-grandparents.
Remember the story of Joseph’s dream. We can all recall how Joseph revealed what was to come to Pharaoh. Because of Joseph’s wisdom, he was able to save many nations from famine and starvation.
God gave Joseph this wisdom. Pharaoh’s dream came true in increments of seven years at a time (much like the Shemita.)
Joseph was faithful and dutiful in fulfilling his mission on this earth; and God blessed his efforts.
The Christians of America have forgotten how God’s calendar works. Because of this, some believe that this winter may turn out to be a very hard winter for all of us.
We are already hearing talk of how shortages are happening across the globe. Predictions are that they will only get worse.
WILL AMERICA EXPERIENCE TIMES LIKE GOD’S PEOPLE WHO HAD TO GO TO EGYPT TO SURVIVE?
Even the people who are considered the wisest in the Christian circles are saying “store up goods NOW before inflation hits and you can’t get what you need.”
As far as I know God’s people haven’t said such words in generations. We haven’t had to. Our lives have been very blessed and abundant; but now we seem to be headed toward some trials and tests that will come from hard times in our nation.
MY CONFESSION OF FAILURE
Honestly; I have a confession to make. Being as fanatical as I am about keeping the Hebraic meanings and the lunar calendar of God; I have been so distracted by world events and our current culture’s fear-mongers, as well as just the busyness of life – even only from the godly things; that I have let this time of turning into the Shemita slip up on me without notice!
The thought does occur to me; if I had been more focused on God’s calendar for this year as it was approaching, and if I had used that calendar to look ahead more; I would not be a bit concerned for the food shortages that are predicted for our nation. I would be fully prepared and ready for a long Sabbath rest with no worries. Following God’s calendar, and His ways, would have provided a map for the time for me to make preparations of all that I needed. These preparations would have taken place over the last seven years; as appropriate and I would be ready by the Feast of Trumpets. I would NOT have one concern for getting through the troubles of the coming year.
Oh; to be more like Joseph!
Of course; technically I’m off the hook; right?
But; you know how I feel about technicalities and the ways of God.
I know this is America where I live; and not Jerusalem; but that is just a little technicality in my very circumcised heart. Like Nehemiah and Ezra before me; my HEART lives in a spiritual Jerusalem; though my physical body resides in a foreign land.
Do you think the heart of Joseph ever left the place of his father’s home in all of the time that he lived in Egypt?
I don’t think so.
He was always ever-true to his original spiritual heritage. The place where God placed His name on the earth will always be my true spiritual home. I can’t listen to these technicalities anymore. It is time for me and hopefully; all Americans to begin to walk with an open heart before God.
GOD DOESN’T CARE ABOUT MANKIND’S TECHNICALITIES
Spiritually; I always desire to please the God of Abraham, The One True God that never changes his ways. He was the One who gave these rules to Israel, and I don’t think He cares about the technicalities. Otherwise; He would not have made Israel His pattern nation or us Christians would not have become eligible for adoption through the blood of Jesus.
Hence; I’ve come to the current dilemma and the serious concerns of my heart.
I haven’t been the good steward of my blessings that I ALWAYS intended to be. I do not feel totally and adequately prepared for this Shemita.
You know what they say about good intentions. I INTENDED to save for the Shemita; but I forgot. I do not have very much stored away here.
All I can do at this point is repent and ask God’s forgiveness and pray that He allows mercy upon my family during the upcoming year. It is truly a lesson that I never wanted to learn; and I am so sorry for my neglect to the words of God’s law on this issue.
LIVE NOT IN FEAR
However; I have prayerfully decided NOT to make that last minute dash for provisions; because the year has ALREADY changed. We are now living in Shemita times. It is a time to be making the best of what we have on hand.
Is this the lesson about not having enough oil in your lamp when the Groom comes to get the Bride?
Spiritually; I have the oil; but physically it may not last. I simply throw myself at the mercy of God and keep remembering how faithful He has been in the past.
Why would I be so foolish as to not begin to store things up now? All of our modern-day prophets are saying to do so.
Because sometimes God’s wisdom sounds like foolishness to the world; but it isn’t.
God has said to let the ground lay fallow. (So much for my plan to grow our own food this year from boxed and container gardens.) God has said to stop your work and lay the cares of the world aside for a whole year. He promises to provide.
THE FEW WHO SEEM TO BE READY
I have a teaching friend in ministry whom I follow. She is one who recently left her post in her church as a minister. It was quiet a shocking and unannounced event; with just a happy, well-intended and well-wishing goodbye party for her and her husband from their congregation members.
It had me blind-sighted; as I wasn’t expecting this at all.
My first thoughts were to cry big crocodile tears over losing those precious moments of such anointed teachings.
You could say my reaction was that of being totally dumb-founded. I had to question what was going on. She was one of the FEW people I knew who actually followed and observed God’s Holy Days and watched the Hebraic calendar carefully all the time. She clearly could see how prophetic the calendar was for God’s people.
USELESS NEGATIVITY
It is shameful how most of us react in the world today whenever a Christian suddenly leaves a successful post in ministry. The first thoughts of everyone are; what went wrong?
What terrible sin was committed and why did it happen?
This erroneous line of thought is positive proof that we must learn how to exercise our faith to the stronger more positive things instead of living in constant fear and condemnation.
Our God is bigger than the weaknesses of humanity!
I’m preaching to myself for even any slight doubt about the fate that my friend in Christ had stumbled upon in my human imagination.
My first reflections had to be wrong and I knew it.
SOME ARE LIVING IN SHEER FAITH AND BOLDNESS
It dawned on me today, as I was looking at my own inadequacies; that she was quitting her “job” for the year and taking the God-ordained Sabbatical for the Shemita!
She WOULD do that as a faithful follower of Christ!
Though she has not publicly made any such announcement; I’m so happy for this sister for standing in such strength and faith; to leave all the world has to offer her (she was at the height of her public ministry this year) and to step back and say; “I want what God wants. I’m taking this year off, and I will not worry about my provision; but I will have faith to carry on and persevere until it is time to pick things back up again.”
Oh if we all could leave this enslavement and do the same!
Let’s be encouraged and inspired by those who are leading us and showing us the way.
CHRISTIANS MUST COME TO UNDERSTAND SHEMITA
So; what is the Shemita year supposed to be about, and exactly what should it mean for Christianity?
I wrote about this a long time ago, and the link to that article is provided at the end of this article. Just click to begin your own study. (Yes; sometimes I need to re-study my own lessons!) We will talk much more about the meaning of this very special set aside year as we go through the calendar of the Hebrews (God’s calendar) throughout the rest of the year together. (I hope you are following along with us under our “ALL MY DAYS” tab/topics of the blog.)
I will be honest with you and tell you that your teacher has many shortcomings, and much to confess and repent of. This girl is still learning and trying to see how to grow too. I see no way to leave my job with only one year before I plan to retire in a time of national economic chaos. All of us who work for a living are under the same curse of bondage and slavery as the children of Israel were in Egypt. That is the curse of living in a materialistic based world.
We can’t rise above the world’s ways and be free to do God’s will because we have become slaves to a world’s system which holds us in a type of bondage that just multiplies its curses every year.
I am now seeking God’s will as to what to do about this. I cherish your prayers; and I will be praying the same for you. Somehow we all have to learn how to have Shemita in our lives.
THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY RISEN ABOVE IT ALL
A few wise Christians and many Jews HAVE chosen, studied, prepared and managed to rise above this form of bondage and slavery to the world’s systems. They are ready to begin the Shemita year, and are not a bit worried about their fate for the year because they began long ago listening to God’s word and preparing for it.
These can only look forward to a year of happy rest and contentment as they spend more time concentrating on the spiritual things of life. This is in keeping with the blessings for obedience which we have studied in Deuteronomy Chapter 28.
I was almost to this point in my own life; but I forgot to remember to be checking the calendar. Now I feel I must keep working my job; but will it be to no avail? Am I thinking totally wrong?
I am praying for God’s forgiveness and asking Him how to proceed in the best way from this point forward. I know those who have proceeded in ways contrary to God’s ways in the past have not done so well. That too can be found in Deuteronomy Chapter 28; only under the curses for disobedience.
Though in my human mind I feel I should keep working in this year; how can I preach this message and not completely follow through with actions? I am praying about that and trusting God for the right answers.
This is where the rubber meets the road and this is where I cry out to God for more strength and extra faith to go through the hoops I need to be jumping through in the next few months. If you have also made a commitment to keep God’s ways; you may be struggling with this year too. We must pray each other through.
SHEMITA ISN’T A HOLIDAY FOR THE LAZY
Don’t misunderstand the message; God is all about work, except on the Sabbath. Sabbath is a time in which civil work is always forbidden.
This seventh (Shemita) year is comparable to a LONG Sabbath; a Sabbath that lasts for one whole year. God has said not to do your usual work during this time; but to depend upon His provision for your survival. It is a time of exercising great faith in all directions.
It is not only our daily careers and working schedules that come into play here. There are probably many others out there (like me) who have neglected these ways that God has directed. I haven’t stored up food and provisions. This year will be a real test in faith; a time to lean solely on God for provision and help.
Can I be that strong?
Can we all?
Remember the story of Ruth? She faced such an unexpected test in faith with courage.
Can we do the same?
PERHAPS THIS IS A TEST OF FAITH
Will we learn this year how to become stronger spiritually; to NOT live in fear; but to depend solely upon God’s favor, mercy and provision?
Also; will God have mercy and forgive the repentant who go into this season on only a hope and a prayer; trusting God for all of what sustains daily life?
Historically; this time has never been an easy commitment for anyone; and that is probably why so many have chosen to ignore this part of the scriptures, and to turn to other calendars as their choice of how to live out and count their days.
It is very hard to put away your human reasoning and lean entirely upon God; but that is what we are called to do. When we trust our own efforts, they simply turn to dust and blow away in the wind.
Let’s all commit it to prayer as we continue to move on through this new year. We can still turn around and help one another. All of us can encourage one another to continue to overcome and live life God’s way.
If you wish to study the articles written on the Shemita in this blog from the past; here are some links to follow: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/shemitah-the-annual-sabbath/; https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/shemitah-and-isaiah-61-come-as-a-child-lesson-232/.