By Joseph Shulam.
A Message of Hope, Unity, and Divine Presence
Finding Courage and Faith in these Times of Uncertainty!
This Shabbat Chol HaMo’ed Sukkot, (Chol HaMo’ed Sukkot are the days between the first day of the feast and the last day of the feast. Read John 7 to understand the feast and its implications.) As communities in Israel and across the world gather under the fragile yet hopeful shelter of the sukkah, the sacred readings from the Torah, Prophets, and Gospel converge to form a tapestry of encouragement, challenge, and promise. In a time when our societies face daunting moral, political, and spiritual tests—uncertainties of security, divided voices, and the search for meaning—these passages become more than ancient words. They become living calls to courage, unity, and resilient hope.
Read these words from God’s Word and be inspired, encouraged, and motivated to walk closer with Yeshua (Jesus). Don’t walk in the garden alone while the dew is still on the Roses. Join with all your brothers and sisters around the world who seek God’s peace and strength to live with faith, love, and hope. Win the crown of life eternal together with all of God’s people who seek peace and pursue it.
– Moses, Divine Presence, and Covenant Renewal
In Exodus 33:12–34:26 we encounter Moses at a moment of profound uncertainty. He pleads with God for assurance, wanting the Divine Presence to remain with Israel. God responds not only with the promise, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest,” but also reveals His goodness and mercy. Moses ascends Sinai, receives anew the covenant, and witnesses God’s compassion, grace, patience, steadfast love, and faithfulness.
This passage highlights that, even after failures and fears, God seeks a relationship and renewal. The pillars of God’s promise—presence, mercy, and faithfulness—form the foundation for moving forward as a people, even and especially when the future is unclear.
– Prophecy of Conflict and Restoration
The prophetic vision in Ezekiel 38:18–39:16 speaks of a tumultuous time: the nations gather against Israel in a final conflict. Yet amidst apparent chaos and overwhelming odds, God intervenes. The defeat of Gog and his armies is a story of survival and also of revelation—God’s holiness and sovereignty are made manifest. The aftermath is one of cleansing, restoration, and the reaffirmation that Israel is not abandoned but chosen and protected.
This vision resonates today, reminding us that even when threats seem insurmountable and the world’s shadows loom large, the arc of history bends towards redemption and renewal. God’s faithfulness endures beyond the momentary storms.
– Messianic Hope and Division.
In the Gospel John 7:31–43 reading, we find the people in Jerusalem during Sukkot, wrestling with questions about Yeshua’s (Jesus’) identity. Some recognize the signs and believe; others question and divide. Yet at the heart of the passage is the stirring hope of the Messiah—the expectation that, in confusion and debate, God’s anointed will come to bring living water, healing, and unity.
This hope — sometimes hidden, sometimes contested reminds us that God’s presence and promise are not limited by human uncertainty or disagreement. The invitation remains open for all who seek, regardless of background, to find life and purpose through faith, trusting in the promises of God’s Living WORD.
– Themes of Hope, Unity, and Divine Faithfulness
• Divine Presence and Covenant: From Moses’ yearning to Ezekiel’s vision and the Gospel’s promise, the assurance that God stays with His people is central. All the prophets and prophecies in the Bible in the Old and New Testaments assure and promise that Israel will return to the land that God gave to Israel, and Yeshua will return to Jerusalem to reign with peace and glory. The war with those who want to prevent and hamper the fulfillment of God’s promises to humanity is something that both Jews and Christians ought to stand and support and encourage both by prayer and by deeds and charity.
• Hope Amid Adversity: Whether facing national crisis, personal doubt, or communal division, each passage points toward hope that transcends circumstances.
• Unity and Faith: The readings call for trust in God’s plan and unity among people, encouraging us to set aside differences in pursuit of a greater purpose.
• Prophetic Vision of Restoration: God’s promises are not merely for the past—they look forward to a time of healing, justice, and lasting peace.
• Messianic Expectation: Longing for the Messiah, whether in the context of ancient Israel or in the Christian tradition, expresses a universal hope for redemption.
The world today is marked by fear, uncertainty, and division. Communities struggle with moral challenges, political complexity, and spiritual longing. The lessons of these readings are urgently relevant:
• For Israel: The call is to remember God’s faithfulness in the face of threats and to embody resilience rooted in trust. Even surrounded by adversity, the covenant endures. We must all remember that the promises of God in the Bible are without repentance. Jews and Christians are waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promise of the return of Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah, to Jerusalem and for world peace and redemption. These wars are a clear threat against the fulfillment of God’s prophetic, hopefully near future horizon. The war that has been raging for more than two years in Gaza is not only a political war; it is, first and foremost, a spiritual war. The world is blind and doesn’t see these horrible events from a biblical and spiritual perspective. As disciples of the Messiah and believers in the Bible from Genesis to the book of Revelation, we must look at and weigh every event in the light of God’s promises. This is why every Christian ought to stand and support and pray and clamor for truth and justice for Jews and Christians, and also for the majority of the people of Gaza who are captives under the cruelty and horror of the Hamas terrorists. They are those who suffer also from the same enemies, their own leaders.
• For Jews and Christians worldwide: The invitation is to stand with Israel and the Jewish communities around the world and to nourish hope in the Messiah. We must together pursue unity across these divides and act as bearers of truth, peace, and compassion for all humans. Israel and the Jewish people around the world are the only nation in human history that has been threatened more than once by big empires and countries with the desire to delete the Jewish nation.
• For all people: These scriptures urge us to welcome the stranger, build bridges of understanding, and hold fast to the belief that light will overcome darkness.
To the people of Israel, and to all the followers of Yeshua the Messiah, our brothers and sisters among the nations:
Amidst the swirling winds of uncertainty, let us take refuge not only in the sukkah’s gentle embrace but in the enduring shelter of God’s promises. When fear threatens to divide or despair tempts to overwhelm, remember that the Holy One walks with us—merciful, compassionate, and faithful through every generation.
Ezekiel’s vision reminds us that no gathering storm can erase the hope of restoration. Moses’ encounter on Sinai assures us that even after failure, God’s presence brings renewal. Let the longing for the Messiah in Jerusalem, ancient and ever new, inspire us to seek living water for our thirsty souls and healing for our hurting world.
Now is the time for unity—across families, communities, and nations. Now is the time for courage, to stand for what is right, to comfort the afflicted, to pray for peace, and pursue it with unwavering resolve. Let us be a people of hope, bearing witness that darkness is not the final word.
May this Sukkot strengthen our resolve, deepen our compassion, and renew our vision for a world filled with justice, kindness, and the joy of God’s presence.
In conclusion, our readings on this next Shabbat at the end of the Feast of Sukkoth and the political developments in Egypt between Hamas, Israel, with the help of the USA envoys, call all of us in Israel to Faith, Courage, and Solidarity. Israel and the world have witnessed in these last two years the best of humanity and the worst of humanity in this war with Hamas and with Iran and with the Houthis in Yemen.
As we close this sacred season, may Israelis and Christians, together with all who seek peace, be inspired to live boldly, love generously, and trust that the God who led Moses, spoke through Ezekiel, and offers living water from the Messiah, still walks with us today.
Amen.