“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You who keep on killing the Prophets and keep on stoning them who are sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together — even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings! But you [religious hierarchy] did not want that! Behold, your House is being abandoned to you — desolate! For I say to you, that you shall not see Me from now on — until you shall say: ‘Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!'” Matt. 23:35-38
Yesterday evening marked the 10th Tevet, the 4th of four minor fasts in the Hebrew calendar commemorating the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar around 589BC and the siege of Jerusalem by Titus the Roman General in 66AD. The Talmud explains that the 1st Temple was destroyed because of Idolatry, immorality and murder, and the 2nd due to baseless hatred.
Whenever we reflect upon the judgement of God, it is difficult to fathom the scope of collateral damage and carnage caused by spiritual infidelity. For example, the destruction of the 1st Temple in 70 AD led to around 2 million Jewish casualties, something difficult to make sense of and reconcile with a loving God until we begin to apprehend the utter horror and consequences of sin. Iy is this that Jewish people reflect upon on the 10th Tevet.
Yet, combined with mourning is the sure hope that God will pour out the Spirit of grace on His covenant people who at the appointed time will recognise and embrace Yeshua as Messiah. (Zech.12:10-14) On that day, the fast of Tevet will be transformed into a feast of joy: “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh (Yamim Noraim – Fast of Gedaliah, Jer.40&41 that describe the assassination of the governor, Gedaliah on 3Tishrei) and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’” (Zech. 8:19)
“In a small town in Russia lived a porter who made his living by transporting people and packages to and from the train station. The porter had a young son who assisted him with his work. Every morning the two would awaken very early, recite their morning prayers, eat breakfast, prepare the horse and wagon, and then go to work. During the summer months when the sun often rose at 3:00 in the morning, the porter and his son awoke even earlier.
The porter informed his son that today there would be no eating due to the fast.
It was the fast day of Tevet. The porter roused his son as usual, and they got ready for the synagogue. When they had finished praying, the porter told his son that today they would not be eating due to the fast.
As the day progressed, the son grew very hungry. He began to ask his father incessantly when they would finally eat. Finally, as the day ended they ate the prepared meal at home and his hunger was satisfied.
The following morning, the boy refused to get out of bed and told his father,
“I do not want to get up, and I do not want to work. I am afraid that you will not let me eat anything today either!”
“Ah, my son, have no fear,” replied the porter. “Today is not yesterday.”
During the month of Tevet, we are reminded that mourning was never designed to be forever. Ps.84 describes the ‘Valley of Tears’ as something we pass through which will eventually lead to a spacious place! Today is not yesterday!
Number ten represents the perfection of Divine order. In the Gospel of John, Jesus affirmed His Divinity on ten different occasions with His “I AM” statements
Number ten also reminds us of the Parable of the Ten Maidens; five were wise and the others foolish. The wise went to meet the Bridegroom with lamps trimmed and sufficient flasks of oil, unlike the foolish ones.
The parable has been variously interpreted, but one thing is apparent; they all initially held a genuine love for their Bridegroom (their lamps were filled with oil) yet only the wise maidens continued steadfastly. The foolish ones lapsed into empty forms of religiosity with devastating consequences. Here again, we see the combined elements of mourning and joy contained in the month of Tevet.
