Critique on "Invitation to Silence and Solitude" by Ruth Haley Barton

Critique of: “Invitation to Silence & Solitude” written by Ruth Haley Barton

by: Joelle Chilcott

A wise man once said: Discernment is knowing the difference between what is truth and what is almost truth.

There is so much wrong with this book that at some point near the end I just had to stop critiquing it. It becomes very clear that Ms. Barton is heavily influenced by the people she quotes in this book. Almost every single person quoted is deeply embedded in the ecumenical movement, which is syncretism.

These teachings have infiltrated the evangelical church, where they are being embraced without question. The inherent danger is that ultimately the truth of the Gospel is being replaced by another gospel and another christ being preached. This we are warned against repeatedly by the Apostle Paul.

2 Corinthians 11:1-5

I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that. I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.

Ephesians 4:14

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Roman Catholics & Eastern Religions:

The Vatican II Council in the 1960s opened the door for interfaith dialogue, and since then a growing number of Roman Catholic leaders have developed intimate relations with their counterparts in the pagan eastern religions, particularly Hindu, Buddhist, Tao, and Sufi. These Catholics have been paganized far more thoroughly than the pagans have been Romanized. Actually there is a great blending and merging going on throughout the religious world in preparation for the one world religion of the antichrist.

Ms. Barton Studied and received her degree from the Shalem Institute.

Here is a little information about it’s founder:

Tilden Edwards: http://www.wayoflife.org/files/de8424e91b8d2ed741d46ee1cb185492-17.html

Edwards thought that paganism has much to offer to the Christian life. Edwards urged the adoption of eastern pagan practices and called the interfaith dialogue the “wider ecumenism.”

Of Buddhism Edwards said:

“Some Buddhist traditions have developed very practical ways of doing so that many Christians have found helpful ... offering participants new perspectives and possibilities for living more fully in the radiant gracious Presence through the day” (Edwards, The Center for Spiritual Development, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Fall 2004 - Spring 2005, p. 4).

In fact, Edwards said that Buddha and Jesus are friends:

“For many years, I have kept in my office an ink drawing of two smiling figures with their arms around each other: Jesus Christ and Gautama Buddha, with the caption: ‘Jesus and Buddha must be very good friends.’ They are not the same, but they are friends, not enemies, and they are not indifferent to one another. From the very beginning of Shalem, I have been moved to affirm that statement... Particular Buddhist practices that I have experienced in the last 26 years have, with grace, shown me such an ‘inclusive’ mind” (Edwards, “Jesus and Buddha Good Friends,” Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation newsletter, Winter 2000).

In Spiritual Friend, Edwards recommends the book Psychosynthesis by Robert Assagioli, an occultist.

Invitation to Silence and Solitude:

Forward by Dallas Willard:

“In the contemporary context (especially the religious context) someone needs to tell us about solitude and silence - just to let us know there is such a thing. Someone then needs to tell us it’s okay to enter them. Someone needs to tell us how to do it, what will happen when we do, and how we go on from there. For Ruth Barton that someone was her spiritual Director. If you would really like to know the “rest appropriate for the people of G-d (Hebrew’s 4:9), then make the decision to leave all outcomes to G-d and enter the practice of solitude and silence with Ruth Barton as your guide...

Where in the bible does it say we need a ‘spiritual director’?

John 16:13

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

(this is repeated again on page 28)

The ‘rest’ that is spoken of in Hebrew’s 4:9 is the sabbath rest. Nowhere does it say that we enter the sabbath rest in silence and solitude, Sabbath is the rest from WORK. The practice has always been, for hundreds of years prior to Jesus’ coming, to go to the Temple or synagogue, to read the Torah and to study/teach G-d’s word. This is known as the highest form of worship. Jesus followed this example... are we to believe that Ms. Barton knows better?

Hebrews 4:9

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters G-d’s rest also rests from his own work, just as G-d did from His.

Luke 4:31-32

Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.

If you want to know more about Dallas Willard, through a Biblically based critique, have a look at:

http://www.cicministry.org/commentary/issue91.htm

Page 13:

Quote by Rosemary Dougherty...

Rosemary Dougherty Bio:

Sensei Rose Mary Myoan Dougherty is a member of an international community of vowed religious women whose call today is to hear the cries of the earth and its people and respond compassionately. She has offered workshops, retreats, and spiritual guidance in the contemplative tradition in interfaith settings for over thirty years. She began her Zen studies with Charlotte Joko Beck and is dharma heir of Janet Jinne Richardson, Roshi. She completed the End of Life Counseling Program at Meta Institute in California. She volunteers at a hospice for the homeless in Washington, D.C., and offers retreats and workshops for hospice caregivers, especially through the program Companioning the Dying: Opening Fully to Living, which she co-directs. As a sensei in the White Plum Asanga, she teaches Zen meditation at Silver Spring Zendo/One Heart Sangha in Silver Spring, Maryland, and in other settings.

Page 23:

Scripture reference 1 Kings 19:19

“....and after the earthquake a fire, but the L-RD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.”

In any of the respectable translations of the Bible (NIV,NASB, KJ, NKJ, NLT etc..) does the scripture refer to ‘sheer silence’.

In fact, in the Hebrew Scriptures, it is written as “Kol D’mama Dakkah” which translates to a gentle sound/voice which is referring to someone “whispering”. If one wanted to say the word silence in this context, the word would have been “doo ma” as used in Psalm 94:17 “unless the L-RD had been my help, my soul had soon dwelt in silence”.

Page 25:

Quote from Richard Rohr

Who is Richard Rohr? (taken from: http://apprising.org/2008/05/10/who-is-richard-rohr/

But who is Richard Rohr? The website of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) tells us under the section Our Founder that “Father Richard Rohr is a Franciscan of the New Mexico Province.” This Roman Catholic priest also just happens to be another Living Spiritual Teacher along with Contemplative Guru and Quaker mystic Richard Foster.

Well, let me show you where the deception received through the practice of Contemplative/Centering Prayer has taken Swami Rohr. In January of 2008 Rohr was a “presenter” at Jesus and Buddha: Paths to Awakening—sponsored by his own CAC—where in true contemplative mystic theology completely consistent with The New Spirituality Roshi Rohr taught the equality of Buddha with Christ and the indwelling of God in all things.

Page 28:

Ms. Barton claims that “help came through a spiritual director”, her psychologist.

Where does the bible say that we need someone to teach us?

John 16:13

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Page 30:

“Desperation causes us to be open to radical solutions, willing to take all manner of risk in order to find what we are looking for”

Being open to ‘radical solutions’ is very dangerous. We are to run to the Lord.

Isaiah 40:31

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Page 31:

“...she was encouraging the use of two classic practices spiritual seekers have used through the ages to open themselves up to knowing and hearing G-d more deeply”. “they are concrete ways to opening to the presence of G-d beyond human effort and beyond the human constructs that cannot fully contain the Divine”.

“The practice of Silence and Solitude”

These two classic practices are EXACTLY what we are to stay away from. From Generation to Generation G-d tells the Children of Israel to stay away from the Pagan’s and their practices. These particular practices come out of Eastern mysticism (Buddism 800BC).

The silent practice is called MAUNA = spiritually motivated silence through YOGA practices ie: structured breathing.

YOGA = The sessation of mental fluctuations

Page 32:

“... something like desperation or desire that is creating a willingness to move beyond familiar into uncharted territory.”

Again, very dangerous... the Holy Spirit will guide you into all Truth..

Page 32:

“Eventually, Elijah’s willingness to enter into silence and solitude...”

Elijah wasn’t silent, he prayed to G-d and fell asleep... He was running away from Jezabel who was trying to KILL him...

Ms. Barton interjects her own opinion here to try to validate her constant use of the words ‘silence and solitude’.

Page 34:

Quote from Henri Nouwen

Henry Nouwen was a Homosexual Catholic Priest.

http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/4673.htm

Page 35:

Quote from M. Basil Pennington, Centred living

PENNINGTON (1931-2005) entered the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance in 1951 at St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts. This Order is also called Trappist after the name of the location of their founding, which was the Abbey of Notre Dame de la Grande Trappe.

The Order is dedicated to contemplation. The monks dedicate themselves to silence and solitude and meditation under the Rule of Saint Benedict. This Rule teaches salvation and sanctification through ascetism. Chapter 7 of the Rule presents a 12-step ladder of virtue and ascetism that “leads to heaven.” These include repression of self-will, submission to superiors, confession, stifling laughter, and speaking only when asked a question. Under the Rule of Benedict everything is regulated, including sleeping, waking, meal times, quantity and quality of food, clothing, work, and recreation. The Rule forbids the ownership of any private property or the receipt of letters or gifts without permission of the abbot.

http://www.wayoflife.org/files/de8424e91b8d2ed741d46ee1cb185492-17.html

Page 39:

Quote from William Shannon... from his book Silence on Fire

Who is William Shannon?

taken from: http://www.wayoflife.org/files/de8424e91b8d2ed741d46ee1cb185492-17.html

Shannon is very bold in his rejection of the God of the Bible:

“This is a typical patriarchal notion of God. He is the God of Noah who sees people deep in sin, repents that He made them and resolves to destroy them. He is the God of the desert who sends snakes to bite His people because they murmured against Him. He is the God of David who practically decimates a people. ... He is the God who exacts the last drop of blood from His Son, so that His just anger, evoked by sin, may be appeased. This God whose moods alternate between graciousness and fierce anger. THIS GOD DOES NOT EXIST” (William Shannon, Silence on Fire, pp. 109, 110).

Page 41:

“it is best if the prayer is no more than six or eight syllables so it can be prayed very naturally in the rhythm of your breathing. pray this prayer several times as an entry into silence...”

This particular type of prayer is called MANTRA. It originates with HINDUISM.

The Bible clearly tells us NOT to be like this.

Matthew 6:7-8

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (NIV)

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. (KJ)

Then Jesus gives the example of HOW to pray... He does say go in the closet so no one will see... but he does NOT say be silent nor does he say to repeat what you are saying.

Page 57:

“...meditating on some very profound thought”

Bible tells us that we need to mediate on Scripture... meditating on profound thoughts is again an Eastern mystical practice.

Psalm 1:2

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

Page 58:

“Dangerously tired is an atmospheric condition of the soul”

What is dangerously tired? Where in the Bible does it say it is a condition of the soul?

Page 71:

“It’s not that the mind is bad; it’s just very limited in it’s capacity to move us towards the union with G-d we seek”

Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

In Hebrew, the mind and the heart are ONE... they cannot be separated.

Page 74:

“The Hebrew word translated “Be Still” literally means “let go of your grip”. Let go of your grip on your own understanding. Cease striving at the level of human effort, and in so doing open yourself to a whole new kind of knowledge”.

Not so: This is known as ‘gnosticism’. This is NOT at ALL what the text is saying.

In the Hebrew grammar, the emphasis coordinates imperatives. “Be Still! and “Know!” is on the second imperative.

The text is saying to ‘let go in a way of surrendering in ORDER to know that G-d is in control as “Ribbono Shel Olam” - The Master of the Universe. We let go in order to objectively know the saving power of G-d in our lives. We give up trusting ourselves in our own designs in order to know the Glory of G-ds all-sufficiency.

Page 85:

Quote from Thomas Merton

Thomas Merton:

http://www.wayoflife.org/files/de8424e91b8d2ed741d46ee1cb185492-17.html

One of the fathers of this movement (Roman Catholics mixing in Eastern Religions) is Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk whose writings are vastly influential within Catholicism, the New Age movement, and the centering prayer movement that lies at the heart of the emerging church and that is permeating evangelicalism.

Born in France, Merton had no religion growing up. During World War II he moved to America, began attending Mass, and became a Roman Catholic in 1938. He was received as a monk in the Trappist order and spent the last 27 years of his life in a monastery devoted to Mary (The Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani in Kentucky). The first time he visited the monastery he described it as “the Court of the Queen of Heaven” (John Talbot, The Way of the Mystic, p. 221).

Merton was a student of Zen master Daisetsu Suzuki and Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Merton also studied mystical Islamic Sufism. He said, “I’m deeply impregnated with Sufism” (Rob Baker and Gray Henry, Merton and Sufism, 1999, p. 109).

In fact, Merton claimed to be both a Buddhist and a Christian. The titles of his books include Zen and the Birds of the Appetite and Mystics and the Zen Masters.

Merton said: “I see no contradiction between Buddhism and Christianity ... I intend to become as good a Buddhist as I can” (David Steindl-Rast, “Recollection of Thomas Merton’s Last Days in the West,” Monastic Studies, 7:10, 1969, quoted from Lighthouse Trails).

“Asia, Zen, Islam, etc., all these things come together in my life. It would be madness for me to attempt to create a monastic life for myself by excluding all these” (Rob Baker and Gray Henry, Merton and Sufism, p. 41).

Merton also said: “I am deeply impregnated with Sufism” which is the inner mystical dimension of Islam.

Page 86:

“For Elijah, it became clear that he wanted and needed an encounter with G-d. In fact, he became willing to leave everything else behind in order to find that. He was willing to walk away - at least temporarily - from his intimate relationships, his past successes, his prominence as a prophet in Israel, the forms and rituals and places of worship to which he was accustomed, and any kind of physical and emotional security.”

Again, this is not what the Bible says. The bible tells us that Jezebel was out to kill him. Elijah was scared to death for his life. He took of running and hiding so she wouldn’t find him.

1 Kings 19:1-5

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

Page 91:

Quote by Rainer Maria Rilke:

Rilke was an Austrian humanist poet. His writings were full of greek mythology, classical paganism and biblical illusion. He was not a practitioner of Christianity, in fact, he preferred Islam.

Page 115:

“Under the silent, watchful eye of the Holy One, we are all standing, whether we know it or not, and in that centre, in that Holy Abyss... If we centre down and live in that Holy Silence which is dearer than life, and take our life program into the silent places of the heart with complete openness...

Quote by Thomas Kelley = the Mystic Quaker...

There is NEVER any reference to the Abyss being Holy... in fact, it is the complete opposite...

Revelation 11:7

Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.

Revelation 9:1-2

The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace.

Page 116:

“For only when we know the love of G-d in a deep, experiential way can we be truly open and receptive to his will”.

Where does it say this in the Bible? What exactly is a ‘deep experiential way ?’ The bible says that if we love him, we will do his will.

Page 117:

“What are you doing here Elijah? or “How are you doing now Elijah?”

The bible does not ask how Elijah is doing, it simply asks:

1 Kings 19:13

Ma Lecha Po Eliyahoo? What are you doing here?

Ms. Barton tends to interject in many places to validate her thinking.

Page 120:

“I had already taken a course on spiritual formation”

Spiritual Formation: A movement that has provided a platform and a channel through which contemplative prayer is entering the church. Find spiritual formation being used, and in nearly every case you will find contemplative spirituality. In fact, contemplative spirituality is the heartbeat of the spiritual formation movement.

Contemplative Spirituality: A belief system that uses ancient mystical practices to induce altered states of consciousness (the silence) and is rooted in mysticism and the occult but often wrapped in Christian terminology. The premise of contemplative spirituality is pantheistic (God is all) and panentheistic (God is in all). Common terms used for this movement are "spiritual formation," "the silence," "the stillness," "ancient-wisdom," "spiritual disciplines," and many others.

Catholicism puts the emphasis on church tradition more than they do on Scripture. Since contemplative prayer is an ancient tradition in Catholicism, the mystics obviously saw nothing wrong with it, completely ignoring the fact that no such thing is taught in Scripture. When they discovered that other religions had similar traditions and experiences they seemed to have few, if any, qualms about turning to the religions of the East, learning from and promoting the integration of pagan practices such as Zen Buddhism and Hindu yoga with Christianity.

Page 121:

“ God’s wisdom is so far beyond us that it feels like foolishness”.

1 Corinthians 18:2

Foolishness to those who are perishing...

Page 122:

“Recently I have again become aware of familiar stirring; the desire to serve a little church as an ordained minister.”

1 Timothy 3:1-13

Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer,he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.

Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Page 124:

“The wisdom that enables us to choose life is not something we will find somewhere far away in heaven or across the ocean; G-d says this knowing is very near to us - in our mouths and in our hearts for us to notice and observe. (Deut 30:11-14)

Romans 10: 8-9

But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Page 124:

“One of the most reassuring aspects of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is that the Holy Spirit guides us into truth as we are able to bear it (John 16:12-13)

What these Ms. Barton is trying to convince you of is that this is ‘knowledge’ of the practice of silence and solitude is from the Holy Spirit and that we did not receive it right away because we are not able to bear it. But the Bible is clear when it tells us that the Holy Spirit will be the one to speak to us... not a ‘spiritual advisor or director’.....

John 16:12-13

"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

End of Critique.......I have had enough....

Here are more names of other people she has quoted in this book... why not look them up for yourself:

Robert Mulholland, Parker Palmer, Gunilla Norris, Frederick Buechner, Carl Arico, Albert Edward Day, Carlo Caretto ... and more...

In Closing......

2 Corinthians 4

Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

12 Principals of Jewish Prayer

Twelve Principals of Jewish prayer

Jewish prayers have been around for almost 5 millennia and have been gathered in a book called the Siddur. By 3BC the Siddur was well established and remains the same till today with very little changes. Jesus being a devout Jew would have most certainly partook in praying out of the siddur.

Jewish prayers always connects the heart and the mind; they are inseparable. The written prayers are not just utterings; there is great focus with specific content. These prayers were to be highly respected. They were never to be spoken by rote and, at any time during the prescribed reading, you could go into private prayer. One cannot appreciate the depths of Judaism apart from the Siddur.

Prayers in Judaism are mostly corporate prayer, but not always. There were several people noted in the Hebrew Scriptures with individual prayers like Abraham, Moses, Hannah, Solomon, Samson, Elijah Hezekiah, to name a few... However, prayers were mostly spoken as ‘Our G-d’ and ‘us’ or ‘we’.

The following are 12 specific principals of Jewish Prayer:

1. There is never any trace of magic, incantation, or vain repetition in Jewish prayers.

Gnosticism has reared it’s ugly head in the New Age movement: if I have gnosis (knowledge) with this knowledge I find liberation - world is subject to magic... Many today are influenced by Guru’s, yoga and repeated mantra’s (contemplative prayer) to evoke power.

You will NEVER see mantra in Jewish prayers.

2. Jewish prayer is always the matter of the outpouring of the soul, not the manipulation of forces characterized by an attitude of praise and worship.

Three things characterize Jewish prayer: Adoration, Petition, Thanksgiving.

3.Typically, Jewish prayer is always in the plural... “Our Father”... give Us” ... even when we pray individually, just as Jesus taught... “Our father....

Orientation is predominantly in the plural as a representation of part of the community, or to put it in a christian saying, part of the body. The Greco-Roman view is very individualistic. In north america this is rampant, we pride ourselves in being individualistic. This was very alien to Jesus’ Jewish world and Jesus’ prayers.. you pray not just for yourself; although it is appropriate to pray for yourself at times, but predominantly you pray as part of a community. You are seeking the well being of the whole community; or body.

In psalms David prays personally, he asks G-d to deliver ‘me’ and this is appropriate. Personal needs have a place in prayer, but they are secondary to the community in Judaism.

In the christian circle, it is backwards. We tend to put ourselves first and community second. Not that this is bad, but it betrays the lack of sense of community and community was very important in the early church. The image of reconciliation was very important. To be put outside the community literally meant death as it were; spiritual and physical..

Sever punishment was to be cut off from your family and community. That is why the prodigal son in Jewish context is so beautiful. The emphasis is on the Father welcoming back his prodigal. A father rushing out to embrace his son shouldn’t have done. But he did more than this, he put on his son his robe, then prepared a feast. All this is done so the community would witness that the father was accepting the prodigal back in basically saying ‘he is okay, he is one of us’.

We, as Christians also tend to think of atonement almost exclusively as pardoned for sins, a judicial view of atonement. This was not the primary picture of atonement to the Jewish church; the first church and the apostolic church. It was one of many, but not the main one. Paul seldom uses that metaphor when he talks about atonement. Atonement means ‘to be come one with’. The primary image to the Jewish church was reconciliation; which means to come back into council with. Paul uses this in Eph 4: you once were estranged... you are now part of the family... This gets lost in the west because we think of my own soul salvation....my little relationship with G-d... even with discipleship... we think of my own relationship; I need to grow more. To become a disciple with Jesus meant become a part of my community. Of course there were times of individual prayer, but it was primarily a group activity. Worship and prayer was a group activity.

4. The Great, the preeminent overriding focus of all Jewish prayer was this: The kingship of G-d, G-ds sovereignty, G-d ruling and reining as king over His created universe. The sages and rabbis were not impressed by the demands of material needs as they were consumed for the desire to see all of mankind submit to the kingship of the G-d of Israel.

They looked, longed, and earnestly petitioned for G-ds righteousness to prevail; the wicked to be put down, justice to roll down. They also longed for the day G-ds name would be known to all the nations and together all would stream up to Jerusalem for the feast of tabernacles. All the other feasts will end in the messianic age. No need for redemption (Passover) or revelation (Pentecost), but always be thanksgiving and tabernacle (Sukkot). note: 3 pilgrimages. They always had this intense desire to see G-ds kingdom at work. To see G-d ruling victoriously in the lives of his people and the world he created.

5. In Jewish prayer G-d is always addressed in direct speech seen as personal... He is not some force in the universe, not some pantheistic cosmic force; He is personal. When you pray, you speak to Him; you address him directly. Isn’t this a mind boggling thing? What right to we, the little mud balls that we are, have to speak to the king of the universe? talk about chutzpah! What is even more amazing than that is that G-d earnestly desired to hear and be close to us.

Most people don’t hear from G-d because they don’t listen. Most have little faith that He is going to speak back. You might be surprised in your prayers, in your time together if you could do a very un-western thing...sit for a little while and just study your scriptures and listen to hear if G-d says something to you. Don’t be surprised if some things come to you that are negative. That may be coming to your mind as G wants you to deal with it. If you persist in study, which, by the way, is know as the highest form of worship, an affirming word from G-d will come and He will bring a scripture to your mind.

Jewish prayer addresses G-d directly, G-d is personal.

6. G-d is powerful in Jewish prayer... he is the Melech Ha Olam!! The King of the Universe.

You see in the ministry of Jesus various incidence where G-d is directly doing battle with the local deities. For example the12 plagues of Egypt related to their deities. Did you know when Jesus was on the sea of Galilee in the boat lying down asleep and a storm came up? This was known as baal the god of the sea - tribal deity. The disciples cried out to Jesus in distress and Jesus says why are you upset? Then Jesus turns to wind and says “sheket”... shut-up!

G-d has for some reason chosen this group of people, the Jews, who are the least of people to be the bearers of his redeemer. And although He is the G-d of the whole universe, He is uniquely related to these people, but never forget, the G-d of Israel is the G of all. He is the king of the universe.

7. Jewish prayer reminds us of these things when we pray: We affirm who he is. We praise Him for who He is and we petition Him to be who He is in this world.

8. Jewish prayers pray scripture. Psalms, the Shema (Hear O Israel : two text from Deut and one from Numbers), is recited twice daily as well as many other prayers of praise and blessings.

9. Jewish prayer is considered a daily duty. In the morning and in the evening... but also throughout the day you would pray. One Favorite verse is psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord always before me. continually before me.... There is a constant recognition of G-d. All of your life is to be G-d centred.

10. It is disciplined prayer that you engage in as well as extemporaneous prayer. in other words, you pray prescribed prayers. Many Christians from Protestant background don’t understand this. They say it is just rote; but it would be just like saying poetry cannot be emotional. This is the same in prayer. Of course prescribed prayers can be meaningless, but they can also be full of meaning; depends on how you pray them. Celebrating the Lords supper done every year and can be meaningless; but it can be done every month and have deep meaning. It all depends on your heart condition.

Don't you find it to be the case in your prayers that even though you may not pray prescribed prayers, that in fact you end up saying pretty much the same things every time you pray? Do you find yourself saying the same phrases; same ideas; same people; same issues? They tend to come up again and again; could make a person self conscious...makes me self conscious... One way to get beyond that.... start praying some of the jewish prayers.. pray the psalms... do you ever get self conscious reading the psalms? Again and again you can read it and it could be full of meaning and full of life every time. I may read the same psalm once a month and find that G-d has something new to show me every time.

11. The key to discipline prayer as the key to all Jewish prayer is “Kavanah” A term which means “intention... focus... sincerity”. To pray with kavanah is to pray with great focus on what you are saying and to whom you are speaking with.

Have you ever have seen Jews pray? The bowing is an aid to concentration. A Jew is intensely focused on what they are doing and to whom they are speaking. They are not to be distracted. Jewish prayer is devout and filled with Joy. We are not approach G-d right when we wake up as our mind is still groggy. The sages write that we need to wait at least an hour so our minds will be fully aware and awake before we come before the Holy G-d.

12. Jewish prayers have always been and continue to be prayed in Hebrew. There have been very tempting occasion to change that in the history of judaism; thankfully it has never been changed and since it hasn’t, it has established a historic link from generation to generation. Doesn’t mean that you can’t pray them in english, but think about this: G-d chose the Hebrew language to speak to His people. I would encourage you to at least learn to read Hebrew; it’s easier than you think.

All this being said, I would encourage you to pray the scriptures. We live in dangerous times and the enemy is seeking to devour the church. Do not be blown about by every wind of teaching that comes your way promising an ‘encounter’ or a ‘deep experience’. The Holy Spirit gives us all that we need and G-d Himself gave us the instruction book. Follow it... not the literature authored by those engaging in mystical practices under the guise of Christianity.

Rosh Ha Shana - Head of the Year

Biblical Background:

The LORD said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire.’
Leviticus 23:23-25

This verse is the basis for the Holy Day called Rosh Hashana. This Holy day is also known as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of sounding the Shofar - Feast of Trumpets). Interestingly enough, Rosh Hashana is actually translated as “Head of the Year” and is celebrated on the 1st day of the seventh month known as Tishri. This begs the question “why would one celebrate the new year in the seventh month when the biblical year starts in the spring (Nisan - Exodus 12:2)?

Judaism has several different ‘new years’...it is somewhat like recognizing January 1 as the beginning of the new year; yet the new school year starts in September. There are several ‘new years’ throughout the biblical calendar; Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the civil year. It is the new year for people, animals, and legal contracts.

1. The 1st of Nisan, the Hebrew month of Pesah [Passover], is the new year for Kings and Festivals. [This is what we would call the beginning of the calendar year, with Nisan, identified as the first month].
2. The 1st of Elul, the month preceding Tishrei, is the new year for the tithe of cattle. [This is what we would call the beginning of the fiscal or the tax year].
3. The 1st of Tishrei is the:
* New year for years, that is, Rosh Hashanah.
* New year for Sabbatical years.
* New year for Jubilee years.
* New year for planting trees.
* The new year for tithing vegetables.
4. The 15th of Shevat is the new year for trees (Tu Bi’Shevat).

Rosh Hashana is also known as the time of regathering and repentance. It is a time to look at ones own spiritual condition. It is also the beginning of the “10 days of Awe” which conclude with Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement.

Although the name “Rosh Hashana” does not appear in the Torah, Numbers 29:1 calls the festival Yom Teruah (see above) and this symbolizes a number of subjects such as “the binding of Isaac” and the ‘animal sacrifices’ that were to be performed. In Ezekiel 40:1 there is a general reference to the time of Yom Kippur as being ‘the beginning of the year’ but does not specifically refer to the holiday of Rosh Hashana. The Talmudic Rabbis conclude that Psalm 81 refers to Rosh Hashanah as the moon is hidden ie: new moon (all other feasts take place during a full moon)

Rosh Hashana is also believed to be the anniversary of the completion of creation, ending with the creation of Man - the 6th day. It is also the only Feast that does not coincide with a miraculous event ie: Passover = exodus from Egypt; Sukkot = providing in the wilderness; Hannukah = victory over the Seleucid Empire.

Although there is not much information specified in the bible about Rosh Hashanah, the Sages acknowledge this day to be one of the Holiest days of the year because of its obscurity. Rabbi Bachayei Ben Asher states: “ For this is the way of scripture; the deeper and more hidden the matter, the more obscure its reference in the Torah.
Traditional Jewish Observances

In the Jewish calendar, all days begin in the evening. The family will sit down and share in many customary dishes, the most enjoyable one being apples dipped in honey. This is done to symbolize our wish for a sweet new year. Then it is off to synagogue for the evening worship service with the reoccurring theme of repentance, turning to G-d, and declaring His sovereignty.

The following day is also spent at the synagogue where we read Genesis 21:1-17 followed by Genesis 22:1-19. These are the stories of Sarah expelling Hagar and her son Ishmael, and Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac. Both of these stories had to do with birth and death, something we have no control over. Also, both children were spared only by the intervention of G-d.
During this time, one would also reflect on the past year, looking back at the mistakes that were made and making changes for the new year. It is also understood that during this time, one would pray that their names be written in the book of life for another year.

One popular practice of the holiday is Tashlich (casting off). One would walk to a place of flowing water such as a creek or river on the afternoon of the first day and empty their pockets into the river, symbolically casting off their sins. Small pieces of bread ore commonly put in the pockets to cast off. This practice is not found in the Bible, but it is a long standing custom.
Micah 7:18-20 is read

At the conclusion of each service, the Shofar (rams horn) is blown. This is one of the most important observances of this holy day. It has been said (in the Talmud) that the sounding of the shofar is to remind G-d of the binding of Isaac, so that G-d considers it as if we ourselves were sacrificed. A total of 100 notes are sounded daily. There are four different types of shofar notes:

Tekiah = a 3 second sustained note - Represents complacency with the status quo. I am a good Jew, I am a good person.
Shevarim = 3 one second notes rising in tone - literally translates to mean ‘broken’ is the sound of the first glance within the self, an awakening, the heartbroken feeling that comes with unflinching self-evaluation.
Teruah = a series of short staccato notes extending over a period of 3 seconds - brings about repentance and growth, bit by bit
Tekiah Gedolah = one large long blast lasting at least 10 seconds - Redemption, Messianic times

The bible gives no specific reason for this practice and Ashkenazic (Jews from East of Jerusalem and Sephardic (Jews from West of Jerusalem) practices differ. However, the Talmudic Rabbis claim that there are several explanations for this;

* Remember your creator.
* Judgment is close at hand
* Repent and wake up!
* It is a call that will gather all the people together for a significant reason.
* It is a call to the King, a coronation.

Prophetic Fulfillment

As we look back in the Old Testament, we can see that there is prophetic meaning woven into every biblical holy day. Many ancient rabbis saw a connection between Rosh HaShanah as the holy day of regathering and the Messiah who would bring all G-d’s people together. The shofar patterns reflects the return of Messiah;

Tekiah - man
Shevarim - humbled and broken
Teruah - repent and turn to G-d
Tekiah Gedol - Our King, Yeshua is crowned king of all the nations and comes for His people

There is a rich prophetic truth associated with this Feast of Trumpets. As it characterizes a time of ingathering and spiritual preparation, a future fulfillment of Rosh Hashana is also eluded to. In speaking of the future gathering of the believers in Messiah, commonly called “the rapture’, Paul reveals an interesting connection to the holy day:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

This holy day is a perfect picture of the regathering of believers. In the future, all true believers in Yeshua will be gathered to meet him in the clouds; The dead in Messiah will rise first, to be followed immediately by those believers alive at that time. Not surprisingly, the signal of the gathering will be the sound of the shofar. In fact, the reference here is to a particular note sounded at Rosh HaShanah. The word normally translated ‘shout’ in verse 16, comes from the Hebrew teruah, better translated in this context as the ‘alarm’ blasts of the shofar. Similar references to the shofar as the signal of the rapture can be found elsewhere in the New Testament (see 1 Cor 15:50-58 and Revelation 4:1)

Another important fulfillment of Rosh Hashana is the regathering of the Jewish believing remnant at the second coming of Messiah. As far back as the 7th century B.C. E., the prophet Isaiah wrote: Isaiah 27:12-13

In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, O Israelites, will be gathered up one by one. And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 27:12-13

This is clearly referring to a latter day regathering of believing remnant. Likewise, Yeshua, when asked about the future, confirmed this as a later day promise in his own teaching:

And he (the Son of Man) will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Matt 24:31

Believers in Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus the Messiah) should have a fond appreciation for this rich holy day. Rosh HaShanah has served historically as a time of spiritual preparation and repentance, and looking forward to Yeshua’s second coming and the regathering of all believers both dead and alive.

Rosh Hashana is a time for all of us to reflect and prepare for His coming. He will come again, and we will be judged. Is your name written in the book of life?

Purim - The Feasts of Lots

Biblical Background:

Esther 9:20-28

Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, the Jews took it upon themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never cease to be celebrated by the Jews, nor should the memory of them die out among their descendants.

(emphasis mine)

Traditional Observances:

Purim is certainly one of the favourite holidays among the children as they are encouraged to be joyful and dress up as the main characters of story for the synagogue services.

The service itself is the reading of the scroll of Esther. Often, following the reading, there is a dramatic re-enactment called the ‘Purim Shpiel’ (yiddish). At this time, children are given noisemakers called ‘groggers’ and are encouraged to make lots of noise every time the name ‘Haman’ is mentioned in effect, blotting out his name as G-d commanded. By contrast, every mention of the hero ‘Mordechai’ is followed by loud cheers and shouts of joy.

Following the service is a fun filled Purim Party complete with plenty of food (of course..) games, and sometimes even a bazaar and door prizes. True joy of the deliverance is felt in this party atmosphere. Rabbinic tradition even goes so far as to say that one should partake of the joy and drink until one does not even know the difference between Haman and Mordechai (Megillot 7b)! This attitude is a little extreme, but it does illustrate the great joy that is associated with the Feast of Purim.

As written in the scriptures, Purim is not only to be a celebration for the redeemed Jews, but also a time to send food and gifts to the poor of the community. Often boxes (like Christmas hampers) are filled with food, sweets such as chocolate coins and traditional cookies called ‘hamantashen’. The word ‘hamantashen’ is translated as ‘Haman’s pockets’ however in the Hebrew they are called ‘Ozney Haman’.... Haman’s ears... these treats are meant to remind us of the sweet victory over this awful antagonist.

The name ‘Purim’ is not a Hebrew word like the other Jewish festivals but is rather a Persian word meaning ‘lots’. The holiday got it’s name from the lots that Haman drew to determine the day on which he would carry out his evil plan to destroy the Jewish people.


Prophetic Fulfilment:

The holy day of Purim is not directly mentioned in the New Testament, but the lessons of this feast permeate it. The main lesson is found in the faithfulness of G-d towards his covenant people. In Genesis 12:3 we find that part of the promise to Abraham is divine protection: “I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples on the earth will be blessed through you.

Another very important lesson of this holy day is the responsibility of man to accomplish G-d’s will. Interestingly, the Book of Esther is the only book of the Bible that the name of G-d is not mentioned even once; yet He can be seen working out His perfect plan behind the scenes. We have a responsibility to follow through if the will of G-d is to be carried out. When the evil plot of Haman became known to the Jewish community of Persia, there was a call to praying and fasting and action on Queen Esther’s part.

When we fail to carry out G-d’s commands, they can have long lasting effects for generations to come. King Saul failed to fully obey the command from G-d to “blot out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven” (Deut. 25:19) and because of this, the Amalekites lived on.... Haman was an Agagite, a descendant of Amelek!

Note: Amalek was the wicked king who came out against the children of Israel as they wandered in the desert. Amalek took no pity on Israel, destroying the weakest among them - those who fell behind....

Jewish people today are facing the ‘Haman’ of our day - The president of Iran... (did you know that modern day Persia is Iran!) However what is even more dangerous is the threat of spiritual catastrophe for the thousands who are far from the G-d of their fathers who sent Yeshua, the appointed Messiah. Undoubtedly, G-d is drawing many Jewish people to Yeshua in these latter days, but the labourers are few.

Purim should be a reminder to all believers that G-d desires to use people who are available to serve in the kingdom. To the Jew first.... (Romans 1:16)

Who knows... have you been placed where you are for such a time as this?

Why learn Hebrew?

Hebrew is the original written and spoken language of the Old Testament. It has also been called the "Holy Language". It is the language in which God spoke forth the Torah and the language the prophets used to express their revelations. Sadly, most of it's beauty and shades of meaning are lost in English translations.

Hebrew words have more than just one definition. For example, the Hebrew word for 'keep' is 'shamar', which literally means to guard, protect and cherish; while the Hebrew word for 'break' (parar) literally means to trample under foot. The ancient Hebrew understanding of these words is not about obedience and disobedience of His commands, but one’s attitude toward them. It is a matter of cherishing His teachings or trampling them.

You most likely already know several Hebrew words that have come through Biblical English such as Hallelujah, Amen, Hosanna, andShalom. Shalom for instance means more than just hello, or peace, it contains the whole word picture of health, welfare and friendship.

The Modern Hebrew spoken in Israel is also very unique. After being dormant as a spoken language for almost 2000 years, it has been resurrected into a fully spoken language with the birth of the State of Israel. The revival of a formerly spoken language has no precedent in world history and is considered to be something of a miracle by linguists.

Many Bible verses take on new meaning in the original Hebrew text. There are also many plays on words that are missed when only reading an English translation.

One of the first examples is from the creation of Man, (Adam), who was created from the dust of the ground (Adamah). Another example is in the naming of the creation of woman when Adam said: 'she shall be called woman (ishah) because she was taken from man (ish). Then Adam gave her the name 'Eve' (Chavah, which means life-giver, living) because she was the mother of all living. And of course, we have our Messiah, Yeshua (Salvation) and He shall save (Yoshiah) His people from their sins.

Another area that comes to life when studying Hebrew is understanding Hebraic idioms. If one went to China and said “it’s raining cats and dogs” the people of that land would be bewildered. In the same way, Hebraic idioms can lead to some misunderstandings.

One of the biggest misinterpretations of a Hebraic idiom is ‘binding and loosing’. Often this text has been interpreted as Jesus’ giving His disciples authority to engage in spiritual warfare. This is not the case. This reference is not to the literal binding or loosing of something (as in tying up or untying something), it is rather, ‘prohibit’ (from the Hebrew word asar) and 'permitting' (from the hebrew word hitir)

Asar v’Hitir as used by Israel’s Sages, had to do with making ‘binding’ and ‘loosing’ decisions regarding conduct prohibited or permitted by the commands of the Torah. This is likely what Jesus meant in His instructions on ‘binding’ and ‘loosing’. We can see it as guidance to the Church as to what conduct God would prohibit or permit among Christians. This was especially important as the Church moved into the Gentile areas where the people would not have had an understanding of the Law of Moses.

Another example of a Hebrew idiom is Baruch ha-ba, which translates literally as 'blessed is he that comes'. In Hebrew, this idiom simply means welcome. When Jesus lamented over Jerusalem He said: "you will not see me again until you say 'blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord' ... in other words, He will not return until Jerusalemwelcomes Him as their Messiah.

There is also so much meaning in the translation of names. The name Samson (Shimshon) comes from the root word "Shemesh" which means 'light'. The name Delila (D'lila) comes from the root word 'night'; so we understand, by their names, that this the story is really about asking:What does the light have to do with the darkness.? The names add to the meaning of the account the idea that Samson’s undoing was at the hands of evil foreigners and warnes the reader to stay away from them.

Another example of Hebrew names and understanding the meanings behind them are the names Hannaniah, Misha’el and Azariah. Do you recognize these names? Most of you will probably not because you know them better as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

Their names given to them by their Hebrew Mothers were; Hannaniah, which means ‘The Lord shows Grace’; Misha’el, which means ‘Who is like God’; and Azaria, which means ‘The Lord will help Me’. The names given to them by N’vuchadnetzar were Shadrach, which means ‘I will do what Aku (one of Neb’s gods) commands’; Meshach, which means ‘Who is there like Aku’; and Abednego, which means ‘I am Nabu (another one of Neb’s gods) slave’. So now the story becomes; will they live up to the names their Hebrew Mothers gave them in honour of our God, or the names N’vuchadnetzar gave them in honour of his pagan gods?

There is so much beauty and insight in the Hebrew language and culture waiting for those who seek it’s understanding to be revealed. The study of Hebrew will enable you to better comprehend Jewish concepts and help you appreciate the Jewish roots of Christianity. I would encourage you to begin with just a simple course in learning to read Hebrew so that you yourself would be able to speak the very words God gave us in their original form. God chose to reveal himself to the world as a Jewish, Hebrew speaking man who lived and died within the Jewish culture and context and it is against that background that we can understand even more about Him.