Tisha b'Av - the Ninth of Av

© Petra van der Zande              

Excerpt from the book “Remember Observe Rejoice” 

The 9th day of Av usually falls in the middle of the summer holiday, in August.

On this solemn day, the Jewish people commemorate the destructions of their Temples by fasting 24 hours and praying. In Israel, most restaurants and places of entertainment are closed on this day.

Throughout the ages, Tisha b’Av has been a black day in Jewish history.

The Mishnah mentions specific events which took place:

•         On this day, the twelve spies returned to Moses; ten of them with bad news about the Promised Land.
•         In 586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Solomon’s Temple and sent the Judeans into Babylonian Exile.
•        In 70 AD, the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans, and the people in Judea scattered. It heralded the beginning of the Jewish exile from Eretz Israel.
•        135 AD, Bar Kochba’s revolt against the Romans was crushed and Betar destroyed.

In later years, more Tisha b’Av disasters were added to the list of commemorations. On this day:

•        All Jews were expelled from England in 1290
•        The Jews from Spain were expelled in 1492.
•     The same fate awaited the Jews from Vienna, whose turn came in 1670.
•        World War I officially began on the 9th of Av in 1914, when Germany declared war on Russia.

In the period between the 17th of Tammuz (July) till the 9th of Av, (August), religious Jews don’t eat meat, drink no wine (except for Shabbat), do not wear new clothes, and do not schedule happy events, such as weddings and house dedications. The 25 hour fast begins at nightfall on the 9th of Av.

In the synagogue, the Ark housing the Torah scrolls is draped in black and the lights are dimmed.  Wearing only socks or slippers, no (leather) shoes, people sit on the floor or on low stools. Like true mourners, they don’t greet each other with “Shalom”. 

Torah study is forbidden, for this is considered to be a joyful activity. During this fast day, the book of Lamentations, Job and parts of Jeremiah are read in the synagogue.

Special mourning prayers, kinot (written during the Middle Ages) are also recited.

Orthodox Jews believe that when Messiah comes, Tisha b’Av will be a day of celebration instead of mourning.

"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'The fast of the fourth month, The fast of the fifth, The fast of the seventh, And the fast of the tenth, Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace." Zechariah 8:19 (NKJV)

A religious Jew will never throw away his old prayer book, or discard a Torah Scroll. These are kept in a special place (Genizah*) and are usually buried on Tisha b’Av.

Fragments like these, considered too holy to be discarded as trash, are stored in the genizah.

Behind the Hymns - The God of Abraham's Praise

From The Yigdal of Daniel ben Judah, a Jewish judge in Rome, circa 1400, paraphrased by Thomas Olivers, circa 1765; first appeared in The Gospel Magazine, April 1775. The lyrics are based on the 13 creeds of Moses Maimonides (circa 1130-1204).

Thomas Olivers 1725-1799

One night in London, [Olivers] was attracted to a service in a Jewish synagogue, where he heard a great singer, Leoni, sing an ancient Hebrew melody in the solemn, plaintive mode and he became impressed with a desire to write a hymn to that tune. The result was our hymn, The God of Abraham Praise, which in a sense is a paraphrase of the ancient Hebrew Yigdal, or doxology, though Olivers gave to it a distinctly Christian flavor.

The story is told of a young Jewess who had been baptized into the Christian faith, and in consequence was abandoned by her family. She fled to the home of the minister, poured out her heart to him, and as if to show that, after all, her joy in her new-found Saviour was greater than all her loss of home and family, she sang, "The God of Abraham Praise."

Leoni Hebrew melody, Sacred Harmony, 1780

The God of Abraham praise, who reigns enthroned above;

Ancient of everlasting days, and God of Love;

Jehovah, great I AM! by earth and Heav’n confessed;

I bow and bless the sacred name forever blessed.

The God of Abraham praise, at whose supreme command

From earth I rise—and seek the joys at His right hand;

I all on earth forsake, its wisdom, fame, and power;

And Him my only portion make, my shield and tower.

The God of Abraham praise, whose all sufficient grace

Shall guide me all my happy days, in all my ways.

He calls a worm His friend, He calls Himself my God!

And He shall save me to the end, thro’ Jesus’ blood.

He by Himself has sworn; I on His oath depend,

I shall, on eagle wings upborne, to Heav’n ascend.

I shall behold His face; I shall His power adore,

And sing the wonders of His grace forevermore.

Tho’ nature’s strength decay, and earth and hell withstand,

To Canaan’s bounds I urge my way, at His command.

The watery deep I pass, with Jesus in my view;

And thro’ the howling wilderness my way pursue.

The goodly land I see, with peace and plenty blessed;

A land of sacred liberty, and endless rest.

There milk and honey flow, and oil and wine abound,

And trees of life forever grow with mercy crowned.

There dwells the Lord our king, the Lord our righteousness,

Triumphant o’er the world and sin, the Prince of peace;

On Sion’s sacred height His kingdom still maintains,

And glorious with His saints in light forever reigns.

He keeps His own secure, He guards them by His side,

Arrays in garments, white and pure, His spotless bride:

With streams of sacred bliss, with groves of living joys—

With all the fruits of paradise He still supplies.

Before the great Three-One they all exulting stand;

And tell the wonders He hath done, through all their land:

The listening spheres attend, and swell the growing fame;

And sing, in songs which never end, the wondrous name.

The God who reigns on high the great archangels sing,

And Holy, holy, holy! cry, Almighty King!

Who was, and is, the same, and evermore shall be:

Jehovah—Father—great I AM, we worship Thee!

Before the Savior’s face the ransomed nations bow;

O’erwhelmed at His almighty grace, forever new:

He shows His prints of love—they kindle to a flame!

And sound thro’ all the worlds above the slaughtered Lamb.

The whole triumphant host give thanks to God on high;

Hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, they ever cry.

Hail, Abraham’s God, and mine! (I join the heav’nly lays,)

All might and majesty are Thine, and endless praise.


http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/g/o/d/godofabe.htm

The Spiritual Mind, Part 2 Philippians 3:12-21 By Pastor Joel McElreath

This Sermon outline corresponds with the audio link of the sermon on the JBC website. 

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Philippians 3:12-21 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained. 17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. 18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.       

Sermon: The Spiritual Mind, Part 2 Philippians 3:12-21   By Pastor Joel McElreath

INTRODUCTION: Today in our study of chapter three we will look at two key themes:  sanctification and glorification.  This third chapter may be the most beloved chapter of the letter.  It contains some cardinal doctrines which are a cause for great joy.  Remember, the term joy or joyous is found 16 times in four chapters.

I.  SANCIFICATION: THE BELIEVER’S PRESENT STATE.  3:12-16

A.  Perfection has not yet been achieved. Verse 12.  Sanctification is both a process and a position.

B.  The process is defined as a track race.  Cf. 1 Cor. 9:25-27; 2 Tim. 2:5.

1.  Awareness of the need to pursue a better condition.  In verse 12.

2.  Must exert ourselves to pursue a better condition. It is a “reaching forth.”   

3.  Focused concentration on the goal. Verse 13. Cf. Hebrews 12:1,2.

4. The daily discipline for the athlete: daily death and daily resurrection. .

5.  Paul would soon finish the race.  Cf. 2 Timothy 4:6-8.

C.  God’s aim for each of His children: a God pleasing character.

D.  The goal and the prize are the same.  Verse 14. Cf. 2 Corinthians 3:18.

E.   The process to reach the goal is two fold: objective and subjective. (vs. 15,16)

ILLUSTRATION:  True story of a translator in VietNam.

II.  GLORIFICATION: THE BELIEVER’S FUTURE STATE.  3:17-21.

A. Practical steps:

  1. Follow Paul’s example stated in verse 17.  Cf. 1Thess. 1:6

  2. Avoid the enemies of the cross.

B. Note the “pattern you have in us.” Verse 17.

1.  Paul sets the pace.

2.  Observe others who are faithful and obedient and follow them also.

3.  Forget past negative memories and failures.

C.   Focusing on our expectations.  Verses 20-21.

1.  Heaven bound home of our citizenship.

2.  Eagerly awaiting the return of Christ . Cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20.

3.  Transformation of our lowly bodies into one like Christ’s. Romans 8:29    

 

D.  Subjection of all things to Christ. Cf. 1 Cor. 15:24-28.

CONCLUSION: True maturity in the faith will produce a strength and a hope that will not fear the future but embrace it.  Your character will also demonstrate love.

Story of Phocas, a fourth century Christian who lived in Asia Minor.